The wind was howling in a soft breeze and the night sky was glimmering in delight.
The sound of waves was crashing in my ear and the smell of salt drifted around me.
The air kissed my warm beige skin as I took a gasp for air. The sunset was devouring me slowly with beauty.
I was on a beach looking at the sunset colour that reflected the sea.
Not once had I felt so alive and free of torture and my mind that was once shattered was restored again.
"Thank you for everything" I turned ninety degrees to see four men smiling at me with bright lips of joy. I couldn't see their faces properly, only their smiles were visible to me.
Who were they?
"You saved us all".
"We will never forget that you know?".
"When the day comes I want to see you shine brighter than before".
One of them came up to me slowly holding my hands in theirs.
I could feel the warm sensation of their skin closing in on mine.
It was like an angel soothing my pain.
"Even if the world tries to break us apart," He said softly.
"We will always find a way to get back to each other" The words escaped from my mouth.
"In this life or the next" We synchronised with each other and all of a sudden the sound of bells chiming rang in my ears and I shot up from my bed groaning in a low tone of voice. I must have been dreaming again.
Those ridiculous dreams won't stop coming and for the past five years, I had to endure them.
I saw my phone starting to vibrate and I closed the alarm getting out of bed. I scratched my head yawning deeply as my eyes felt droopy and tired.
My breathing was stable and my legs were unsteady.
Staying up until three o clock in the morning wasn't the best thing to do.
I stretched my arms heading downstairs.
The sound of the stove crackling and the smell of eggs in the morning was the only thing that kept me from going back to bed.
Once I headed down the living room my father cackled with a laugh.
"COME ON TEAM WOLVES KICK THEIR ASSES!" Father was in the spirit as he was punching the air and jumping from the couch.
"Shut up you old goofball! No wonder the neighbours keep on telling us how loud we are" Mother was in the kitchen which was located behind the living room.
The kitchen had no doors and there was only a counter used to separate the kitchen from the living room.
"Good morning mum" I smiled innocently at her as I entered the kitchen glimpsing at what else she was making for breakfast.
The aroma of the food-filled my energy and the scent was pleasing.
"Good morning Haruna I hope you had a good night's sleep" She flipped the pan waiting for the pancakes to cook properly.
She picked up two eggs and cracked them gently as they dropped into the bowl.
Mum was indeed busy today if she was cooking extra.
"What's up with all this food?" I asked.
"Today is the bake sale. Abbey's mother asked me to bring some cupcakes for the stall" She was excited and I could tell on her face she wanted to impress all her friends.
I was happy that she was reaching out for her dreams but sometimes they didn't end well in some cases.
"Well as long as your happy then I'm happy" before I could leave the kitchen mother grabbed my arm leaving me in shock.
Her grip tightened and nails dug into my skin.
She knew what she had done and immediately let go apologising to me.
"I am sorry for grabbing your arm all of a sudden but I have been worried about you lately. Your teachers told me that you are being bullied at school, is that correct?" Everything went silent I knew my father was pretending to watch the TV even though he was listening to our conversation.
I hated how she brought up that topic. I plastered a fake smile hiding the despair from my face.
"I am not being bullied mum so please don't be worried. Whatever the teachers said you should ignore them" I felt my throat go dry as my mother went back to cooking.
The incident happened one month ago yet everyone is still talking about it like it happened yesterday.
I sighed and my chest was heavy.
I walked to the living room where dad was and sat on the couch slumping like a child.
I was grumbling in annoyance feeling moodier than ever.
"Don't take it to heart. Your mother just cares about you that's all" He slumped on the sofa like an old man holding the remote with one hand and drinking coffee with the other.
"I know she cares about me but sometimes it hurts to hear it from her mouth" That was not a lie.
Indeed my mother cared about me more than any mother I heard of but after the incident, she always talks about my mistakes and doesn't consider my own feelings to account.
"Why don't you go upstairs and change for school while I have a talk with your mother" He patted my back gently.
I nodded my head and went back upstairs to change for school.
I shut my door and rummaged through my dresser trying to find any decent clothing for school.
I picked out a white collared shirt and a brown sweater vest. I placed them on my bed and took out a black skirt that was above my knees.
