Chapter 1: Mother

Growing up, I always had my mother by my side. It never occured to me that I would someday live without her. To live without her soothing lullabies, creative stories, and her adoring amber eyes; things that I never prepared myself to live without.

"It's your first day of school, Daze. I hope you're excited because after school, I'll be cooking up a feast! I'll even invite all our neighbor friends!" Mother giggled, almost bouncing on the driver's seat.

I nod. It wasn't every day that she was this happy. "Yeah, but I'm kind of scared. It is my first day as a freshman. I still don't understand shit."

"Language, sweetie," she berated with a sweet, melodic tone. It felt like she wasn't berating me at all. "You should always welcome new experiences, no matter what it may be!"

I lean back into the cushions. My eyes turned to the blurring images of buildings in Bluris. "Whatever."

Arriving at the front of the school, I find myself staring at the tall, menacing building that I would call my 2nd home for the next 3 years.

Ledger's High: House of Commonwealth.

"Have fun, sweetie!" My mother churned in the car then drove off. She didn't even bother waiting for my response.

"I will," I whisper.

I clutch the strap of my black messenger bag adorned with brooches and keychains of my favorite show characters. I find myself tightening my grasp and taking a moment to catch a few measly breaths.

Many students stared at me—some even pointing as they whisper and laugh and ask with curious questions—but I ignored them. My anxiety became more prominent in my mind that my embarrassment couldn't easily overtake this time around. I began to deliberate if I should head inside or walk away. Maybe my day wouldn't be so bad if I just walked away now. It felt like two strings tugged on my heart—one leading inside the school, and the other leading down the sidewalk. If the time comes where whoever the people tugged the strings became impatient and pulled on it, I would end up flying into the pillars of the gate.

I should make a choice soon, but I couldn't bring myself to do so.

"Hey, are you okay?" A fleeting voice reached from the depths of my mind.

A voice so soft that I thought it was my mother. Turning around to face the owner of the voice, ready to jump into the arms of my mother; I instead find a girl with short brown hair and olive eyes. Her movements are as graceful as her voice.

"Are you okay? You've been standing there for so long. The Flag Raising Ceremony is nearing." She continued. Her voice drove me deeper into a spiral of dilemma.

"Yeah," I responded after much deliberation, "I was just debating with myself."

The girl hummed a tune. "Alright!" She smiled. "Anyway, I'm Ilmestys Davis. I'm a senior. You must be a new student!—as I have not seen you once during the duration of my education in this school."

She spoke like she was from another time.

I nodded. Unable to keep myself from running away from this ethereal girl. Other than her lovely features, she was considerably taller than me.

"I am Daze Marsh; a freshman. It is nice to meet you, Miss Davis."

I shake her hand. Her palm felt soft and smooth, like she hadn't worked a day in her life. "Shall we head inside?"

"Sure thing!" She said with an elated tone.

Walking side-by-side, I felt warm and comfortable. It was like her mere presence alone was enough to drive away any negativity. I even chatted with her without any problem—when usually I couldn't bear holding a conversation with anyone but my mother.

"So, Mister Marsh, have you lived in Bluris for a long time?" She inquired.

"Actually, no. We moved here recently during the summer. My mother said she wanted a fresh start. I don't know why."

"A fresh start? Did she divorce anyone recently?" She was too perceptive.

I shook my head. "No. She divorced my father a little after my twin brother and I were born. My mother took full custody of me, and my father did so with my brother.

"That's why I couldn't understand what she meant by a fresh start."

She giggled. "Question: Did you and her live in the house she and your father lived in prior to the divorce?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

"I assume she felt suffocated in that house, especially as it is littered with all the warm memories she shared with your father. She was unable to change anything about it no matter how she tried to look at things differently. So, after years of suffering, she moved and took her joy with her."

"Her joy?" I emphasize, confused on what she meant by joy.

She stopped and stuck a finger to my chest. "You."

"Hah!" I laughed. "All I do is make her mad and stress her out. How could I be her joy?"

"I know we just met, but you smile when you say 'mom'. Not anyone would be happy to do that. Usually, it is accompanied with words of disparage."

I felt dumbfounded. Was I so easy to read that a girl I met just happened to read me after 5 minutes of chatting? I always basked in the thought that I was mysterious and cool. My self-image was ruined in an instant. "Cool?"

The rest of the stroll was silent, usually accompanied with chattering of other students. We never allowed another set of words to come out of our mouths until we bid each other goodbye in the gymnasium. Ilmestys sat with her group of friends and I sat somewhere in the back.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. At the end of the day, I found myself staring at the required school supplies filed in a single plastic bag. The rest of the seats in the back were occupied by food groceries and some uniforms. Surprisingly, the school required us to wear a uniform after the first month of school. I'll end up ignoring the policies.

Another thing is that Ilmestys successfully managed to get herself invited to my mother's party, and is sitting on the shotgun seat. She was there during an embarrassing moment in the fitting room, where my mother made me walk while wearing the uniform as if I was in a fashion show.

How did she manage to get herself invited by my extremely extroverted mother?

Well, she parted from her friend group at the end of the day, and caught up with me just as my mother parked on the sidewalk. I hurriedly urged her to return to her friends, but my mother was faster to get out of the car and celebrate my newest acquaintance.

"Ilmestys, how is it that your friends managed to understand that you were going off with another friend? Wouldn't they feel offended?" I ask, breaking the on-going conversation she and my mother had.

She whipped her around and looked at me with a face as if I called her something insulting. "What? I'm confused. Why would they be offended? It's natural to want to hang out with someone new!"

"That's new," my mother churned, as surprised as I.

