"W-What are you holding, E-Emerald?"
I looked up, meeting the terrified eyes of my mom. I gave her a smile as I started walking towards her. "Mom..."
Her eyes are fixated on the black notebook that I'm holding so I brought it to cover my face. "This?" I asked, reaching her.
She nodded her head, taking a step backward. "W-Where did you get t-that?!"
I smiled again, wider this time. "Hmm, I got it from the big guy over there..." I pointed Oz, who's standing next to the door, then looked back at Mom, "...in the playground. I saw this and---"
"BRING THAT BACK TO WHEREVER YOU GET THAT!"
My eyes widened in shock. Why did she raise her voice? It's only a notebook. Why would she s-shout? I felt my cheeks heated up and my eyes teared up.
"E-Emerald, sorry... I didn't mean to shout, okay? J-Just, give that ba---"
"NO! I won't!" I stubbornly refused, turning my back on her and marching my way to the stairs. I dragged Oz with me and I stormed out of the kitchen and ran to my room...
"EMERALD!!"
As I reached my room, I slammed the door behind me, tiptoed and locked the knob.
Mom's bad! She shouted at me!
"Oz... am I a bad daughter?" I asked Oz. He walked towards my bed and jumped on it. "Careful! You'll break my bed! You're big and heavy!"
He chuckled, shaking his head as he look at me straight in the eyes. "No, not really..."
"But Mom raised her voice at me!"
"Well, if I were your mom, and if I were a human, I'd definitely shout too. Yes, yes, I'd even run out of the house..."
"Huh? Why would you run? What do you mean, Oz?"
"Oh nothing, Emerald. Just don't let anybody touch that. Hey, you see that?" he pointed behind me, so I turned my head and find what's he up to.
"The flowery gift wrapper?" I frowned, snapping my head back to him.
"Yeah. You may want to cover that notebook with that." He chuckled again, winking at me.
Confused, I walked towards it and reached for it. I don't understand the relevance but I did cover it anyway. I brought it up as I finished wrapping it up.
I turned, but when I looked at my bed...
Oz's gone.
I gasped, cold sweats dripping down my forehead as I got up.
That dream again.
"That dream again?"
I looked around the room, finding Oz sitting on the couch next to my bed. I rolled my eyes at him, nodding. "Yeah. Lately, I've been getting a lot of that nightmare."
I rolled over and got out of the bed. I slipped on my slippers and made my way to the bathroom.
These past few days, I always dreamt of that day, the day that changed my whole life. I should've listen to her, I should've not accepted that thing and just go on with my life. Had I just listened... she should've been still here with me... and Dad. Had I not been stubborn... I should've still have her.
Too bad. Regretting that now won't change and bring back anything.
"Hey, Oz!" I called out, slamming the bathroom door behind me.
