Katherine.
New York.
"I love you." My voice felt different. It felt like another person inside me spoke.
I turned around to see a glimpse of light that showed me a path.
Who was I confessing to? This place was all empty. Who was I talking to?
After a few seconds, the entire place was back to light. Everything before me was new. I've never been here before.
"What's going on?" I am getting nervous now.
Just as I was about to walk further, a bird landed before me, shaking and trying to fly although it seemed wounded from a bite.
"I'm sorry you little thing." I say, carrying its tiny body in my hands.
"What are you sorry about?"
I dropped the bird hearing an unfamiliar voice behind me. And suddenly, my heart was racing.
I didn't want to turn around. Her voice kept growing louder as she repeated the same words on and on.
"WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT?"
I closed my ears tight with my hands.
"Stop!" I shouted, "STOPP!"
The voice was gone. Everything was silent. All I could hear was my own heart beat.
I slowly turned around to see if there was anyone still left. To my surprise, someone was standing right before me holding a long sword. Her face was not clear. Her hair covered her face like a veil.
Tightening her grip to the swords, she ran at me.
"Noooooo!" I shouted. My eyes grew wide and I shielded myself with my arms.
"This is it. I'm going to die now." I thought.
But no.
Someone saved me. I opened my eyes and saw him, my saviour, standing before me with his sword pointing at my attacker.
"No one is going to hurt you." He said, and turned to me. "I will protect you."
It was hard to see his face in the dark. But his blue eyes illuminated before mine, his blue lips were giving me a reassuring smile.
I smiled back.
Something hissed in my ears, and suddenly, everything was gone. Both my saviour and attacker were nowhere. I looked around but there was no one.
"Catty, please open your eyes!"
Someone cried. I looked around trying to find were the voice was coming from. "Catty you're not dead! Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Catttyyyyyy!"
My eyes shot open. I started coughing and panting hard.
It was just a dream.
Once again I'm having those terrible nightmares.
"What's wrong with these dreams!" I say to myself, rubbing my eyes.
Why are my cheeks wet?
I wipe the tears from my eyes.
"I've been crying?" Weird.
It's not just today. Almost every week, such nightmares come haunting me. And then there's this specific name that I keep hearing.
"Reno."
Stupid head! Stupid nightmares!
I hated telling my dad about my nightmares. He would only ask me to go see a therapist, which I hated the most.
I am not crazy!
At times I would tell my little brother, Tyler all about it. He was only fifteen and thought I had some fantasy movie playing inside my head all night.
"Hey! Are you awake?" There he is! The guy I was just talking about.
"The door's open, Tyler. Get in!"
He got inside, holding a pen and a book.
"So, what have you seen today? Tell me all about the fantasy movie, so I can weave it into a novel!"
He got the book to write my nightmare down?
"Do you wanna get kicked out?" I say, raising my eyebrows. Tyler put his book and pen down.
"Alright, my bad. Also, Happy new year! And your birthday is in five days, what do you wish for?"
Honestly, I have no answer to that question. And I almost forgot that my birthday was soon.
"I don't know, Tyler. I guess, I will just wish for some good friends, who don't think I'm crazy and weird, who will at least believe me."
Tyler wiped my tears.
Why do I keep crying all the time!?
"Hey, you are the best sister any brother could have! And just because you don't have friends doesn't mean you're weird!"
"Tyler,"
"Yes?"
"I never said I was weird because I have no friends!"
"Right. What did you say again?"
I dragged my pillow and started hitting him.
"Get out of my room!" I say, laughing as he hits me back.
"Fine I'm leaving! Come down for breakfast! Dad's been calling you!"
"Fine! Now get out so I can get cleaned up!"
Things will be crazy, since it's the beginning of a new year. I just can't wait to get ignored as always.
My name is Katherine Lockwood. You must be wondering about why I have no friends. Well that's because......
I'm rich.
Yes. You heard me right.
Everyone around me hates me because I'm rich. Now that might sound really funny but it is the truth actually.
My grandfather is the founder of one the most famous entertainment companies in New York, The Vision music industry. He appointed my dad to be the CEO while my mother was the president.
Two years ago, when my mother passed away from terminal illness, my grandfather handed over her entire shares to my father. And all that huge amount of income and shares, my father donated it to charity fund to help people suffering from terminal illnesses. And after three months of my mom's passing, my grandfather left too. Leaving his entire business to dad.
But that's not where it ends.
My father appointed his brother, my uncle, as the new CEO and my aunt as the new president. Now I'm not a genius in this business field so I have no idea how that happened. When asked about why he did such a thing, the only answer was,
"I never liked that business."
My father was more of a politician type. Which I hated. I never wanted to get involved in any of his choices. Whatever happened, we still remained rich.