I quickly dressed myself and combed my hair putting it in a messy bun.
I headed towards the bathroom and brushed my teeth before I was going to be late for school again.
The air was a cold breeze today and the sky was cloudy like a pillow of feathers.
It was already the first of February and winter was already here.
It was getting more chilly every day and still, school hasn't been shut.
I brushed my teeth in circles trying not to get any toothpaste on my clothes.
The tip of the brush felt uncomfortable on my gum and the taste of it was revolting.
I hoped that today wasn't going to be as bad as last week.
My backpack was stolen and my lunch went missing.
All because of Abbey's stupid group of minions that always follow her like a pack of wolves.
Thankfully mum doesn't know that she was the one bullying me and even the teachers don't know who it is either so I will make sure no one finds out.
Things have been complicated growing up.
I lost my memories at the age of twelve because of a car accident and my ex-best friend Abbey is now accusing me of something her boyfriend did.
My cousins and distant family members dislike me a lot.
Whenever we have family outings, my grandma wouldn't even look at me or even say a single word to me.
My aunties call me a devil child even though I was the only nice child in the whole family.
My parents made sure I wouldn't see them for a long time and they kept me away from the family for years as if they were protecting me from something.
I finished brushing my teeth and I stared at myself in the mirror admiring my complexion.
My cheeks were coloured with pink and my lips bright with a tiny shade of red.
I had straight black hair and chocolate-coloured eyes.
I didn't look that special and I wasn't beautiful like my mother was.
I was just an average-looking girl with poor sleep.
I scurried back into my bedroom and gathered my school supplies and placed them inside my black backpack with pins of my favourite books.
I was a bookworm who loved writing and reading books.
My goal in life is to publish a series of books and become a famous author.
My parents are happy with my choices but I still knew that I needed to have an actual job to support myself.
Fantasy books were my favourite genre and I never knew why.
Whenever I read them I feel this kind of familiar sense as if I am inside of the story and the characters are my own.
Dad says reading books are boring but I knew he was just too lazy to even pick up a book.
I put my white socks on and slung my backpack on one shoulder.
I walked out of my room and shut the door hearing my footsteps as my feet thudded on the stairs.
Father was already in his work clothes and my lunchbox was on the counter waiting to be eaten at lunch.
The sound of my mother complaining was getting louder and louder as I approached her.
The atmosphere was getting tense.
"I am trying to be a good mother Alan but it's so hard trying to talk with her. There isn't a day when we don't get into an argument" The sound of her voice was worrying and gentle.
Unlike me, she had strong bone features and her face was pale and soft. She had hazel eyes and short hair.
I was always jealous of how elegant she was.
I never had that side of her and father seemed to be catching on as well.
I coughed a little as my parents immediately looked at me as if I was their prey.
"Are you done packing?" My mother ignored the conversation she had with father and plastered a happy smile.
"Yes," I said blankly.
"Good. Your father will be taking you to school this morning and remember that you have a therapist appointment today after school" The word therapist hit me like a brick.
I didn't mind going to my therapist but I had nothing to talk about.
For some reason, she started taking me there when I was twelve to talk about my feelings and how to control them.
I didn't know why I had to do that but I guess it must have been something that caused the accident.
I nodded my head and took the apple and lunchbox from the counter heading towards the door to put my shoes on.
My cold hands were frozen like ice and sweat trickled down my face.
I could hear the birds chirping their morning song.
Father was now by the door waiting for me to put my shoes on.
As I was putting on my black leather shoes I could hear my father whispering something to my ear.
His breath was cold as if he ran in the freezing weather for a morning jog.
"Hey kiddo" His voice is quiet as a mouse trying to sneak for information.
"Yea?".
"Grab some strawberries while you come back home. It will keep your mother's mouth shut for quite some time" He grinned like the Cheshire cat.
Was this his only way of getting her to calm down?
I opened the door hearing my mother shout from the kitchen.
"Come back safely! I have a surprise for you once you come back home!" And that was the end of the conversation.
Me and my mother don't usually get along.
She always reminds me how I have changed so much and how complicated it is to raise a child.
I don't blame her one bit.
I was such a problematic child who wouldn't express her feelings the way others do.
