Welcome to My World

Chapter 40 Callum's POV {NaNo No}

"NOOOOOOOO!!!" cried a girl's voice from behind our house. Sounded like it was coming from the house behind ours. "I was only a 1000 words ahead of my word count! I'm such a writing failure!"

Rayla frowned. "Hey, Ellis, isn't that... Benny? From school?"

Ellis nodded. "Yeah, she's part of that weird cult. Ya know, those... 'NaNoers'."

Oh, now I knew who they were. I could easily identify the other girls, Greenie, Graph, Raine, and Sky from their respective cries. It was quite amusing. Greenie was howling, "Nooooo!!! Failed again!"

Graph and Raine were cheering, whooping, and laughing. "We made it! We made it! Word count goal down! Woohoo!"

"Oh yeah?!" Sky yelled. "I failed my word count by more than a thousand words. For the third consecutive year!" With that came a loud, sickening crunch. Through the window, I could see that Sky had punched the wall- and her fist had gone through. Sky froze, attempting to tug out her fist. "Um, Benny? How solid are your walls?"

I didn't have time to see anything else, because Genelyn was clinging to my arm. Rayla grinned, her face mischievous and her eyes bright. "Hey Genelyn. You're so fake, even China denied making you."

"Well, you're so ugly!" Genelyn shrieked.

Rayla winked at Ellis. "I'm a girl, not a mirror." She retorted.

Everyone clapped, and Runaan looked proud.

^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^

At 6:00 AM exactly, the chorus of NaNoers singing their parodies sounded. That's how we knew it was time to go to bed.

"

I write on paper, my mind's like planes
If you catch me at the border I got notebooks with my name
If you come around here, I'm writing all day
I get one done in a second if you wait

I write on paper, my mind's like planes
If you catch me at the border I got notebooks with my name
If you come around here, I'm writing all day
I get one done in a second if you wait

Sometimes I think writing on trains
Every stop I get to I'm writing that game
Everyone's a writer, we're making our fame
Bona fide author, making my name

Sometimes I think writing on trains
Every stop I get to I'm writing that game
Everyone's a writer, we're making our fame
Bona fide author, making my name

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

Writing skills and pens
Characters and stones and plots and bombs
Running when we need plots
Scribble paper for the system

Writing skills and pens
Characters and stones and plots and bombs
Running when we need plots
Scribble paper for the system

No one on the corner can write like us
Hit me on my NaNo YWP writers (Us)
We write and consider our crazy hecking plots
Already going crazy just writing that last

No one on the corner can write like us
Hit me on my NaNo YWP writers (Us)
We write and consider our crazy hecking plots
Already going crazy just writing that last

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

YWP
Our crazy world for all to see
Yeah, we got more writers than the Spacemcgees
So, uh, all crazy business
Are you writing all?

Some some some are some are writers
Some for some for the forums
Some some some are some are writers
Some for some for the forums

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story

All I wanna do is
And a
And write a story."

But before going to bed, Amaya made us all eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Amaya signed aggressively.

While I was pouring myself some Froot Loops from the box, Mom walked in. "Callum, are you sure... Genelyn... Can keep up with the Winter Tournament? It's gonna be a rough 31 days of wildness."

I roll my eyes. "Mom, she'll be fine. Genelyn is good at everything."

"Didn't you say that about Rayla last month?" Mom says innocently.

There's a clack behind us of plastic hitting the floor, and I turn to see Rayla bending over to pick up her plastic party plate. "I was just, uh, gonna get a jelly tart, so now I'm going to slowly back out of here, and oh, look! The doorbell's ringing, must be Alesa, better go get it..."

^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^ ^•×•^

Genelyn had demanded my room to herself, and Aunt Amaya was in Mom and Dad's room, so Gren was rooming with Ezran and Shawn, who was apparently both Alesa's boyfriend and Gren's nephew. He'd arrived with Alesa.

Rayla, Ellis, and Alesa were bunking in the second guest room, and Runaan and Ethari were both sleeping in the rec room, so I decided to sleep on the living room couch.

It was 7:30 when I woke up to soft padding across the living room. I opened my eyes to see Rayla heading back to her room. She's wearing silvery leggings and a white long-sleeved top that has a glittering moon in silver sequins. In her hand is a blue snowflake mug, presumably holding something warm. I could see the steam.

I sit up. "Can't sleep?"

She considered it, then sat next to me on the red and gold couch. From here, I can see that her mug is filled with hot chocolate. "Are you going to talk to me?"

I sigh. "Well, it's just that I feel like I don't know you."

SIlence.

"I don't like wearing socks." Rayla finally says.

I frown, not sure what she means. "What?"

"I don't like wearing socks." She repeats. "You said you felt like you didn't know me. Let's get to know each other."

I chuckle. "Well, ok then. I always dreamed of flying."

"I don't like bread crusts."

We continue with this, then Rayla breaks it. "The sun's coming up." She notes.

Suddenly, I know what she means. She tiptoes to the room to make sure Ellis and Alesa are still asleep, then we both run outside, giggling all the way. We quietly ease the front door open, running out into the yard to sit on the porch swing, which is built to for both of us. I remember Dad building it and laughing all day. Rayla's mug steams in the cold. There was a crack of a twig, but no one was there.

The sun slowly comes up, its rays turning the fresh snow to gold. A breeze picks up, and Rayla leans against me. For a moment, we watch the sun rise, and I think this a perfect moment. I'll have to draw it later.

Then both of us freeze as we hear the telltale creak of Amaya making her way outside. We quickly hurry to get back to bed, and the last glimpse I have of Rayla is her violet eyes glinting with laughter before she closes the door and I fall asleep.

I dream of flying, my arms brown wings, and Rayla soaring with me all night.