Chapter Two

The first part of my went smoothly, I was able to avoid conversations and being able to sit in the back of the room. Having a sense of seeing the whole room at once put my wondering mind at ease. Classes got easier to find the more time I spent wandering around.

Entering the lunchroom I scanned it before going in further. There were groups of people separated around me, and the entire room was filled with laughter and talking. Grabbing my food, I heard the many whispers as I walked by others.

"That's the new girl?"

"Her hair. Oh goodness."

"She looks dumb, not someone I'd talk to."

Rolling my eyes, I sat down just as the room went eerily silent. Looking at the source I saw that the two people I didn't have the pleasure of meeting strolled in. Nobody dared to move before they sat down. I watched as the girls gave eyes to Dominic, but disapproved looks at the girl. The guys gave glares to the man and drooled over the prissy bitch next to him.

What is up with these people?

I felt an unwanted presence of Gavin as he sat down next to me. "Why are you here?"

I don't have time for this bullshit.

Getting up and grabbing my belongings I search for a new table. The only one I can think of was their table. Maybe he'll leave me be if I sit with people that look like they run the place. Walking over to their table I felt everyone's eyes were now fixated on me. They both looked up at me as I sat across from them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The snooty bitch glared daggers at me which I reflected by rolling my eyes.

"Getting away from-"

"Hailey. Answer the damn question. Why are you here?"

Groaning, I slammed my head on the table but I lifted it back up. "Gavin, can we do this later? I want to enjoy my lunch with Dominic and-"

She rolled her eyes. "Gabriella."

Truth was, I was pulling at my teeth and nails to try to avoid this conversation. I wasn't here for the mission I was assigned to. Yes, part of it was; but mainly because I wanted answers.

"You can't answer one simple question? Seriously?!" He raised his voice before I turned to face him giving him a 'go to hell' look.

I shook my head. "It's my business and I get to decide who I share it with."

"Hailey, I won't ask again."

"Answers! Okay! I'm here looking for fucking answers!" My blood and anger were fraying away quickly.

"And that takes five months?"

Sighing I turned to play with my food. "I wish it didn't. I don't even want to be here, but I need answers that Daddy wasn't able to give me."

"Why? Did he leave you high and dry as Carlos did?"

I stabbed my fork into the table making him and Gabriella flinch. "He's dead."

There was an eerie silence that came over the table before Gavin spoke again. "Why didn't he tell you before he died?"

My whole body tensed at his question. I could feel my breath get caught in my lungs and pain shoot right through my heart. Tears threatened to escape my watering eyes as I blinked them back.

"Be-because he couldn't."

"Why Hailey?!"

"Because Mother killed him!" I froze at my words. Did I just say that out loud? "I-I need to go." I reached for my things when I felt Dominic grab my wrist gently. He pulled me into himself as his arms wrapped around me. His chin rested on my head as I stood there. I didn't try to pull away, nor did I embrace him in return. Just stood there like an idiot.

"Va bene, lo sono qui ora." His voice was barely a whisper into my ear as he continued to hold me close to him. "Scusami." (It's okay, I'm here now. I'm sorry.).

Suddenly just like that realization sets in that Dominic was holding me, pushing him away from me I shook my head. Leaving my things there I left the cafeteria escaping for some isolation. It sank in that Gavin pushed the right buttons that he did to get the answers he wanted. He did it to make me slip up and speak about my past, and that bastard succeed.

Anger filled my body as I walked into an empty hallway. My mind let go of control as my body took over. By instinct, my fists made contact with the brick wall standing in front of me over and over. I didn't feel the pain as I kept punching the wall. I was so pissed off about not feeling I only hit the wall harder.

Dominic's POV:

This Gavin kid sure wants to get his ass beat. He's loud and annoying.

Gabby and I watched the scene between Hailey and Gavin fighting in shared silence. He was demanding answers that she didn't have to tell him. Although, for him, it seemed to be working because she gave him her answer before long.

