This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, some places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALYSSA looked around, unfamiliar with the place where she was. She was walking around when she saw a big tree full of fruits, but she also did not know what tree it was. There were surrounding plants and beautiful flowers enticing her to approach it.
"The flowers are so fragrant." Alyssa sighed and took a breath of fresh air.
She picked up a pink flower, pinned it to her right ear, and went for a walk. In the distance, she saw a beautiful white chair.
Where am I?
What place is this?
The surroundings were quiet as if she was the only person. Alyssa looked around. She saw flying butterflies of different shapes and different colors.
"Am I in heaven already? " Alyssa felt she was in paradise. She walked over to the white chair and sat down, she was already feeling a little sleepy due to the silence around her.
"Ahhhhhh... " She yawned and leaned back in the chair and started to close her eyes, just a moment later she fell asleep.
"ALYSSA wake up!" Maggie shouted.
Maggie is Alyssa's best friend and classmate in English subject.
Maggie sat down next to Alyssa and shook her friend's shoulder again.
"Hey! You're a bad girl. You're sleeping well, what do you think you're in bed? You're here on the bench on the basketball court." Maggie said as she grabbed the pocket of her school uniform skirt took the mirror and combed her long blonde hair.
Maggie glanced at her friend again, Alyssa was still sound asleep. Maggie stopped what she was doing. She approached Alyssa's face and patted her on the right cheek.
"ALYSSAAAAAA!" Maggie shouted into a friend's ear. "Alyssa, wake up girl!"
Alyssa was shocked and out of balance on the lying bench.
"Ouch!" Alyssa held her head as she fell to the floor. Thankfully, the bench wasn't high. Maggie helped her sit back on the bench. She stretched and pinched her friend. "Why are you shouting? I fell in shock!"
Alyssa frowned as she adjusted the paintbrushes strewn on the bench.
"You had a good day sleeping here on the bench. I invited you here on the basketball court to watch John's practice, but you just fell asleep." Maggie's eyes widened. "Oh girl, you didn't watch John play badly. He's so good! And he's still handsome!"
Alyssa gently stroked her friend.
"Flirt!" Alyssa said with a smile. But she was stunned to remember her dream. She grabbed Maggie by both shoulders and stared at her.
"What?" Maggie.
"I had a dream, Maggie. It's weird! Hmmm... You know, it's like I'm in a paradise with no human beings but only me, it seems real."
"Maybe. Because it's hard for me to wake you up.'' Maggie smirked.
"I'm serious Maggie. I've always been dreaming. But this one is different." Alyssa said.
Maggie removed Alyssa's hands that were on her arm. The girl stood up and picked up her bag
"Oh Alyssa, it's just a dream! It's not true. It would be good if you had a handsome guy with you, in your dream. Maybe I could join you in your dream." Maggie laughed jokingly at her.
Alyssa frowned.
"I'm hungry let's go. I heard earlier from a student that today's snack in the canteen is delicious. I'll treat you because you came with me to watch John's basketball practice." There was a sweet smile on Maggie's lips. "Even if, you just slept, ha, ha, ha!"
"Hmph!" Alyssa grabbed her bag and stood up. "Okay let's go, ''
Alyssa started to walk but still couldn't forget the paradise she dreamed of.
VACATION and no class.
Alyssa and Maggie are having a good time talking. They were inside a coffee shop waiting for their order.
Someone passed by Maggie's side. The girl was hurt so she turned around.
Maggie saw an old man, the old man coming out of the coffee shop.
"Ouchie!" Maggie spoke softly, she looked at the old man. "It's good that you're old grandpa, if not ----"
Maggie didn't go on to say. A strong wind entered the coffee shop when the old man's opened the door.
"So, creepy!" Maggie Said.
The feeling of sudden cold air passing in front of them was horrible. Soon after, a torn newspaper entered the coffee shop and went straight to where the two girls were, it landed on Maggie's face.
Maggie was disgusted that she removed the newspaper that was on her face.
"I'm beautiful and my face just turned into a trashcan!" Maggie annoyed, frowned while wiping her face with her handkerchief.
Alyssa laughed. Fortunately, they were the only two inside the coffee shop. Alyssa took the newspaper to a friend and looked at what was written on it.
"Don't tell me you still have time to read that? Maybe it came from inside the trash and just flew away." Maggie said and appropriately took the piece of newspaper from her.
"Wait!" Alyssa stopped her at the same time blocking her friend's face with one hand.
"My face is wrinkled girl," Maggie complained and stood up. "I'll go to the counter to get our order. If not, it might come tomorrow."
Maggie walked away from their table.
A page grabbed Alyssa's attention.
HEADLINE today. A famous painter invited some students to come to his mansion to show his masterpieces and share for free his knowledge of drawing.
Alyssa's eyes glazed over at what she read.
