22Hundred falling stars.
Chapter One: Dealing with my Fortune.
" I have always believed, and i still believed, that whatever good or bad fortune may come
our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value"
-Hermann Hesse
A knock came into the door.
"I know you don't want to come to the party but please do it for Rick, for your father. Just imagine Him, being promoted to vice president, with all those Lambhourginis, Luxury hotels, Branded Perfumes and Designer Clothes, isn't that great?" Mom said behind the door. I can imagine she's dreaming again about how rich will be after the promotion, only if dad will be promoted.
I'm Lemon Foster and I hate anything related to the word socializing. I don't like talking, gossiping, murmuring, and chatting to someone for the reason that I'm not good with topics. Just for you to know, my longest conversation only lasted in 5 minutes, and it's with a donut seller.
"Okay" I replied to mom. I grab my book, Fall Fling, and my bag then head straight to the doors. Before I knew it, I found myself grabbing a chocolate bar from my desk. I flipped the chocolate back and forth; it's still hard, and then popped it inside my bag.
"You look great, honey!" Mom complimented as I stepped out of my room.
I smiled. "Thank you." Well, I also found myself great with a Black frilly skirt with a big gray ribbon on the upper right side, topped with a plain thick sleeveless top matched with brown below-knee gladiators, added with some necklaces, bracelets and a ring. Simple but Fabulous.
I followed mom into our car, a black BMW. "Off we go?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, to infinity and beyond." I answered with such a bored tone. When I was a kid, saying this every time dad says the queue is exciting, but doing it now that I'm already 15, it already had "boring and childish" written all over it.
Dad knew I was not happy so he turned the radio on, hoping to set the mood right. He looked at me through the rearview mirror and shakes his head.
He knows I want some peace of mind.
I look at the window and I let a loud sigh. I've got everything I want, yet I'm not happy. I know I still need something, something that will satisfy me and my sadness, yet I still didn't know what.
The car stopped in front of a big Chinese restaurant, The Dà lóng. "That restaurant was built in the late 1960's and it is the biggest restaurant in Greenville, North Carolina and my Boss is the owner of it!" Dad used to say whenever we're passing in here. He's so proud of it like he's the owner not his boss.
"Would any one of you want some fortune cookies?" The waiter asked when we enter the gates.
"Thank you." Mom said handing each of us a cookie.
Crack. I open the paper inside and read:
"A gift from a tree cost a candy"
A confused face appeared on me. Is this a puzzle or what? Can Google translate this because I really have zero idea of what this means. I thought.
"What did you have there, Honey?" Dad asked.
I show him the paper and he also had the confused face I had earlier. "That's weird. Mine is just Time is Gold."
"Mine's Honesty is the best policy. You've got a weird fortune, Lemon." Mom said showing us her paper.
The waiter who offers the cookies leaves as a small and stout man came to greet my Mom and Dad. He reminds me of Humpty Dumpty. "Good Evening, Mr. and Mrs. Foster. Welcome." My dad's boss, I think, greeted.
What does it means?
"Good Evening, Mr. Peterson." Dad replied with such a big grin.
What does it really mean?
Humpty Dumpty replied but everything is so blur, I can't even understand what he's saying. Then I make up my mind.
"Mom, I'll be back" I excused myself as I ate the last of bit of the cookie.
"Lemon, No!" Too late, I'm already running towards the waiter.
"Excuse me! Excuse me! Sir!" I shouted as I make my way to the crowd.
The waiter stopped to give a cocktail to a lady a few steps ahead of me. Yes, thank god!
I hold on the waiter's shoulder as I try to catch my breath. The waiter looks at me, maybe asking his self what the fuck I'm doing.
"Wait… a… min-" I didn't even had a chance to continue what I supposed to say because he offers me a glass of fresh water; I accept it without any doubt. "Thank you." I murmur.
"So," He puts the tray he's holding down to a vacant table and turns to me. It's just then that I have notice how handsome he is with those brown eyes, tanned skin, and black hair. If I'm a girl in his age, I'll flirt with him. "What does this little girl wants?"
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. "I'm fifteen."
"You're a liar, you're ten."
"Huh? What makes you think I'm ten?"
He points into my chest. Yeah, it's flat. So what? I'm a late bloomer, idiot! I rolled my eyes and gave him my evil look; I've got the evilest look in my whole class, By the way.
"Okay, Okay. Stop that. It's kind of creepy." He raised his two hands like someone who's under arrest.
