IN PARADISE

KHLOE’S POV.

I felt someone tap me gently and opened my eyes to see a strange face staring down at me, only that this weird face was smiling and whispering and muttering words, sweet words—something I had never experienced.

“You here, young ma’am?.” She said, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“Yea. Yea, I’m here. I guess.” I responded as though wanting to believe my own words.

This had to be a dream, after all, one I would wake up from soon. That’s if I wasn’t dead. That’s if this wasn’t paradise.

This is a beautiful place. The comfortable bed. The sweet-scented aroma in the air. The color of the room. The smile on this stranger’s face. All felt like peace.

“Your mother wants you downstairs for breakfast in a minute.” She informed me, still smiling. “ You should get out of bed now, Miss.” She added.

Miss!. Mother!. Breakfast. Downstairs!.

These words sounded strange to me because I knew were not things I had experienced.

“Mother?.” I questioned, surprisingly. “ I know I don’t have a mother, never did, nor do I have a Father. They died when I was young, both of them.” I added as I tried to explain to her.

I watched her burst out laughing.

“Oh, young miss!.” She exclaimed and continued laughing. “ You do play a lot, don’t you?.” She adds and smiles. “ Enough of the play now, Young miss. We don’t want to keep the family waiting.” She said and beckoned me to get out of bed.

What harm would it do if I lived like today was real, like this was real?

I thought and stepped out of bed.

I gasped out loud the second I sighted the comfy slippers I had under my feet. The fluffy ones are in the form of cartoon characters. One I never had. My cloth too was neat, different and comfortable.

Everything changed. Everything. Maybe my face did too.

“Do you have a mirror?.” I asked and watched her weirdly stare at me.

“We all do miss. I mean, there are mirrors everywhere in this house. You wanted it that way since you love to look at yourself all day.” The Maid responded.

“I did what?. Me? You mean I?.” I replied and dragged a weird laugh.

Weirds, things were really happening. What would she say I did next?

“Is there one in this room?.” I asked further, still wanting to clarify that.

I watched her nod positively.

“There are three here, Miss. One in your bathroom, two more right here. Over there and there.” She explained and pointed in their direction, and she was correct; one was on each side of the wall.

I moved my legs swiftly as I headed towards it. I held my breath briefly on seeing another person’s face staring back at me in the mirror. It was nothing like my face, the one that gets bullied and….

It was beautiful. I looked beautiful.

Everything changed, including my face.

How?

“Am I dreaming?.” I asked curiously, my eyes reading the whole room. I dug my fingers into my arms and bit my lower lip. I knew it would wake me up and snap me out of this weird yet beautiful dream.

“You shouldn’t injure yourself, Miss.” She advised and stepped closer to me. “ Your Mother wouldn’t like that. Do you want anything?.” She asked, and I shook my head in denial.

I didn’t want anything. I didn’t think I would like anything for a long while since all I wanted was here, in this dream.

“I will ask the maids to come and help you dress up.” She informed and bowed her head softly before exiting the room.

I watched her leave and waited till she closed the door before taking another at myself in the mirror and then back at the whole room.

My hair color did change, too, though. I used to have brown hair color, and now it is Red. I liked the look better, though; it was better than my old one. Maybe this dream came with getting a better makeover.

I spread my arms out and twirled around in a circle as I breathed in the air, then fell on the bed, breathing heavily as I tried to gather them amiss, the laugh escaping my lips.

I heard a soft knock land on the door, and I sat up.

“Come in,” I said out and watched them walk in. There were five of them, females all dressed in Pink short flay skirts and White packing shirts. They also had heels on, the bold ones with White socks on. They looked pretty and expensive.

“Head servant Ann asks that we attend to your needs, Young Miss.” The on

“Oh! That was her name.” I responded, remembering that I had forgotten to ask.

“What can we help you with, Young Miss?.” She asked while the others looked at their feet as though they were avoiding my eyes.

Young miss!

I scoffed.

That was absurd.

I muttered in my head.

“Call me….” I was saying, then paused as I tried to remember what name I was to go with her.

Did my name change in this dream too? Did it not?

There was no better way to know than to find out.

“Call me Khloe,” I said and watched them send each other glances before the only one talking looked back at me.

“I am afraid we can’t do that, young miss. You specifically banned us from calling your name.” She informed.

“I what?.” I asked confusedly.

“I am afraid you did, young miss. You had the tongue of the last one to disobey cut out.” She explained further, and I gasped.

