Happily Ever After

Chapter 7: Surprises

I wake up to the shimmering sunlight from my window. I yawn and let my eyes readjust. It's the start of another school-day, the day I have grown to dread.

I sit up and freeze, noticing something really different. Wait, why am I still in the guest room, the one from my dream? Oh no, I must be hallucinating, that's it. I rush to the bathroom and splash the cool sink-water on my face. I glance around...still here. I slap my face, hard, to escape this insane reverie of mine. I wince from the pain, maybe I went through overboard with that hard slap.

Still...why am I not home?! I'm going to be late for school and...work! My mind starts racing...Mom, Lindsay, Candice, Bryce...they must all be wondering where I am, considering what happened last night! What time is it, anyway? I check my pockets for my phone and finally fish it out.

10:30 am, it reads.

Yeah, I'm late...and stuck here! A dream I supposed to stay a dream! Once I wake up, it's supposed to...to end! Ugh, what's happening?!

I open the door and find Philip standing there, about to knock. He was flustered for a while before finally saying,"Good morning, Stella! I trust you slept well?"

I forced a kind smile and managed to say,"Um...yeah."

He gave me a worried look and said,"Is anything bothering you? You seem...distracted."

How did he see right through me? I'm that obvious? Wow. "Philip, the thing is, I'm not supposed to be here."

"What? What do you mean? I invited you in here yesterday, didn't I? You're very welcome here."

"No, no, it's not like that. I'm really grateful for all this but...this is a dream. Well, this was a dream. Ugh, I don't know! I just know that I'm not supposed to be here right now."

He laughed in amusement,"A dream? What are you saying, Stella? We wouldn't be talking to each other right now, or even yesterday, if this is a dream!"

"That's it! I...I don't understand, Philip," I say, confused.

I explain to him my first dream, how I found myself standing on that dark stage. I tell him about my outfit change, my routine, and that huge gleaming mirror, about me going through it and somehow managing to find myself here in Wales. Then, I tell him about wishing to just stay here forever, then dreaming about that stage and everything else I dreamt of before last time. After that, I tell him about meeting Emma and eventually meeting him.

He nods, like he understands my situation. "I know someone who can help you, Stella. I can't believe that you're an Alterer too! I knew that something's...different about you."

"What? An Alterer? What is that? An what do you mean by "too?" Are you one too? You know another Alterer? Is he here? Who can help me?"

He chuckled,"So many questions! Too bad I can't answer them, Stella. I'm not an Alterer; I'm not the right person to answer your questions. I'm afraid that I don't really know much about Alterers. But...I do know someone who can answer you."

"What? Can you bring me to that person? Please, I need to know what's happening, Philip."

"Sure, Stella. I'll arrange for you to meet her."

"Wait...who exactly is she?"

"Stella, you're going to meet my mom."

~~~

I'm reallyyyy sorry for the slow update and the short chapter! I promise I have a reason! To make it up to you guys, I'm giving you surprises, according to the title! Haha! So...hang on and read on to find out what I mean! I'll explain tomorrow...I promise! I totally loooveee you all! OMG ARE YOU GUYS KIDDING ME?! 198 reads and 24 votes!!! It might not be a big deal to other writers, but it's a reaaallyyy big deal for me! I love you guys!!! Thanks for ALL the support! I have more things in store JUST FOR YOU! Please continue to be amazing, just the way you guys are! ;)

xoxo

Cristelyn! ❤️🍓🍓