"Oh my gosh! Is what I'm reading true?" She still couldn't believe what she read.
Mr. Gregorio Santillan is a well-known great painter. Almost all of Gregorio's paintings are exhibited in art galleries, it wins an award every year. But year 2016 the artist quit because of his family’s tragedy. Alyssa suddenly felt sadness for the painter.
"It's good that Mr. Gregorio looks fine," Alyssa said to herself. She was referring to the painter.
Alyssa saw her friend carrying a tray with two steaming cups of coffee. There are also two slices of chocolate cake.
Maggie sat across from Alyssa handed over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake
"The coffee just smells good." She said and started sipping hot coffee.
"You're right girl, it's a good thing i went to the counter. Otherwise, we might get our order tomorrow." Maggie replied, tasting a slice of chocolate cake.
"My gosh! So yummy!"
Alyssa looked at her friend with a smile, when she suddenly remembered what she read in the newspaper.
"Girl, do you remember the famous painter in the town of San Victoria?" Alyssa asked her friend. She sipped her coffee again.
Maggie nodded.
"Yes," Maggie answered. "What about him?"
In response to a friend's question, Alyssa handed her the newspaper. "Read it!"
Maggie frowned.
"Yuck! Isn't this the k-" Maggie didn't finish what she was going to say when Alyssa suddenly spoke.
"Don't act like that, read it. Just wash your hands when you're done."
"Okay fine!" Maggie replied.
Maggie had already started reading, using her eyes while sipping hot coffee. "Isn't Mr. Gregorio the one you often tell me about, girl?"
"Yes!" She replied smiling.
"Don't tell me you're going to San Victoria?" Maggie raised an eyebrow at her.
"Hmmm, why not?" Alyssa answers Maggie's question.
Maggie laid the newspaper on the table, ate a sliced cake, and sipped coffee.
"But girl, isn't there any news that all the students he taught to paint have disappeared like bubbles?"
She shrugged. "All of that is just gossip girl, but why until now they have not proven that Mr. Gregorio was involved in their disappearance," Alyssa said. She continued to eat the cake. "I'm going girl. What a waste of an opportunity if i miss it. You know i want to be as good as Mr. Gregorio"
Maggie folded her arms. "But girl, your parents can afford to send you to a famous school. For art lovers, whatever!"
"Maggie, that’s not my point here. Mr. Gregorio is a famous painter and not only famous, but he has also won many awards and i want to be like him. And you know how much I idolize him."
"But I feel different Alyssa, like something bad, is going to happen," Maggie said.
"Sshhhh... that's enough Maggie, I'm going to San Victoria. It's a vacation, isn't it? Come with me," Alyssa added.
Maggie raised an eyebrow "No way!" Maggie replied.
Alyssa held her friend's hands
"Please? if you don't come, you might feel guilty when something bad happens to me. Because you didn't come with me." She said while sipping coffee.
Alyssa received a pinch in the ear from Maggie. "Ouch!" She complained, touching her ear.
"You made me feel guilty. Okay fine! I'll be with you, but we'll only be there for a while."
"Promise, we'll just be there for a while."
"I know you can't stand me." Alyssa smiled while hugging her friend."I'll take back what I said." Maggie joked with her."There's no deprived girl, maybe there's a handsome one there," Alyssa whispered to Maggie's ear."Oh girl, I'm loyal to my feelings for John noh!" Maggie said, looking thrilled."Why don't you try to court John? so that you don't always dream that you have a relationship with him even if you don't have one." She joked with her friend. It's a good thing that Maggie is not angry about her joke."Excuse me, girl! I admit I had a crush on John, but I'm hard to get." Maggie said arrogantly.The two friends laughed at the same time and quickly finished the meal.ONE week the two friends were preparing for their trip to San Victoria, but their parents still wouldn't let them. They just excused that it wa
Day 1; Alyssa... Alyssa...Alyssa woke up. She blinked her eyes, looked at those next to her on the bed, they are still asleep.Alyssa heard someone calling her name while she was sleeping. She got up from the bed and sat down. Her eyes were still drowsy.The girl yawned, her eyes were still drowsy. She got out of bed, went to a small table where their bottled water was placed.Her throat is dry. She picked up one bottle of water, opened it, and drank the water.She was about to go back to bed when she noticed a painting hanging on the wall, Alyssa approached the painting and stared.Nice !! She exclaimed.The beautiful ocean is in the painting. Mermaids are sitting on the rocks, various kinds of fish, and sea plants. Alyssa feels she is fascinated by what she sees. The girl slowly brings her right hand closer to the picture and gently closes her eyes.Alyssa sighed when she felt a hand pull her into the picture. She opened her eyes, s
