Chapter 1

Silence... a warning that time was running out. He held her closer to his body.

"I don't have much time..." Cassiopeia whispered, of course he already knows that. He can't just accept it. He wanted to do something, anything just to keep her alive.

"Please don't say that." he said softly and touched her face, memorizing every detail of it. She shook her head, “You know I'm bound to die eventually." she said, stubborn as always and he smiled sadly.

He's going to miss that attitude of hers, "Let's just---

***

"KAIAAAAA!" I winced at the loud voice who interrupted me doing my work. I was already on the good part and now my concentration was lost.

I glared at my best friend who entered my room panting, probably because he ran all the way here. I looked at him and saw sweat fall from his face. Still, he looked handsome for me. Then he looked at me and smiled.

That smile... one of the reasons why I fell for him. Yes, I know, pretty cliché for a girl liking her best friend and of course he didn’t know. He’ll never know, I wouldn't want to risk our friendship now. Also, he's the closest friend I have.

I have other friends of course, but he's the only one I can freely show my true self.

"Gift for you." I snapped out of my daze and looked at him in embarrassment.  "I'm sorry what is it?" I asked, he shook his head and playfully flicked my forehead. "Ow." as he took a seat on my bed, "Apparently, you're still in writing mode."

I rolled my eyes, "come on, Xander, tell me already."

He grabbed something from his pocket and my brows furrowed in confusion, he handed me an envelope and grinned. "Well, my beloved best friend, I have great news from your dream university. Go ahead and open it."

I excitedly opened it and my eyes widened as soon as I read what was on it. It's an invitation to a writing contest from the university.

"Oh my gosh! How'd you get this?"

Xander fumbles with his hands, "I went there to visit my brother and I was about to leave when I noticed some people crowding at a table. I went to take a closer look and saw that it's a signup contest about writing, it says that anyone can join, even outsiders. I know how you love writing and considering that is your dream school... I signed you up there and they gave me this."

I kissed him on the cheek, and we look at each other. I'm really thankful to have him as my best friend.

We stared at each other with anticipation, and I realized, is this the part where we're going to kiss? He started to lean in, and I started freaking out.

'He's going to kiss me. he's going to kiss me...'  I closed my eyes and waited for him to kiss me, but instead...

"Eww!" he exclaimed as he wiped his cheeks, I rolled my eyes at him with the feeling of discontent and went back to my table.

Way to ruin the moment, I thought bitterly.

The genre for the contest is Romance and Tragedy, and so far, the only story that fitted that category is the one I'm currently writing. The deadline for this is two months from now. I looked at my story and began to calculate the days before I can finish it.

Again, I was snapped out of my reverie when Xander leaned in t look at my work. His face's so close to mine that I can smell his perfume.

I immediately closed my notebook, silently praying that he hadn't read too much of what I was writing.

Xander folded his arms across his chest and raised an index finger under his chin, "Alexander. Wonder where you got that from." he grinned mischievously. My face went red from embarrassment, and I pushed him away. That happened twice already!

"Shut up! It's not you, okay? I just can't think of any other name for a guy." I reasoned out. He started to whistle, clearly not buying my excuse. "Whatever you say Kaia."

I sighed and looked at my work again. It is impossible to finish this if I don't work on it every day. "I hope I can finish this in time for the contest, I still have to edit and revise this after." I told him.

"Well, I know you can, but first, you can start by continuing what I interrupted a while ago." As he said this, he grabbed the pen and put it in my hand. I faced him and smiled, "Again, Thank you so much."

"Anything for you..." he returned the smile, and I shrugged the tingling feeling away and ignore the butterflies in my stomach.

"You're the best, best friend ever." As I said that, his smile gradually faded.

"I er… I got to go. I still have um... work to do, so, yea..." He left before I could even say anything.

That was weird, he's always like that whenever I mention the word best friend. Sometimes I can't help but think that maybe... he wants to be something else, something more than just being best friends. But he never seemed to see me as anything more, so I try to not get my hopes up.

I breathed exasperatedly, trying to clear my head. I glanced at the calendar hanging on my door frame, "two months 'til the deadline," I opened my notebook and continued my story.

***

"Let's just forget about that." he said and kissed her forehead before tucking her to bed. "Now go to sleep, my love." and she closed her eyes before going to a deep slumber.

***

I must've fallen asleep while writing my story, I opened my eyes slowly and sat up. My first instinct was to get my pen and notebook, but when I tried to get it, it's not on my side table. Wait, this isn't my side table…

I inspected my surroundings and frowned, noticing green sheets, but mine's purple. My eyes shifted to my right, there's a drawing table with crumpled papers scattered randomly underneath it, a stuffed frog lying on the floor, and a bunch of other things that was unfamiliar. Something's wrong here… This room is exactly like the one I described in my story, if I remembered correctly, this is... This is not my room.

What. The. Heck.

I stood up to look around, then the door opened, and a girl came in.

Please tell me I'm still sleeping. This is just a dream, right? How can I be in her room? Her, of all people. I mean how can this be.

"You're awake!" the girl said cheerfully. That blonde hair, pale skin, green eyes-- "Cassiopeia." I muttered. I started to panic, unbelievable, she's real. She's right in front of me, talking! and here I am inside her room.

"How did you know my name?" The girl asked and tilted her head in confusion.  Oh no... oh no, oh no. Why did I just blurt out her name? I can't just tell her the truth. That she's just a character from my story. She'll think I'm crazy.

I began to look around the room, "uh I saw it on your drawings, they look good by the way." I added quickly.

