Chapter One: Me

Early in the morning the heavy rain finally stopped. I woke up feeling ill but I managed to get up and went to down stairs since I made the attic as my room. While walking down, I braided my long white hair into a fish tail style while thinking deeply why everything seems so weird. My Father stopped coming home, my mom too. My dog Furry died and now I’m all alone in this big shining shimmering splendid house nana na nana na na with the picture frames of the people I wish to be here to join me watch movies at night while eating caramel puffs. I also noticed that my cousins stopped visiting me. They used to come over every weekends to eat different kinds of fruits because they know I always have a basket of those in my room and they visit to try competing with me in painting which they never succeed of doing.

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I thought before the sun goes to sleep, everything’s gonna be alright like how it used to be but maybe this is the reason why there are tomorrows.

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Should I welcome this reality thing or ignore it and just go with the flow?

But how could I even go with the flow if the creature I adore the most in this universe just broke up with me? I mean for one year and a half he’s been in my life and now he’s gone. He went home to Asia without even telling me why. Why would he broke up with me if that is his only reason? Does he forgot that we are still in the same planet?

While eating breakfast I was thinking about these things. And all of the sudden I just felt a little lonely especially when I remembered how a group of people in school bullied me. I hate it when I remember something bad it’s like I wanna go somewhere far. Away from all of these weird aura this silence has caused. So I took a big bag pack and started packing essentials into it. I’m still stuck in the thought, “How am I suppose to live now?”

The bag pack is too heavy that when I carry it, I would look like Johnny in Hotel Transylvania the husband of Mavis the daughter of Dracula. It took me hours to packed up my bag because of thinking which ones to choose to bring. I locked all the windows and changed the fansy blue curtains into black cloths to represent that I am now abandoning this house. I took all the cookies from the fridge, the bottled milk, sour candies, health kit in case of emergency and the last cute raindrop cake sealed in a squared lunch box  with a sticky note on the cap that says, “Storm cake makes your day happier”. I removed the ridiculous note, threw it in the trash can and since I haven’t eaten dinner, I decided to sit down for a moment and enjoy my favorite cake.  Eating dinner alone in a flower shaped table is so lonely and I don’t like emotional things except for paintings because they’re meaningful that when you look at it might never want to take your eyes off it.

This house is too silent. So silent that I could hear the cats of Mrs. Lupian who’s house is thirty steps away from mine house. I know it is thirty steps away because since when I was little, I used to go to her house with my eyes covered with cloth, I counted how many steps to get to her house and hand her cookies mom cooked whenever dad is home. My dad every once a month used to go home to me and challenges me to go send Mrs. Lupian cookies while being blind fold which I wish would happen again because right now, I’m a bit expert about it.  But at this time, I need to go somewhere I could find company. Of course no man is an island even I know I’m a lady.

When I finished the cake, I drank a glass of water and took my medicine bottle above the dish cabinet. I know mom’s gonna get mad at me if I won’t take my medicine although she’s not around. I opened it and took one capsule. I’m having a hard time deciding whether to bring the bottle or not but I brought it anyway. And I went to the car and placed my bag pack in. Everything looks so perfect. That’s what I thought but not until I remember I needed to bring gadgets. My phone, ipod, laptop, camera and headphones, earphones etc. So I went back inside to get my gadgets and before I locked the door I said to the house, “I love you house. You know that and always remember that. And oh, hey, don’t go anywhere. In case they’ll come home. . . hopefully.”

I walked back to the car slowly just in case if I’m gonna see them coming home but there was no one. The village was so quiet and so was the darkness of the night.

It’s 09:26pm and whether or not I’m ready, I started the engine. The trip starts now! But I remember I haven’t decided where I’m gonna go so I stopped and drove again the next minute. I’m thinking about stopping by at a convenience store to buy chocolate and water. I stopped by at 7/11, grabbed peanut junk foods, chocolates and 6 liters of water. Walking through the freezers of ice creams there’s this wonderful food that caught my attention——a strawberry yogurt my heaven food! So I walked straight to get one of those, maybe two or five? I just walked without knowing I stepped on someone’s shoes. Like, oh am I in danger now? I froze.

