HATERS WILL HATE

I have forced myself to walk for three minutes now, there's a shop somewhere here. When I don't need a shop then it's always there but when I need it, it's like when I move it also moves. Just like the mountain.

Eventually I spot a shop by the corner.

"Tʜᴀɴᴋ ɢᴏᴏᴅɴᴇss"

I walk towards the shop, go past a red Ferrari parked outside and I enter. Immediately, my eyes land on the beef-steak pie that is laying inside the long, glass counter.

"Can I have the beef-steak pie, please," I tell the lady behind the counter in her black and red uniform.

"That will be six dollars" she says and I search in my jean pockets as she packs the pie into the white, small paper bag with the thongs. Another person stands behind me.

"oh no," my eyes widen as she places the pie on the counter for me

"I…uh…" I speechlessly look at her.

"Here," interrupts the guy that was standing behind me. He puts down ten dollars and a coke can on the counter. "keep the change."

"Thank you sir," says the lady. The mystery man grabs the pie, but when I try to take it from him, he holds it back. He stares at me with his light brown eyes.

"What's the magic word?" he asks

"seriously?..." I say. The lady looks at us.

"I won't give it then," he says

"fine," I roll my eyes "please,"

"please who?"

"I don't know you, how am I supposed to know that?"

Let's just say I'm a little irritated.

"You are supposed to ask, I helped you" he says

"What's your name?" I ask with my arms crossed and two ladies come to stand behind us.

Am I seriously asking for his name?!

"I don't think you are ready to know my name," he says as he gives me the pie. "you owe me," he adds, and walks away.

"I never asked for your help by the way!" I shout, but he continues to the red Ferrari I saw earlier.

"Next customer please," says the lady.

"Sorry." I rush out of the line and he drives off to the right.

I wouldn't be surprised if he has been arrested before, he drives like a maniac. It's probably not even his car. I stare in his direction for a while, then I continue walking forward to my left.

I can't believe a pie would be so expensive but, it tastes so magical. I don't know if it's because that guy touched it, or I am just too hungry.

***

Walking into this huge one story building, I can hear beautiful soft voices singing, and all kind of instruments playing. I then spot my friend, Abi coming out of the ladies room, she looks and walks towards me as I walk to the counter to check in my name.

"Name, please," says the friendly man behind the counter.

"Rebekah Stevenson,"

"Hey," Abi smiles.

I look to the left and grin, "hey."

"Thank you," says the lady behind the counter and I smile as I turn to Abi

"Did you just arrive now also?" I ask her as we walk forward to the classes

"No, I actually arrived ten minutes ago,"

***

G͜͡U͜͡A͜͡N͜͡, E͜͡L͜͡P͜͡H͜͡I͜͡A͜͡, M͜͡E͜͡L͜͡D͜͡A͜͡

(another world)

Rᴇᴤᴇᴅᴀ'ᴤ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴠɪᴇᴡ:

Things on Musiana are getting worse, for 15 years it has held on with the help of Elphia and the other countries, but now it's giving up. It must not happen.

"If we loose Musiana to the menace, they could create dark music, music has the power to change people, imagine the destruction that would come upon our people in Melda," says the headmistress, as all of the guardians are seated in the meeting room. The teachers, Mrs. Harvil and Mr. Sethock are also here.

"This could affect the human world also," Liam says

"What do you suggest we do?" I ask

"We will have to bring her here sooner than it was planned," says the headmistress.

***

C͜͡O͜͡L͜͡U͜͡M͜͡B͜͡U͜͡S͜͡, O͜͡H͜͡I͜͡O͜͡, E͜͡A͜͡R͜͡T͜͡H͜͡

R͠I͠V͠E͠R͠V͠I͠E͠W͠ U͠N͠I͠V͠E͠R͠S͠I͠T͠Y͠

Rᴇʙᴇᴋᴀʜ'ᴤ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴠɪᴇᴡ:

I love singing, every time I sing I feel like I'm in a different world. I just want to sing every moment of my life, in my sadness; my happiness.

"okay ladies," the teachers says after 20 minutes of resting and getting ourselves read, "We will start off with some warm ups. I want everyone to follow after me, lala lala lala lala la…" says the class teacher and we follow.

"Lala lala lala la…" she goes even higher. We all follow and I can feel someone standing behind me, the next minute, I am on the floor.

