Tmf Oneshots, take two!

The shrill sound of the alarm cut through the silence of the early morning, dragging Hailey from a restless sleep. With a groan, she reached out, fumbling for the off button, and hit it. She sat up, rubbing her face as the weight of the past month settled into her bones. It had been a whirlwind of emotions-grief, frustration, sleepless nights, and a deep sense of exhaustion that seemed to consume her. Every day felt like she was fighting against an invisible tide, and the strain was starting to show.

Her bedroom door creaked open, and her younger brother's voice broke through her thoughts. "Hey, Mum made pancakes. You coming?"

Hailey blinked at the door, struggling to clear the fog from her mind. Zander's concerned tone sent a pang of guilt through her. He was always worried about her. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute. Just give me a moment to get ready," she replied, her voice thick with tiredness. The door clicked shut, and Hailey sighed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

She stood up, her body protesting the movement, and shuffled to the mirror. The reflection that greeted her was far from what she wanted to see: tangled hair from tossing and turning the night before, and dark circles under her eyes that seemed to have taken up permanent residence. She looked like a wreck.

"You're such a mess, Hailey," she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she ran a brush through her hair, trying to smooth out the worst of it. She quickly dabbed on some makeup, hoping it would help mask the fatigue, though she knew it was just a temporary fix.

After brushing her teeth and splashing cold water on her face, Hailey made her way downstairs, the smell of pancakes filling the air. Her family was already gathered at the kitchen table, chatting and laughing. She slid into the seat next to Bethany, her younger sister, who was already in the middle of a conversation about a new song she was working on with a friend named Sean.

Hailey poked at her pancakes, her mind elsewhere. "So, how's school going for you two?" she asked, trying to engage in the conversation.

Zander and Hailey exchanged a glance before he answered, his voice carefully neutral. "It's been alright."

Bethany, always the one to dominate a conversation, launched into a detailed description of her new song, but Hailey's attention drifted. She barely noticed when Zander's gaze shifted to her plate. He'd been watching her closely lately, and she knew he was starting to notice that she hadn't been eating much.

After breakfast, the three siblings walked together to school. As they entered the school building, the buzz of gossip was palpable. Hailey tried to tune it out, but one sentence cut through the noise and made her pause. "Yeah, didn't you hear? He's in the hospital. To be honest, he deserves it." The rest of the conversation became a blur of whispers, but that one sentence stuck with her. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone important was hurting, someone she cared about.

"Hailey?" Zander's voice brought her back to reality. He and Luke, who had joined them at the entrance, were both watching her with concern. "You okay? You kind of spaced out there."

"Yeah," Hailey muttered, forcing a smile. "Sorry, just distracted."

As they entered the club room, Hailey's eyes immediately landed on the table, where she saw Jake's student ID lying unattended. Her heart sank, and her stomach twisted into knots. The sight of the ID brought back memories of their last encounter-the recording, the harsh words, the final look he gave her. The realization hit her harder than expected, and she felt a dull ache spread through her chest.

Just then, two sharp knocks echoed through the room. The door opened, and a woman stepped in, followed by Sadie, a familiar face. Hailey's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't seen Sadie in days. "Hi," Sadie greeted the group, her voice soft.