I refused to believe that I would do such a thing. Besides, how could I when I just got here?

“I think you got it all missed up. I’m Khloe, and Ummm, and I just got here about...I think hours ago.” I explained and watched her stare at me in uttermost confusion. It was like I had proclaimed myself the Queen of a kingdom.

“No, young miss. Your name is Emily Moonshine, and you have lived here all your life. Twenty-One years to be exact.” She explained.

Twenty-One

I replayed.

But I only just got here. Or have I been asleep for those years?

“Emily....! What a weird name!.” I exclaimed out loud and burst out into a laugh. I dragged the laugh causing it to crack as I aimed at stopping on seeing the weird look she sent me.

She must have thought I was mad. I guess I just had to play along.

“Yes. Yes, I’m Emily. I guess me…ummm…I was pulling your legs. I am Emily. Emily Moo….” I said and twirled my right second finger to signify my forgetfulness.

“Moonshine.” She replied.

“Yes, that. That’s the name.” I responded and chuckled, but it came out weird. “ What are your names?.” I asked, trying to change the topic, but It only got them to stare weirdly at me.

“You know it, young miss.” She replied. “ Are you sure you are fine, young miss, or do you need me to get your mother?.” She asked.

I waved it off immediately.

“Of course not. I mean, I’m fine. Could you not get her mother? I mean my mother.” I stammered, the word ‘mother’ sounding strange since I never called them the ones who raised me. Besides, I couldn't let them get her because I knew a mother would know her daughter. “I mean, I know your names, all of your names, but can we pretend we are meeting for the first time and introduce yourselves…again,” I said with a smile plastered on my lips, a forced one.

She stared at me intently for a while.

“Of course, young miss. She responded. “ I’m Ava. This is Christine, Julianne, and Jules, they are twins, and this is Camilla.” She introduced.

“Oh! Nice.” I responded. “ I’m Khl…I mean Emily, and umm, I guess you all know me..of course, you do….I should stop taking now…oh my…so…ummm.” I paused and cleared my throat to compose myself a bit. “ Can we go get a bath now? Like I don’t mean you are bathing….I mean, I will be the one to bath…not like you guys don’t bath, but I mean…ummm….we shouldn’t keep the family waiting, right.” I brushed it off quickly and stood up.

“Of course, young miss,” Ava replied and sent me a smile before stepping closer. “What clothes would you love to wear today, young miss?.” She asked.

“Cecilia’s clothes. They look so good on me that she gets jealous and….” I pause to realize what I am saying.

Cecelia’s used clothes were always my new clothes, and I always cherished them. At least it was one thing my foster mother gave me with a smile on her face, even though it was always a fake one and even though she…..

I pushed the thought out of my mind. I didn’t want to think about it. Not now. Not here.

“Miss.” Ava’s voice brought me back.

“Can I see them?.” I said and watched her raise a brow showing her inability to access my words. “I mean the clothes,” I explained briefly.

“Of course, young miss. Come with me.” She responded and stepped forwards, leading the way. She stopped at a glass door and slid it open.

I gasped loudly. My eyes landed on the different clothes hanging and shoes and bags and hair and pieces of jewelry and sunshades and….and everything a lady could ever wish for.

Here I had access to any choice I wanted, any one of my choice. I have access to new ones.

“Give me the best ones,” I said excitedly.

“That will be the job of Jules. She is your fashion adviser.” Ava informed and stepped aside for Jules to step forward.

“At your service, young miss.” She said and bent her head slightly. “I will select the best for you.” She added and started fiddling with them.

“We should go now, young miss. Your bath water is ready.” Ava informed me and headed out while I followed.

We headed into the tiled bathroom, and I stepped out of my pajama into the bathtub, the red roses floating above the water. It’s hot, not too hot, but different from what I used to have.

“Ouch!.” I screamed out as soon as my skin touched it.

“Too hot?.” Ava asks worriedly. “ It’s just the way you like it.” She added on seeing that I didn’t respond.

Just the way I liked it…she meant just the way Emily liked it.

She must like boiling her skin.

“Add some cold water, please,” I said politely, scared that rudeness might cause me to wake up or make the angels send me to this dreamland.

“Okay, young miss,” Ava said and did as told. “It’s better now.” She informed, and I nodded slightly.

I stepped into it, and this time it was just what I wanted. I let out a sigh and relaxed my body.

I was still surprised to know I had a whole room wardrobe. I had all those beautiful things to myself—this luxurious life.

If this was a dream, then I never want to wake up.