I just shut people out…
It all started when I was thirteen years old and I pushed a boy off the swings.
His mother tried to scold me but I immediately bit her finger as she cried and yelled in pain.
Before I knew it she slapped me across the face and two of my teeth fell out.
It wasn't as bad as I thought.
I couldn't feel the pain and many adults came to help me.
I shut the door slowly and walked out of the apartment building gazing at the clouds as they flew past me.
They reminded me of cotton candy and the cars that zoomed by honked in frustration.
The cold air rushed against my skin and the chill of it froze my bones.
The sounds of nature were echoing around me and I closed my eyes taking in huge breaths.
City air wasn't the best thing but it was better than being in the capital packed with tourists who wouldn't stop admiring everything they saw.
Father opened the car door for me and I thanked him as I got inside of it while he slammed the door shut taking a phone call from the office.
I lived in an expensive building which had three floors for ourselves.
The other parts of the building were for my neighbours who were also wealthy.
The car started to move and we were already on the road waiting to be dropped off at my destination.
The honks and business people shouting were getting louder and people were already busy with today's usual.
I peered my head out of my window to see shops of fashion, food, arts and more lined up with each other at different heights.
Middle-aged men were seen drinking and smelling the reek of alcohol while teenagers were giggling like children on their phones while bickering with their friends.
The city lights were booming with colour but at night it was far more beautiful than in the day.
The crowds were getting bigger and father swore under his breath hoping there won't be another traffic.
"Don't worry. Traffic doesn't usually start until 8:40" I chuckled as my father looked in the car mirror to glance at my face.
"Thank you, Haruna but that's not what I was worried about" He gave out a raspy laugh trying to hide from his embarrassment.
I knew was lying just to cover for himself.
My school was only five minutes away from me so I didn't have to worry about leaving early for school.
I lay my head on the car seat untangling my earphones.
"Wake up…" I heard a faint sound all around me. I opened my eyes wider looking from left to right wondering who had said that.
But the radio wasn't on and father didn't have a woman's voice.
"Are you alright back there?" He questioned while staring at the road ahead.
"O…Oh uh, yeah I guess so…" I was shell shocked to hear another person's voice but it must have been those hallucinations I have been having.
At times I had a vision of being in another place that I have never seen before. I should probably start taking some medication for those.
I checked my phone and saw a message from Isla.
Isla: Babes I have some amazing news!
Haruna: What is it?
Isla: I was able to get two tickets to the XF Band!
Haruna: Isn't that one of your favourite boy bands..?
Isla: Duh! I have been waiting for these cuties for a long time!
Haruna: Good for you but I'm not going
Isla: How would you know I was going to ask you!?!
Haruna: Because I am the only person you can tolerate
Isla: Please come!!!
Haruna: No. I have fire dancing lessons
Isla: Cant you miss it!
Haruna: No I can't. Lady Olivia is already scolding me for it
Isla: Your lessons are a total rip-off!
Haruna: Why do you think that?
Isla: She thinks everyone can create fire and the dances aren't even the real thing. She keeps on teaching you these weird dance moves no one heard before. Like the rippling of fire and the thieves of fire. It's a total scam! What she is doing isn't fire dancing but making stuff up on the spot!!!
Haruna: You're just jealous that everyone says I'm an elegant dancer and your not ;)
Isla: Hey don't say that >:(
Haruna: Gotta go now I am at school
Isla: Finally I have been waiting forever!
Haruna: What are you talking about..?
Isla: let's just say I am on my phone in the toilets >:)
Haruna: Whatever bye.
Isla: Don't go ;(((
I shut my phone off and placed it back inside my bag.
Isla could be annoying at times but it was better than having no friends at all, especially after the incident.
We finally arrived outside the school gates and I unlocked the door taking a step outside.
The fresh breeze tickled me and I felt much better.
My legs were heavy and my eyes were sore from last night.
I held my chin high when going inside the building.
"Hey, Haruna before you go don't forget that we love you very much" Father smiled waving at me with his gentle hands.
A small smile escaped from my lips and he could see it slowly appearing on my face.
His car soon drove off and I was at the entrance waiting for what tortures were going to happen today.
