CHAPTER NINE

   I don't deserve a friendship

They always leave

It's fine, I'll be fine

Always a loner

Till I fade

Victor Mairo

  

   All my life, I'd never had a problem with speech, no matter what happens. But, looking at Bryan kiss Tyler, in reckless abandon, I couldn't make a sound, as silent tears ran down my face. I ask myself, have I ever had a friend? Or was Tyler my friend because he pitied me? These and many more questions ran through my mind, and for a moment, I felt alone, totally alone, in the universe.

  I hastily wiped my eyes, careful to make enough sounds to alert them of my arrival. I needn't have bothered, they were waiting for me. I steeled my resolve, and trudged on. They want a cause to believe in right? I'll give them one. I didn't feel angry anymore, or even disappointed. I felt cold, ice cold.

  "Sorry guys, I had to walk, clear my head," I said as soon as I got close to enough to them. "By the way, where's Brianna?" I asked seeing she was nowhere in sight.

  "Here" she said from up ahead. I only heard her voice, no clue what she'd been up to. I threw caution to the wind and muttering a hasty 'I'll be back" to Tyler and Brian, I jogged to where her voice came from.

"Come closer, I can see you already." She said, her voice infinitely louder than it was before. I followed the sound of her voice, and turned a sharp right. There she was, kneeling on the ground, doing God knows what.

  "Uhmmmm, not to be impertinent but, why are you on the ground? And, is that sand you're playing with?" I said inching closer. She was clearly drawing on the sands, with the aid of a flashlight.

"You'll see. You'll understand soon," she said talking more to herself than to me. "Call Bryan and Tyler." she said still muttering, not sparing me a glance. Ouch. That hurts, but I did what she asked. In the space of a minute, they'd already arrived.

  "Sister, do you think this is the wisest course to take?" Brian asked looking incredulously at the inscriptions on the sand. I was lost, and I looked at Tyler, but he looked lost too, even more than me.

  "This is the only way, the only way." She was muttering again, but this time, it was starting to freak me out.

   "What's going on?" I asked looking at her, really looking at her. On the other hand, Brian didn't look scared, he just looked resigned. I knew that look.

  "Okay, enough of the jokes. Brianna, what's going on? You have to answer me." I said in my sternest voice. My parents knew I'd be in detention with Tyler so they wouldn't be worried. But still, it was getting really late.

  "Remember when I said I wanted to show you something? By 8?" She asked looking at me. I nodded. "Well, I decided to show you more than what I'd first intended. It'll help you understand... At least I hope." She said sounding vague once again. I could feel a migraine coming up, and I wanted to get, whatever this is, over with. My stomach rumbled in approval. Damn. I was hungry.

" Okay then. Come here. Byran, Tyler, " she called, pointing at the position we'd have to stand. I tried to look at Bryan, but suddenly, he couldn't look me in the face. This was getting weirder and weirder....

  "Wait a sec, I don't understand. What's going on?" I asked watching Brianna. I'm not even sure she heard my question. So I repeated it.

  "All in good time, all in good time. This is the only way." She said, talking more to herself than to me. Again!!

  I grudgingly did what she asked, stood in one part of the circle she drew.

  "Hold hands!!" She screamed.

  "Why??" Tyler and I asked.

   "Look!" she pointed, and I squinted to be sure of what I'm seeing. The wind, in the form of a horse, coming from afar.

  "What the.... What is that?" I screamed to no one in particular.

  "Trust me, you don't wanna know. Hold hands, now!" Her voice became commanding, and immediately we all obeyed. Then something happened that I couldn't explain. The circle glowed blue, all the inscriptions glaring for all to see. I looked behind me, and the windstorm or whatever it was was getting closer.

  "Jump inside the circle!! Brian goes first!!" she screamed trying to make herself heard in the overwhelming sound of the wind. Brian looked at me, nodded and jumped in. It happened in slow motion, a portal opened from thin air and sucked him in.

  "Whattttttt?? Where did he go?" I asked incredulously.

