LAME TO FAME

I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. To my surprise, I was lying in my own bed, surrounded by the familiar walls of my room. But something felt off. I wasn't exactly jumping for joy, if you know what I mean. Did that crazy wish I made actually work?

I glanced up at my trusty clock on the wall, its tilted face seeming to smirk at me. The clock read 7:30 am, and its steady ticking was like a drumbeat in my head. My thoughts were racing, colliding with each other like cars on a busy highway. Was it all just a wild dream? Tick! No way, it felt way too real. Tock! I remembered Grandma's hair, and Sukani's piercing gaze - they were real, I was sure of it.

I tossed off my blanket, and my pyjama sweatpants slid down my hips, as they always did when I woke up. Yeah, my boxers had to make their daily appearance, I guess. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the haze. What was going on?

I rushed to the mirror, my heart racing like a sports car. I examined my reflection, my chiseled features and piercing eyes stared back at me, perfectly intact. No bruises, no scars, no signs of the wild adventure I thought I had just been on. I thought of Sukani, the strange inscriptions etched into its side, the dust and grime I had wiped away with my bare hands, and the musty smell that lingered on my skin. And Larry's gross jacket, ugh! It all felt so real, but now it seemed like a distant memory, a dream that was fading fast.

I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling like I was stuck in some kind of time loop. Was it all just a wild dream? Too good to be true, I guess. I trudged back to my bed, flopping down on the mattress with a defeated sigh.

Just then, my mom burst into my room, calling out my name like a drill sergeant. "Chester!" she yelled, plopping down on my bed like a tornado. I rolled my eyes, thinking, "God, Mom, have some respect! I'm a man, sort of." But as I looked at her, I noticed something weird. Her forehead was smooth, no frown lines or wrinkles, her eyes sparkled like diamonds, and she smelled like fresh-baked cookies and marshmallows. It was like she had been transformed overnight. And instead of giving me the usual post-argument stink-eye, she was beaming at me like the sun. What was going on here?

"Yes, mom," I croaked, my voice barely audible. I was still trying to wrap my head around the strange events unfolding before me.

"Fiona is here, get ready before you run late," she said, her words dripping with an air of normalcy that only added to my confusion.

"Late to where?" I asked, my brain foggy. Why was Fiona here so early? And what was going on with my mom's weird behavior?

My mom enunciated slowly, as if explaining to a toddler. "Y-O-U-G-O-T-O-S-C-H-O-O-L-T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R." Her patience was wearing thin, but I was still clueless.

"Which school?" I asked, feeling like a total idiot.

She burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She held my face in her warm, soft palms, and I felt like a child again. "Baby, did you hit your head?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

I hesitated, realizing how ridiculous I must have sounded. "Yeah, I did! I totally did. Thing is, I can't find the injury anywhere." I trailed off, feeling like a total psychopath.

My mom chuckled and patted my cheek. "Mhmm...okay, you gotta stop watching all that creepy anime with Woon, it's getting to your head." She said it gently, but her words sent my mind reeling.

Woon?! The king of RED'SFIELD?! No way! He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Yang, the wealthiest couple in the estate. He rides a convertible! His mom has a customized fucking BMW! He was born with a diamond spoon in his mouth! LITERALLY!! This couldn't be happening!

I was still reeling from the shock when my mom left the room without waiting for a response. I was left alone, wondering when I had started watching anime with Woon, and how my life had taken such a bizarre turn.

"Get ready!" my mom yelled from the kitchen, her voice echoing through the house. I hastily took the quickest bath on earth, scrubbing off the sleep and confusion. I rewore my trusty boxers, thinking, "third time's the charm," and hoping today would be a better day. As I rushed out of my room I found Fiona looking more beautiful than I remembered. Or perhaps I never cared to notice her beauty. Well, Fiona wasn't like the most beautiful person in the world but she was pretty attractive. She had this oval face and blonde hair, scanty eye brows and lashes that complemented her face. Her eyes had this shape, an orb shape that always seemed to sparkle and wander around the room. She had the perfect height for a girl her age, and her physique woah! In summary, puberty did her good! Especially in our school uniform, her short navy blue skirt always complemented her sexy legs. Unlike some people in my class. Bridget basically looks like a virgin gorilla!