"THANK you, Sir!" Alyssa replied. She was happy, she was told very impressively of the artist she idolizes."Rain forest?""Yes Sir," Alyssa answered cheerfully. She likes to draw forests because it is fascinating in the eyes of the people.The artist nodded.Gregorio approached some other students, they all heard good praise from him.Everyone was busy drawing so they didn't realize the time.Gregorio clapped three times. "That's enough, it's time for lunch. You can continue that again later in the afternoon."Alyssa stretched before standing up and putting away her belongings. She approached her friend. Maggie was very serious about what she was drawing.Alyssa secretly laughed at Maggie, sweat dripping down her forehead. Her friend has a lot of paint on her face and clothes."Put a red circle on the tip of your nose, you will look like a clown." Said Alyssa. The girl laughed out loud."Don't laugh, I'll hit you." Maggie
CARLOS wants Alyssa to be friends first, they are still on the stage of getting to know each other.The nervousness that Alyssa felt was replaced by disappointment at what she heard. Carlos just wants her to be his friend. Alyssa secretly laughed to herself. Assuming!"Oh! Love starts with being friends." Maggie said in a teasing voice, she was not convinced by what Carlos said.Carlos held out his right hand to the girl. "Can we be friends?" He asked the girl.Alyssa reached out his hand. The two shook hands in acceptance of each other as friends."Friends!" Alyssa replied smiling. The girl felt electricity flow through her whole body when she shook hands with him. Although Alyssa was confused about how she was feeling she still tried to act normally.Maggie approached the young man and shook hands with him.The three quickly became comfortable with each other. In a moment, the garden was filled with laughter, the young man's story was comp
SOFIA has already started to choose drawings, almost all of them have been painted but the others are not finished yet.Using the paintbrush from the artist, the two began to paint.Sofia chooses the drawing of a woman in a red hat.Miguel on the other hand is the image of a couple walking on the beach.Gregorio was sitting in front of them secretly happy. He picked up the phone on the table talking to his caretaker Mang Nestor."You already know what you're going to do," Gregorio spoke with a weak tone of voice to the person on the other phone line. Miguel looked at him. The artist smiled at Miguel and said just continue painting.Miguel smiled back at the Artist. He continued to paint again.An hour later when the two had finished, Gregorio approached them. He first looked at what Miguel had done."Great!" Gregorio applauded. "You did a good job, Miguel.""Yes!" Miguel said excitedly. Sofia glanced at him. He made a quick wink
"SOFIA's belongings aren't in the room," Charlotte said."Miguel's belongings aren't there either." Carlos also said after swallowing the food in his mouth.While Alyssa and Maggie exchanged glances. Their minds were also blank with the disappearance of the two students. The two seem to like each other. But they may not think of escaping.Alyssa choked on her last thought, she immediately took the glass filled with water and drank it."Are you okay?" Maggie asked her worriedly. "Slow down, Alyssa, there's a lot of food on the table," Maggie giggled.Alyssa scolded her friend. "Hmph! you are not funny,"Maggie just laughed at what she said."Finish the meal first. Then later, work together to find Sofia and Miguel. Maybe they were just here in the mansion, maybe they just slept somewhere." Said Gregorio, continuing to eat. "Or later, I'll tell Mang Nestor to go to town to ask questions there, maybe the two just went for a walk." He added.
GREGORIO nodded. "Teenagers are aggressive. When they want something, they immediately do it without thinking about it."The six students bowed and listened."All right, take a break. Lunch is also coming up. I'm canceling my teaching all day." He added. The students secretly enjoyed what they heard."Yes!" Noel said in a weak tone of voice."Did you say something, Noel?" Gregorio asked him."Nothing," Noel answered while nodding his head. His fellow students secretly laughed at Noel."I'm leaving, you already know the rules here inside the Mansion. When it's lunchtime, you should be in the kitchen." Gregorio reminded them."Yes Sir," they answered at once.ALYSSA was about to get out of bed. She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep after their lunch. She picked up the small alarm clock that was sitting on a table next to the bed."It's four o'clock in the afternoon," Alyssa whispered to herself. She g
"THE one there is already in love." Maggie teased her."No!" Alyssa refused, She didn't want to admit to her friend how she felt for Carlos."Your answer sounds like it's out of your nose," Maggie added and stood up. "You look good together, you're both beautiful and handsome, you're both talented. Most of all, you have the same passion!"Alyssa also got up and followed her friend who was already sitting on the bed. Alyssa also sat next to her.Maggie opened both arms and lay down on the bed."Don't worry Maggie, when Carlos becomes my boyfriend you'll be the first to know," Alyssa said almost in a whisper as she stared at the ceiling.Maggie sat up in bed at what she heard."You said you didn't like Carlos, but you hoped Carlos would be your boyfriend," Maggie laughed out loud.Alyssa seemed embarrassed. She took the pillow and slapped it on her friendMaggie also picked up a pillow and slapped Alyssa as well. And when the