'Absolutely not! The last time I let you borrow my book, you folded the pages! Do you know why bookmarks are invented? So YOU DON'T FOLD THE PAGES OF BOOKS!' Sam yelled in anger at her sister.

Her sister rolled her eyes, and placed the book in her hand in front of Sam.

'I'm standing right here, you don't need to yell. And yes, I know. Apparently, I have just as much respect as you do for books. And that was ONE TIME. I've been using a bookmark ever since that day. So please, keep it down!' She pleaded.

Sam opened her mouth to argue, but her sister cut her off.

'Please give me a break. I'm not interested in getting myself in trouble. It's almost past 11 p.m . So unless you want Mummy and Daddy throwing a tantrum for not letting them sleep, you'll shut up. Good night!' She snapped and walked out of her room, slamming the door as softly as possible.

Sam sighed and cursed under her breath. She never like it when Arya was right. The thirteen year old was an annoying prick, but she was definitely not dumb. There were times when Sam realised how much more mature Arya was than she had imagined. Nonetheless, to her, she was still an annoying brat.

Sam turned the pages of the book Arya had returned, and was pleased to see she'd respected the book, if not her. She took and placed it carefully in her bookshelf, and then sat down on her bed. She didn't really have anything to do. School for her was done. All she had to do was wait for a call or an email telling her she'd got into a good university.

But the wait was tiring and she was running out of things to keep her busy. She had finished four series in a week, rearranged her room thrice, made enough craft items to flood a foot large shelf, read all the books she'd kept, and did enough cleaning with her mom. Sam had begun to feel a sense of dread as the days dragged on. Why hadn't anyone sent her anything?

Had she not made it? Did none of the universities see her as worthy of giving her a chance to earn a degree through their institutions? If not that, then why was it taking so long!

'Endurance is the key, Sam. Endurance is the key!' Sam whispered harshly to herself.

She murmured the same line again and again as she pulled out a classic from her shelf and propped herself on to her bed comfortably. She opened it and began reading it. Her phone lit up with a notification, distracting her.

'Lets see,' Sam whispered as she checked her texts.

It was from her friend, Dana.

Dana:DUDE! U TOTALLY DID IT!
(12.30 am)

You: You have to specify ,Dana.
(Now)

Dana: Sam, u seriously hacked into Lola's PC! You srsly did it!
(Now)

You: Ah, yes. It was a piece of cake! The list of shame has now been deleted. :D
(12.35 am)

Dana: That bully. It's good we have people like u. All da nerds and geeks and everyone in general r safe!
(Now)

You: All thanks 2 the great duo! Couldn't have done it widout you.
(Now)

Dana: And I couldn't have done it widout u either. See you at the farewell party tmrw!
(12.40 am)

You: See ya.
(Now)

With a satisfied grin on her face, Sam kept her phone aside and continued to read her book. Now all was good. No one would have to worry about their embarrassing secrets being told to the public by the mean idiot that Lola was. How the hell was someone so terrible once her friend in fifth grade? Yeesh.

Sam realised she had a party to attend at school, and she had no clue what she'd be wearing. Freaking out, she jumped up and rushed towards her wardrobe and scanned for the appropriate outfit for the occasion. She looked through rows of hung clothes, but nothing that was the perfect outfit. She began to worry.

'What do I do?' She whispered.

Sam looked through once more. And then, an idea struck her. She searched for a white loose button shirt and a black long skirt to go with it. Simple and elegant was the best look to go for anytime and anywhere. She shut her wardrobe and looked into her drawers for matching jewellery.

"Perfect!" She cheered, as she pulled out a black choker with a pearl dangling from a longer chain connected to it.

Sam smiled to herself as she prepared her things for the next day's events and returned to reading her classic. After reading for another fifteen minutes, and heard something snap. She checked her leg to see if it was alright, in case lack of physical activity may have resulted in snapping of a bone or a muscle in the process of stretching. She heard it again, and sat up on her bed.

'

Arya, if that's you, you better stop it right now!' She yelled softly.

Her bedroom door remained opened a few inches. No one answered. She heard another snap, followed by soft, but steady footsteps. She tip toed out of her room, peering into the darkened hallway.

'Arya?' Sam whispered.

No response. She could hear her father's snores from his bedroom. No more snaps were sounded. Sam shook her head and returned to her room. The noises had stopped, but Sam was still anxious. She decided her mind was playing tricks on her and that she desperately needed to sleep. She shut her book and kept I beside her pillow. Slowly, she got up and opened a drawer in her oak brown wardrobe, only to reveal a secret stash of snacks she'd want to devour on at times such as then.

Picking out a mini packet of skittles, Sam popped some in her mouth and closed the drawer. She then headed over to bed, determined to get sleep. She closed the lights, and snuggled into her blanket. Sam was about to turn over to her side, when she noticed something on the opposite wall. Goosebumps rose all over her body, and her heart almost stopped.

A golden and red glowing form of a dreamcatcher, projected on her wall, it's dangling feathers seeming to stretch all around the room like hands trying to grip her. Sam gasped, and trying not to scream, her trembling hands found the lamp switch. The lamp switched on, and the projection was gone. Sam panted heavily, scared to check if what she was really there, or only her vivid imagination.

Again, hands trembling, she slowly very slowly, switched the lamp off. Nothing. The wall was barren. Like it was always supposed to be. Sam rubbed her temple and covered herself with the blanket. She hugged her trembling body, and tried to sleep.

'Sleep—sleep! Close your eyes and sleep!' Sam whispered to herself.

And sleep did befall her. As Sam's breaths interrupted the silence of the room, the dreamcatcher on the wall began to glow brighter bit by bit.

If only she knew that sleep would bring with it much more than peace and rest.

Hello there folks! Another character reveal down, one more to go!

What are your thoughts on Sam? I'm so excited for the journey to begin! I can't wait! After the character reveal, maybe, you know, just MAYBE, I'll do a special update? No promises! But I'll try. ;)

Okay, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to hit that little 🌟, and comment your views and thoughts 🗨 And share📮 this story with others to enjoy as well!

Until next time, Tutz!