"Unless you told me where I can found the baker of those fortune cookies, I'll not stop."
He grabs the tray then walk away. "Hey! Hey!" I shouted.
After some few steps, he turns his head then said "Aren't you going to follow me?"
The handsome waiter left me in front of a big steel kitchen doors. I open it, though there's a big "No unauthorized person allowed" sign in there, and what awaits me is a different kind of paradise. Lined in the tables we're pecan pies, pumpkin cupcakes, apple crisps, peanut butter balls, pepper mint patties, and lemon curd. On another were rum balls, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, Pavlova, banana bread and coconut maroons. The air is filled with the sweet smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and chocolate truffles. What really caught my attention is a giant three-layered red velvet cake place on the middle of the room.
My stomach churns. Just by looking at these foods already makes my mouth water. Then at the far end of the room, I saw a lady holding some fresh baked fortune cookies.
"Ma'am, I just wanna ask something. Are you the one who's baking these fortune cookies they give to the guests?" I asked when I reached her.
She nods. "Then can you tell me what does this mean?" I show her the piece of paper and saw a smile forms in her face.
"Now is not the right time."
"Okay so I'll just give you my number then just leave me a message until you're ready." I turn around with her facing my back as I write my number on a piece of paper.
"Done." I said as I turn to look at her and what I saw is only a tray of fortune cookies. No sign of her existence. As I look for the woman around the room, I hear her voice speaking in my head. You'll know it soon.
"Whoa! Wait a minute. What do you mean, and how can you-"
I came back into my senses when somebody shouted from the door. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Your unauthorized here! Get out!" A very muscular and scary guy angrily speaks with a big rolling pin in his right hand. Anytime, he can throw that to me and that time is not what I'm wishing for.
His eyes could tell he only gave me two choices; its either I get out through that back door there that will lead me to who-knows-where or ran to the front doors and face this Butler-like chief. I choose the first option. I still wanna live, you know.
Wrong choice.
As my feet touch the ground, I hear the door lock. Great, now how will I make my way back?
All of my plans on going back disappear when I see a place I only dreamed of, under the starry night, an oak tree grows from the ground. Around me were flowers, grasses and more flowers. What really caught my eye is this little golden bench resting under the shade of the tree.
I swear to give this the "Best location for reading Award" in the future.
With full excitement, I grab my book and sit in the bench. It's hard but comfy with the wind blowing swiftly around. Kinda make me sleepy, though.
As I open the Fall Fling to the page where my bookmark is, I hear rustles behind the grass, maybe a cat.
Not minding what I heard, I grab the chocolate in my bag and started reading while peeling of the chocolate's wrapper. I hear another rustle, this time it sounded like it's just near to me. I closed my book.
I am nervous. I'm shaking. "Oh you got my heartbeat running away, bea-beating li-li-like a dru-um and it's co-coming yo-our wa-wa-way." I try to distract myself by singing Super Bass but I failed. I'm still shaking, really shaking.
I try to continue singing but flashes of what's hiding there stopped me. Images of knives slashing someone's
head, or the smell of that perfume that will make you sleep, or else, No stop it!
There's nothing in there I swear to you, Lemon! But my own self know it wasn't true.
Another sound came and I'm pretty sure it's coming from something so near to me, so near that I can hear it breath.
I'm shaking so badly that I just take another bite in my chocolate to try to stop it, no such luck. I bite a piece of the candy but because of my nervousness I chew the chocolate also tasting some of the wrappers.
Holding the book in my lap with my right hand's fingers holding the end of it while my left hand holds the chocolate, I focus on my book and act like I'm happy and there's nothing bothering me. What a lie.
I almost got the hang of stopping myself from shaking when something almost gave me a heart attack.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!" I scream as somebody from the tree jumps beside me and bite the last piece of the chocolate from my hand.
He winks one of his blue eyes and smile showing all his white and perfect teeth.
With my eyes wide and my mouth in a form of an "O", I watched as the guy walks away chewing my chocolate, with his hands on his pockets, leaving me a playback of my fortune.
Hey guys!
This is my First Story to be publish here so hope you'll review it. Thank you for reading this and i wish you'll support my story. I'm a beginner so i may not be good as those who were already professionals in writing a story. :)))
Anyway, please really do review it so i'll be inspired to write more! I really give my best in doing this so hope you'll appreciate it.
THANKS!
xoxo.
Ashia Blue.