Hi, my name is Haze Ethen. I am eighteen years old and shifted to Moon Valley for higher studies. My mother Shaily Ethen and my brother Mike Ethen, who is two years older than me, they live in crimson valley, you are probably thinking about my father why I didn't talk to him, His name was Ibraham Ethen. He died when I was six, but I am happy with what time I got to spent with my dad. Here in Moon Valley, I am living in an old but neat house it's not that big but yes, three-room and a hall, sufficient for living. My college isn't far from my home so I usually cover the distance by walking. And I do a part-time Job in a coffee cafe. I am so glad to have such nice friends in my college with me they are amazing and super friendly. We are a group of four, Me, Addison, Peter, and Bryant. Addison, she is a super jolly girl, ready to do anything doesn't matter how insane it will be. She is quite tall as I am, with long black hair and beautiful black eyes. She and I are in the same biology class. Peter is a tall brown boy with six one height and messy hair, a great basketball player equally good in studies. Bryant is also quite tall as a peter with blond hair, grey eyes, and always surrounded by girls. He is a famous boy in our college, you can say. I sometimes feel that how a person can be so flirty as Bryant. we all have our one class in common: Psychology, and we really enjoy it, sitting next to each other. Tomorrow is a very exciting day for me as tomorrow is Addison's birthday. I am so excited because for the first time I am goanna go alone at night out for a party. In-home mom always restricted me to go out after 7pm but never told me the reason even though I tried to ask her many times but she always refuses to answer or she used to change the topic. But tomorrow I will be going outside all by myself with friends. I am sure it going to be very fun.
XXX
I came back from my college, while my way back home I felt like some was following me, or I was just hallucinating which I always do since I was 12 years old till now whenever I am out of the home, alone somewhere I always feel that somebody is following me and I always made to believe myself that I am hallucinating. I came back home around 7pm after college and cafe and sprightly went to freshen up myself, took a bath, and sat in front of my laptop. Because today was the day when I always talk to my brother and my mum. As I open my laptop and received the call from Mike, Similar to when I last saw him as a person. Same messy hair, specs on, wearing his same favorite grey T-shirt which he wears about four times a week.
"Hey Tuffy"... He said with a mischievous smile on this face. He knows that I hate this name.
"Hi bug". I replied, and I know he doesn't like this name. we both smile at each other.
"So, how're your studies going?" He asks
"Pretty well," I said with a smile, "How are you brother, and how is the mom?"
"Hi, honey" a voice comes from behind Mike, and a clam face emerges from the background. This face I am very eager to see this face in my whole week and this is the day when I get to talk to mom. Mike stands up from his seat and offers a seat to mom.
"Hi mom, how are you?" I ask. And a warm smile curved on her face, she is very placid like a calm sea maybe this is one of the good traits that I inherited from her, to be tranquil.
"We are good dear, how are you, seems like you have changed in these six months," she said with the same placid smile. I smile and look at her for a moment.
"Mom daughters talk, I should leave then, Good day Tuffy," says Mike with a wink, three of us smile and he left.
"Mom, I said, "There is my friend's name Addison, so tomorrow is her birthday and she has also invited me to her party, I took a pause to look at the mom but her expressions were neutral, so I went on." She invited me to her home, others will also be there .... After 8pm" I stopped again look at her, but this time her expression changes she was bewildered for a second but then smiled at me and spoke.
"Yes, you can go" ... for few seconds I couldn't believe my ears because, that mom who always told me not to go outside after 7pm, today she is saying I can go out at night and that too after seven.
"Mom are you sure"... I asked in an astonished manner, raising my eyebrows at her,
"Yeah. " She moves close to the camera and her expression dropped,
"Honey, you are eighteen now you can go or do whatever you want but just be careful about what you are doing or what you are about to do. Haze, we aren't there to look upon you. Are you getting me?"
I wasn't able to understand what she exactly meant to say, why she is emphasizing more for my safety. Every parent is afraid of his or her children's security but the way mom said hit me differently.
I was jumbled that weather to tell her that the feeling of getting followed by someone is still there with me even though I shifted from Crimson. I nodded at her but didn't tell her my feeling of getting paranoid because I don't want to create a situation right now.
"Yeah," I said still nodding and keeping my voice low.
"Love you, honey," she said with a smile
"Love you too mom". Then she said something that I couldn't hear, her voice started breaking and after a second the video chat got disconnected. For a moment I stared at the blank screen of the laptop, trying to making sense of what mom said, but couldn't able to get a sense. I shut down the laptop and laid on the bed for a while, addled by mom saying and also happy that I can go to tomorrow's party. I closed my eyes and didn't notice when I got asleep.