She glanced at them. That was a close one, "do you like them?" she smiles in question, and I nodded.

"So... I know this may be kind of weird to ask but... How did I end up here?" She moved towards her bed and grabbed her stuffed frog hugging it, I felt myself shiver as she does that. How can I not be when my story's coming to life right in front of my eyes?

"I found you asleep on my front porch. You were shivering in the cold, so I decided to bring you inside." What? How did that happen? This is getting creepier by the second. "I'm sorry but I really can't remember how I got here." I said in utter confusion.

She laughed and shook her head, clearly amused, I don't even know what's funny with what I've said.

"Maybe it's destiny" she spoke as she moved around the room and sat down in front of a blank canvas that was positioned a few steps from me.

"Destiny?"

"Yeah, you know. It was destiny that brought you here for a certain reason."

"What reason would that be?" I asked, completely baffled at her statement. No reason came into mind as to why I would be transported inside my own story. None of these just makes sense.

"I don't know, but I'm excited to find out." She smiles and grabs a charcoal next to her, she then began to draw in front of me. Glancing at me every now and again.

Well... This is awkward. I was about to say something, but she stopped me. "No! Don't move!" she exclaimed.

So, I didn’t, and I was completely frozen in a quite uncomfortable position. I wanted to move but at the same time she looked so engrossed to what she was doing that I didn't want to ruin her momentum and let her do as she will. I wanted to ask her what she was doing but didn't. I merely stared at her, and she giggled.

"I'm drawing you, silly." 

"O-oh..."

My own character drawing me. How cool is that? I didn't move for almost an hour and when she was finished, she showed it to me and all the pain I felt in my body was immediately washed away as I saw her work. I looked at it in awe.

Of course, I knew that she was a great artist, she is my character after all, but nevertheless, I was still very much impressed. "This is amazing!"

I handed the canvas back to her and she stood up to put it beside her other drawings. I examined her shelves and saw rows of ribbons and medals, and on the other side of her room hang pictures of Alexander and her.

She followed my gaze and reached out to get one of the pictures. She looked at solemnly, her eyes staring longingly at their portrait. She lightly traced the canvas with her fingertips, brushing along as a smile shakily creeps up at her face, she heaved a sigh and held it closer to her chest with her eyes closed.

She wasn't longing nor was she reminiscing. She was cherishing the portrait and every little detail of it, just like how she and alexander are cherishing their last few moments together, and I am well aware of the reason why.

Because that's what I decided, that's what I wanted to happen, because this is my story.

And in my story, Cassiopeia was meant to die.

She slowly opens her eyes and stared at the portrait before turning to me, "Isn't it sad that no matter how much you love each other, fate just has a way of ruining things and tearing you apart?"

I felt something tugged inside me, and I suddenly had a hard time looking directly into her eyes. She doesn't know that I was the one who created her, nor was I the one who gets to decide their fate and made it, so she had to die in the end. Yet I immensely felt the guilt building up inside as she stared at me with that broken smile and teary eyes.

This is the story I created, a beautiful yet tragic love story. But now, I regret the idea of killing her.

"What's his name?" I asked although having already known the answer to that.

"Alexander," she says proudly.

Alexander. The perfect boyfriend was how I described him, funny, caring, and a patient guy who'll do anything for Cassiopeia.

She places the canvas back along with the others when the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be him!"

I followed her to the living room before she opens the door, revealing a tall young man. "Hey beautiful" he greeted her with a hug. Noticing my presence, I gave him a sheepish wave.

"Oh, that's uhm..." Cassiopeia trails off, scratching the side of her face. "Er, I'm sorry but I didn't get your name." 

"I'm Kaia" I said with a smile.

"Kaia, what a pretty name," Cassiopeia complimented and I muttered a soft thank you. “I found her asleep on my front porch and was freezing to death, so I decided to bring her inside" she explains. Alexander smiled at me in acknowledge. "Pleasure to meet you, Kaia. I'm Alexander."

After our respective short introductory speeches, Cassiopeia led us to the dining area where she served a stack of pancakes at the middle of the table.       

"Mm this pancake's good." I said after taking a bite from my share.

"Cass makes the best blueberry pancake in this town." Alexander brags and Cassiopeia playfully slapped his arms. "Oh please, It's just pancake. Everyone can make one."

"Not as good as yours." Alex added and Cass kissed him on the cheek.  Looking at their interaction made me wonder, what if Xander and I were like that? I shook my head; No Xander will just cringe at that thought.

After finishing my meal, I slowly stood up. "Thank you for letting me stay here and for those pancakes, which I may add were very delicious, but I better go now."

Cass stood up as well. "Go where? I thought you had no idea how you got here? Surely you wouldn’t know how to go back." Realizing this, I groaned. I still don't have a single clue as to how I ended up here. I needed answers to the questions forming in my mind. How did I get here? and how would I go back to my own world?

*"Kaia..."*

"Huh?" I abruptly turned around at the distant and vague sound of name being called, "Kaia? What's wrong?" Cassiopeia asks with a worried look on her face. "I think I just heard someone call me,"

*"KAIA!"*

"There it is again! Can’t you hear it?" I turned to look at the couple with me and my eyes widened as they began to slowly fade away. "Cassiopeia? Alexander?" their words began to sound muffled as they became blurry every second. "What's happening?" I started to panic but all I could do was to reach out to them until they faded into nothing.

"KAIA!"

I jolted awake from my bed and the first thing I saw was Xander shaking me. "Xander?" I asked dumbfounded. "Finally, you're awake! I've been trying to wake you for minutes, it’s already noon." what???