How to fool your overprotective Dad? Say you got a girlfriend.

LANCE

The moment I step in front to tell my side of the story, I almost collapsed on my feet.

Did I mention today is supposedly my fifteenth birthday? I didn't? Or maybe my Dad is too harsh in beating me up it completely slips from my mind? Or the faces of these fish heads swarming and spinning like alien bubbleheads forced my memory to sank in a hundred foot dive?

Or maybe both. Not so sure.

"Son? Are you alright?"

Someone other than my Dad is calling me 'son'. My skin is experiencing severe goosebumps. My head throbs intensely. Everything around me is swirling and pinwheeling in a roller coaster mode I can't differentiate which figure has a human face or crab heads.

I stumbled to a corner and saw irregular figures trying to get near me. Dang, I can't make out which is who. The world is having a joy back ride in my eyes. The colors just splash and twist and spin they can't shape a single human appearance.

At least that's what I thought.

I know these people are worried about me. I know they carry me off my feet in the swindling corridors. The wind is slapping my face, juggling the world on horseback. My eyeballs tumble like a ball too.

But among the weird scenes I keep seeing, someone's face stayed clearer than the rest. A girl. Bright crimson eyes, shoulder crop raven hair, I've never seen her before. She followed the man who swung me like a sack in his shoulder, she hovered above when they put me down to bed.

In my hallucinated state, she sat beside me and put a seed in my hand. The sunlight bounce in the mirror right across me, heading towards her figure. A part of her face washed in changing spectrum of colors. She closed my palm and cupped it between hers.

After one second, I felt a soft flutter, like the thin wings of butterflies. She let my hand go and whispered 'open it' in my ears.

I did as she said.

That's when I witness it with my naked eye. The most beautiful flower I've ever seen blooms right in my palm. Glowing a perfect illuminating blue, like the shade of morning and night sky masterly combined.

"Happy birthday Five," she said. After patting my hand twice she gets up and turn to leave.

"Wait!"

I remember stumbling to my feet as I tried to stop her from leaving. And I fell.

I fell out of bed.

Have a good face smack with the floor.

Displayed a pathetic side slash good time to my Dad beside me. And he never stops laughing.

I crawled on all fours back to bed. He's still laughing. I tuck myself in the white blanket and turn my back on him.

Trying to get some sleep.

"Lance you sly fox, on your very first day you manage to entice a girl eh? Is that why you collapse? You silly little virgin. "

I turn hundred eighty degrees to face him.

"What are you talking about?"

He showed me the blue flower - a rose in full bloom with a stem, no thorns.

"Your favorite color." He sniffs the petals. "Still fresh. I only see corns and other crops here, no flower fields. Where'd your girlfriend get this?"

I didn't answer. The fact the flower is here means it's all real. Who is she? I'm the new baked bean town who just moved in three days ago. It's obvious no one knows who I am. Maybe the little hassle of Ms. Greythorn disclose my name to everyone.

But not my birthday.

"Hey, so you feeling alright?" Dad change the topic. He might have been worried and tried to make fun of me as pretense or... he might have sensed this flower belongs to someone I don't recognize.

"Dad, they said half of the cornfield is dead..." I gestured him to lean closer. He put his ear an inch away from my mouth.

"Was it because of our car? It explodes in the road, right?" He blinked at me, as if he doesn't understand what I'm saying, then it immediately transform into a scowl.

"No, Lance. Our car didn't actually explode. It overheats. The engine malfunction, so now it's under repair at the shop five miles from here. Look, what happened in the cornfield, has got nothing to do with us. Half of the crops suddenly withered, not burned. Well, it's only the south part that wilted. I'm sure you know nothing since you take the east route. I talk to the farmers, the principal, and the mayor about it. So rest assured."

I think he just said something so important it pricks my nerves.

"Dad, what did you just say?"

"That the car did not actually explode -"

"No. About the cornfield?"

" They withered. Without a good explanation why or how it happened. Big science jocks are coming here in a week to investigate. Best not to dwell too much about it son."

The image of the dried up weeds in the rusty gate came into my mind. I'm one hell sure it was still green and lush. But after my talk with the old man, it parched and died. There's gotta be some connection.

"Dad, can I skip class today?" I asked, springing on my feet. Dad was quick to sidestep and block my way to the door.

"Woah, slow down. What's this about?"

I can't tell him. No, he'll think I'm crazy. He'll say I need to forget it. That what's on my mind can't be true. Yet, I can't shrug off the possibility. I look straight at him.

What lie should I make to fool him?

"Wait, are you gonna..?" My heart skips a beat. I know his instinct is out of this world but to know what it's in my mind in this split second is definitely impo -

"You wanna search for your blue rose Cinderella?"

It took me a few moments to understand he's referring to the girl who gave me this flower. Never thought he himself would give me the perfect excuse to fool him.

"Uh, yeah." I slowly took the blue rose from his hand. "Is that okay Dad?"

He beamed. "Of course! I'll write you an excuse letter if I must! Now go get your girl!" He smacked me in the back and pushed me out.

"Be sure not to get caught, okay?"

I nod, after he close the infirmary door I sprint my way out of the building. Can't believe ditching him was this easy.