˗ˏˋCHAPTER ONEˊˎ-

***

"ARE YOU DRAWING those silly paintings of yours again?" A familiar voice questioned, making Wren look up at the sound. A small grin appeared on her face, before she dramatically rolled her eyes and nodded. "Well, let me see."

"You're demanding today," she commented, handing over her sketchbook in her friend's direction. "It's the same as always. Ruins by a beach. I don't know why I always draw it, it's quite weird, to be honest. It's the only thing that comes to mind."

"How odd..."

"What is?" When she didn't answer, Wren waved a hand in her face, attempting to gain her attention once more. "Susan? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," the brunette offered a smile. "It's just, it looks familiar. I mean, I know you've drawn this before, but this time you've included more of the beach, rather than the crumbling walls. I feel like I've seen it somehow."

"Well, I see it in my dreams all the time," Wren shrugged nonchalantly, grabbing the book back from her friend to place it into her sachet. "It's the same picture, over and over again. It's getting repetitive. My mind should come up with something more original."

Susan let out a chuckle, standing up as the two of them started towards the sidewalk outside. The girls hadn't been friends long, not more than three months, actually. But the Pevensie's had been the new kids at school that year, and Wren did her best to make them feel as welcome as possible. She knew what it was like to feel completely and utterly alone. She herself had moved to at least half a dozen schools in her lifetime, and had nobody to greet her or offer friendship. Despite the siblings having each other, Susan seemed to be a bit distant from the rest. And for some reason, Wren felt like she connected to her deeper because of it.

They both tended to prefer being by themselves, but when they were together neither of them seemed to mind. It was the type of friendship that could be sat in complete silence, and still enjoy the other's presence. Wren did quite like the rest of Susan's siblings as well, but she was definitely the closest to the eldest girl, whether it was their shared age or their personalities, she didn't know.

"I've got to get going," Wren announced hesitantly, and Susan shot her a knowing look.

"That time of day again?"

"The store is least packed around this hour," she replied, making the other girl frown.

"You know I don't like you doing stuff like this. You could get caught, and you'd get in a lot of trouble if you did."

"If I had the option, I wouldn't do it at all," she said sharply, before swallowing guiltily when Susan's face fell. "You know that. But, worry not! I'm the queen of stealth. I shall never get caught."

Susan laughed. "You say that now, but if I have to tell your mum to bail you out of jail later, don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Wren scoffed, backing away from her as they started to go their separate ways. "Don't be ridiculous, Susan. We both know my mother would never bail me out of jail. I'll see you later?"

"Bye," Susan lifted her hand in dismissal, and Wren stalked farther and farther down the road that was completely crowded with people, who all seemed to push past her as if she simply didn't exist. It had always been like that, though. Majority of the time, people constantly overlooked her. She had gotten used to that, of course. But the voice in the back of her head always screamed "YOU DON'T BELONG!" And she had to force those thoughts elsewhere. Because whether she liked it or not, she was stuck in England with a deadbeat mother and an actual deceased father.

Or so, that's what her mum told her. She'd never met her father, the only proof that he really existed were the three framed photos of him in their disgusting apartment. They were the only pictures hung up on the walls, actually. Everything else was empty and in need of some serious redecorating. With their grimy pale green walls and white trim that was so dirty it looked yellow, the apartment Wren was forced to call home looked like it belonged to pigs. It smelt like manure in there, too. So maybe her assumptions were correct. Nobody ever bothered to clean. Wren herself was too busy with school and...other things to clean up after her filthy mother, who lounged around on the sofa all day drinking beer from the fridge. That was the only thing the woman bothered to stock up on.

Very quickly, Wren ducked behind an alleyway to lace up her combat boots. According to society, it was inappropriate for woman to wear anything other than heels out in public, but she didn't give a flying shite about that. She also tossed aside society's requirements as she pulled on a pair of black pants, tucking in her long dress as she flipped up her hood. She peered around the brick wall she had crouched behind, watching as a customer stepped out of the building.

After making sure nobody else was around, she darted into the store, just barely catching the closing door with her foot. She hurriedly stood behind a shelf, watching the worker up front. Luckily, it appeared her stealthiness had not yet warn off, and she somewhat relaxed. But that was the easy part.

Pulling out the bobbi-pin from her hair, Wren crouched down to where the newspapers were loaded up inside the boxes, and as quietly as she could, she began to pick the lock. She had become quite the expert on things like this. After all, her mother didn't care about her, and Wren was left raising herself from the age of nine. She started this "business" of hers only a couple of years ago, and it seemed that for once things would actually work out, because she had yet to get caught.

She stuffed the newspapers into her bag, and glanced up to make sure she hadn't been seen. Slowly, she lowered the lid back onto the now empty crate, and leaned against the wall to make herself look as non-suspicious as she could. After about a minute, the door swung open, making the bell chime, and in walked another customer, who hadn't even acknowledged her presence. As subtly as she could, she slipped out the door before it closed, and jogged down the street until she was far away enough. Now was the profiting part of her plan.

