Welcome to My Dream World

Chapter One

I was flying in an airplane, surrounded by the beautiful clouds in the sky. It was my grandma's birthday, so my family had to travel across the country for a visit. I wouldn't have come if it weren't for the sake of leaving home. People think that home is where the heart is, but it isn't in my case. I struggled to keep myself together in that awful place. My family isn't bad. It's the people outside of the house. The city we called "home". The piercing stares from the people outside leave me aching every day. If it weren't for that accident, then I could've lived a normal life.

Many hours later, the plane landed. My family and I collected our things only to head straight for my grandma's house. We were running a bit behind schedule because they couldn't find my brother's suitcase. We flagged down a taxi and put our junk in the trunk. My dad sat in the passenger seat while me, my brother, and my mom sat in the back row. It wasn't a tight squeeze, but it was too close for comfort. I squeezed myself against the car door. 

The accident flooded into my blank mind. Nasty thoughts sunk their claws into the fresh wounds on my heart. It's my fault. The vivid images flashed through my mind. Everything's all my fault. A tear streaked down my cheek. I watched it fall onto my sweater sleeve. I wiped my wet face as the silent pain continued to eat at my soul. I'm alright...I'm alright....stop crying already....

The taxi sat in airport traffic for half an hour before finally picking up speed. My dad kept glancing at his watch and the taxi's meter. The numbers only kept climbing. When we finally arrived, everyone grabbed their suitcases and my dad had to handed the driver a few bills from his wallet. The driver snatched the cash and drove away without saying a word.

We all stood before the extravagant two-story house. The sharply trimmed hedges. The red roses that surrounded a fountain, one of those awkward ones of a boy peeing into the water. It didn't take long before my grandma came bursting out the front doors to greet us. She hugged my dad and mom.

"How have you two been? Hopefully the trip wasn't too much trouble."

My dad smiled.

"It was worth the travel. I wish we could visit you more often, but my work keeps me back at home. How have you been, ma?"

My mom stood with a kind smile on her face. It wasn't that she was left out of the conversation, but my mom didn't really talk to my grandma in her free time. There was some history behind them that I didn't know much about.

My grandma waved her hand, gesturing that she was doing fine. Then, she moved onto my older brother. He was already in college but still lived at home.

"How's school, Liam? I hope your studies aren't too overwhelming."

"It's fine. Med school isn't all that bad if you study efficiently. Anyways, I'm glad to see you. It's been a while already."

Then, my brother hugged my grandma. It was my turn next.

"My goodness Alora! I missed my little princess so much!"

She squeezed me in a tight hug. The smell of her detergent and products filled my nose. It was what people would describe as a "grandma smell". She kissed me on the side of my face, leaving behind a pair of bright red lips. I fought the urge to wipe it off.

"I missed you too grandma. It's nice to see you."

My grandma's smile weakened from my lack of enthusiasm. Shit. I made her worry. The accident was a constant concern in my close family. Everyone kept a close eye on me and my behavior. I tried not to let them worry too much about me so they could focus on their own lives.

I smiled.

"I'm fine, grandma. I've gotten over it mostly. There's no need to be upset now. It's your  birthday!"

My grandma sighed and gave me another hug. It was as if she tried to take some of my pain away. But the demons kept a tight grasp on me.

A moment after my grandma released me, she led us into her house. The front doors always gave off that "fancy feeling" but inside was on another level. The entrance had a shining chandelier hanging above the polished, wooden flooring. There was a wall lined with family pictures from generations before mine. A wide staircase led up to the second floor, which had four bedrooms and one bathroom.

We walked upstairs to set our stuff in the rooms. I dragged my suitcase up the steps, careful not to scratch the floor. Once I got to the top, I rushed over to my favorite room. I always called dibs on the room furthest from the stair case. It had the window with the best view of the sunset. I loved the sunsets in my grandma's area. They were much more exciting than the ones back at home. I set my bag in the corner and fell back onto the bed. The freshly washed sheets smelled like my grandma. Everything did.

The room wasn't very big. The bed was against the wall with the window. A dresser sat a few feet away from the foot of the bed. A closet full of old toys and blankets stayed closed next to the door. 

I sat up and stared at myself in the large mirror that hung above the dresser. My bright orange, choppy hair popped out in the bland room. Dark circles found their way under my eyes after I lost the ability to sleep for more than four hours straight. My pale face reminded me of all the days I spent indoors for the past seven months. My hoodie and sweatpants made me look especially I-don't-give-a-shit-how-I-look. The fresh, red kiss mark boldly stood out on my face. I wiped it off with the back of my hand. I didn't feel like walking to the bathroom yet. I wanted to just relax for a moment after flying for twelve hours straight.

My dad knocked on the open door.

"Are you ready to eat something? Your grandma prepared some food."

So much for relaxing. I didn't realize how late it was. It was already 4 pm. I hopped to my feet and followed my dad down to the dining room downstairs. The room had a long table in the center, surrounded by ten chairs. The table had plates piled with snacks. Sandwiches. Cookies. Fried chicken strips. Everything was homemade. Every single crumb was filled with my grandma's love. 

I pulled out one of the chairs and plopped down onto the plump cushion. I served myself a sandwich, two cookies, and a handful of chicken strips. I wanted to leave space for dinner, but I was running on empty since the flight. Airplane food was beyond inedible.

My first bite into the sandwich was fluffy heaven. The bread was slightly sweet, which complimented the egg salad filling. I scarfed down the entire sandwich. My surroundings faded away. It was only me and my food. I moved onto the cookies. The warm chocolate chips melted in my mouth. My taste buds danced as each bite that popped in was a nice, chewy center contained within a thin layer of crisp. The next item on the menu was my grandma's favorite recipe. I crunched into the first chicken tender with the slight disappointment that reappeared every single time. It lacked flavor. I always ate it with a smile to please my grandma, but she never put out a dip to eat the chicken with. I wished there was something more. A little salt is all it needs.

I finished my entire plate, collected my dishes, and headed to the kitchen. My mom called out to me before I could slip away.

"Are you done already?"

I put on a satisfied face, one that I perfected in the mirror, and turned around.

"I'm full now, so I'll try taking a nap to catch up on some sleep before dinner. Thanks for the food grandma. It was delicious, as always."

I continued walking to the kitchen. My face melted back into its natural state. I dropped my dishes off next to the sink and went up to my room. I kicked off my shoes, changed into a t-shirt and shorts, and hopped under the covers. I watched as the sky went from orange to pink to purple. The sunset was just as beautiful as I remembered. I drifted off into a pointless sleep. My last efforts to stay awake failed as my heavy eyelids closed on their own.