Chapter-01

“Stella, get up,” someone is calling me. I slowly opened my eyes to see my chemistry madam standing in front of me.

“Oh no, I am so sorry, mam,” I lift myself from the table, feeling embarrassed and noticing everyone’s eyes on me. She didn’t reply and just walked away. As soon as she left, the last bell rang.

“I’m sleeping in class and you didn’t give a damn help to wake me up,” I scolded my friend Hazel when we both make our way out of the class.

“Well, she did before I did,”

“That’s a nice explanation.” I kept walking in the hallway.

“By the way, Adam wants to see you. He said he will wait outside the academy,”

“Okay, thanks, I will catch you later,” I rushed into the restroom and washed my face. My blonde hair is not messed up because I slept in class, not in the home.

Adam is my boyfriend. Well, sort of. After two years of relationship, I never felt like he cared about me. He’s a short temper. I think I deserve more; I am a worthy girlfriend.

“Hey, Iam waiting for you for an hour. Why can’t you just come on time?” He yelled at me as soon as he caught my sight.

“Why are you being furious about this? Hazel informed me a few minutes ago,” I rolled my eyes.

“Fine, I am not furious. I just have to meet my friends after an hour.” He tapped his feet impatiently.

“You have time for them but not for me. Fine go,” I started to get frustrated. Why did I ever love him? He has never been nice to me. I just can’t trust anyone.

“Okay, I am sorry, I have time for you. Can you come to my home? We can do our collage work,” he said, trying to hide his irritated look. I nodded and there’s a beep sound on my phone. I got a notification from Madelaine.

Maddy: Hey Stella, I hope we can meet today. I have got to tell you about our new inventions.

Stella: Sure, I am coming :)

She’s five years younger than me and we are the closest friends from school. I smiled at the phone. The only senior girl I ever talked with and become close to within a few months. My mood brightens whenever I talked with her. I felt so alone when she graduated; I got some good friends like Hazel but no one’s going to be equal like Maddy.

“Who are you texting? “Adam raised his eyebrow.

“It’s Maddy, why are you being suspicious?”

“I am not,”

“Okay, I got to go. Maddy asked me to meet her at her home. But I will come to your place...” I trailed off when he interrupted me.

“No need,”

I was about to say I will meet you tonight but he took his bag and left immediately before I could finish. I was done speaking to him. He irritates me a lot. I hate when someone is ignored while we are talking and here’s my boyfriend is an example of that type of person. I hurried straight to home hoping to get some peace as every other place suck and I just can’t stop complaining about it.

I turned the knob of the door and entered, slamming the door behind me; I heard the crashing sound. My eyes went wide when I found the plates and the vases lying down on the floor, broken.

“Mom,” I called out when my heart beat faster with every step I took towards the kitchen. Loud noise coming from the kitchen.

“Why the hell do you do that without my permission?” Dad’s shouting at my mom.

“What’s the matter with you?” I yelled at them.

“Don’t poke your nose in our matter. Now go to your damn room,” she snapped. I just entered the house after school and she’s snapping at me without a valid reason. Why can’t I know about any problem that’s going between them? Nowadays, their fights are increasing like anything. Their problems are affecting me. I can’t feel good living here in the middle of my problems. Great, there’s no peace at home. Now, where the hell should I go? Some problems someday are fine but every day, it sucks. Maybe reading books will take me somewhere I can find happiness but that too in this noise, I can’t even read.

Since my childhood, I always wanted to go somewhere, some place in the outer place. That’s why I ever chose to study science. I don’t want to be famous for inventing something. I want to achieve my dream, that’s all. No need for appreciation at all. At least I can be happy there. Thinking about the whole universe gives me happiness. I want to explore every part.

I changed into my top and jeans and got out of my room as I am pretty sure mom had cooked nothing because of this ridiculous fight. I don’t know whether or not to tell this as ridiculous cause they are fighting as they can be separated at any moment. If I came to know about these problems, I would have solved them. But Iam not allowed to involve in these issues. Now I am heading to meet Maddy and eat there. Iam starving.

“Where are you going?” My dad shouted at me from the kitchen.

“Getting out of this hell,” I yelled back, slamming the door beside me, causing a loud sound. I felt at ease as soon as I was out. Maddy is the best scientist in Los angles,

Always keeps on inventing something with her co-workers. I wanted to be like her. But her home is not just a home. There’s a secret entrance to her lab where she finds some new devices. Because of this secret lab with many valuable devices and inventions, it’s well protected with many securities. Every common person will think it’s a well-protected billionaire house, but I know all these securities are for the lab inside it. I reached her house and got past the security.

