-The Land of ETERNALS-

-Part 2-

Alora's POV 

I woke up with the sun shining right on my beautiful face. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, but my head was pounding like a jackhammer. I looked around and realized I was in my own room, not that creepy building from yesterday.

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door. "Alora, you up?" It was Fiorella.

"Yeah, come in," I replied. She came in looking all worried and messed up. She came in and sat next to me.

"Mom wanted to talk about something important and..." she stopped as she looked hesitant

"And?" I raised an eyebrow she looked at me with a worried face. Oh. I know. That freaky incident from yesterday.

"Is it about yesterday?" I asked and she nodded, "She's pretty worried Alora"

Just then, I remember about the monster I saw yesterday. Should I talk to her about it? Will she believe me?

Taking a deep breath, I started, "Hey, Ella, I gotta tell you something. It might sound totally nuts, but just hear me out, okay?" Ella nodded, her curiosity piqued.

"So, yesterday, as I was trying to make my way out of that place after your call, I saw something really strange. I mean, like, seriously weird. There was this dead snake lying on the ground, and you won't believe what I saw next. There was this figure, kind of human-like but not quite, chowing down on it like it was the most delicious thing ever." I watched Ella's expression change from curiosity to a mixture of surprise and fear. I couldn't blame her—it was a pretty freaky.

As the words hung in the air, I couldn't help but wonder what Ella's reaction would be. Would she think I was making it all up? Or would she believe me?

"Are you sure about that?" Ella asked, her eyes searching mine for any sign of uncertainty.

I shrugged, trying to convey my honesty. "I mean, I'm just telling you what I saw," I replied, hoping she would trust my account. Ella nodded, indicating that she understood my perspective.

Then she asked the question I had been dreading, "Who brought me home after I fainted there?" I braced myself for her response, hoping it wouldn't add another layer of strangeness to the already bizarre situation.

"It was a guy," She spoke. I mentally face-palming myself for not having a more reassuring answer. I regretted ever stepping foot in that spooky building. "But, uh, he didn't seem mysterious or spooky like that snake-eater. In fact, he was rather hot and had this angelic vibe about him," Ella added.

"You simp" I said as we both laughed.

I  whispered, hoping she would agree, "Maybe we shouldn't mention this to Mom. It could just worry her unnecessarily."

"Alright. I won't. But promise me you won't go for these spooky building adventures from now." She said and I nodded.

"Alright let's go face mom now." She said as I told her I'd come down after changing and so she went down without me.

I was still wondering even if it was guy how would anyone know my address. As I got dressed, I couldn't stop thinking about that snake and the weirdo who was eating it. It didn't make sense for a human to eat a poisonous snake, so I knew it had to be something else. Maybe a monster from another dimension or something.

When I finally made it downstairs, my mom was pacing back and forth with a worried look on her face. "Alora, thank goodness you're okay," she said as she hugged me tightly. "Fiorella told me what happened yesterday. I'm so relieved that you're safe." I smiled and also apologized for not listening to them. Then we sat for breakfast.

Ella and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember. We've been through everything together, from childhood memories to teenage drama. I was 7 when my parents died, I felt like my whole world had been torn apart. But Ella's parents took me in and treated me like one of their own. They gave me a place to call home, and I will forever be grateful for that. We went through all the typical teenage stuff together, from crushes to heartbreaks. No matter what, we always had each other's back.

When Ella's dad passed away, it was a really tough time for both of us. We leaned on each other and supported each other through the grief. Ella is more than just a friend to me; she's family.

As I was munching on my cereal, my mom suddenly spoke up. "Alora... I hope know you know what I want to talk about," she said. I nodded my head, knowing exactly what she was referring to.

"I know you love going on adventures, but please, no more," my mom continued, her voice laced with concern. "Going to spooky abandoned buildings is not something I'd allow, and Ella even told me she warned you not to go, but you still did."

I felt guilty as she said this. I knew I shouldn't have gone to that building, but my curiosity got the best of me. "Mom, I'm sorry, forgive me this time," I said, hoping to make things right. "I know I said I was with a friend, and that's another reason you're disappointed, but for your sake, I'll stop all the adventures. Please don't be mad."

Mom gave me a small smile, assuring me that she wasn't mad. "I'm not mad or disappointed, dear," she said. "I'm just worried about you. You're as important to me as your sister, Fiorella, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

I nodded my head, feeling grateful for my mom's love and concern. "I understand, mom," I said. "I promise to be more careful from now on."

As we were finishing up breakfast, Fiorella suddenly remembered something. "Hey, mom," she said, "you mentioned earlier that you wanted to talk to us about something important. What was it?"

Mom hesitated for a moment, looking down at her coffee. "Well... I actually have some news," she said, her voice trailing off.

Fiorella and I exchanged a curious glance, wondering what it could be. Mom took a deep breath and looked up at us. "I have a boyfriend," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "And we're getting married in a few months."

My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at mom, who looked positively glowing with happiness. Fiorella squealed with excitement and hugged our mom tightly. "That's amazing, mom!" she exclaimed. "We're so happy for you!"

Mom beamed at us, her eyes shining with joy. "Thank you, girls," she said. "I'm so glad you're happy for me."

We bombarded her with questions, asking her when we would meet him and what he was like... then mom dropped another bombshell on us. "And... you're going to have a stepbrother," she said, her tone a little nervous. 

Fiorella and I looked at each other in surprise, our eyes widening. We had never had a sibling before, and the thought of having a stepbrother was both exciting and nerve-wracking. "A stepbrother?" I repeated, trying to wrap my head around the idea.

I couldn't help but feel a little nervous about. What if we didn't get along? What if he didn't like me? 

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-Tears are words that need to be written-

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