Chapter 01

Amidst few clouds resembling the likes of cotton candy, the sun lay positioned centrally in all of its glory. The beams of light reflected off the bare window, hurting Juliet's eyes in the process. Raising her pale, clammy hands to shield herself from the UV rays, an aggravated sigh left the girl's lips.

"I knew I should've gotten the curtains before moving." She quietly muttered, not wishing to spend much energy on this catastrophe of sorts. Now, her only wish was to settle peacefully into the Oxford apartment without losing any traces of sanity she managed to salvage and hide away into the depths of her mind.

Glancing at the window, Juliet could make out the slightest blur of her reflection. Intoxicatingly innocent almond-shaped blue eyes that could remind her of the boundless ocean had she looked close enough. An ocean that despite its uncertainty and mysteriousness, could calm the most lost souls seeking answers. Her lips, replicating something within the bounds of a heart, downturned into a pout making her frustration clear. Standing out was the girl's hair which was dirty-blonde and pulled into a loose ponytail, lifting boxes filled to the brim with stationary and household items had done its damage. Some strands were spilling out to the sides while others stood up and swayed with every movement almost as if a friendly neighbour were saying their hello's.

A loud buzz pulled her out of the comforting trance, a harsh awakening that reality awaited. The sound had come from her phone which ever-so-rarely made its presence known, a constant nudge and tease of her lack of friends and acquaintances. Ah yes, she should've known it was the person she consistently referred to as "mother" regardless of the woman's refusal to actually fulfill the role.

"I transferred more money to your account. I figure London is more expensive and necessity and housing expenses wouldn't help. I'm raising the monthly amount now. Love you, Monica." It was ironic in a bittersweet way. The person who brought her into this world left her to fend for herself, no more than the reasoning of a rich man and was unwilling to let him know of Juliet.

The younger despised admitting this but it actually hurt, the absence of genuinity and care her marital figure had for her. It didn't help the cause that the last personal visual appearance seen of Monica had been at her last birthday.

Did she mention that she was being replaced? Yeah, her mother had a baby on the way which would undoubtedly rid of any days left to bond.

There was zero point to actually responding to the short and formal text, almost as unmother-like to the actual muse. Pondering such memories and thoughts would only cause her to fall deeper into sorrow, stitched cuts on the brink of reopening.

She should be setting up the apartment not being sucked into a plain vortex. There'd be no time to make this her home after classes at Oxford started tomorrow, especially when she was majoring in the biological sciences.

Setting her phone to its loudest possible volume, making up for the absence of functioning earphones that were buried in a box, Juliet immediately found her favourite playlist.

Little Mix. Every single song the group had released brought pure pleasure and joy to her ears, absolutely euphonious their voices were. The extensive meanings behind each phrase and the therapeutic effect, everything was perfect.

With rhythm and beat surrounding her, it was now time to build her safety chamber, the place that would keep her isolated from the horrifying world ahead. Each category had been carefully assorted into a specific corner of the living room, all the items that had homes in the kitchen in one area while the desk parts and room articles in another. She had done this to make the journey simpler and more organized with less obstacles to face.

And so began the makings of a new start.

It had taken a while to put every last thing in place, the amount of time was unaccounted for and would remain that way. "Doesn't look too bad, if I say so myself." Pride sharpened the warrior's features, a battlecry called too soon.

The walls of the common room had been decorated in personal artworks that she wasn't afraid to take credit for, each piece almost unifying and becoming one with the abstract colours of the barricade they had been forced on to. Due to the recent move, only two seats had been placed upon black-carpet for comfort. Both wide and facing each other, loveseats disguised as the opposite.

The work surface Juliet desperately required for productivity had been assembled and placed in the corner of her room. Right next to it, a measly mattress stripped of a frame that curled back in shame and disgust of its exploitation. Going diagonally, a white bookshelf with woven baskets in some quarters for storage.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted an out of place picture that had fallen, wounded. Worn-out tape clung to the back side; a parasite with its host, wheezing for assistance through dying breaths.

Carefully the girl removed the image from the wooden-floor, a dainty trail of dust left behind. Observing it, she saw her mother's smile, the one she hadn't seen in years; cheekbones lifted high, complementing the watery-smile that held joy and joy only. Next to the older woman, a man crouched down to her height duplicating the exact expression.

Richard Edwards, Juliet's father. The father she had never met, the one who had left her before his child could gain consciousness. The only remnants of said father that the daughter had been given were the picture and a necklace.

A necklace that in all of its red prestige, Juliet could not bring herself to wear. With the intricate linings of the silver chains, roots of an old tree, and mesmerizingly-coloured gem they held up, it all looked too perfect. It painted a pristine image of what their family could've been like had everything not fallen a part.

For that reason, it was hidden away in the closet that stood beside the bookshelf.

A quick glance at the clock was enough for her to let out a quiet gasp. It was already 9:54 PM, a vast field of stars ahead. As much as her fingers ached to feel the touch of a pencil, to feel herself get carried away within the world of art, an overworked stomach groaned. Dinner would have to be prioritized first.

Steam poured out from the bowl; the water completing its cycle, finishing on the face above it. There hadn't been much time to get groceries in between the hassle of everything, a small pack of instant ramen left. Although her love for the dish was concerningly strong, she wished for something more today, something that could've brought her back home.

Nevertheless, the flavours of her meal had made up for what other things she longed for. The hints of smokiness and spice balanced out beautifully, almost providing an out of body experience.

Standing outside in the balcony, crisp air nicked at her skin, leaving goosebumps behind. In front of her own building she spotted a park; the sign labelled "Victoria Public Park" with bright colours to leave an impression amongst the dark. While it was relatively quiet and liberated from people, few still hung around.

On a bench shadowed by large trees, a couple sat kissing. Their hands roaming the other's body as they interlocked mouths. A few feet away from them was another girl that seemed to be slightly younger than herself, leaning on a taller lamp and staring at a phone screen. Occupying an area of higher elevation, also known as a tree branch was a blonde-haired boy. His face was nestled into bare arms and body outstretched; limbs mimicking those of a sloth. Looking closer, Juliet noticed a bracelet clasped around the boy's wrist. Pearl's following a coloured pattern with an unidentifiable flower sitting gently on top. No matter how much she racked her brain, the name of the succulent wouldn't reveal itself.

In hand, a sketchbook and pencil. Her fingers felt at home as they lightly grazed the charcoal-stained page, subtle lines forming the scene in front of her. Gradually the artwork became more and more established, each detail falling into place with such gracefulness. An unknowing smile lit up her face as she lost herself in the act, each sound tuning out.

Finally finishing and turning her head back up, she now noticed that the girl was walking away from the botanical grounds, phone pressed up against her ear. Juliet believed this to be her que to head to bed. There was no way she'd be late to her first class tomorrow.

Taking in the final breath of frosty air, hitting her lungs in the process, she faced the door. Her mind running with thoughts and scenarios of how the boy had managed his way up to such a high branch.

Reaching the bare room that was enveloped by gloom, she placed the cherished book onto the table. Sending a final smile and word of well wishes in the way of the picture she hung up earlier, Juliet let herself be embraced by the covers. Bricks had found their way onto her eyelids as she drifted off into an unpredictable kingdom.