“Wait, mam, your identity,” the security stopped me.

“Are you kidding me? Why should I show my identity every time I come here? You know I am her friend” then they allowed me with an apology. I got inside her room and took a specific book from her bookshelf. A secret passage opened from it and I walked inside. The lab is larger than her house, more stunning, has excellent maintenance, all new equipment, trustworthy workers, sufficient space. More than a hundred people are working here. It’s a secret research lab. Everyone is busy with their work.

“Maddy,” I hugged her.

“Stella, it’s been one week not seeing you but I feel like a year,” I smiled at her.

“You won’t believe what I found. We all are closer to reaching the parallel universe. We can go there with the help of a spaceship and I hope we will find it soon,” she spoke with more excitement.

“Yes. You do and you are going to take me there and I will never come back here again,”

“I know that’s your desire, but you seem a little irritated. I think I can guess what it is?”

“Just a boyfriend, family problem and whatnot,” I said.

“But I will change your mood,”

“Maybe you give me something to eat. I am so hungry,” I kept my hands on my stomach.

“Sure,” she got out of the lab.

I walked around to see my friends Bella and scarlet. They are close friends to me after Maddy and we are doing a very big project to invent a spaceship. It’s been ten years, but it’s still not done. The whole family of Maddy worked on it for a century generation after generation. There’s a spacious place allowed for the spaceship. When everything is prepared for launching, the rocket will take off, the ceilings above the lab will open up to reveal the blue sky. But we aren’t done with that invention. Even though it’s ready, how can we go to another planet like mars? I know my expectation is too high. We may not have enough oxygen to breathe until we reach it. Let’s not think about it right now.

“How are you guys doing?” I asked them.

“Nothing much, so tired of working the whole day,” Bella replied.

“And I got some more works in-home,” Bella added.

“Me too,” Scarlet muttered.

“Cheer up, don’t be upset”

“You are upset too, I can see it in your face,” Anyone can tell my mood by seeing my face. It’s much easier with a girl like me, who’s not good at hiding anything.

“Well, when it comes to my friends I will help them,”

“Do you want noodles?” Maddy walked towards me, having a bowl full of noodles in her hand. I don’t know whether she prepared it for me and brought it at the right time. I got no time to think about it when Iam hungry.

“Yes, my favourite,”

“I made you happy,” she beamed. I kept on eating and watched everyone. This is the best place ever for me to stay in. Suddenly something small knocked on my feet.

“Whoa,” I turned back and saw a little android whose height was only up to my knees.

“IAM SORRY, MY NAME IS AL330,”

“Nice, you look so cute,” I admired it. Especially this one is amazing as it is short like a cute kid.

“That’s me actually,” Alex said, moving toward me. Alex is just a year older than me. He’s the one and only friend in guys with who I had been close for over five years. He’s not my school, but I met him in Maddy’s lab.

“I created it for a long time. It’s like my security guard. How is it?”

“It’s awesome. You are a genius,”

“Thank you. I named it AL” I finished the noodles and kept the bowl aside.

“Anything interesting can your robot do?” he nodded cheerfully and pressed some buttons from a remote controller and it becomes invisible.

“This is so cool. Did you create it to spy on anyone?”

“Sort of, but I don’t know using it many times. It can only be used when there’s a need or it will be repaired and I can’t let that happen,” he explained. Then I saw the time it’s already nine.

“I should go now,” I said anxiously.

“Okay, see you tomorrow.” I rushed out of her house. My mom will surely question me, and I am going to get frustrated.

I glanced at the sky. It looks beautiful and full of wonder.”Watch out" someone shouted, and I came back to reality. A car is about to hit me as I am standing nearly in the middle of the road. I did nothing but stand still in shock. Suddenly someone grabbed me and I am toppled on that person.

“I am so... sorry,” I stammered and got up awkwardly without even seeing their face.

“It’s okay, you didn’t get hurt, right?” I looked at his blue eyes and he was holding on to either side of my waist. In a second, I can only get a glance at his eyes, brown hair, and amazing lips.

“No, thank you.” I took some steps back and was to ask about him if he was hurt or not. But suddenly there’s a beep on his phone.

“I have reached,” he spoke and left without a word. I looked at my dress one second to rub the dirt off me and the next second I looked up; he’s gone. I am on the main road, and he went away in a flash. Is it even possible?