My group of friends and I stood in front of our homeroom doors disguising our plans for this weekend. We were laughing as I joked about my sister and how my best friend Ashley thought of a girl we all despised when she walked passed us at lunch. I couldn’t help it she did sound a lot like her ever since she started being friends with her again. It made me want to scream.

I hated my family sometimes. Having 3 siblings and all of you so different didn’t help much. While my baby sis Bay was apart of all three of us put together, made her a perfect combination anyone would die to be.

I was the outsider. If I ever do something that would embarrass my sisters, they say they disown me that day. I am not emo, punk, scene, or whatever other label goes along with those. I’m just a creative individual named Hayley and that’s who I will always want to be. I’m the artistic one in my family I paint, draw, write, and play guitar. I sing a little but I chose not to let anyone really hear me unless its for fun like in the car.

My sister Lilly is the tomboy. But lately her best friend has been getting her into a little more girly things. In fact she has actually started wearing makeup. We are so proud. But she’s not as kind as others see her has even my family thinks that she’s so perfect, but that’s just my cousins, aunts, and uncles. My immediate family thinks the same as what I do.

Kyla is the preppy girly girl. Lately she’s been thinking of herself and only herself. It annoys the living s*** out of me. I really hate her sometimes.

That’s enough of my family.

I looked over my shoulder and sighed quietly. My crush Damian was looking at me for only a couple seconds and then looked away. I smiled slightly. He was a talented musician and had a smooth but rough voice when he sang that just made you want to melt into a puddle. I loved to hear him and his band play. I’m just to shy to try and talk to him or even stand anywhere really close to him. I just go insane with laughing with all the butterflies that build up in my stomach. Suddenly hands are being waved in front of my face to snap me back to reality.

“Hayley” my blond haired best friend Jamie-lee said as she giggled as my blank look.

“Yeah sorry” I laughed as I blushed a little. I had been staring at Damian and now I feel like a TOTAL idiot. From my right I could hear the lyrical laughter of his voice, which only caused my blush to explode with my heart beat. Ashley laughed as she saw my face turn bright red.

“Hayley you are so cute” she giggled making me laugh.

“Not that cute” I said as my hands covered my cheeks and I began acting like I was two. Then the bell rang warning us to go to home room before the next bell. Damian said good by to his friends and left down the hall while I stood a little longer with Ash and Jaclyn and then spilt for homeroom.

Walking into homeroom I walk over to my desk noticing a white folded piece of paper laying on my desk. I looked at Lilly giving her a look that she recognized quickly.

“Autumn left it. She said a boy gave it to her to put it on your desk.” she answered me. “No idea who it is.” Then she gave me a smile like. ‘you got a secret admirer’ Rolling my eyes I turned and sat down picking up the note.

Dear Hayley,

An angel as walked by me day after day and every day she only makes my life brighter and brighter. I am so happy when I see her. She has become my muse my source of inspiration and I only wish I could talk to her. So inside I’ll hide in the shadows for now and wait for the day we meet.

My dearest angel, keep shining and making everyday worth coming to school.

Shadow walker.

My lips slowly curled into a small smile. Someone notices me. I never told anyone I had felt so invisible to everyone, or that it had bothered me a little. Quickly I put it in my pocket as the dumb school bell rang and I made my way to first period.

The entire day I was just smiling like the chestier cat because of the Shadow walker. I never thought I’d be someone’s angel or muse. I was always hiding except when I had one of my friends with me, then I was out going and weird. I was myself.

Sitting down at my lunch table I told Ash about the Shadow Walker and she squealed.

“That’s so cute!” Waving her hands as she laughed causing me to laugh at her as well. I don’t know what I’d do with out any of my friends. Damian walked by and looked back at us and my face lit up like a stop light and I looked away. “Oh my gosh! He smiled at you!” Ash chirped as she slapped my arm. “Do you think he’s the Shadow walker?”

“What if it was it would be the most wonderful thing in ever, but it’s probably not.” I doubted myself. There was no way a guy as amazing as Damian would notice me. Once again the bell rang and we left to our next period.

