CHAPTER 25 – DREAM OR REALITY?

*Note: Although I don't like it, today I'm going to have to get serious and mention several important things. Now I will proceed to explain some things that many people still do not have clear. To begin, let's talk about Claire. I already said there will be 8 girls in the harem and I keep it and Claire is one of them, so if from here you don't want to read anymore, I kindly invite you to go.

Please avoid insulting with words like "Pedophile" or something like that. First because I am not a pedophile, second because this is an invented story and nothing is real and it's not my fault that some people can't tell the difference between reality and fiction. And third, if you insult me in that way, be assured I will report it to you. I don't like to do that, but if I see someone calling me a pedophile, it will automatically be reported without compassion.

So, if you don't like that Claire is in the harem, you can go and read something else that suits your taste. And if you've read this far and don't care in the least whether or not Claire is in the harem, welcome back, my friend.

I must also clarify that the romance is very early as in books and film and I want to respect because I want and I liked it. I do not accept complaints about it.

I don't want to read any more of the absurd comments that are insulting and disrespectful. Remember two things. The first is that no one forces you to read, you are free to do what you like and the second is that this is a story made for entertainment and if you don't like it, just go but don't be hater, thank you.

If I happen to have forgotten something, I will mention it in the next chapters, but that's all for now. If after reading all this, you have stayed, then enjoy the chapter :)

And if you want to read more chapters, suscribe to my patreon that it's practically free, so give it a try!

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Have a good day :)

...

We had started dining and even though I didn't know most of the dishes. I started eating out of politeness. I could have made an excuse by saying, "I'm not hungry" or even eaten the dishes I already know, but... I decided to eat new things. Since in a few weeks I will start living with these people and they will become my family, I have to get used to their meals. Don't you think?

However, I tried the strange dishes that everyone seemed to eat with enthusiasm and a smile on their faces, except for some like Enoch, who always had the same angry face as always, Emma who had a frown and seemed to give me hateful looks from time to time and Olive, who took two bites of a cat leg and then left it on her plate.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm not very hungry. I'll come back later" - Olive said.

Then, she got up and left.

"I don't feel like eating either. I'd better go" – Emma added.

Then, she did the same as Olive and left.

"Wow, I didn't know we could do that, so I think I'll leave too..." – Enoch said.

He also wanted to get up, but Miss Peregrine prevented him.

"Stay where you are, Mister Enoch and enjoy a nice dinner with us" – said Miss Peregrine.

"And why can Emma and Olive leave? It's not fair" – Enoch said angrily.

"They... they have a lot of things to think about right now. Their absence is understandable" – said Miss Peregrine without flinching.

Grumbling, Enoch sat down again and began to bite some animal's thigh hard, as if to say: "I'm angry!"

"The truth is that it is strange. For Emma it is completely normal, but... for Olive? I think something has happened that they don't want to tell us" – said Hugh.

The others also seemed to notice that something was not right.

"Nothing has happened. Miss Olive and Miss Bloom are indisposed today and now let's continue to enjoy this pleasant evening" – said Miss Peregrine.

With no other choice, the boys left their questions and curiosity about Olive and continued eating, all except Claire (who I mentioned before), who had her plate completely empty. And I remember why, apparently she's embarrassed to show her peculiarity, especially to strangers like me, so she prefers to eat when everyone is done. But this situation is perfect for me, see how I score points with Claire like I said before.

"Why don't you eat, is something wrong with you?" – I asked feigning ignorance.

"No, there's nothing wrong with me" – Claire said lowering her head.

"It's because she's embarrassed to show off her peculiarity. That's why she always eats when we're all done, so we don't see her!" – Millard said.

"You're a liar!" – Claire said somewhat angrily.

"If it's just for that, don't worry. I won't say anything about it, you can eat quietly" – I said with a smile.

Claire looked embarrassed, but for some reason she picked up a small cat thigh still leftover, raised her hair and there I saw it, a horrifying mouth similar to a monster from a horror movie lay there, behind her head, which devoured the cat thigh instantly and with impressive speed, which made me think that whoever grabbed this little girl from behind... He'll have a hard time.

"It's grotesque, isn't it?" – Claire asked once she finished her thigh.

Now there was only a large piece of bone left in the dish.

"Grotesque, why would I find it grotesque?" – I asked curiously.

"Don't you find it gross. Doesn't it scare you when you see it?" – Clare asked curiously.

"Not at all. In fact, I think it's amazing and very cool" – I said with a smile.

The truth is that I wouldn't like to have an extra mouth behind my head, but... Seeing it on someone else is pretty cool.

"What, do you really think that? Don't lie to me..." – Claire said surprised.

It was normal for her to be surprised. After all, it was the first time anyone had said that to her, even her sister Bronwyn had never said those words to her.

"I'm not lying to you. I actually think it's impressive, it's a magnificent peculiarity and I'd like to see it another time if you don't mind" – I said.

Hearing this, Claire blushed.

"T-Thank you for the compliment" – Claire said.