Some people just aren't my cup of tea, you know? And Fiona, with her perfect blonde hair and oval face, was definitely not my type. I mean, friends? Okay, sure. But anything more? Hell no! I couldn't even imagine it.

But, I guess it wasn't so bad, since we were about to ride to school in style. "Yes, let's get going," I finally replied, trying to sound cool.

My mom waved goodbye and gave me forehead kisses, and I lapped up the attention like a hungry kitten. Yeah, I'm a total Mama's boy, and I own it!

As we stepped out of the house, I felt like I was walking on air. I was about to ride in Fiona's limo, and I couldn't contain my excitement. It was like I was about to win a Grammy or something! The best day of my life, apart from the day I was born, of course.

The limo was a sleek, black beast with tinted windows and a shiny finish. It looked like a million bucks, and I felt like a million bucks stepping into it. The driver, dressed in a sharp suit, opened the door with a flourish, and I felt like royalty sliding into the plush seats. The interior was decked out in cream-colored leather, with fancy lights and a state-of-the-art sound system. It was like a luxury hotel on wheels!

As we glided through the streets, I felt like I was on cloud nine. The limo, the feels, the texture - everything was just so... extra! I was living my best life, and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

Fiona whipped out her phone and started streaming us live on social media, and I rolled my eyes. Great, just what I needed - more drama. But Fiona was too busy gloating to notice my discomfort.

"So guys..." she began, her voice dripping with excitement. "I'm here with the one and only Chester Luis!"

She batted her eyelashes at the camera, and I felt a surge of annoyance. This was all about her, not me.

"As you all know, Chester is the new It boy of our school," she continued, her voice sugary sweet. "And I'm so lucky to have him as my BFF!"

I raised an eyebrow, but Fiona just kept going.

"We're taking over the school, one selfie at a time!" she declared, striking a pose.

I sighed, feeling like a prop in her little publicity stunt. But hey, at least I was getting some views out of this, right?

Fiona continued to prattle on, completely absorbed in her own little world. "So, Chester, tell us a bit about yourself. What makes you so special?"

I shrugged, feeling like a puppet on strings. "Uh, I don't know. I'm just a regular guy, I guess."

Fiona giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, come on, Chester! You're being too humble. Tell us about your amazing talents and accomplishments."

I sighed, feeling like I was being pulled into her drama. "Fine. I'm good at video games, I guess. And I'm pretty decent at basketball."

Fiona squealed, her voice grating on my nerves. "Oh my gosh, that's so impressive! I know our viewers just love a guy who's good at sports."

I rolled my eyes, feeling like I was trapped in some kind of bizarre nightmare. But Fiona just kept going, asking me inane questions and making silly comments. I played along, starting to get the hang of it.

As we finally arrived at school, I felt like a total rockstar. The drama with Fiona's livestream had set the stage, and now I was the main attraction. Everyone was buzzing around me, cheering and high-fiving me like I was a celebrity. Fiona beamed with pride, like she was responsible for my newfound fame.

I lapped up the attention, feeling like a hot walking heartthrob.

"Looking good, Chester!" someone shouted, and I winked, playing it cool. "What's up, Chess?" another person asked, and I flashed a charming smile. It was surreal, but I was loving every minute of it. It was all Chester Chester Chester.

The girls in the hallway giggled and whispered, but it wasn't teasing - they were actually checking me out! "Oh my gosh, he's so cute!" one of them squealed in a high-pitched voice. "Chester, we love you!! Fiona, we're jealous!!" I couldn't contain my grin, feeling like the king of the school.

It was all too good to be true, but I knew it was real. The wish had actually worked! I felt like kissing Sukani.

Fuck! I was on cloud nine.

I was basking in the glory of my newfound popularity, and I couldn't get enough of it.

As I walked through the hallways, I felt like James Bond with Fiona by my side. We were surrounded by admirers, all clamoring for my attention. I lapped up the admiration, feeling like a true celebrity.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class. Fiona and I made our way to our locker, where we were mobbed by more fans. I signed autographs, took selfies, and basked in the glory of my newfound fame.

"I can't believe this is happening," I said grinning from ear to ear, Fiona heard me and turned towards me - her face just a few inches away from mine.

"Chester my man! You're a a starrr!"

And with that, we headed off to class, ready to take on the day and whatever fame threw our way.

One selfie at a time!