  "I'll answer your question later!! Tyler, jump in!" She told him, and he did. As I wanted to remove my hands, she grabbed me tighter. "If you break the connection, the portal with close, and we will be sucked in by the windstorm. I need you to trust me!!! If you don't, we both die!!!" I could barely hear her, the howl of the wind getting unbearable. I nodded, and held on.

  "Jump immediately I say so. Together!! On my count. 3....2.... JUMP!!! I didn't need to be told twice, I jumped. But before I did, I saw a face, in the heart of the windstorm. It was my dad. 

  I jumped, and in one expression, I landed in a fantasy. But I didn't notice just yet. I rounded on Brianna, as she stood looking at me, with a blank expression. I felt anger bubbling from deep within. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now. 

  "What exactly happened there? What am I doing here? And, how the hell was my father's face in the windstorm or whatever it is. I need answers and I need them now." I said in the sternest voice I could muster. It sounded menacing and cold, but Brianna just looked at me, shook her head and said to me," One question at a time. The first, obviously we were chased by a windstorm. What else?" She replied, rolling her eyes. 

  I was boiling with rage, so angry, I had to rein in my anger, because for the first time in a long time, I had the tendency to destroy. 

" Where exactly is this place?" I asked, changing the subject. The place was indeed beautiful, more like a fairytale than reality. I looked all around me, at the snowflakes, I'd only just noticed. 

  "But, it's summer." I said stupidly. 

  "The laws of this place is not subject to the normal one. Today may be winter, tomorrow, summer. The weather is fluid and sometimes, in the middle of a snowstorm, it'll start to rain. It's all so confusing, but beautiful nonetheless. By the way, stop hiding behind that rock, and man up. Brace yourself though." Brianna said shaking snow from her hair. 

" Brace myself for what? "I asked stepping out of makeshift cave completely. 

" This." She replied gesturing all around us. I was struck dumb, utterly bamboozled. What I saw, was imprinted in my memory, from that moment. It was a brave new world. 

  In order for you to understand, I'll give a lengthy description. Though, words do not come close, to the beauty it was. 

  As I stepped out, the first thing I noticed was the gigantic dragonflies. In so many varying colours, black, white, green, blue, and colours I had no idea of. What caught my attention wasn't the dragon flies, it was the kids on it. They were beautiful, in a way I cannot explain. They tinkling laughter melting the coldness in my heart. On their faces was a mirror of pure delight. They were happy. They were really happy. I knew there and then that, I wanted to stay. The scenery was to die for, the snow, giving it a fairytale glow. This place was beautiful, beyond my wildest imagination. I was lost for words. I could see snow peaked mountains in the distance, people moving back and forth to their various destinations. The sights and sounds, mingled, creating a feeling words cannot express. I knew one thing for sure, I was in love with this place!!! Then, it hit me. Who were this people?

  "Brianna, who were this people? Who really am I? Who are you?" I asked reeling from all I'd just seen. It was too much to take in.

  "You haven't figured it out yet?" She looked at me incredulously. "Why, I'm a witch, magician, mage, sorceress, or whatever they call themselves these days. But if rather be known as Brianna The Sassy. By the way, don't ask. Just flow with it." She said blushing. "Oh well, I'd stick with that Then." I said to myself, inwardly.

  "By the way, where's Brian and Tyler?" I asked looking around.

  She looked at me sheepishly before replying, "They went to meet the council of elders. The Seers. It's time you meet them too." She said, and before I could say a word, she gave a high pierced whistle. I covered my ears, it was so so loud.

  "What the hell did you do that for?" I said clearly irritated.

   "You'll see." She replied smiling. "By the way, duck!!" She pulled me down as one of the children threw a snowball that missed me by mere inches. I looked at her, and before I knew it, I was laughing, and she was laughing because I was laughing. Soon enough, we were a laughing mess. I realized one thing today, friendship wasn't just about perfection, it's more about forgiveness and love. It doesn't matter if they became my friends based on an order, or that Tyler kissed Bryan, (I'd definitely kill him later), it was more about the fact that they choose to be friends with me, irrespective of my social status. I was glad.

  "Hey, cowboy, are you coming?" Brianna said motioning to a large dragonfly with multicolored wings. Our ride. I smiled. I felt happy of a truth.