Chapter 5

WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING HERE?

How did I end up in my story, again?!  I just can’t show up in her house with nothing like “Hey Cass! I’m back from my world and I don’t how I ended up here.” I sighed and saw a café, maybe I can buy food and give it to her as a thank you for what she’d done last time.

Maybe I can find some clues in her house as to why I ended up here again.  Good job ol’ me!

I went inside the café and gasped, oh how beautiful this café is! It’s like those Korean cafes you see on kdramas. I went to look at the pastries and my mouth waters at the sight, there are a variety of pastries, ranging from breads to cakes. I didn’t notice I was hungry till my stomach decided to growl.

I saw a beautiful woman walked towards me, “good afternoon, see anything you like?” she asked me softly and I looked back at the shelves of food, and I couldn’t decide what to get, everything looks tasty. “I’m guessing you’re new here?” she suddenly said.

I nodded and looked back at her, she’s really beautiful, from her jet-black hair to her striking blue eyes. “People from around here always got their favorite pastries and it looks like you haven’t tried any of these yet, so I’m guessing you’re new here in the place.”

“Actually, I’m visiting a friend from here.” I explained while intertwining my hands shyly. Her eyes twinkled in delight, “great! So, you’re buying for the both you!” I nodded again looking back at the pastries. I would love to get one of each, but sadly I don’t have enough money to buy all of them.

“Can you suggest some?” she gladly said yes, and happily points at the blueberry cheesecakes. “That’s one of our best sellers, you can also try our macarons and cinnamon rolls.” I smiled, already knowing what to get after she said those.

She went to get the pastries I’ve chosen and went to the counter to ring it, she then handed me the box, and I sat at a table near the window first to eat my cheesecake with a coffee.

I let out a contented sigh, delicious as I predicted. I just hope I can bring this back when I wake up so I can share it to Xander, I’m sure he’ll like it and would want to come here too. As I drank my coffee, I still don’t know how I got here. Is this another dream? Did I walk inside a portal in my dream? What is the reason why I always come back here?  I shook my head to get rid of these weird thoughts because my mind makes one question and another and I don’t have any answers at all, it makes my head dizzy, so I just take a bite of my cake. I should just enjoy this moment with my cheesecake.

Oh my, it is so good!

But I didn’t expect some firework explosion in my mouth. That only happens in stories, trust me, I know. How I wish I could go here every day so I could try all the tasty pastries.

Now that I think of it, it is a perfect place for me to write my stories, it’s so quiet and the ambiance is nice. Plus, the lady who approached me looks nice, maybe we could be friends too. Sadly, I finished eating and went to leave to do whatever agenda I had to do, but not before saying goodbye to the kind lady whose name’s Beatrice.

Fortunately, I still know where Cassiopeia lives and I was surprised as Alexander answers the door, “Uh hi?”

I tried hiding my laughter from his reaction, he probably thought I’m gone for good. “Hello, come in.” He said unsurely but opens the door wide enough for me to come inside, and I saw Cass go down the stairs.

“Kaia?” she seemed surprised and confused too, so I showed them the box of food as a distraction. “Hello Cass! Pastries?” she gladly took it and I sat down on a chair.

“I just went to a café, I forgot the name of it, I don’t know what you both like, good thing the kind lady told me that their Blueberry Cheesecake is good and trust me when I say it’s really good. I have tried it a while ago before going here.”  Alexander offered me some tea he made, and I gladly accepted it, and I took a sip.

“So, what brings you here?” he asked gently, trying not to sound rude and I looked at them both. “I just wanted to say thank you again and handed this cake. Did I… interrupted something?”

Judging by Cass who just finished taking a bath… I smirked at them.

They looked at each other and their eyes widens in horror, “No… Oh my, no…” Alexander muttered, and Cass blushed furiously. I laughed at their reactions as they clearly misunderstood me, and I shook my head. “I was not thinking about that, seriously guys! Whatever it is that you’re thinking is wrong. I just thought since Cass had just taken a shower, I thought you’re going to go somewhere.”

Cassiopeia let out a breath and looked at me, “we were at the park awhile ago, it was fun well… until I fainted.” That stopped me from laughing and I looked at her. That’s what I was writing, before I had gone here. I felt the guilt creeping inside of me. This is my story; I should have known the flow of this.

I never thought my story could affect someone. But then, I shook my head. No. This is all just a dream, they’re not real. I shouldn’t feel guilty about this.

“What happened?” I asked her slowly, like I didn’t know what happened.

