Chapter 1

Moved into a new neighbourhood. Everything seems new. New houses, new neighbours, new people and other new stuff.

"Mother, why must we move to a new neighbourhood?" I questioned.

"Because your father got a new job here. Try to get along with the new neighbours, Emily sweetie," she replied.

I looked at the neighbour's front yard. I saw four children. Very small ones. Two girls and two boys. Each of them had blonde hair. The girls' hair was tied up and the boys' had short hair. One of the girls, the youngest one, looked at me. I gave a little wave at her. She quickly ran inside the house. After a few minutes, the others ran inside the house. All that is left is just toy dolls and cars. After staring at the empty front yard, I went inside the new house.

"Did you meet the neighbours?" mother asked.

"The children ran away as soon as they saw me," I replied.

"It's okay. Maybe one day they'll talk to you,"

"I wish they would right now,"

"Sweetie, meeting new people takes time," she stroked my hair.

"I'll be in my room," I sighed as I ran up the stairs and went inside my room.

The room was filled with boxes labelled with all of my things. I took one of my comic books out of the boxes. I laid down on my bed, reading the comic book peacefully.

After a few minutes, mother came into my room. "Aren't you going out to say hello to the neighbours?" she asked. I shook my head in response.

"Why, Emily?" she settled beside me.

"Because I'm not in the mood today," I replied, putting down the comic book, feeling slightly irritated.

"I'm going to speak to the neighbours. Your brother is coming with me, would you like to tag along?"

"Maybe next time," I put up the comic book, covering my face.

"Okay then, sweetie," she stood up and left the room.

I stood up and sat by the window. I saw my mother talking to the neighbour. The neighbour had blonde hair, just like her children. She seems nice with her four children. One of them was hiding behind her. Then, my mother pointed at my direction and the neighbour looked at me. I just waved as I forced smiled at her as an attempt to make myself look as friendly as possible.

After a few hours, my brother called me down for dinner. I went down the stairs and I saw my neighbour sitting at the dining table, having a chat with mother.

"Oh, you must be Emily! Your mother told me so much about you," she beamed with energy. It was dinner time, how was she still energized?

I nodded and smile in response.

"Emily, this is our neighbour Eliza," my mother said. "Isn't it nice to meet someone new, Emily dear?"

I nodded.

It felt like hours. Maybe it was hours. Mother and Eliza's table talks were so long. It was like they were chanting a spell, or planning to start a cult. I keep forcing myself to laugh, most of the time, I didn't even know what I was laughing at.

After dinner, I straight away went to my room. I didn't want to talk to the neighbour. My mother was going to be in the living room all night with her. I laid down on my bed and tried to get some shut-eye.

I opened my eyes but it wasn't clear to see anything. I saw three people but not sure who. Until my vision was clear, I saw two girls and one woman. One of them had red hair, one of them had black and purple hair and the other looked like a fairy. I knew none of them. My eyes widen as I moved back.

"Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?" I asked looking at them.

"I can only answer one," said the red hair woman. She was tough looking which made me a bit terrified. As for the others, they looked slightly friendlier.

"Hey! I'm Willo!" the fairy said. "And that's Ash and Skye".

"Um…. I-I'm Emily..." I said, questioning if I was seeing right. For goodness sake, a pink fairy with yellow wings was speaking to me.

Skye helped me up. Her outfit looked rather tight and exposing. I couldn't help but peek a little.

"Hey, do you know why you're here?" Ash questioned.

"I was wondering you guys know..." I replied, why would they know, dummy?

"Well we don't" replied Ash.

"I just only woke up here."

"We just found you lying down over there,"

"How on earth would I appear here?"

"We have no idea,"

I shrugged. "Well, let's just get her to shelter," said Skye. We all walked to somewhere. I'm sure they know where we're heading. "Hey, how did you even get here?" Willo asked. "I don't know. All I remember is falling asleep. Not here of course. Somewhere else," I replied. Each of them gave me a strange look.

"So you appeared here while you slept?" Willo continued.

"That's pretty much it." My eyebrows furrowed, this is a dream.

"That doesn't sound logical…"

"Well, I don't even know anything."

We arrived at a house. "We're here," Ash said. She opened the door and went inside. I took a step inside the house. Suddenly, the whole place became dark and black.

I opened my eyes and I saw myself back in my room. I'm guessing it was just a crazy dream. Maybe my brain was just mentally preparing me for school next semester. I still remembered their names and looks. Ash, Skye and that fairy Willo. Ash had red hair at the front and black at the back. Skye had black hair and purple at the end of her hair. Willo is a pink fairy with yellow wings.

