"Sometimes what we see isn't true."

╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌╌

ꪩ Reality discomfortsܝ ܝ

A dead woman. Yes, the person who my messy mind put in front of me was dead. She wasn't only dead, she was most likely murdered. I wasn't sure about that part though. Her death wasn't a foreseen kind of death. It was startling and on a day where she was going to meet Mr. & Mrs. Blake to talk to them about an essential matter. However, it was said that she committed suicide before she could.

Still, I wasn't sure if it was her because of Liam's baffling words. How could he meet a dead person? It would be one thing if she died yesterday, but two years ago? It made no sense.

The only way to figure out was Henry. Henry has an impeccable memory, he can't miss anyone that passed in his life even if it was for twenty minutes. This made him very dissimilar to me. I only recall the people who had an important effect on my life. But, I did forget that woman. Maybe because I was careless of her creepy apologizes.

"Daisy, are you okay?" He scanned my expression, his brows bumping together in a scowl and his natural pink lips set in a grim line.

"Sorry, she is gorgeous, you're right." A fake smile took its place, I didn't want to fuss with him until I knew the truth.

"Liam, would you mind getting me water?" I wanted him to leave the room so I could take a picture of the photo. He nodded and I thanked him. The second he left the room, I took my phone out and I snapped a picture of the photo. My breathing was rapid and shallow as if I had done a crime.

When he came back with water in his hands, I exploded out of the sofa instantly. I took a sip of the water then excused myself, saying that I had to go, of course, it was one of plotting-Daisy's little lies.

When I went downstairs, I found Mr & Ms. Blake heading out of Peter's office. Ms. Blake's blue eyes looked as if an ocean had been encased inside of small glass marbles. Without double thinking, I ran to her and asked her the foolish question that I had been asked for years. I guess it was my turn to return the question before it gets too late, and I lose her. "Are you okay?"

She cupped my face and nodded before she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me close, gently rubbing my arm. I was sinking in the warmth of her arms, I loved her, she was my second mom.

We both pulled away after a minute, both Peter and Mr. Blake were watching us full of admiration. However, Liam's gaze was full of envy toward us. His jawline was clenched like he was someone else, not the Liam that I knew. I started to understand what his father meant by terrifying him with that gaze. Fear seemed to flow through my body and soul. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat and tried to keep my eyes away from him. I started assuming that he wasn't completely put-together mentally, but Peter would know if that was true. He was a therapist and wanted to help me, a kind-of-stranger to him.

I was eager to stop these messy thoughts from forming in my brain, I would have been making the wrong assumption too.

"Let's go," I curled my arm around Ms. Blake's arm, pulling her gently to the front door, I wanted to get out of that house as soon as possible.

"What about our appointment?" Peter asked with an arching eyebrow, his eyes hazel eyes were staring at my figure, bewildered trying to figure out what made me want to leave all of sudden. "Did you change your mind? Are you that weak?" He knew what he was doing, irritating me so I would stay.

If I stayed, I would either know the truth and maybe there will be a higher chance of curing me early, or I would either just believe a lie. How can I know he wasn't a professional liar? Was there proof? Nope. I only got a semi-proof that he may reason for what happened to Liam's mother. He may have separated a mother and a child without any reason.

Maybe he would convince me that my mother is an angel, while she is an ogre. Like him.

Didn't I say loathing and censuring her was indeed easier than recalling the entire tangible story. I even discarded the scenes of my dad abusing me sexually.

Believe what you want to believe, Daisy. I was only useful at being everyone's doll and satisfying them by believing them since all I desired was escaping. I didn't reply to Peter's taunt and my feet took me out of the house, headed to mine. Without taking another glance at Mr. & Ms. Blake, I rushed to Henry's room.

He was sitting in his room studying. His hair was lazily ruffled, the brown tips haphazardly pushed so they intertwined into beautiful chaos. His eyes were fixed on the laptop screen, I had no clue how he looked alluring in concentration. He didn't even notice I walked in, however, that's just normal Henry when it comes to studying.

"Henry," I called out his name to catch his attention to me.

"Oh, hey Daisy, where were you earlier?" He faced me, the protective Henry is back. I guess he was never really gone, to begin with.

"At Peter's, I was actually going to meet Peter, but I ended up being with Liam." My tone was candid. I pushed myself closer to him in silence, I didn't know how to bring up the real topic I wanted to talk to him about.

"You and Liam alone? In his room?" Muscles in his face tightened and his lips thinned to a line all of a sudden.

