CASTELIA

After I told Harper about my dream and the mysterious man who took my amulet. I didn't know how many times she squealed at her seat when I mentioned the romantic words, like love and kiss.

Especially, when I told about the unforgettable moment that Chance and I kissed under the silver moonlight. Harper began punching my shoulder, as if there was an electric wave that shocked her entire body. I felt I was like a training bag because of her good punching skills.

Could anyone ever surpass the hyperness of my best friend named Harper Silton?

To be honest. She was taking too much energy pills. I couldn't blame her if she was really hyper. I almost got out of breath because of that. But I didn't mind. I love my best friend even she made me pissed sometimes.

I couldn't forget the day of Harper's debut. Dad warned me not to give her a colourful box of delicious chocolates as a birthday gift since she has a hyper disorder. No wonder she was acting like an obnoxious child whenever her sickness strikes her system. Even at her most painful breakdowns. I was always there at her side. I didn't dare to leave her until an angelic smile was plaster back on her peaceful face.

Harper was truly blessed to have me as her best friend. The one she could really count on, and that name was Castelia Milton. Of course, its my beautiful name. 

If you guys disagree with me, I would tell Harper to punch all of your funny faces. Well if isn't. Thank you. You're a nice pal to deal with. Seriously. I wasn't joking.

My thoughts was bothered when Dad shouted at the top of his lungs just to quiet Harper and I down. With that moment. We both stopped in silence and stared at his direction. In the rear view mirror, I could see how Dad held the stirring wheel tighter on his hand angirly while taking deep breaths.

"Will you girls shut the hell up and please minimise the volume of your voices?" Dad began to tell us. "We are in the middle of the traffic. You two don't wanna be stuck here in this road forever do you?" 

"Definitely not, Mr Milton. I'm sorry for my unstoppable hyperness." Harper sincerely apologize. Then she started to nudge my elbow.

I shot her with my coldest stare. "Ouch." I winced in pain as I glanced at my father's direction, narrowly looking at me, as if he was waiting for my response.

I bit my lower as I sighed in defeat. "Dad. I also apologise for what I'd done a while ago." then I stomped Harper's foot.

"Ouch." Harper wailed in surprise. She glanced at my direction, leaning closer into my ear. "Hey. What is that for?" She later hissed.

"Revenge." I whispered back at her. A wicked smirk was plastered on my face.

With that, Harper frowned at my response.

Dad noticed the tension started to heat up between me and my best friend. So he decided to break the awkward moment.

"Hey now girls. Enough with the childish act." Dad warned again. "We're inside the car for god's sake. Oh. Please stop for a minute. Just spare this to the traffic!"

We both stopped and nodded in our seats.

After minutes of deaf silence, except the loud noises of the traffic outside was not included though. I didn't take it much longer. So I started to plead at my Dad to turned on the radio. He granted my request and played the LSS korean song entitled Boy With Luv.

You guys didn't know my hyper best friend named Harper Silton was a huge Kpop fan. Especially, the hottest korean boy group BTS.

I remembered the first time she let me listen one of her favourite Kpop songs. I refused at first but she really insisted me to listen it.

Well. That song was entitled Boy With Luv. It definitely caught my freaking heart with love. Cheesy isn't?

But it doesn't literally mean I was already a fan girl. I preferred Lauv better than BTS.

Sorry, you guys could hate me but it wouldn't change the fact that I idolised Lauv as a great singer and a song writer.

Harper began making some crazy dance moves while singing her heart out to the Kpop song. "Oh ma ma mai. Oh ma ma mai. You got me fly so fast-" She sang.

"Shh. Harper. Dad will turn off the radio. If you sing too loud!" I hissed, grabbing her hand to stop.

"Hey. Castelia. Do you remember when you sang this song to your longtime crush named Chan--

I gasped as I quickly covered her mouth to stop mentioning the name of my crush. Dad didn't know that I had a long time crush. I was not fully prepared to tell him. In short. I had a no sign of courage inside my chest to do so.

After all. I was his only child, who was smart and consistent in maintaining high grades in class.

But what if he founds out that his smart daughter was secretly having a crush to a boy? Conflict would arise. Of course. I wouldn't let that happen. Never.

"What's on going back there girls? Trouble?" Dad started to look at the rear view mirror to check upon us, just in case we did something stupid to stress out his mind.

"Nothing to worry about. Dad." I replied, still covering Harper's mouth. Then I pretended to dance along to the kpop song. "Oh ma ma mai Oh ma ma mai." Then I nervously smiled at his direction, hoping it was enough to convince him.

