It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and Katherine had decided to make the most of it. She woke Ascar up early, and they spent the morning playing video games together. Ascar was in his element, and he quickly took the lead in their gaming session.
Katherine laughed and joked as they played, but Ascar was relentless. He teased her mercilessly as he won game after game, and Katherine couldn't help but laugh at her son's antics.
As the day wore on, they took a break to grab some lunch. As they sat down to eat, Katherine mentioned that she had seen their neighbor, Emily, out in the garden. Emily was a beautiful girl with long, curly blonde hair and bright green eyes. She was a year older than Ascar, and he had had a crush on her for as long as he could remember.
Ascar's face turned bright red as he heard Emily's name, and Katherine couldn't help but tease him. "Oh, Ascar's got a crush!" she exclaimed, laughing.
Ascar looked down at his feet, feeling embarrassed. "Mom, stop it," he muttered.
But Katherine just laughed and continued to tease him. "A 17-year-old boy shouldn't blush like that just because he sees his crush," she said, grinning.
Ascar looked up at his mom, feeling annoyed. "You don't understand, mom," he said. "Emily was one of the kids who saw me naked the other day. I don't think she even wants to talk to me."
But Katherine just waved her hand dismissively. "Forget about that, Ascar," she said. "That was just a stupid mistake. You need to make new friends, and Emily seems like a nice girl. Why don't you go talk to her?"
Ascar hesitated, feeling unsure. But his mom's words echoed in his mind, and he decided to take her advice. He would try to talk to Emily, and see if they could be friends.
Katherine smiled, seeing the determination in Ascar's eyes. "That's my boy," she said. "Go out there and show Emily that you're not afraid."
Ascar took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. He walked out of the house, looking around for Emily. He spotted her in the garden, tending to a bed of flowers.
Ascar walked over to her, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Emily looked up, seeing him approach, and she smiled.
"Hey, Ascar," she said. "What's up?"
Ascar felt his face heat up, but he tried to play it cool. "Not much, Emily," he said. "Just enjoying the day."
Emily nodded, going back to her gardening. Ascar stood there, feeling awkward, unsure of what to say next.
But then Emily looked up at him, and smiled. "Hey, Ascar?" she said.
"Yeah?" Ascar replied.
"I'm sorry about what happened the other day," Emily said. "I know it was really embarrassing for you."
Ascar felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been worried that Emily would tease him or make fun of him, but instead, she was being kind and understanding.
"It's okay, Emily," Ascar said. "It was just a stupid mistake."
Emily nodded, smiling. "Yeah, we've all been there," she said.
Ascar smiled back at her, feeling a sense of connection. Maybe, just maybe, he could make friends with Emily after all.
As the day wore on, Ascar and Emily talked and laughed together. They discovered that they had a lot in common, from their love of video games to their passion for music.
Ascar felt like he was walking on air as he walked back to his house. He had never felt so happy and carefree in his life.
But as he lay in bed that night, Ascar's thoughts turned to the fantasy world he had left behind. He missed Thorne, and the magic, and the thrill of adventure. He wondered if he would ever be able to return.
Ascar held the amulet in his hand, feeling its familiar weight and texture. He closed his eyes, focusing on the amulet, and wondered if it would take him back to the fantasy world. He concentrated hard, feeling a strange energy building up inside him. But as he opened his eyes, he realized that he was still in his own bed, in his own world. The amulet glowed softly in his hand, but it didn't seem to be working. Ascar sighed, feeling disappointed. He would have to try again another time.