You might think that after all the drama I'd gone through, some miracle would happen, that I'd wake up somewhere else, or vanish into thin air. But no. There I was, on my knees, tears drying on my cheeks, and Nellie being man-handled to the ground by creepy old ladies just a few feet away.
"…Yeah, nothing prepares you for that," Connor said. I heard him before I saw him. He stood, dripping wet, and offered me his hand. "Think you can stand?"
"What did you see?" I asked, still somewhere between reality and whatever that encounter had been.
Connor paused, reading my face before shrugging. "A Christmas clown. And you?"
"A two-headed snake," I sighed, taking his hand to stand. For the first time since we met, Connor laughed- loud, ridiculous, beautiful.
"And now I know why we're friends!" he said, doubling over. I almost joined him, but Nellie was still on the ground.
"Leave my sister alone," I ordered. They released her instantly, and I crouched beside her.
"And here I thought I was the black sheep of the family…" I muttered.
"I saw you in pain. Are you okay?" Nellie asked, scanning me like her eyes could see through my skin. When my nod satisfied her, she turned to Connor. "You're cool with the sofa?"
"Aww, what gave my homeless status away?" Connor asked sarcastically but Nellie answered anyway.
"Your family already went home with your twin, Luis."
"I'd expect nothing less," Connor muttered, biting the inside of his cheek to stop tears from falling.
It was a big day for the village, so it wasn't weird that the high priest accepted my dad's invitation to the house party. What was weird was how awkwardly he acted around me. Did I care to know why? Absolutely not.
I escaped to the roof. The air was cool, the sea shimmered under the full moon, and the noise of the celebration felt far away.
Connor joined me with a slice of cake and a bottle of water. "Hey, stranger."
"Hi, stranger," I said, shifting to make space for him.
He'd been in my life for as long as I could remember, but there were certain things we never talked about — mostly our families.
"Will the sea still look this beautiful tomorrow night?" he murmured, eyes fixed on the glowing horizon.
"For you? I think God might bend a few rules," I teased, but he only smiled sadly.
"I heard from the high priest," Connor said quietly. "Apparently you have a room with your name on it. In the temple."
"I'm going to be a priestess?" I blinked. I didn't ask for… more. I just wanted to disappear.
"That wasn't your wish?" Connor asked, startled. I shook my head.
"No."
"So… you're not leaving?" he asked, hope lighting up his face.
"I'll leave eventually," I said, taking his hand. It felt weird since we weren't the hand-holding type. "I've kept so many secrets growing up."
"You want to leave me because of your secrets?"
"Not entirely." I looked back at the sea. "Before today, I thought I was dreaming. Turns out they were visions for a future I don't want to be a part of."
"What future?" Connor asked, alarm tightening his voice.
"It's about the lullaby."
"What lullaby?"
"I don't know," I said honestly. "But it's not pretty. There's fear. Pain. Darkness…"
"Still friends?" Connor asked suddenly- giving me the easiest way out.
"Like anyone else would hang out with us," I teased, and he snorted.
"I'll miss you," he said, lying back and squeezing my hand.
"Yeah… they don't sell another you in markets," I murmured, lying next to him. The moon was a pale coin above us.
Nobody knows tomorrow.But I knew my wish.And I stood by it.
I was tired of living in the world of Sometimes… Maybe someday… What if…
I wanted something that didn't waver.
Even if it meant disappearing.