|||To avoid confusions, I have always divided things into 'wants' and 'needs'. Do I want to do this? Do I need to? I guess at this point it goes beyond just me. However, the decision rests entirely in my hands. I can just say and none of it will happen, but for the first in a long time what I want and what I need are one and the same.|||

August 13 2014

1:53pm, placing the phone in the back pocket of my jeans I pick up the pace. I have to be there by 2:15 latest. 1:56 I'll reach him then by 1:57 I'll leave and if my luck's good the lights won't go red on me so I'll make it 2:10? 2:10? Yeah I think it's possible. You can do this Emily, 5 spare minutes that's like 7 years of a Mayfly.

You can do so much. As long as the light doesn't turn-

red. Great! Amazing! Thank you so much! Not like I'm in a hurry or anything. I intensely stare at that devilish crimson illumination. The time is now 1:55 well I could still reach him by-*rrrriing**rrriiiing*

Mom?

Swiftly sliding my hand into the back pocket, I read the callers ID and exhale.

"Hey,"
"Where are you!?"
"I'm on my way, calm down Clara."
"Calm down? The science fair is in 3 days and you still haven't even put it together never mind a test try! How on Earth will you finish?"
"Have I ever failed at anything?"
"You can't just base everything on th-"
"I'll complete it, don't stress."
"How??????"
"That's not something for you to worry about."
"Gonna stay up late again?"
"Bye Clara."

Hearing her sigh at the other end of the line I cancel the call and run across the little zebra that kept me waiting for over a minute.

Where are you Cayle? Don't tell me you're gonna be late too. What kind of day is this? My bus was late, then the librarian, and now you. Please, please, please be here.

"Hi!"

I hear his voice behind me and immediately turn around, "You're late! You were supposed to be here 3 minutes ago!"

"It's nice to see you too, Emily." He smiles waving a hand near my face.

"Do you have it?" I cut straight to the point.

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking and how are you?"

"Cayle! I don't have time for jokes now, do you have it?" After a long stare he hands me one of the many bags in his hand and gives off a deep sigh.

"Geez, what's it with you nerds? Don't you know how to loosen up?"

"I was supposed to be here at 1:56 but because of the unexpected turn of the traffic light made it at 1:58. That is 2 minutes, you showed up 33 seconds later, wasted 30 with your 'jokes'. That, with what I've just spoke, adds up to 3 minutes and 10 seconds, 5 Mayfly years. And you want me to 'loosen up'?" I turn on my heel and tightly gripping the brown paper bag dash across the street while the light is still green. Ughh, much time was wasted, now I'll have to run all the way.

I can make it, I can make it in time.

CAYLE's POV

There she goes again. Saying whatever she wants and then speeding off like Usain Bolt. When will she ever listen? I watch her run out of sight, "see you at the science fair Emily", and enter the usual café. Sis will literally eat me alive if I don't get her that cinnamon roll.

THIRD PERSON POV

Outside the 5th house on Gianmo, stood a regular teenage girl, in her basic blue jeans and a white shirt with a red backpack hanging from her shoulder. She pulls on the second strap switching the brown paper-bag from one hand to the other. All the while mumbling something inaudible to anyone but herself.

"Made it," the girl exclaims returning her phone to the back pocket and knocking exactly twice.

Some seconds later the door opens to the sound of heels retreating to the kitchen. Locking the door after her and removing the key, the girl quickly places the red sneakers in the wooden shoe rack by the wall and immediately rushes to wash her hands.

"Good afternoon," greeting the woman in high heels upon entering the kitchen, she opens one of the many pots on the wide silver stove.

"Hey dear, did you get what you needed?"

"Yeah."

"So put the things in your room and hurry back down. Your father will be here soon," the woman takes off her apron revealing a black pearl beaded lined dress just a little below the knee, to which the girl paid no attention to whatsoever making her way upstairs.

Emily's POV

Dad will be home any minute now. I throw off my clothes into the laundry basket and pull on a long sleeved shirt with some wide pants. I then fix my hair into a neat ponytail and run downstairs to help mom set the table.

"Woah! Slow down, where are you running off to?"

Hearing dad's voice I freeze at the bottom of the stairs and carefully step off. Avoiding all eye contact I dismiss myself into the kitchen and grab the nearest plate.

"Lunch's not ready?" He follows me to receive a reply from mom.

"It is dear."