“I forgot to take my meds that’s all. Alexander didn’t tell me what happened after I fainted.” She looked at Alexander to tell him to go ahead and tell what happened. Alexander took a sip on his tea, “After I saw you on the ground, a nurse checked up on you and we brought you here. Well, at first I was reluctant to tell her your condition but then she got irritated and told me she’ll just go, and I don’t know what to do with you, so I gave in…”

Yep, that’s exactly what happened in my story. I was starting to get used on how the scenes are flashing in front of me.

“You should be careful to yourself! When you’re going out, you shouldn’t forget to take your medication.” I scolded as I grew concerned for her, even though she’s just a character I still need to look worried for her, and she just laughed heartily.

“Oh Kaia, you sounded like my mom.” I grinned at her, “Maybe I am your mom in disguise.” I joked and she just smiled. “That’s impossible, she’s in the other side of the town with dad.”  I don’t know if she didn’t get my joke, or she just doesn’t want me to pretend to be her mom, so I opened the box and gave one slice to Alex and one for Cassiopeia. I was excited for their reaction so I watched them eat.

They took a bite of it, and they looked at each other, “It is pretty good!” Cass said and took another bite, “I could eat a whole of this.” Alexander muttered closing his eyes dramatically, that satisfies me and I grinned proudly.

“Where’d you bought this?”

I looked at the box and smiled remembering the beautiful lady. “It’s from the café near the mall. The owner Beatrice suggested that I buy this one and it didn’t disappoint.” I waited for them to finish, and Cass dragged me to her room leaving Alexander to clean up the plates.

“I wanted to show you something, I’ve been practicing this for a week.” She opened her drawers and took out some papers. “These are my designs for Henna tattoos” she said bouncing on her bed and shoving the papers to my face. And as expected from a talented artist like her, all designs were pretty good.

“Wow, all of these are very pretty.” She nodded and began searching again.

“I know, there’s this fair I’m going to, and I’ll do hennas for the kids. Just to have money for medicines   and stuff.” She grabbed a jar and a paint brush.

“Pick any design you want; I’ll do it on you for free.” I shook my head.

“No, I can pay for it…” she ignored me and went to get more papers, “Nonsense, you’re my friend now, it’s okay.” I looked at the drawings slowly and one design caught my eyes. It’s a star hanging at a crescent moon like a drop of water.

Cassiopeia followed what I was looking at and gushed “ooh that’s a good one! I don’t remember the reason why I drawn that, but I know it symbolizes love and protection.” 

I smiled and gave it to her, “I want this on my wrist please.” She takes it and grinned. I gave her my hand and she cleaned my wrist with a tissue.

I watched as Cassiopeia went to do her thing, how can I let a kind girl like her to die just like that? I can’t believe I’d become attached to my characters. “Okay, all done!” I looked at it and smiled, it is perfect.

“So, what do you think?” and I said what’s exactly on my mind, “It’s perfect, I love it.” I hugged her tight.

“Thank you for this.” I whispered, she hugged me back and laughed.  “It’s just a henna Kaia.” She said suddenly turned serious. “I know that we’re meant to be friends.” Cass said and started fixing her stuffs. “I somehow felt something when I found you asleep on my porch. I felt… connected to you, like a long-lost sister… Alexander even scolded me saying uh… not to be rude, you could be a killer or what. But I didn’t even think of that. I know you’re a good person.

I don’t know what to say to that.

“Thank you…” was all I said. “I wish I can show this to my friend Alex.” I murmured but unfortunately Cassiopeia heard it. “Xander? Like my boyfriend?”

I shook my head and smiled, “Xander, my best friend.” She hummed in understanding.

“I can do it to him too if you want. You can have matching hennas.” I sigh, “If only he’s here.” I don’t even know how I got here, so how will I make Xander to come? Is there a portal here?

“Does he live far from the city?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

Kaia… Kaia…

I guess it is time for me to wake up. “thank you for this, but I have to go.” She nodded and we both head downstairs to see Alexander watching some cartoons. “Really Alex? We Bare Bears?” Cass joked and he fake a glare, “hey don’t diss my bears.” She rolled her eyes at his childishness.

“Anyway, Kaia’s about to go.” He nods and grinned at me, “till next time K.” I raised an eyebrow at that. “K?”

“What? We’re friends, now right?’ I laugh at that and hugged them both.

***

“Kaia”

I turned my back to the person talking, “five more minutes.” I heard a sigh, “Come on now Kaia, its already noon.” I groaned and slowly stood up.

“Slept late again?” I nodded and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Then we go downstairs to eat brunch. Cause apparently it is already one pm. “Hey Kay… what’s that on your wrist?”

I looked at my wrist and choked on my cereals. It’s Cassiopeia’s henna!

“Oh my gosh, it’s real! It’s not a dream!” I exclaimed and Xander looked confused. “It’s real Xander, I visited Cassiopeia.”