I looked out the window and the sun was shining. Someone knocked on my door. "Sweetie, wake up! It's already morning," my mother announced. I still wonder what was that dream about.

Am I going to have that dream again? Let's just see about that later but for now, I'm going to get dressed.

After cleaning myself, I went downstairs. "Morning, dear. Did you had a good night sleep?" my mother questioned. "Um, kind of," I replied, feeling about unsure with the answer. Was it a good night sleep?

"Is it possible to meet someone in your dreams, mother?" I asked, fiddling with my fingers.

"It is possible to meet someone in your dreams," she replied.

"Is it possible to meet someone that you never met before in your dreams?"

"I don't think so. Why are you asking, sweetie? Did you met someone in your dreams?" Mother turned to me, her face was make-up free, but she still had that sweet look.

"Uhm….yeah...I did…"

"Who was it?"

"Uhm….it was Aunt Lily…"

"I think you miss her, Emily" She gave a smile.

"I guess I do…" my voice soften, my eyes locked on the table.

I wouldn't dare to speak about Ash, Skye and Willo to mother. She'll think I've gone crazy! Mother served breakfast on the dining table. Bacon and eggs….yum. My brother went down the stairs looking all sloppy and messy.

"Daniel, did you have your shower yet?" mother asked. He just moaned lazily.

"Go upstairs and have your shower or no bacon and eggs for you," mother said.

As soon as he heard that he rushed upstairs to take a shower.

After breakfast, I went back to my room. I sat on my study desk with a piece of paper and a pencil. I tried to draw Ash.

"Who you drawing there?" my brother appeared behind me, startling me.

I quickly flipped the paper. "N-no one," I replied.

"No, you little liar. That's a someone right there," he snatched the paper and looked at the drawing. "Who's this?" he asked.

"None of your business!" I shouted trying to take the paperback.

My brother held the paper up high. "Tell me who it is first. Then, I'll give you the paper," he said.

"It's just a woman I met in my dreams. Now give it back!" I replied.

"Wait, are you…?" he gasped.

Immediately, I got what he meant, "No I'm not!" I shouted at him.

"Aw, you don't have to be ashamed of your sexuality, little Emily," he said in a loving tone.

Are you kidding me? "I appreciate the support, but I don't deserve it, because I am not!"

He laughed while holding the paper up high. "Can I know her name?" he asked.

"Ahahahaha. No," I replied. "Fine I'll just show this mother and say you're a little gay now," he said mockingly.

"Fine fine. Her name is Ash," I said. "Plus I am not a lesbian!" Although, I was questioning it.

"Ash? That's a stupid name," he said.

"Hey! That name isn't stupid. Your name is!" I replied.

"Watch your mouth there, Emily!"

"Give the paperback to me!"

"Fine. I will,"

He tears the paper, giving it back to me. "What was that for!?" I shouted at him. "I didn't promise to give it back in one piece," he replied, sticking his tongue out like a little devil. I keep forgetting he was sixteen. I wanted to tell on him but I didn't want her to ask about the picture so I kept it to myself. I wanted to tape the picture back together but, I could draw it again.

After a few hours, someone knocked on the door. "Sweetie?" mother said. Mother entered the room. "Can we talk?" mother asked.

"Sure," I replied.

"I heard you and your brother shouting a few hours earlier," mother said.

"It was nothing,"

"No. It was something. If you have something to say, you can talk to me,"

"It was nothing,"

"He mentioned something about a woman,"

"That's not my problem,"

"He said you drew a picture of a woman named Ash, I think,"

"It's just someone I met in my dreams. Nothing major,"

"May I see a picture of her?"

"I would show you if your son hadn't torn it into two!" I turned my head, glaring at her.

"Did you throw it away?"

"No. I haven't," I opened the drawer under my desk, handing her the picture.

"Oh, she looks….um….lovely..."

"I know, she's tough-looking,"

"I never met her before," Her nose wrinkled and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Neither do I," I shrugged

"Is she the only one who you met?"

"Yea yea…only her," I lied as I covered the pictures of Willo and Skye.

"Okay. If you need anything to talk you can talk to me, sweetie. I'm always here," she gave me the sweetest smile.

My mother left the room. I breathed out with relief. I continued drawing Willo. "Knock knock," my brother entered the room, oh boy. I kept quiet and kept the other pictures.

"You thinking about Ash?" he asked.

"Why must you ask?" I asked.