"Would you look at that!" He exclaims marching towards her, to which I can clearly see the enormous blush spreading on her cheeks.

'Breathe.' I say to myself, averting eyes from a scene I'd rather never witness again. Don't they ever get enough of each other? Do they even know their daughter is standing right there? Well, it is their anniversary so I won't blame them.

Yeah, that's all they ever think of! Them! Them! Them! What about her? Huh?! You guys stopped caring and are no longer concerned with- wait- did you even care in the very beginning? I just wish-

"Emily?" Dad's voice cuts off all my thoughts and I look up at him with a subtle smile. "Have you finished your project?"

"No."

"So how long do you need?"

"3 hours."

"That's a lot. Then I think you can finish it today? And have the rest off?"

"Of course."

Third person POV

To some, the sort of lunch they had might resemble a desolate family reunion. To others it may seem quite normal. Either way, the girl alienated herself the entire time and when they said they're leaving, all she did was nod and carried on with the dishes.

She didn't have to see them off nor tell them any words. They're adults after all, capable of handling themselves. Besides, she didn't think that saying anything would matter. They'd just think it's weird. She should mind her own business.

It is also a good thing they left, for now she has time to complete her project. The science fair would be in 3 days and it wasn't going to wait for her or anybody else.

Putting away the last plate, she dried her hands and ran upstairs. "Don't waste time! Don't waste time!" She repeated to herself. "If I can do lots today, I won't have to wake up as much. 3 hours? BULLSHIT! Who the fuck can complete the fucking telescope in 3 fucking hours? That bitch can't even tie his shoes in 3 hours-"

"I mean," she takes in deep breaths, "what am I saying? Ugh, I'm sorry. Really sorry." Entering her room, Emily walks towards the desk and takes out several lenses as well as a part of a car exhaust from the brown paper bag. She then picks up a sticky note. The content of which has been bothering her mind for days on end.

It was by her favorite poet. The name of who is much similar to her own, Emily Dickinson. No matter how many times she's read it. No matter how many days she's pondered. Emily was unable to truly understand the poem. She understood what the poem said, but not what it was.

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all," her mind slowly burying into deep thought as she continues reading out the poem, "and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm that could abash the little-" *RRRRIIINNG*

While flinching she drops the note and pulls out the phone from her back-pocket, reading out an unknown number.

"Hello?" She says, fear in her voice of who might be on the other side. "Hello?" Emily repeats herself to be answered by silence and faint breathing. She waited for some seconds but there was still no response and she didn't like that. Didn't like this whole situation. "I'm going to hang up-"

"You...." a voice cracked, "will die in 7 days...."

"CLARA WHAT THE HELL?" Yelling in relief Emily sits on the floor rubbing her forehead, "You know how much I hate these things!"

"I know! Haha! Why else would I do it?"

"What do you want? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"It'll be real quick, I promise."

"It better be."

"So I went on date with Markus and...."

"And?"

"And then we went for movies to his place and...."

"And?"

"WE DID IT!" Clara's excited screaming cause Emily to move the phone an arm's length away.

"Congratulations, you're gonna die from AIDS."

"Seriously? This is all you have to say?"

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"Ughhh! You know what? Never mind. Sometimes I wonder why do I even bother talking to you?"

"Beats me. I gotta go now."

"Alright, dont stay up too long, I kno-"

Not listening to the rest, Emily shuts the line because she knows the rest of the conversation would be meaningless. She then carefully places the phone on the floor next to herself because she knows her parents might call at any given time.

"Focus on the science fair," she tells herself starting on the project, because she knows if she doesn't hurry she'll have to stay up all night which she can't have since the parents woulda be back at 2:00am.

She also knew that they'd never understand and no one ever will. Yes, there were many things she knew, but what she didn't know.....was how drastically her life......was about to change.

HELLO GUYS!!!! I'm writing an author's note again after a long time"YAY" ~throws confetti~ so with this we have now completed the first chapter. A little bit boring isn't it? But if you know me then you know that I don't write things for no reason so everything, even the mood is important 🤣. Look forward to the next chapter-

(PSSSSST!!!!! I'll give you a hint, a long awaited guest will finally appear)

Yeah so the next chapter which won't be published until like a month because I have exams starting and then graduation and I also injured my left ring finger (YeoliePanda the ring is fine I assure you). So anyways, just enjoy (hopefully) and let's see if I can make you fall in love with this story.

That's all for now

~flies off on a goat~