"How is that new, ma'am?" She inquired with a brow raised. Her face is as innocent as a cherub.

"When I was in High School, if I hung out with another set of friends or just a singular friend in general, all my other friends would be so offended that they would end up keeping me out of hang-outs for the next few weeks!"

"What?! That is simply preposterous! I have multiple friend groups and not one of them are offended if I hang out with other friends. I make sure they know that I am free whenever they want to hang out except for the days I am busy or when I hang out with other friends that reserved my day first! Ma'am, your friends were idiots!"

"Hey!" My mother laughed. "They weren't entirely idiots."

I swear I heard my mother say—But it's somehow true—underneath her breath. I'm sure Ilmestys heard but didn't address it.

"If they get offended because you have other friends, then they are idiots. Simple as that!"

"You have an interesting view of life, Ilmestys."

"Why thank you. I appreciate being different!" She laughed. "As they always say, I'm not like the other girls."

My mother seemed to get the joke and started laughing with her. I didn't understand and just started writhing in the silence.

We got home in no time. I carried at least two bags but Ilmestys carried the other four bags. She was hellbent on making a good impression on my mother, and it was working. I must admit, I was jealous.

I stood at the porch, my face twisting in a seething anger I could not explain.

My mother wrapped her arm around my waist from behind and pulled me close. "Something wrong, kiddo?" She questioned with her usual sweet voice. Her lips planted a kiss on my hair.

"It's nothing." I turn my head away, hiding the jealousy written all over my face.

"Come on," she said, putting herself behind me and hugging my waist. Her head resting on my shoulders. "You think, after 14 years together, a mother would not be able to notice something wrong with her child?"

"I'm just moody," I replied nonchalantly. It was kind of true. She never asked for the entire truth.

"Don't be moody," she teased. She wrapped her hands tighter around my waist until her hands reached the opposite sides, then began tickling me to make me laugh.

I chuckle, not because of her failed attempt of tickling. "After 14 years together, how is it possible that a mother could forget that her child isn't ticklish?"

She puckered her lips. "I had to try, however foolish it may be." She then planted a kiss behind my ear.

"Let's head inside. We don't want your new friend to be waiting for too long." She laughed as she slid her arms off my waist. Allowing one hand to linger a few seconds longer before dropping to her sides.

I follow her inside.

We found Ilmestys lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

"What's up with you?" I questioned as I placed the rest of the bags along the pile.

"I am – contemplating my place in my universe. Am I really meant to be here? Do I exist in other universes? Who am I?"

I sigh as I tune out the rest of her rambling. I got to cooking with my mother in the kitchen. Surprisingly, she also tuned out the girl's voice.

We cooked up quite the feast, filling almost every serving plate we had in the house. Soon after, the guests arrived and everyone had an awesome time. The party cramped the house in no time and I slipped out through the sliding doors and into the backyard.

I stepped on the ferns for a few feet and settled near the walls, my back against it. I was absent-minded the entire time, until a familiar voice chirped over the sound of loud screaming. I flinched, whipping my head around as fast as I could to face the unknown person.

"Zephyr?" I ask.

"Yeah! How are you, man?" He chirped, his voice as hoarse as ever.

His red hair turned brown in the evening shadows, his green hair as bright as it would be in the day. His disheveled appearance brought me comfort.

"Thank God you're here!" I clamored, jumping onto the boy and wrapping my arms around his broad form. "Dude, I didn't know you moved to Bluris!"

He leaned back, his hands hesitant to wrap around me—reluctantly, he did. "It was a last minute decision. My parents aren't the indecisive people around me," he said, staring at me as he said the last sentence.

"Are you saying I'm also indecisive?"

He looked away, avoiding my gaze–looking mighty suspicious.

I grab his hair and pull on it. "Tell me, you idiot!"

He just laughed and laughed. Never bothering to answer my question. "So, got any new friends?"

"Well," I hummed, and stared into the house. "Define 'got'. She more or less forced herself to be my friend."

"The short haired chick?"

"Yeah. The one that looks like a dude."

"I'm amazed that any woman would meet your gaze."

"I'm handsome."

"No, you're not. Trust me. Not even Olivia wanted you."

"They just couldn't understand my beauty!"

He started clapping. "What a master gaslighter. He even managed to gaslight himself!"

"You're a waste of saliva."

"Thank you!" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I appreciate the compliment."

I turn my head away. Having a normal, adult conversation with Zephyr was deemed impossible. I assume he has no chance maturing into a fitting adult.

"Jokes aside," he remarked, "I missed you, Daze. That's why I immediately came here when your mom posted on Mailbook about the party."

My neck creaked as I turned to look at him. "W-What?" I stammered, shaking my head. "You're friends with my mom in Mailbook?"

"Yeah. She's hot, bro!" He exclaimed with a grin where the corners of his lips reached his ears.

I was silent, looking at him with wide eyes, waiting for him to say that he was joking.

5 seconds passed by. Only the frogs croaked.

30 seconds. Sweat dripped down his face.

5 minutes flew by in a daze. He still hadn't admitted that he was joking. So, I took the initiative to ask him—grabbing the collar of his green hoodie and yanking him close. "You jokin', bruv?"

His smile began to disappear and with the most serious face this boy could make, he said, "Nah man."

Later that evening, Zephyr and I went to help clean the house.

Mother snickered. "What happened to his face?" She pointed to the traitor beside me.

"A bee stung his face. You know how most bees from our neighbor go rogue. Apparently he is deathly allergic," I say with the most pitiful voice I could muster.

He elbowed me, a deep rumbling within his throat. "Liar. You slapped me!"

Mother then laughed so hard, it was lovely.