With the best sales-person smile she could muster, she began handing out the newspapers in exchange for coins. By the time she was done, it was nearly two o'clock, and she was completely sold out. Her purse was only a few pounds heavier with all of the money she had in it now, but at least it should've been enough to pay rent for that month, and buy enough bread and soup so she wouldn't go hungry.

It didn't take long for her to spot Susan amongst the swarm of people. Actually, Wren almost laughed when she realized what her friend was doing. She was reading the newspaper.

"Hey," she greeted, and Susan looked up in response.

"Oh, hey. You're finished early today."

Wren just grinned proudly as a boy with geeky glasses and a briefcase sidled up to them, face flushing nervously. Susan went back to reading the post and Wren pulled out her sketchbook, the familiar feeling of inspiration filling up in her chest. Her pencil danced around on the page, and already she could see the shape of a castle forming. Finally, she thought. Not the same beach again.

"You go to Saint Finbar's?" The boy asked.

"That's right," Susan answered shortly.

"I go to Hendon House. Across the road." Susan just smiled, side-eyeing Wren, who immediately bit her lip to stop from laughing at her annoyed expression. "I've seen you... Sitting by yourself."

"Yes, well, I prefer to be left alone."

"What about her, then?" The boy pointed to Wren who raised a brow.

"The exception."

"I like to be left alone, too," he said, still only looking at Susan, but Wren didn't mind. "What's your name?"

"Phyllis," she responded and Wren lowered her head to hide her amused snicker.

"Susan!" A new voice yelled, and Susan sighed as Lucy came running up the street, her braids swinging wildly. "You'd better come quickly. You too, Wren. It's important! Come on!"

Concern raised in Wren's chest at the youngest girl's tone, and the three of them rushed after Lucy who was leading them into the unground train station. Soon, chanting could be heard echoing from down the stairs, and Wren had to push through the crowd of people to see the oldest Pevensie sibling, Peter, fighting against two other boys who were double his size. He was roughly thrown against the wall, and even kneed in the stomach, before Edmund, the youngest boy came bolting down the steps.

"Edmund!" Lucy yelled, but her brother didn't listen as he attempted to pull the others off Peter. The fight only continued to escalate further until the sound of whistles blowing interrupted the shouting and the grunting.

"Break it up!" The policeman demanded. "That's enough. Come on. Act your age!"

Not long after, the crowd disappeared, and soon all that was left were the five of them, who were sat on the bench. Seeing as how Wren only lived a block down from where the Pevensie's were located, they all traveled home together when the school day was over.

"You're welcome," Edmund said bitterly.

"I had it sorted," Peter retorted.

Susan sighed. "What was it this time?"

"He bumped me," Peter shrugged.

"So you hit him?"

"No. After he bumped me, they tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him."

"Is it that hard just to walk away?" Susan questioned, sounding like a disappointed parent.

"I shouldn't have to! I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?"

Wren refrained from announcing her opinion aloud. I wish I had the chance to act like a kid for once.

"Um, we are kids," Edmund reminded him.

"I wasn't always," Peter said, and Wren drew her eyebrows together, having no idea what that meant. For a moment, all of the siblings glanced over in her direction, as if somehow they were all analyzing her. She squirmed under the four sets of eyes, but they moved on from her in an instant. "It's been a year. How long does he expect us to wait?"

"I think it's time to accept that we live here," Susan reasoned, and the meaning of what they were talking about suddenly made sense. Clearly, back in their old home, Peter was in charge of everyone and everything. Now that they were in London, he wasn't anymore, and he missed it. That's what she was assuming, at least. "It's no use pretending any different. Pretend you're talking to me," she ordered very suddenly.

"We are talking to you," Edmund blinked in confusion.

"Ow!" Lucy randomly exclaimed, standing up from the bench.

"Quiet, Lu."

"Something pinched me."

Wren faltered. "Look, this time it wasn't me—OW! Wait, what the?"

"Stop pulling!"

"I'm not touching you!"

Soon, all of them were stood, staring at the bench. A weird feeling formed in Wren's gut, as if a puzzle piece she had been looking to fit for so long had finally found its home. And when Lucy opened her mouth to speak again, her words made Wren's mind whirl, like a doorway in her brain had just been pushed open. "It feels like magic."

Susan's eyes darted to Wren, the wind from the subway blowing her hair around. "Quick, everyone hold hands." Strangely, Wren complied and grabbed Lucy's hand. Papers flew around them, the lights flickered, and the signs shook with the strong gusts of air. But nobody around them seemed to take notice, much to her confusion. Wren's jaw dropped as the tiles from against the walls started to fly out from their places, spiraling out of control from in front of them. The ceiling crumbled, and the archway caved in just as the train zoomed under it.

And the next thing Wren knew, she was staring at an oceanic paradise with mountains in the distance, and rocks taller than the trees surrounding them.

authors note

i am excited‼️

( edit: i made an announcement in the later chapters but i wanted to say it here too. i did not copy this book at all, and i'm not sure if the other author plagiarized it from me but i can assure you that everything i've written is 100% my own work. i've skimmed through the other book once it was pointed out to me about the exact same dialogue & plot and realized that, yes, our books are exactly alike and because that fic has more reads i think people believe IM the one who stole it - that's not the case at all.

please stop commenting about the similarities there's not much i can do about it :/ )