What's wrong with him? What was weird about that?

"Yeah," I sighed with my slumped shoulders, my gaze at him was dilated with anxiety and fear.

"Spill it out." He usually asks me what's wrong, but this time his gaze was cold toward me. There was definitely something wrong with him. However, I didn't ask since I didn't want any distractions from my topic.

I inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly; taking my phone out of my pocket and hoping that she wasn't who I thought it was. I wanted to believe Peter, I really wanted to. I showed him the picture of the woman. He squinted at it for a minute then shifted his gaze to me.

"Isn't she my parents' friend? The one who committed suicide? What was her name again?" He rested his chin in his palm and looked thoughtful.

It was her?!

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped when he confirmed it's her. I didn't know how to react, I had no choice except believing Mackenzie.

"Hailey!" He screamed her name. "But what about her?" His curiosity was intensifying with every second.

"She is Liam's mother," I mumbled.

"The world is really small," he stared with cow eyes.

"Yeah, Henry is there any possibility that she could still be alive?" I hoped he would say yes even though I knew it would be strange and creepy if she was still alive. I knew that I wasn't living in a fantasy show where dead people get out from their graves and walk around. I was just craving to believe Peter, again.

"Zero. Why though?" He arched his eyebrow and searching

"Nothing." I lied.

"Tell me when you feel you want to, I'll wait." He caught my lie, sometimes I wonder if I'm a bad liar or if he just knows me more than I know myself.

The fifteenth of December, 2017.

On Friday, a day that everyone loved except me. I never identified it as a different day of the week. All days were the same, but that day was diverse. It was the day I met Hailey.

I was a fifteen-year-old depressed teenager, sitting in my room with a black hoodie on and tight black leggings. My hair was long and brown, I still didn't have the chance to dye it to black.

I was standing straight in my periodic position, watching the sky from the window. I loved the shapes of clouds, watching them was what I liked to I do for fun. Usual people hang out, play video games, watch YouTube videos, Netflix, and etc., but I was boring, calm, and I couldn't have fun, as I didn't force myself to try.

Suddenly, I caught sight of a blonde-haired woman heading toward our house. I narrowed my eyes and the questions were swimming in my head, but for Jesus's sake, it was only a few questions.

Thirty minutes had passed, and I was still in my place. My legs were never weary from standing; my eyes didn't maim from staring at the sky. I would have stayed longer, I liked it, but the sound of someone knocking on my door brought me back to life. "Come in," I was quiet as the evening.

I heard the door open and shut slowly, the sound of steps getting closer and closer. My eyes were still fixed on the beautiful sight of nature, sometimes I wonder why life is not as beautiful as the world's natural views.

"Daisy?" An unfamiliar female voice called my name, her tone was aghast and pitiful. I turned around and I saw a gorgeous woman in her forties--if I had to guess I would say about forty-four or forty-five. Her hair was the palest blonde possible, each strand almost translucent when seen on its own. The emotion in her eyes was soul-deep, yet they carried the warmth and life of the sunlit surface. They had a thousand hues of blue and a small touch of hazel radiating in softly swooping arcs.

"Who are you?" I asked her.

"Hailey," she answered back as if I knew who Hailey is.

"And who is Hailey?" I rolled my eyes skyward.

"I heard a lot that you are like your mom, but you are also so much like him." She spoke her thoughts and stepped closer to me.

"Him?" I tilted my head slightly and narrowed my eyes at her. I didn't understand what she was saying, it made me question a lot.

"Your father." The blonde woman murmured keeping her eyes fixed on me. I didn't understand the intensity in her eyes, I was fifteen years old.

"First one to say that," I grinned at her foolishly. I should really win the 'Dumbest-Girl' award if there was one. "But you didn't tell me your identity." I was determined.

"A very old family friend," she replied with a blank face--emotionless to be more specific. "Or an enemy." She murmured quietly, I didn't hear it well but I assumed she said that.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she forced a smile and scratched her nape. I nodded quietly, I didn't really believe her but I didn't care if she was an enemy or a friend.

Silence filled the room for a few minutes, it was an awkward silence. "I am sorry," she suddenly apologized.

"For?" I was perplexed by her sudden apology, why would she apologize? And for what?

"Tomorrow you will know." Those were the last words that I heard from her and they were the most confusing words she could've given.

[A/N]: Hope you enjoyed the new chapter,
don't forget to vote and comment!

Q.O.C:  Why do you think Hailey apologized for?

Thanks for reading, love y'all xoxo.