Take My Soul

Chapter 15- My Best Friend

As the game of Uno was nearing its end, I could feel the excitement building up inside me. I could feel my heart racing as I held my final card, waiting for the perfect moment to shout, "UNO!" When the moment finally arrived, I couldn't contain my excitement as I placed my last card on the pile. Oliver let out a groan of defeat as he checked the time on his phone. It was already 12:37 a.m.

"It's getting late, buddy. We should probably hit the hay," Oliver said as he got up from the floor. With a smile, he helped me to my feet, and we made our way to the indoor tent we had set up in the living room.

As we settled into our sleeping bags, Oliver tucked me in and wished me good night. I felt a warm sense of gratitude wash over me as I drifted off to sleep, feeling lucky to have such an amazing best friend.

I had a nightmare that left me shaken. In the dream, I heard a voice screaming at me, "Leslie! You're the reason I'm dead, you will pay for that!" It was Harper's voice. Harper was my best friend, neighbor, and classmate when I first moved into the neighborhood. We did everything together, from playing to studying, and it was a great time. However, things changed as I turned thirteen. On my thirteenth birthday, Harper disappeared from my life without any goodbyes. My mom told me that Harper had to move to Italy with her family, and I was sad that I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

Harper was not just my best friend; she was also the girl who had a secret crush on my brother. He liked her back, but he was too "manly" to admit it. I remember how he used to scream like a girl when he saw insects, but then cleared his throat and tried to act manly by killing the insect in front of Harper. I could see him sweat, though. But I, the smart I am, didn't want to be Cupid or the matchmaker between them. Harper was the kind of person who always saw the good in people. She had a smile that could light up a room, and she was always there for me when I needed her.

As I woke up from my nightmare, I realized that Harper was gone, and I didn't even know if she was still alive. It was a painful realization, and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her all these years. Her hair was cut short and styled in a warm shade of brown, framing her face perfectly. Her eyes were a deep, rich hazelnut color that would sparkle and shine whenever she was happy or amused, casting a captivating glow that could light up any room. I want her back in my life, again.

I was just about to drift off to sleep when I heard a faint whisper behind me. I turned my head to see Oliver, half-asleep in his sleeping bag, trying to get my attention. "Psst!" he hissed urgently, his eyes barely open. "What do you want?!" I whispered-shouted back at him. But instead of being grateful for my attention, he seemed to be annoyed with me. "Lower your voice," he grumbled, "You've been talking to yourself for the past five minutes! That's what I want! I want to sleep! Shut up!" His response was pretty grumpy, but then again, I've never seen him in a good mood before he's had his morning coffee. I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine, so I slapped him hard on his back. The sound echoed through the quiet night, and I couldn't help but laugh as he grumbled and rolled over. That should teach him not to bother me when I'm trying to get some rest!

As the sun began to peek through the curtains, a voice pierced through the silence of the morning. "Kids! Wake up! It's time for school!" It was my mom, and she had just entered our "tent" - a makeshift enclosure that we had set up in the middle of our living room.

As soon as I heard her voice, I knew what was coming. "Mom! We're not kids! We're teens! I'm not a baby anymore!" I protested, trying to shake off the sleepiness that still lingered in my eyes.

But my mom was having none of it. "Okay, okay! Get up, now! Especially you Oliver!" she exclaimed, her tone slightly irritated. She reminded us that we had to wake up earlier when we had school and that we couldn't afford to be late.