Last year, after building a hospital and a school in a small town called Hallsenberg, my father was named as a hero. They thought of him as a man with magic. His money was his magic.
Cringe.
I just wanted to live a normal life. Have a family, enjoy, have friends…
Only a few of my wishes came true. My father mostly stays in Hallsenberg, handling god knows what business, and even now I am still struggling to get a friend.
From my kindergarten days till I graduated highschool, I could never have a decent person who I could call as my friend. They all hated me.
We see movies where the rich girls easily mingle around and have friends, get to be bffs with the most popular girls. Well I was the entire opposite of that. It was so hard for me to befriend a nerd, let alone the popular girls!
I never got to know why they hated me. Was it because I was too rich? Or was it because I am an introvert? I don't know.
My brother Tyler was the only friend I had. The only person who was ready to listen to everything that came out of my mouth.
....................
"Kat, are you getting down or not!?" Tyler shouted from downstairs while I got dressed up. It's the beginning of a new year. I'm just excited to see what this year is going to bring me.
The maids were busy cleaning when I got downstairs. Some of them prepared the table for breakfast while some were busy packing.
Packing? What are they packing?
I found my father in his room, staring outside the giant window.
"Dad!" I say, running and throwing my arms around his shoulders.
"My beautiful girl! You look gorgeous." He said, patting my cheeks.
"Everytime you say that, I get scared."
"Really? And why is that?"
I took his hands in mine.
"Because you leave after saying that. You leave and come back after almost three or four weeks, dad. I and Tyler, it gets lonely for us to stay alone in this big house with no one. Only our maids."
He sighed in disappointment.
"Kat, I know it must've been lonely. I know I wasn't able to give you and Tyler time since your mom passed away. That's why I decided to take action."
Wait what? Actions?
"Dad, what are you talking about? What actions?"
Is he sending me off to live on my own? But I hate that! I'm bad at socializing!
Is he going to drop us at some orphanage? At this age? I'm twenty two!
"Honey, I've decided that this time, I won't be going alone. In fact, you and Tyler are going with me too. To Hallsenberg." He smiled.
Tyler walked downstairs and gave me a confused look. I was speechless.
What am I supposed to say?
"Dad, what are you talking about? Hallsenberg? That cursed town? Why us?" Yes Tyler! Go ahead. Ask him all the questions.
"Ok first of all, Hallsenberg is not a cursed town. Second, you're going to live there with me since I'm going to be living there as well. Permanently. Because of my job." There was joy in every word he said. He was so happy to talk about his work as if we didn't matter at all.
"Well, you could leave your job and come stay with us here and get a new job! Isn't that a better idea Kat?" Tyler looked to me for answers. But at this moment, I was still trying to figure out the math of why my dad was suddenly asking us to move to Hallsenberg with him. I mean, he's been working there already. But why is he asking us to move suddenly? WHY? Because he misses us too?
"Dad, what's the rush suddenly? What about the business here?"
"Oh that? Your uncle and aunt will take care of it. Hallsenberg needs me. And I have to-"
"We need you too, dad."
Was I being too emotional right now?
Wait a minute. Why am I even rejecting his idea? This place doesn't even matter to me. I don't even have any friends! What was stopping me from moving to Hallsenberg?
Dad scratched his head lightly,
"I really want the two of you to understand me. I've been appointed as the new mayor of Hallsenberg. And I have to-"
"YOU'RE THE MAYOR? OF THAT CURSED TOWN!?" Tyler almost blew my ear drums away. Dad pulled a napkin from his pocket and wiped Tyler spit from his face.
I'm surprised too. My dad's a mayor?
"That was a whole shower of saliva!"
"I'm sorry, dad. It's just that- I'm- I'm- really shocked."
"Tyler is right, dad. Even I'm surprised. Why did you tell us earlier?"
Why am I questioning so much?
Just agree with him! Leave for Hallsenberg!
"It just happened, Kat. They announced it last night and I got here as soon as I could, asked the maids to pack up and decided to leave."
Everything sounded so easy for him. While I was still hesitating, god knows why.
Now I know why the maids are packing in a hurry.
"You will live in the villa that I bought for your birthday, Kat. It was supposed to be your birthday gift but looks like you'll get it earlier."
My dad. Who never hesitated in wasting his money. Last year, he got me a car that is still sitting in our garage. I never used it.
"Fine dad. We will leave." Finally, I agreed. Tyler turned to me,
"Bid your besties goodbye, sister. You'll never get to see them again!"
"Bullies, you mean? I don't need to bid them goodbye."
Dad laughed hearing us finally agree to him. I hugged him,
"Happy New year, dad." I said. Tyler embraced us as well. My dad smiled happily.
"My babies, Happy New Year to you too."
.......................................................