Pressing on with more questions I could tell she was frustrated and wanted to be left alone. Her expression and body language shifted momentarily before her fork slammed into the table. "He's dead." Her facial expression shared a look of pain and rage, while her voice sounded more like grief.

There was silence for a while. I glanced over to see Gabby opens her mouth to speak before closing it again.

"Why didn't he tell you before he died?"

He's starting to piss me off.

Gabby shot him a look of surprise before it turned into daggers.

"Why Hailey?!"

"Because Mother killed him!" Everything about her froze in her own words. She sat there blinking before she made an effort to move. "I-I need to go." Getting out of her seat I pulled her into a hug. She was tense but didn't move. I wanted so desperately to erase all her pain.

"Va bene. Lo sono qui ora, scusami." I didn't want to ever let go of Hailey. I looked over to Gavin sending him my death glare while I had my head on hers.

All of a sudden, she soundlessly pushed us apart shaking her head as she left with her bag and book here.

Just looking at the damn kid made me have a strong urge to strangle him. Picking up her things and walking in her direction I paused for a moment. Turning towards Gavin, letting my fist make hard contact with his jaw as he crumpled to the floor. "Go near her again and I'll kill you." I continued following the same way she did.

Walking the empty halls as I search for her made everything so strangely quiet. It made it hard to find someone I was expecting to be yelling or the sound of her hitting lockers. Getting closer to one end of the halls I noticed something dripping down on the wall. The closer I got the clearer it had become.

Blood? Why the hell is there blood on the wall?

Crouching down I noticed a line of blood droplets that was leading away from here. Standing up I followed what felt like a never-ending trail of it. It stopped at a door that was ajar. I was about to open it when I heard her voice.

"No sir." Pause. "No sir." Pause. "It's hard to find someone with no name or face to base him on sir." Pause. "What?! You have to be kidding me." Pause. "I will get the job done, I just think eleven months is not enough Tim- Yes sir."

She screamed in what sounded like frustration before I heard nothing. Opening the door she stood there applying bandages to her left hand. She was focused on her task at hand she didn't see me. Pausing for a minute before she turned to me sending a knife towards my head. It stuck in the wall next to me just merely an inch or two from my face.

"Damn it I thought it was someone else. Sorry." She came over removing the board from the wall.

Grabbing her hand I started to unravel the bandages to see her torn-up and bloodied knuckles. Gently brushing my thumb across her wound I almost felt her bone. "The blood on the wall was yours?"

"Why are you here?" Hailey attempted to pull her hand back as I held her down by her wrist. She groaned before looking impatient.

Grabbing the rubbing alcohol from the cabinet she stopped trying to pull away. She was smart to come into the science room. "This will sting."

She scoffed before she rolled those gorgeous chuck hazel eyes. "It won't just do it."

Pouring the liquid onto her wound, she didn't even react to it. No yelp, no wince, no grunt, no pulling away. Just how high is this girl's pain tolerance? I looked up to see her watching me with curiosity. Her nose was scrunched up in the most adorable way making me smile.

"You never answered my question."

"You left your things back there. I was just returning them." I was now using new bandages to wrap her hand up in.

There was a moment of awkward silence before she cleared her throat. "Thank you. You've done that you can go now." Hailey was about to pull away again before could finish. Pulling her toward me again her face was inches away from mine.

"Who are you looking for?"

She sat there dumbfounded for a bit before she shook her head. "A ghost."

Her phone lit up as she looked at it. Her eyebrows furrowed before showing it to me. "This man."

"Oh, I can take you to him. We can do it after school."

"You know this man?"

I nodded. "I sure hope so since I live with the Old Man."

"Oh."

Tying the bandages together she flexed her hand and nodded before she thanked me again. Smiling at her before I kissed the top of her head. There was a very light pink creeping on her cheeks. I smirked before handing her bag over to her. She gave me a small smile before standing up, I copied her movements.

She looked at her phone as her expression went dark. Hailey sighed before she grabbed it and left me alone in the room.

Why are so closed off from the world, Amore? Please let me in.