Once Upon A Dream

chapter 1

Maya's POV:
I sighed deeply as I walked through the fields of an unknown land far from the troubles of the world.
"I wish I could stay here forever" I whispered with a small smile.
"I bet you do" a voice said behind me
I turned slowly to see my grandmother staring at me with an odd expression.
"then let me" I said quietly
"you can't stay here,this is not your world and it never will be!" she replied me, violently shaking her head
"but why grams"
she smiled softly, took my hands and held them "you need to find strength and courage in that power you refuse to use"
"I don't have any power"
"yes you do,you have to follow the light"
"where's the light?"I asked with confusion
she turned and said with a smirk "now that's a question"
she vanished.
................................................
but what was the answer.
I thought as I stared at the uneaten pancakes in front of me at 7:00am the next morning
"you haven't started eating yet"
i turned slightly to see my mum leaning against the wall
"good morning mum"
she smiled "good morning sweetheart"
i smiled back weakly then looked down at my pancakes.
my mum sighed and sat down gently beside me "bad night?"
i shook my head and replied with a forced smile "same old"
she nodded then walked into the kitchen
I quickly ate my pancakes and got up to leave for school.
As I walked through the hall way I noticed a students avoiding me and nodding in greeting as I passed the lockers, I shook my head and smiled to myself
"Seems like they didn't get the memo"
A voice said laughingly behind me, I turned back to see Jamal a friend whom I met at summer camp.
I stared in shock and said softly
"what the hell are you doing here"
"I mean this is my school so...... I guess I'm here to learn"
"You actually enrolled here?"
I asked, my voice filled with surprise.
"Yeah i mean my dad's the new principal and....."
"Your dad's the new principal?!"
I cut in laughing
"Yup anyway so how exactly did you used to be to make these people scattering like birds at the sound of your footsteps"
I stared at him for a few seconds then turned to leave
"Hey wait a minute"
"What do you want?"
"Well I..... never mind"
As I walked away, Jamal's gaze lingered on me, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. I could sense his unasked questions, but I wasn't ready to dive into explanations. Not yet.

I navigated through the crowded hallway, nodding at familiar faces and exchanging brief smiles. The whispers and stares still followed me, a constant reminder of my "fame" in the school.

I spotted an empty table in the corner of the cafeteria and made my way towards it. Just as I was about to sit down, a gentle voice spoke up beside me.

"Mind if I join you?"

It was Emily, a quiet and reserved girl from my English class. We had exchanged a few words during group discussions, but I didn't know much about her.

"Please do," I replied, gesturing to the empty chair across from me.

As we sat down, Emily hesitated for a moment before asking, "Maya, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said, my curiosity piqued.

"What's going on with you and Jamal? You two seem to have a history."

I took a deep breath, unsure how much to reveal. But something about Emily's kind eyes put me at ease.

"Let's just say we met at summer camp, and our lives got... complicated," I said with a chuckle.

Emily's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded understandingly. "Complicated can be interesting."

We chatted a bit more, exchanging stories and laughter, and for the first time since arriving at this new school, I felt a glimmer of belonging.

But as the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of our break, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my grandmother's words still lingered in the air, waiting for me to uncover their truth

As I walked into my next class, I spotted Jamal and Emily already seated, with a few empty chairs between them. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should join them, but Jamal caught my eye and nodded in greeting. I smiled and made my way over.

"Hey, guys, mind if I sit here?" I asked, gesturing to the empty chair beside Emily.

"Not at all," Emily replied with a smile.

As the teacher began the lesson, I tried to focus, but my mind kept wandering back to my grandmother's words. "Find strength and courage in that power you refuse to use." What power was she talking about?

Jamal seemed to sense my distraction and nudged me with his elbow. "Hey, you okay?" he whispered.

I nodded, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. But as the lesson progressed, I started to feel a strange tingling sensation in my fingers. It was subtle at first, but grew stronger, until I could feel it coursing through my veins.

Suddenly, the lights in the classroom flickered, and the teacher's voice seemed to fade into the background. I felt myself standing up, my eyes fixed on something in front of me.

"Maya, what's going on?" Jamal whispered urgently, but I didn't respond.

I was too busy staring at the strange glow emanating from my hands. It was soft and pulsing, like a gentle heartbeat.

The classroom erupted into chaos, with students gasping and whispering. I felt like I was in a trance, unable to move or speak.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, everything stopped. The lights returned to normal, and the tingling sensation disappeared.

I collapsed back into my seat, my heart racing. What had just happened?

Jamal and Emily were staring at me in concern, but I just shook my head, unsure of what to say.

As the class continued, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was awakening inside me. Something powerful. Something mysterious.

And I had a feeling that my life was about to change forever.

................................................................
As I walked into the house, I was greeted by an eerie silence. The note on the kitchen counter was addressed to me, in my mom's handwriting. "I need your help Maya. Use the necklace." I felt a shiver run down my spine. What necklace? And what did she need my help with?

I searched the house, but there was no sign of my mom. I was about to give up when I saw a glint of light coming from the living room. I approached cautiously and found Jamal sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on something in his hand.

"Jamal, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looked up, startled, and I saw that he was holding a small, intricately carved box. "Maya, I...I don't know what's going on. I found this on your porch, and...and I think it's for you."

I took the box, feeling a strange energy emanating from it. As I opened it, a soft hum filled the air, and a light began to pulse from within.

Suddenly, Jamal's eyes widened in shock. "Maya, your eyes...they're glowing!"

I felt a surge of power course through me, and my vision began to blur. The room around me dissolved into a swirling vortex of colors, and I felt myself being pulled into a mysterious realm.

"Jamal, I...I don't know what's happening!" I cried out, my voice echoing in the void.

And then, everything went black.

When I came to, I was lying on the couch, Jamal shaking my shoulders frantically. "Maya, wake up! Oh my god, what just happened?"

I sat up, rubbing my head, trying to clear the fog. "I...I don't know. What did you see?"

Jamal's eyes were wide with fear. "Your eyes glowed, and then you just...disappeared. I thought I lost you, Maya."

I took a deep breath, trying to process what had just occurred. "I think my mom is trying to tell me something. And I think it's connected to this necklace."

Jamal's gaze fell to the box still clutched in my hand. "What necklace?"

I opened the box, revealing a delicate silver chain with a small crystal pendant. "This one. I think it's the key to unlocking my power."

Jamal's eyes widened in awe. "Power? Maya, what are you talking about?"

I smiled, feeling a sense of determination wash over me. "I'm talking about the truth, Jamal. And I'm ready to face it head-on."