Finally it was after school and I went to my locker to put/gather my things. Another note fell onto the floor, picking it up my fingers moved under the folds and opened the smooth white paper. The Shadow walker had put it in my locker at some point of the day.

Dear Hayley.

You are such a cute girl. I love how you are always your self with your friends and are never fake. You show your true self and always want to try something different even if others think you look like a freak. You’re so pretty and I so scared to say something stupid to you which another reason why I walk in the shadows. But we will meet I promise you.

Shadow walker
Once again I smiled then I thought of it. I was only like that when I was with them. At home I am like that but that’s sometimes an act with my family. I usually cry myself to sleep sometimes. My smile faded then came back as Ash came over to me.

“Another note from the Shadow walker?” Ash giggled.

“Yes” I laughed as I looked at her from the floor.

“Well … what does it say!” she asked jumping up and down a little. Laughing as I stood up I briefed her on what it said. “That is so cute, he hides like how you hide from guys.” I nodded and made our way to our buses.

For a month I’ve been receiving letters from the shadow walker. Today after my last class I open my locker and find another note.

Dear Hayley,

It’s been a month and I’ve gotten tired of it. In 10 minutes meet me in the stair case closest to your homeroom. I think you should meet the Shadow walker.

My heart raced at the words. The shadow walker wants to show himself now. When Ash showed up I quickly told her everything without giving her a chance to speak.

“Oh my gosh that is so amazing!” She giggled as we hugged each other.

“I know” I squealed as I let her go. So she left and I waited ten minutes then went to the stairs. I sat on the floor after a minute or two and waited. Finally I heard a voice. I jumped up when I saw someone come down the stairs. It was one of Damian’s friends. “Jeff?”

“Hayley, Dami- I mean the Shadow walker couldn’t make it and he sends his apologies” Jeff said catching himself as he accidentally revealed Damian’s identity. I smiled half heartedly.

“It’s ok Jeff just show me to the Shadow walker’s locker” I smiled as I grabbed my stuff. “I want to leave something for him.” Jeff nodded and showed me to his locker.

“Here it is the shadow walker’s locker” Jeff sighed. “I’m sorry, you probably figured it out thanks to me.”

“Yes but I don’t mind it’s ok Jeff” I told him. “why couldn’t he show anyways?” I pulled out a piece of paper and began writing a note back to Damian.

“He had to go to kun fu practice he completely for got about it but it was to late so he sent me.” Jeff sighed still beating himself up for spilling. “See you tomorrow Hayley” and he left. Slowly I slipped the note into Damian’s locker, I turned and left with a smile.

The next morning I got a note that was quickly written.

A girl like you should never cry. The same girl who laughs and talks a lot and seems very happy is also the girl who may cry herself to sleep. That girl should have someone to cry on but that person should calm her and remind her how amazingly awesome she is. An angel should be sung a beautiful lullaby by someone who cares for them.



Damian. Yeah Jeff told me you knew.

I smiled almost wanting to cry. No one has really said anything like that to me. Maybe my ex did but that was when we were dating. Suddenly two arms came around me and lightly squeezed me. Looking over my shoulder I saw two beautiful gray eyes with black bangs covering them slightly. Damian.

“I’m sorry it took me forever to show myself Hayley but you’re an angel that is almost impossible to confront but so lovely to admire from afar” He whispered laying his head on my shoulder. I smiled and kissed his now redend cheek.

“And your so amazingly talented, my dark shadow, that an angel like me was imtimidated by your star-like qualities” I whispered. “An angel as shy as me couldn’t speak to you”

“Thank you Hayley” Damian said as his arms left mine, his left hand skillfully slipped into my right hand. ‘Let me walk you to your homeroom”

“I’d love that” I smiled as I lightly squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine back. I’ve never thought that someone so amazing would notice the one person that didn’t care about anything, who now had someone who she could care for and be there for everything and the same for Damian.