Once Upon A Spring

Chapter 1

"Joanna..." "Joanna...."

"Who are you? Come out"

"Joanna..." I follow the voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'm here."

"Where?" I look around and everything is white. The only thing that can be heard is the whisper of my name. Her voice is soft delicate and fragile like someone that is very weak. She keeps calling my name and won't answer my question. I move forward and another voice whispers. This time, it is a male voice.

"Joanna..." His voice made me remember a piece of my childhood memory. I was on a swing and I felt very happy. Behind me was a man. I can't see him clearly but he smiles as if he is proud of me.

"Who are you?" Deep down I feel that I've known them but I can't remember who.

Suddenly, I am pulled by an invisible force. The voices are gone and darkness engulf me.

I open my eyes and see the ceiling. I've been having this dream since I was 10 years old. Sweat form on my forehead and my hairs are sticking everywhere. Muffin, my cat is sleeping on my desk purring happily. I wake up and stretch, hearing the sound of my bones cracking. I yawn and push my blanket and teddy bears away. I place my feet on the floor and shiver as the cold seeped into me. I open the curtains and feel the sun rays washing my face with warmth. I feel joyful and happy. For 3 months, I rarely see the sun but now, I could feel the warmth again. I know that today is spring. A whole new chapter of life starts and I can't wait to go outside. Instantly, I wash my face and brush my teeth. I could hear the sound of sizzling bacon from the kitchen. I take a Tshirt and Jeans and go downstairs.

"Good morning, Aunt Kat."

"Good morning, Joanna. You look happy."

"It's spring and I want to go outside."

"well, eat your breakfast first, then you can go."

Aunt Kat or Katherine is my mother's younger sister. She took custody of me when my parents died in a car crash as Aunt Kat said. I was 1 year old in that time and I miraculously survived the crash. I barely remembered their face, much less their voices. When I told my aunt about dream, she said that maybe it is my parents calling me, but can ghosts do that? I can't help myself to laugh about it. That was ridiculous.

"Aunt Kat, I'm going. Be back at 9!!"

"Okay can you also do the groceries?"

" yea sure no problem."

I put on my sweater and pull out my earphones. I begin to run. I love running. Since I was a small girl, running is the only way for me to escape reality. The feeling of cool wind swipes my hair to the back.
As I reach the supermarket, I grab a cart and go to the dairy products section. My yogurt and milk stock is running low so I should buy them. Because of my small height, I can't reached the milk section. I tip toe so that I can't reach them but I fail miserably. I realize my shoes are squeeking, telling me that the floor is wet. I slip and wait for my face to land into bags of cheeses but it never came. I feel an arm circling my waist and hot breath fans my neck, giving me goosebumps. I look down and see the arm. I realize this is not a woman's arm as it is big, calloused, and kinda hairy. I looked around. Copper blue eyes are staring back at me. They are beautiful like two gems. This is getting awkward so I cough.

"You can let go of me now."

He seemed daze and confuse and wake up from his thoughts.

"Sorry." He let go of my waist and grabbed the milk.

"Here."

"Uhm, thanks." I grab the milk from him and put it on the cart. I thought he went the other way and leaved me but he was still there.

"Can I help you?" I look up to his face and I realize , this guy I like a Greek god. A handsome guy just helped me from falling down flat on my face and took the milk for me. I stared in awe. This guy is God's masterpiece. I look down and saw his chest and abs that are visible due to his tight shirt. Literally, I'm dying of hotness right now.

"Are you done checking me out?" He smirks at me.

"Damn it, this guy is just another guy. I thought he will be a gentleman but noo.. Why does God's masterpiece is always an arrogant jerk?" I thought to myself.

"I'm not checking you out, I'm thinking about something."

"Okay then, little girl."

That hit a nerve. I know I'm small, but nobody I mean NOBODY calls me a little girl. I glare at him.

"You jerk, I'm 16 years old."

"Aww, you looked like a little kitten that tries to unleash her small claws. How cute."

"Asshole." I push my cart away from the jerk and went to another section. I sigh. He's following me as I ears the squealing of the cart's wheel. 

"What's your name, kitten?"

"My mother told me not to talk to strangers especially jerks."

"That hurts, kitten. Right here." He points to his heart and pouts. "My name's Taylor."

"My name's leave me the hell alone."

"That wasn't nice. Okay then, I just call you kitten."

"What makes you think that we will meet again?"

"We will meet again, I have a feeling that we are meant to be best buddies."

"No, we will not be best buddies. Now, excuse me, I have some groceries to do." Once again, I'm trying to get a can of soup and it is too high. Taylor's hand grab the can and he gives it to me.

"You can't get rid of me. You need me for your shopping." 

"Ugh.. Get the hell away." 

"No can do, little girl." 

That's it, he really knows how to push my buttons. I raise my hand and slap him but unfortunately, he grab my hand, inches from his masculine face. His eyes shine through to my soul, as if I am an open book. I pull my hand but he just grabs it harder. I wince. 

"Stop.. You're hurting me." 

His eyes... They are turning black.. I shiver in fear.. 

"Please, let me go. I'm sorry." Tears starts to come out and I pull my hand away from him, but he wouldn't budge. I use my other hand to hit his chest but all he does is just staring at me and hold my hand tighter. 

"Taylor..." I whimper. Suddenly, he snaps out of his mind and his eyes turn back to normal. He immediately lets go of my hand and stare at me. I take my hand and i feel it is throbbing and starts to bruise. 

"Kitten.. I-I..." I quickly run, forgetting all of my groceries behind. I run as fast as I could outside the supermarket. Fear rushes in my veins, seeping into every cells i have within me. Adrenaline courses and I didn't feel anything. I am numb. All I think about is to escape from that guy. How can he turn his eye color like that? How can he hurt someone he just met? He is a psycho. I want to get away. My house is a couple meters away. I am safe. I unlock the door, rush inside and slam the door, locking it away. Grabbing a chair, I place it just below the doorknob, tilted. My legs can't stop shaking and they collapse. My breatings become ragg and my eyes starts to blur. What's happening to me?

"Joanna, is that you? What's with all that nois... Joanna? Joanna!" I feel hands holding my shoulder, shaking me. 

"Joanna, what happened? Answer me. Joanna!" My body can't take it anymore. I feel my eyes are closing, my limbs are not working. I am numb, i can't feel a thing, except fear. I collapsed to the ground and darkness fill my sight. 

So that's chapter 1 for my second story :) Hope you guys enjoy this as much as my first story "The Bucket List". This chapter is dedicated to @FairyTaleDisaster for the amazing cover. 

xoxo, 

goldenfire10