"Cute conversation you were having with your father" I heard a voice behind me and begged that it wasn't her.
"Well if it isn't Abbey" I smirked looking behind me.
"Don't smirk at me you bich. Don't think I haven't forgotten what you did!" Her minions were standing behind her closing their hands into a fist.
Abbey was a selfish person who had blonde wavy hair and freckles.
She was the average height of a girl her age and she was wearing a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket and jeans.
She had pale skin like snow and eyes the colour of emeralds while her face was a diamond shape and had upturned eyes.
Her minions were the worst and that was because they didn't have a brain.
All they did was giggle at her jokes or do whatever she says.
They reminded me of a dog who always obeys its master.
Both of the girls had brown hair yet one had darker skin than the other.
They looked complete opposites.
"Of course, you haven't forgotten. Girls like yourself can't let go of past events and always cling onto them like little children" I rolled my eyes walking inside the building and heading towards my locker.
As I reached my locker I took my English files out of my bag while trying to unlock my locker.
I hated how we needed to remember those stupid locker codes because every single day someone in this goddam school breaks into them stealing people's valuables.
"I am not done with you yet!" Abbey came storming after me like a raging lion.
"You're never done with me. It's always you beating me up just to make yourself feel better".
"You have no right to talk back to me!" She yelled at me slamming her hands against the lockers trapping me against them.
"There is something called freedom of expression" I chuckled looking up and down at her. Her face was red with fury and she gritted her teeth trying to hold back her anger.
Her minions stepped closer waiting for their master to tell them when to attack me.
I was trying to hold back a laugh.
Students were whispering to each other not taking another step toward us.
They knew about everything and didn't want to end up helping a girl like me who was accused of something I didn't do.
The sweat from her face trickled down like rainwater and her face was scrunched up like a paper ball.
Her lips were tight together while she pounded her fist against the locker.
I leaned against the locker wondering what she would do next.
She was my best friend and now I don't even recognize her anymore.
Students were starting to crowd around in the halls and some were staring in amusement.
"You can laugh all you want but don't forget that you will always be the girl that stole her best friend's boyfriend" Abbey shouted out loud wanting everyone to hear.
She wanted to ruin my life and she will never stop until I feel the pain that she went through.
"You need to calm down Abbey. I told you that I never hooked up with your boyfriend. He forced it on me!" I sighed as my eyes drifted away from her.
I brushed a piece of my hair away from my face cursing her under my breath.
"By spiking your drink. Is that correct?" She spoke sarcastically as she flicked my forehead.
"Don't you dare touch me or I swear that you will regret it" I growled in a low tone of voice coming each step closer to her.
I could have sworn she heaved a worried breath.
"And what will you do? Hook up with all the boys in this school because that's what your only good for. Boyfriend stealer" Now all the girls were bickering in delight loving the torture of her words.
I couldn't give a damn what they thought of me.
I pushed my hands against her shoulder sending her to the floor.
A grunt escaped from her lips.
She yelped in pain staring at me in outrage as if she was about to tear me to pieces.
"Maybe if you were a better girlfriend your boyfriend wouldn't have ran to me pleading on his knees to be with me. Because all you can do is sit in your room listening to children's songs while wearing a onesie pretending to be a pretty little bich ass princess!" My voice was so loud everyone in the hallway and classes could hear.
Her face was plastered with fear, anger, disgust and sadness.
As kids, she would invite me to her house for sleepovers and telling everyone her secret may have been a little harsh of me but she doesn't know what I had to go through.
She was now staring at the ground bitting her nails in disgust.
Her minions tried to help her up but she yelled at them to stay away.
She was like that for a few seconds.
Everyone was debating whether or not to help her but then she stood up giving me a deadly stare.
"You will fucking regret saying that" She stormed away and her minions hurried towards her.
I could finally catch my breath and begged that none of the teachers saw what had happened.
It was going to be a pain telling my parents about it.
All the students were now giving me stares of revulsion and disdain.
They whispered words like "Hoe", "Gold digger" and "Boyfriend stealer" right in front of my face.
"Haruna!!!" That was when I saw her. Isla was screaming in joy wrapping her arms around my neck in happiness.