"Because I wanna know,"

"Well, you can't know,"

"Yes, I can and will know,"

"Not if I don't tell you,"

"I can read your diary,"

"I have no diary,"

"Why not? Every pesky little girl like you have one,"

"I'm not a pesky little girl so I don't have one,"

"Move aside,"

"Why should I?"

"Because I said so,"

"Well, I don't wanna move,"

"I'm your big brother,"

"That's your problem,"

He shoved me to the side and started searching for more drawings. "Hey that was rude," I said. "That's your problem," he replied. "Aha! Who are these two?" he showed me the picture of Willo and Skye. "Just another person I met in my dreams. Now give it back," I said.

"This fairy looks stupid," he said.

"That's Willo you're talking about,"

"Willo? Pffft, her name also sounds stupid,"

"Maybe you're stupid,"

"Who's this lady?" he showed me the picture of Skye

"That's Skye,"

"Man, she looks hot," I should have anticipated on it.

"Whatever pervert," I rolled my eyes.

While he was weirdly stroking the picture of Skye, I quickly snatched both pictures away from him. "Hey! I was stroking her hair!" he said. "You're gross and disgusting," I replied, rolling my eyes on him. "Out of my room! Out!" I pushed him out of my room and shut the door behind him. I looked out of the window and saw my mother talking to the neighbour again.

I went downstairs to get something to eat. Probably a sandwich or something. I smelled pie from the outside. I looked outside and saw my neighbour giving my mother a pie. It smelled like apple pie. I went to the refrigerator to see what I can heat and eat right away. I saw a cooked drumstick inside there. I grabbed it with the plate and heat it for a few minutes. After heating it, I cut up the chicken into little pieces and made a sandwich. I went back into my room.

I ate my chicken sandwich. It wasn't bad. I took the picture and colour them in since I was bored and had nothing to do. Am I going to see them again tonight? I thought. What happens when I wake up the real world? I thought. I look through the window and saw a girl looking like my age with the neighbours. I stopped colouring and went downstairs. I wanted to just say hello and have a small talk with her.

I went to the neighbour's house. "Oh hello there, Emily. Nice for you to join us. Let me introduce you to my daughter, Gabby. Gabby meets Emily," said Eliza, my neighbour. I waved at Gabby. She was wearing a grey hoodie and had her hands in the pocket of the jacket. She just nodded. "Aren't you going to say hello to Emily?" asked Eliza to Gabby.

"Hello," Gabby said, her voice flat.

"Hey, how was your day?" I asked, giving her a beaming smile.

"Normal," she replied, damn what a kill-joy.

"Um….okay..?" I said.

Gabby went back inside the house. That small talk seems very small. "Sorry, my daughter about how my daughter acted. She's trying to get used to the neighbourhood," Eliza said. More like hating it I thought. "Oh it's okay," I replied.

I was about to go back in until I saw a little cat meowing and walking out of the house. "Oh look Mr fluffers had joined us," Eliza picked the cat up. The cat continued meowing. "Cute cat," I said. The cat was white and fluffy. It looked like a Persian cat.

Eliza took her paw and made it wave. "Hewwo Emily! I am Mr Fluffers!" Eliza said in a high pitch voice. I giggled.

"Here you can hold Mr Fluffers," Eliza gave me Mr Fluffers.

I held Mr Fluffers. It kept on meowing like it wanted food. "Ms Eliza, is there any cat food? I think Mr Fluffers is meowing because it's hungry," I said. "Oh sure, there's cat food at the kitchen. Help yourself," Eliza replied.

I went inside the house and went to the kitchen. I set Mr Fluffers down next to its food bowl. It started eating the food inside the bowl.

"Why are you inside my house?" said Gabby, appearing out of the blues.

"It's okay, your mo-"

"Don't call her my mom. Just call her by her name," said Gabby.

"Uh...okay. Well, Eliza gave me permission to go in and feed the cat," wow she's full with angst.

"Don't touch anything. If you do touch or take anything that's in this house, I'll personally kill you and make sure nobody discovers that I did it." Wow, very emo.

"Alright alright. No need to be so scary and creepy. Jeez."

After Mr Fluffers ate, I pick up Mr Fluffers and went back outside. Children were playing peacefully at the front yard. My mother and Eliza are still chatting about things. I sat down and stroke Mr Fluffers again and again. Until one of the girls walked up to me. "Um, c-can I have Mr Fluffers?" she asked.

Word Count: 2,694

Last Updated: DD/MM/YYYY: 13/12/2019