Chapter 1 - #001

11/11/2015

The heat of daylight touching my cheeks made my subconscious awake. I closed my eyes once more hoping to find myself asleep again but I couldn't. I often wake up early in the morning even though sometimes I stay up late at night. It's like there's a built-in alarm clock inside me that always awakens my heavily-eyed body.

"Abby, why are you up early?" My mother greeted me as I stoop into the kitchen. I did not speak a reply. She's wearing our matching pajamas while quietly cooking. She still looked beautiful although in the past days both she and dad are busy.

I bid goodbye and went for a walk in the neighborhood with my dog pet, Sushi. It is always the mini-park that my feet always choose to go to and Sushi likes it here too. In front of me is the basketball court wherein there are people currently playing. It's part of my routine to walk every morning and sometimes I take Sushi with me.

Sushi is my 8-month-old pomeranian puppy. Her fur is a mixture of gray and white and she often likes to be carried but I walk her sometimes. I felt Sushi's subtle movement as she slowly opens her mouth for a yawn. How adorable she is.

"Are you alright?"

A guy drenched in sweat came up to me. I looked from behind thinking he was talking to someone else but I guess he was talking to me. "Is something wrong?" Concerned, I was, at the sight of him gasping for air while holding a basketball at his right hand. Did we happen to ruin the game or something?

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, the ball was about to hit you, good thing I was able to catch it in time"

I look at the ball in his hand and to the basketball field. He ran that fast?! The court was 30 meters away! I guess their long limbs helped them well.

"Uh...thank you"

"I think you should find somewhere else to sit", he pointed out another bench at a distance. We then heard his friends in the court shouting at him to get back, and so he did. I remained still and in the process of confusion, it felt like I've seen him before.

I tried to focus on watching everyone in the game but it seemed that my eyes were locked to him. It's not really my hobby to stare at people's faces all day but while watching him move from side to side, I see his face more clearly at different angles.

He's handsome. Dark brown eyes, thick eyebrows, chiseled jaws, and pointed nose even with all the sweat dripping from his face, he still looks good. How blessed he must be by the Gods. Sushi barked at me, enough for me to get back to my sanity. I didn't even realize I was staring at the court for so long. I must have been delusional.

"I heard that your father's friend and family will soon be joining our neighborhood so be nice later sweetie", her voice welcomed me as I went back home. I grabbed a cookie to eat and milk to drink before I went back to the living room. I also put food on Sushi's plate. There we both watch never-ending episodes of a zombie apocalypse as we both found ourselves falling in deep sleep.

"Abby get dressed already they are almost here", a peck of my mom's hand to my cheeks woke me up as she turned off the tv. I yawned and stretched as I saw Sushi's wiggling tail unstoppable. Looks like someone's already awake too.

I hurriedly went to my room then took a nice bath before going to my walk-in closet. The visitors will soon be here at any moment. I hope they're kind.

'Abigail Maxine Greekson' as I read through the lines of my name engraved on a golden necklace I felt honored yet somehow emptied. Living this life as a 13-year-old kid made me sort of happy. I got great presents and gifts but only if I worked hard for them. Even if I'm living a luxurious life my mom still teaches me to be humble and kind. And I love her for that. But these following days my life was no longer contented the way it used to be. I have a loving family and a few friends yet still it felt like there's an empty piece in myself that I cannot point out.

I looked at the picture frames in my room. All of those faces are me. My achievements in life, my elementary graduation pictures, family pictures, and my solo pictures. Besides, it is my medals and certificates that I worked hard for. My family never pressured me with my academics instead I pressure myself. And I'm happy those pressures turned out well.

I gasped when I heard a knock coming from the dark oak door of my room. "Abby, here's the dress open up", I quickly grabbed the knob and twisted it open and to my surprise, it was my dad who brought the dress. "Thank you daddy", I tiptoed a bit to hug him then reached for my dress. "You are a grown-up now", he said out of the blue. "Dad.." I toned my voice warning him not to make any drama.

"You were still little when your mom gave birth to you and now you're finally a teen", he said while looking at me teary-eyed. "Dad I'm still the same baby mom gave birth to. I won't change, I promise", I flashed a smile before giving him a hug. We hugged for a minute or two until he finally let go and went out of my room for me to change.

It's was a casual dress. A floral off-shoulder that is above the knee length, but given by my flat 5'0 height, the dress went below. Mom said we'll have dinner with dad's friend and family. The dress fits my body well. Although I still don't have the curves yet the dress made me feel confident.

After dressing up I went out and was greeted by my dog Sushi. I carried her and she smelled like a new bathe dog. We then went down through the stairs and everyone was already there! I couldn't recognize any of the new faces except for someone in a white polo.

He looked like someone at my age and he was familiar. I saw him arched his brows. He was probably familiarized by me.

It was him!

Mr. Fast Runner!

I sat down at the vacant seat beside my mom, while I put Sushi on my lap. "So, Jim she's your daughter?" The guy from the other side of the table asked my dad. He looked the same age as my dad, so I guess this is his friend?

"Ah si (yes) Eric, my one and only", then they both started laughing. "She looks beautiful", my dad's friend complimented me, I replied to him with a smile. "Jim, this is Louisiana, my wife, and Adam, my son", he introduces his family to us.

"Eric, this is Andrea my loving wife and our unica ija (only daughter) Abigail", I gave them a smile while looking at Adam who is surprisingly looking at me too, I guess he noticed. After we finished dinner, my dad and Adam's dad started talking about business to which I cannot relate to. My mom and Adam's mom easily got fond of each other and started drinking champagne in the living room while their husbands were drinking whiskeys.

I and Adam are the only one left at the table so I started our conversation. "Hi, so Uhm, we meet again", he then looked at me then boringly replied, "yeah".

"I forgot to thank you for what you uh...d-did earlier", I reached for the back of my neck and smiled. "It's nothing, it was our fault, to begin with", he frankly said before sipping the lemonade. Since we are underage we aren't allowed to drink alcohol. The atmosphere is getting awkward so I tried to bring up another topic again.

"So, how's the neighborhood?"

"It's fine."

"I guess you have already made some friends because earlier at the court", he just nodded. I heave a sigh.

"What made you move here?" I saw his brows raise. "I hate talkative girls". "I'm sor—", he walked away before I could finish what I was saying. I sighed then carried Sushi with me to the veranda. The moon was full and was shattering brightness through the dark areas of the neighborhood.

I often look at the moon and talk to it like it would reply to my naggings. Before my life was more boring than now. I have friends but none of them were ever true. They only befriend me for money and such. I have a best friend, my cousin, but he lives quite far from here. So I don't have someone to play with until I adopted Sushi.

I saw a shooting star from the sky and gently closed my eyes and wished like most girls my age do. Cliche, right?

"Seriously, you still believe in wishing at a shooting star?", I heard someone spoke beside me. It was Adam. "Why do you care", I hissed at him and when I looked back the shooting star can no longer be seen. My wish was ruined!

"Look what you've done, I lost the chance to wish at the shooting star". I don't get the point why is he talking to me when he ignored me earlier. "For the record, it is NOT a shooting star you are wishing for, it's a meteorite", he emphasized the word 'not' and toned it to ruin my own belief.

"Just mind your own business and don't ruin MINE. C'mon Sushi", I carried her to my room and left Adam alone.

I can't understand him.

One moment he's all serious and snob and then he'll be someone to butt into someone else's business.