Then, she turned even redder and lowered her head so that no one could see her. However, this did not go unnoticed by most.

"Wow, Claire blushed, it looks like that time has finally come... how good it is to be young and how beautiful love is!" – Millard said mockingly.

"It's not true, it's not love...!" – Claire said hurriedly.

But the next instant she looked at me again and looked away instantly.

"I-I mean, no... ah...!" – Claire shouted.

Then, she got up from her chair and quickly left the dining room, leaving the others surprised by her reaction.

"Mr. Millard, that has been out of place" – said Miss Peregrine.

"This... I'm sorry. It was just a joke. I never thought she would react that way" – Millard apologized.

And it was true, he just thought she would be a little more embarrassed, hang her head, deny it and then not bring it up again. It was just a joke for fun, but who was going to say that she would be so embarrassed that she even left the dining room. It was something unbecoming of Claire.

"Please refrain from making such jokes in the future" - said Miss Peregrine.

But I was also a little surprised by Claire's reaction because she had never reacted like that. Could it be that she really likes Jacob? That's something we'll find out over time, so it's best to leave this topic here for now.

"Of course..." – Millard nodded (or so I think).

After this brief conversation, we continued to have dinner. But looking around, marveling at this situation, surprised that I was now here, eating with a bunch of children with supernatural powers and not in the same boring world as always, a happiness that I had never felt before ran through my body like an electric current. For the first time in years I was happy and I wanted to smile.

By the way, as a curiosity, I also noticed that Fiona looked at me from time to time, but her glances were so fleeting that they barely lasted a second, which made no one notice.

Once we ate, it was Bronwyn and Fiona's turn to wash the dishes, so we all helped cleam the table and then waited in the living room because apparently Miss Peregrine had something to tell us.

She made us wait in the living room while she went to look for Emma, Olive and Claire, who were still absent. An opportunity that was not missed by the boys to bombard me with questions about the future.

"Do flying cars already exist in your time?" – Hugh asked.

"Not yet, but the planes have advanced so much that in just a few hours we can travel to any part of the world" – I answered.

"Fascinating!" – Hugh exclaimed.

"And what about clothes, how much has the noble textile art improved in all these years?" - asked Horace.

"Ehem, I'm sorry, I wouldn't know what to answer. It's true that it's changed, but I'm not a fashion expert" – I apologized.

In fact, it's one of those topics that doesn't interest me in the least and I didn't know much about it.

"Too bad" – Horace said somewhat disappointed.

"And what about space, have you managed to travel to other planets, have you found extraterrestrial life?" – Millard asked excitedly.

"I'm afraid not at the moment" – I denied.

That is a topic that excites me. Unfortunately, the technology of this planet is practically identical to that of my previous world, only being a little behind my world, but nothing too remarkable.

"Oh... it's a shame" – Millard said.

"Like you heard from Mr. Portman, the future is not as fantastic as you think" – said Miss Peregrine.

Next to her were Emma, Olive, and an embarrassed Claire who kept looking at me embarrassed from time to time.

"Anyway, let's sit down and enjoy a nice evening before the date change" – said Miss Peregrine.

Then, she fixed her gaze on Horace.

"Mr. Horace, if you will be so kind, please" – said Miss Peregrine.

Horace brought out a sort... I wouldn't know how to describe it. A portable mini projector but that didn't project anything? In the books I never knew that was really what it was.

"Horace has the power to project his thoughts and predict the future through his dreams" - Millard explained.

"Not always. Sometimes my dreams are simple dreams. Although it is true that many of them come true, but even so... they are not 100% reliable" – Horace said.

"Whatever you say" - Millard said.

Then, Horace put that device or whatever on his eyes and began to project a series of images. First we saw a fairly short and extremely old movie; then we saw some planes flying through the sky, but the next thing we saw left us all surprised. Because suddenly, I could see me kissing with... I really don't know with whom because for some incomprehensible reason the figure of the other person was blurred and her face could not be clearly distinguished. But if you think that ended there you are completely wrong, because that same image appeared 4 more times and always with me as the protagonist.

"Wow, our Jacob is a Don Juan" – Hugh said with a smile.

None of them knew who the girls Jacob was kissing were because they all had their faces blurred, although one of them was quite short.

However, although the boys did not realize it, the girls seemed to intuit something, as if they believed that they were the ones in the images and they were all automatically embarrassed, but all of them had mixed feelings about it, especially Emma and Olive who did not want to believe that one of those girls was them. But It could not be, true?

Anyway, they couldn't say another word, because suddenly, the image that Horace projected changed to a terrifying scene. It was a gigantic explosion that destroyed dozens of buildings instantly. A destructive capacity that only a nuclear bomb could be able to do and...

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" – Horace shouted.

And then, he fainted.

"Hey, what just happened?" – I asked curiously.

For some reason, I didn't remember this scene. Why don't I remember this? I mean, until now I remembered everything about all the events that happened in the orphanage, but I didn't remember that image at all. What's going on here?