Chloe entered her classroom, still feeling a little off from the day’s earlier chaos. As she settled into her seat, a strange sensation crawled through her body—a deep, unfamiliar energy, almost like a ripple moving inside her.
Her vision blurred, and suddenly, she was somewhere else.
A garden. The scent of fresh flowers surrounded her. A man stood there, dressed in elegant robes, his face obscured by the golden sunlight. His deep, soothing voice echoed in the air as he gently held a woman’s hand. Though Chloe couldn't see their faces, there was an unmistakable warmth between them—a deep connection.
Then, everything changed.
The sky darkened. The soft breeze turned into a howling storm. The man was alone now, standing in a dark, eerie forest. Shadows twisted around him, and the warmth from before had vanished, replaced with a chilling sense of dread.
Chloe gasped, snapping back into reality as someone shook her shoulder.
“Uh, hello? Earth to Chloe?” Emma waved a hand in front of her face. “Are you in some alternate universe again?”
“You totally spaced out,” Jake teased. “Were you having some top-secret main-character moment?”
Lily and Ryan leaned in with mock seriousness. “Tell us, did you see the future? Did we become billionaires?”
Chloe shook her head, forcing a laugh. “Oh, totally. You guys own a private island now. But I’m charging you for spoilers.”
They burst into laughter, but Chloe couldn’t shake off the lingering feeling. What was that vision? And why is this happening to me?
After school, Chloe returned home, throwing herself onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling, replaying the vision over and over. Who was that man? Why did she see that moment? And why did it feel so real?
The more she thought about it, the more restless she became. The logical part of her brain screamed that it was just her imagination. But her gut told her otherwise.
“This is insane,” she muttered, running her fingers through her hair. “I’m going crazy.”
After what felt like hours of spiraling thoughts, exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep.
RING! RING! RING!
Chloe groggily reached for her phone, nearly knocking it off the nightstand.
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“Hello?” she mumbled.
“WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD! We’re going shopping!” Emma’s excited voice practically screamed through the phone.
Chloe blinked. “Wait, what?”
“You heard her,” Lily added. “We’re going to the arcade first, then clothes shopping, and you have to come.”
Chloe groaned, rubbing her eyes. “Do I have to?”
“Yes,” Ryan said dramatically. “Or we’ll camp outside your house until you agree.”
“…Fine.”
At the arcade, Chloe completely forgot about her weird visions as she got lost in friendly competition. She and Jake had a fierce air hockey match, while Lily and Emma battled it out in a dance game. Ryan, as usual, found himself stuck in a claw machine war.
“Okay, listen,” Ryan whispered, staring intensely at the claw machine. “If I don’t win this plushie in the next five tries, I’m selling my soul.”
“You said that ten tries ago,” Chloe deadpanned.
“Yeah, well, this time I mean it.”
They all laughed as Ryan failed yet again, and after teasing him mercilessly, they moved on to the clothing stores.
After hours of shopping (and Chloe nearly falling asleep in a corner while the others tried on endless outfits), they grabbed something to eat. As they walked towards home, something caught Chloe’s eye—a shawl displayed outside a small boutique. It was a beautiful blend of soft blues and warm purples, with intricate embroidery that reminded her of her grandmother’s style.
Without a second thought, she bought it.
That night, Chloe searched online for anything that could explain her visions—spiritual meanings, ancient prophecies, weird scientific theories. But nothing seemed to fit. The more she scrolled, the more frustrated she became.
“Ugh, Google, you’re supposed to have all the answers!” she huffed, shutting her laptop. Guess I’m on my own with this one.
“Grandma, look what I got for you!” Chloe grinned as she held up the shawl.
Her grandmother’s eyes softened as she took the fabric in her hands, running her fingers over the delicate stitching. “Oh, Chloe, it’s beautiful.”
Chloe smiled, wrapping it gently around her grandmother’s shoulders. “You always take care of me. I just… wanted to get you something nice.”
Her grandmother chuckled, placing a warm hand on Chloe’s cheek. “My dear, your love is the greatest gift I could ever ask for.”
Feeling an unexpected wave of emotion, Chloe hugged her tightly. “I love you, Grandma.”
Her grandmother kissed her forehead. “I love you too, my sweet girl.”
As they sat together, Chloe felt a sense of peace she hadn’t had in days. Maybe she didn’t have all the answers yet. But for now, she had her friends, her family, and moments like this. And that was enough… at least for now.
As her grandmother hummed a familiar lullaby, Chloe’s eyelids grew heavy. She curled up beside her, sinking into the warmth of her embrace. The melody wrapped around her like a comforting dream, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
The next morning, reality hit hard.
Sitting in her classroom again, she slumped over her desk, feeling an overwhelming sense of boredom. The teacher droned on about historical events, but Chloe could barely focus. The peaceful feeling from last night was gone, replaced by a growing irritation.
Jake, sitting beside her, poked her arm. “Hey, are you okay?”
“No,” she groaned. “I am suffering.”
Ryan turned around from his seat in front. “You look like you just lost a battle against life itself.”
“I did,” Chloe muttered. “I was in a warm, happy place, and now I’m trapped here.”
Emma snickered. “Wow, that escalated.”
Lily smirked. “It’s just school, not a prison.”
Chloe sighed dramatically. “Same thing.”
Jake chuckled. “Hang in there, warrior. Lunch break is only two hours away.”
Chloe groaned. “That’s an eternity.”
And with that, she let her head drop onto her desk, waiting for the torture to end.
