SZNS SERIES 1: Summer by Maria Writes (book series for 10 year olds .TXT) 📕

"So, you organized this?"

She nodded. "Yes that, the entire show. But also, with the help of the other members, of course."

"And the lineup of the music?" her father added, still with his creepy, emotionless face.

"The performers chose the songs, because they'll be the on performing it. But I double checked it, as well as the others to see if there's something we need to change or to add." She getting more nervous as the seconds pass by. Her mother left them and went to talk to the others who are on the stage celebrating.

Finally, her father had emotions on his face that made her let out the breath that she didn't knew she was holding all along. "I was proud of you. So far this is the best concert of yours that I attended to. I'm so proud of you, pumpkin."

Good thing her father liked it, or else she'll disappoint him, and she doesn't want that to happen. She smiled at her father and give him a tight hug. After a few seconds, she freed him from her embrace and head towards the stage where her mom is talking to the rest of the team.

"If you need something, anything, don't hesitate to give us a call or tell Chloe. Her father and I will gladly help. I will also call some of my former colleagues to help as well if they can. But for now, you go back to your house, have a rest, and prepare yourselves for more things like this in the future. You all did great the entire week, and I want to congratulate you for that." Her mom step down the stage and bid their goodbye.

She sat on the stage where the others are. They all look so worn out. But she can still see the satisfaction written all over their face. They all stayed a while in the stage just laying their and stargazing. When some decided to head home, all of them followed.

They were halfway to the house when she realized Caroline is not with them, so she went back to the grounds to see if she's there, only to find Jesse still sitting on the stage. She walked towards him and sat on the space on his side.

"Why are you still out here? You should head back."  she just looks at him and it seems like he's lost in thoughts.

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier. And I talked to your mother about it. She said she's fine about us. But she threatened me."

She looked at Jesse intently who is looking at the trees in front of them. "My mother threatened you? How? What did she say?" Chloe cannot believe that her mother did that.

"See that building right there, with a very pointy thing at the roof?" Jesse said while pointing at the chapel inside the campus. Indeed, it has a pointed roof. "Your mother said, she will stab me on that thing if I tried to hurt you."

"Well, will you?"

Jesse snorted before facing her. "As if I could do that."

Her cheeks warmed at what he said. She scoots closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. They just stayed silent. Watching the stars and feeling the cool breeze of the night. It chills her and make her shiver, but the warmth coming from Jesse somehow manages to make her relax and they sit on the stage doing nothing.

Somehow, just sharing a moment like this with him already felt intimate for her. She now feels the contentment filling her heart. And in that time, she knows, it's time to work on with her unfinished poetries.

CHAPTER 12:

I’ve Got a Dream

12th day of September.

They don't have classes today because of some electrical failures in the campus. It's her birthday tomorrow but it seems like no one even remembered. She's been living with the rest of her friends for a month now, she gets it if they might not remember it because one month is not long enough to truly know one another.

But what about her parent? Or Caroline? Or Jesse? No one from them even remembered that tomorrow is her 21st birthday. It's making her feel sad. Not once in her life did her parents and her best friend forgot that it was her birthday.

Usually, her birthday is a week-long celebration, but now, nothing is happening. And it soured her already soured mood.

She got up from her bed and grabbed her mini bag sitting on her vanity then head out of the house. No one was there when she reached the bottom of the stairs so she didn't bother shouting she's going out. As she's walking out of the campus, she can feel a presence behind her.

Chloe didn't bother to look back afraid that someone following her might attack her. The gate is opened, so she walks a bit faster to the gate and was thankful that she got out of the campus unscathed. She's starting to worry when she saw no guard by the gate. She took a look back and saw no one following her.

A few minutes had passed before a cab stopped in front of her, but before she could open the car door, someone from behind her shoved a handkerchief in her face. It smelled like a very strong chemical that made her lose her balance, and lose her consciousness a little bit.

The door opened and she was ushered to get it. She can still here what's happening to her surroundings but she cannot find the strength to open her eyes.

"Is this even legal? I thought we're just going to drag her in the car. Why did you make her smell that?"

The man