"Anyway, we're almost at the gate of the school." Dad glanced back at the stirring wheel before him. "So you two girls behave quitely ok?"

I nodded while Harper began to bite my hand and she was on time to reply. "Yes. Mr Milton. Me and Castelia will behave." Then she glanced at my direction with a cold look. "Right?"

"Right."

Dad sighed. "Well have fun dancing to the Kpop song then," as he started to dance like crazy  "Oh ma ma mai."

I didn't know what to felt by this moment. Either I was about to get mad at Harper by bitting my hand or to cry because of the pain. When I saw my Dad was dancing along with the kpop song. It drifted all the bad emotions away and it was finally replaced by happiness.

All of the sudden. I began to laugh my heart out.

"Castelia? Did I bit you that hard?" Harper asked skeptically, as if she was wondering why I changed my mood that instantly.

"Oh shut up Harper. You're just ruining my moment. Haha!" I chuckled while holding my stomach.

"Whoa. Look who's crazy right now." Harper began to tease me. "Isn't it your cr-

I immediately cut her off. "Stop it. I am not crazy." The I pointed my forefinger at her direction. "You are."

"You got to be kidding me. Castelia!" Harper defensively replied. "You're more crazy than I am. You are having a dream to your cru-

"Hey don't say it." I warned, staring coldly at her.

Harper didn't look threaten by my words "Mr Milton. Castelia wanted to confess something. She is keeping it for a very long time." Then she glanced back at me with a smile on her face.

Damn you Harper. So much for having a traitor best friend.

Instead Dad would reply to Harper's shocking choice of words. We had finally arrived at the entrance gate of the Cold Water High school.

I sighed in relief. Looks like lady luck was on my side after all. Sorry Harper. I found my new best friend instead of you.

Dad stopped the engine but before he went out of the car. He glanced at my direction.

"Anyway. What you gonna confess about Castelia? Because time is constantly ticking. I need to get back to my work." He began to tell me.

I gulped. Ok, I took it back. Lady Luck was not my side after all. I had to find a way to divert it before everything would get worse. Something genuine flashed inside my mind, as if it was brighten up by a light bulb.

My heart started skipping as I took I deep breath. "Dad. I love you." then I went closer to give him a soft kiss on his cheeks.

Dad seemed surprised by my sudden action but he shook his head. "I love you too. Castelia." patting my hair then he kissed it with his lips.

Harper coughed in purpose. When Dad and I stopped, glancing back at my best friend, who was feeling out of place by our family moment.

"Castelia. We have only few minutes left before drama class starts." Harper reminded me, while showing her wristwatch at my direction.

I glanced back at my dad. "Sorry Dad. I have to go. We're late for our morning class."

Dad nodded. "Sure. Have a great day girls. Stay out of trouble ok?"

I opened the door beside me before I go out. I smiled at him. "I will keep that in mind."

After I bid a goodbye from Dad. Harper still talking nonstop. If I brought a duct tape along with me. I would tape it on her mouth to stop her nonsense blabbering.

I rolled my eyes everytime Harper mentioned about the sweet kiss that I did in the dream with Chance.

Group of freshman boys on the pathway began to give us unnecessary looks because of Harper's crazy squealing, while I bumped several junior students on the way. I tried to excuse myself and apologised for the disturbance of my best friend had cause.

Harper quickly went in front, blocking my path. She began to spread both of her arms wide dramatically into the air, like one of the familiar scenes on the film entitled Titanic that I watched before.

"Castelia. Can you imagine. What if your typical fantasy dream come to life? What is the first thing that you will do?" She asked.

I stopped. What should I do? I didn't know.

"Maybe you shall get out of my way." I said in a bore tone.

Harper pouted at my response. "Don't be a kill joy. Just answer the question."

I was about to open my mouth to reply when my world stopped, as if the everything around me and the time had froze in one place. 

I didn't know what to feel by this moment. I could only feel the butterflies began feasting inside my stomach.

"Castelia. Why aren't you speaking? Did I say something wrong? Hey, are you even listening?" Harper said, walking her way towards at my direction.

"Chance." I almost said in a whisper.

"Did you say you're in a trance?" She asked.

Instead of answering, I began to point my forefinger at the handsome guy on the pathway before us.

"Castelia. You're going absolutely nuts." She commented then she glanced at the direction that I had pointed.

Harper instantly covered her mouth. Both of her eyes widened in shock. Her face was white as sheet. 

We saw Chance Standford, and he was walking towards at our direction.

END OF CHAPTER 3!

January 8 2020 (1881 word counts)