Bernita, the daughter of the lead singer of the girl band "The Melody" and my worst enemy. She hates me, and has since the day I started coming to these classes, I don't know what her problem with me is. Is it because the teacher appointed me as the lead singer of the class and removed her, or because I'm the easiest target she could find?

My partner Abi comes and helps me up while Bernita is just laughing there with her two sidekicks. I'd love to push her back, I know that's what everyone is expecting but guess I don't like violence, I guess I just like letting things go and maintain my quite; innocent space. People must think I'm weak for not getting back at her but I don't care.

"what is going on here?" the teachers makes her way to us through the crowd of people watching.

"Why don't you ask miss bake here," Bernita says to the teacher and the teacher looks at me.

"My shoes were untied" I nervously smile and the teacher looks down at the shoes and sceptically back at me. I look down at the shoes I'm wearing.

Oh no, these are pumps! I slowly look up at her

Just tell her the truth. No. One day I wish to join her mom's band, and she knows that, if I do anything, my chances are over.

"I mean I crossed my uh…" I gulp, "my legs…and I tripped,"

"Okay…" She suspiciously looks at me, then at Bernita, "just be careful next time," she smiles

"Yes, miss," I nod

"okay class, back to warning up," says the teacher as she walks back to the front stage, and everyone goes back to warming up.

I'm too innocent, maybe I should've just pushed back and stand up for myself. I beat myself up in my head. It's not like, the melody, will ever except me into their band, there are so many talented people out there."

***

After 45 minutes of singing, Abi and I leave the building. We only pay for 45 minutes which cost about 45 dollars, but those who pay for more minutes are still inside practicing. My mom can't afford it, I guess Abi and I come from the same background—single moms. Abi's dad left when she was just 3 years-old. My dad past away in a plane crash when I was 2 years-old, he was a pilot.

"I would really love to enter into the guitar lessons soon," Abi says as she tucks her curly, black hair behind her ear. I really adore her beautiful, thick, black eye brows.

"yeah, I was also thinking of joining next year, by that time I would've learnt everything about vocals," I say

"Yeah," she enthusiastically nods with a grin. "I'll also join with you,"

" I love guitars," I fantasize about this beautiful pink guitar I've been wanting ever since I saw it in that shop. I guess you could say pink is my favourite colour. Call it "childish" or "girly". I just love it, it's beautiful.

"My mom bought me this black, stylish guitar. I thought learning I guitar would be easy but…it was awful playing it," she laughs

"Wow," I grin with radiance at her, "I've also been dreaming of buying one,"

"Then we could practice together," she smiles

I like Abi, she was the first person that welcomed me at the school, and she's the only friend I have there. I can't believe she spent all this time alone there like a sheep amongst wolves but she didn't care, she just wanted to learn and get better at singing.

"Oh yeah, I'll be going this side," she points to the right

"oh, I almost forgot," we stop walk on the sidewalk opposite the tuck shop where I bought the pie from.

" I'll see you," she says,

"Bye" I wave with a smile.

She crosses the road and walks on, but I still got a little more walking to do.

As I continue my journey home, I start to feel like something is behind me. I turn around in fear to see what it is, but there's nothing there, yet I still feel like I am not alone. Although feeling like this would make me scared, it doesn't, in fact I feel safe like I know whatever is behind me and I trust it.

***

I get in the house and head to the kitchen where I am hearing sounds of pots. Twinkle is seated on the dinner table licking his fur. I'm guessing your wondering why I would name a male cat, Twinkle. It's a long story.

"welcome home," my mom says with her apron on, "how was the singing lessons,"

"Not bad," I say

"What do you mean not bad, did something happen?" she asks while holding the macaroni in her hands

"No, nothing I can't handle,"

"She's a brave one, takes after me," Twinkle says as he stretches himself on the table and I laugh

"Like you?...the same person who runs from a mouse,"

"What's funny?" my mom asks with confusion

"Nothing," I shake my head with a smile. She doesn't know I can speak to animals.

"okay… Are you sure?" she suspiciously asks

"yeah," I smile

"okay then, let's get cooking,"

"Rebekah, I think I need a litter box. Miss Cathy got Joey a new litter box today," Twinkle says as I grab a medium-sized pot of the cupboard.