“Uhh miss? You’re stepping on my brand new shoes you know.” A male voice broke the silence.

This is insane. I need to apologize. But how am I gonna do it? Should I buy him yogurt? What if he doesn’t like its taste? What about coffee? But what if he’s allergic to caffeine?

“Oh, I’m sorry. . . I’m really sorry. Sorry a million times over. Uhm, excuse me.” I feel like a japanese saying gomenasai. I immediately walked passed him nervously. I didn’t saw his face because he’s taller than me. But anyway, his face doesn’t matter, I wasn’t here to search for handsome boys. I’m here for food. So I took seven yogurts and rushed to the cashier. A familiar voice spoke to me when I placed my yogurts in the table with my head facing down.

“Scarlett!” he called. “Having a sleepover with friends or camping?” he asked.

Sleepover? Camping? With friends? What’s that, food?

And for the moment I realized I know who’s voice was it. Mike, my neighbor.

“Just. . “ I sighed.

“Just what?” Mike asked with a curious voice.

“Camping with my grandparents.” I said proudly. I didn’t planned to say it, my mouth just did.

“Oh nice. “ He smiled sadly. “It must be great to have your grandparents still alive, isn’t it?” He continued to talk as he started to count coins and dollars to give me my change.

“I’m sorry Mike. . . I’m really sorry for that.” I said with a sad voice. Of course, I was there when his grandparents died. I saw how those strangers shoot his grandparents in front of him. We were all at the park that day playing climb and slide. It’s too hard for Mike to move on when all he had was his grandparents and now since that day in first grade, he still can't get over the trauma that's choking him and still can't burn the pain he felt.

"It's okay Strawberry, some things just need to happen." Mike replied.

"I hope and I pray that you won't experience that pain." He added.

"You know, you can visit my grandparents with me some time. . "

I suggested. . Hopefully to make him feel a little better.

"Hey, just call me if you need a shoulder." I added. Of course, we're childhood bestfriends so it's fine.

"Thanks Strawberry. Thank you so much for also stopping by."

"Always welcome Mike." And then I left with the food I bought and with a smile on my face. Mike just called me strawberry, that's what my grandparents call me. I could say Mike really is treasuring his childhood memories although a big part of it is way too painfully unacceptable.

I never knew stopping by on a convenience store would be a great idea until it happened that Mike was the cashier and just gave me an idea where to go. So, next stop? To Grandparents' house!!———Or should I say, to their coffee shop. Their real house is too far from the place they're in love with. So for sure they're in that coffee shop named, "Strawberry's Coffee Shop". They named it after me and I'm just so proud that the coffee shop sounds like mine.

Grabdma Fuchsia and Grandpa Martes lives at the third floor of that shop during business days and closes the shop every summer. People at the Rue City were Strawberry's Coffee Shop is located turns into a sad community every time summer hits the year because Grandma closes the shop to held a general cleaning and annual renovation.

To get to the Rue City, one must pass through four high ways, two forests, three long creepy road and three slope roads. So, me the adventurer Dora with a white long hair is starting to feel goosebumps for being alone driving through the adventurous trip at 12 am. So I took the challenge and trying to drove confidently although seeing the highway lights turn on and off, blinking horrorly is making me very scared like a five year old little girl scared of the darkness. My confidence faded minutes later and so when I couldn't take it anymore, I drove as fast as I could and that's how I arrived in Grandma and Grandpa's coffee shop which I thought was already closed and thinking about what if they're already asleep or what if they went home to UK for some reason?

I stopped the car in front of the closed coffee shop's little gate. And as I came out of the car, I heard a familiar voice. The voice I was craving to hear since I was a kid.