Chapter 2 The Perfect Day

The alarm exploded at 6:49am.

Ariya groaned, slapping it twice, and finally forced herself upright. Her hair fell messily over her face in a funny way, refusing to cooperate with the day's agenda.

"Ugh... morning. My least favorite fantasy," she muttered.

She dragged herself into the bathroom, half awake, turning on the tap. Cold water hit her face, snapping her slightly into reality. She brushed her teeth in silence, then wrapped herself in a bathrobe and wandered back into her room like a sleepwalker.

Her phone lit up the moment she picked it up, connecting straight to her boombox.

Music started playing instantly.

"Cool Girl" by Tove Lo filled the space. Ariya leaned against the wall, mouthing the lyrics lazily as she got ready.

By 7:10am, she was dressed.

A cream cropped sweater tucked into high waisted beige trousers, tightened neatly with a slim brown belt. A wristwatch on her hand. White sneakers completing the look.

Simple enough. At least until people looked too closely.

She stood in front of the mirror, tying her dark hair into a ponytail. A few strands slipped free — and in that small movement, the flower shaped tattoo at the back of her neck briefly showed.

Ariya caught it in the mirror and smiled.

"Still my best feature," she said softly to herself.

Downstairs, the smell of coffee and food filled the house.

Her father sat at the kitchen island with his usual newspaper, pretending to read but clearly waiting for her.

"Morning, Dad," Ariya said, bending slightly to grab her bag.

Before she could straighten up, his hand reached out and gently pulled her hair tie loose.

"Ahaa... Dad!" she groaned immediately. "I spent twenty minutes on that!"

He didn't react to her complaint. His voice was calm but firm.

"You don't have to show people your gift, Ariya."

She sighed dramatically, stuffing food in her mouth as if she could chew the conversation away.

"You worry too much," she mumbled.

Her father watched her quietly, concern written all over his face and eyes.

Ariya slung her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door.

"Bye! Wish me luck!"

The morning air was cool from last night's rain. The streets were still damp, reflecting sunlight like glass.

Ariya walked with earphones in, music playing, steps light and confident.

"I'm a cool girl…" she sang under her breath, spinning once on the sidewalk.

A car rushed past—

SPLASH. Mud from the ground splashed her staining her shoes she stopped looking down contemplating whether the exams was really necessary.

"Perfect, Soggy luck for exam day." She said flatly realizing the need to write the exam.

By the time she reached campus, the atmosphere had already shifted.

Students filled the halls — some panicking, some revising last minute notes, others pretending a confidence they didn't feel.

Inside the exam hall, Ariya spotted her best friend Lina immediately.

Lina was already there, waving a pencil like a weapon.

"You finally made it!" Lina whispered. "I swear one day you'll wake up and the world will already have ended without you."

Ariya smirked as she sat down. "If it ends before the exam then I win."

Lina laughed softly. Just then the supervisor walked in.

"Alright everyone," the woman said firmly. "Phones off. No talking. You have two hours. I'll be watching."

Ariya leaned slightly towards Lina, whispering, "She sounds like she enjoys suffering."

"Shh," Lina mouthed back, trying not to laugh.

The papers were handed out.

"Write your name, ID, and subject. Once I say start, the clock begins."

Ariya mouthed silently at Lina: the clock starts ticking…

Lina snorted.

"Lina," the supervisor snapped instantly.

Lina froze. Ariya slowly turned her head forward, innocent.

Two hours later — "Time's up!"

Ariya dropped her pen and leaned back, exhaling deeply like she had just survived something life threatening.

Her brain felt cooked.

Lina stretched. "That wasn't so bad."

Ariya stared at her. "That was mental warfare."

Outside the hall the tension dissolved instantly.

"So…" Ariya said, adjusting her bag. "Which party are we going to?"

Lina blinked. "Wow. No 'how did you do?' No emotional recovery time? Just straight to chaos?"

Ariya raised a brow. "We just finished a final exam Lina. That deserves celebration, not therapy."

Lina sighed dramatically. "Dax's place. Tonight."

"Perfect."

By nightfall the city was alive.

Lights spilled across wet streets. Music pulsed before they even entered.

Ariya and Lina stepped inside together.

Heat slammed into them the second they entered. Music shook the walls, people shouted over each other, and someone nearly spilled a drink on Ariya within five seconds..

Dax found them before they even got through the crowd.

"You actually came!" he said, beaming bright, throwing his arms wide like he was accepting an award.

"Please, Dax, don't make it weird," Ariya said, rolling her eyes but the smile gave everything off.

"Too late," Lina muttered, smiling.

He laughed loud. "Enjoy yourselves princesses." And disappeared back into the chaos just as quickly as he'd appeared.

Ariya watched him go. "He's a lot."

"It's his birthday," Lina said.

"Still."

"Touch grass Ariya, I need something strong to get me through this party." Lina said, walking into the crowd.

Ariya made her way to the bar.

"Something strong," she said. "But not boring."

The bartender smirked. "Bourbon is king."

"Alright then." She said, flashing him a smile.

She took the glass and turned back into the crowd—

Immediately the DJ changed the song.

Ariya stopped.

"Don't," she whispered to herself. "Don't you dare."

Then it came through the speakers—

"I'm addictive, baby, what you want me to do?"

TYLA.

She set her bourbon down on the nearest surface without looking.

And walked straight into the crowd.

She didn't think.

Just moved.

At first it was just her — eyes half closed, body finding the beat like it had always known where it lived. Unbothered, just living the best of her life.

Then Lina materialized out of nowhere like she always did.

"YOU ABANDONED YOUR DRINK!" she shouted over the music.

"IT ABANDONED ME FIRST!" Ariya shouted back.

Lina stared at her for exactly one second then joined in immediately, and within seconds both of them were laughing too hard to care how stupid they looked.At one point Ariya climbed onto a small step near the wall, hands raised.

"We were never made to stay silent — we were born to burn bright!"

And for a moment the whole room felt like it agreed.

Ariya slipped out of the room for some fresh air then she sat at the pool side.

The moon was out.

But not the way she'd seen it before. It hung there differently tonight — glowing with something she didn't have a word for, pulling her gaze like it had something to say. Like if she just leaned forward enough it might actually reach down and touch her.

She felt herself leaning.

"Why are you stretching your hands Ariya?" Lina's voice cut through.

She snapped back.

"It looks different," Ariya said, not embarrassed, just honest. "More than I normally see it. Beautiful. Mythic."

Lina sat close beside her, following her gaze upward.

For a moment neither of them said anything.

"That was…" Ariya paused, then laughed softly. "Perfect."

"I'm blaming you for everything tomorrow," Lina said.

Ariya glanced at her. "You'll thank me tomorrow."

Lina scoffed. "You wish."

"Yeah," Ariya said. "I know you will."

They stayed there for a moment, the city glowing around them, music faint behind the walls.

"Perfect day," Ariya said softly.

Lina raised a brow. "It's night."

"Can't you let me have a moment?"

Lina scoffed. "Nah, your moment is lame."

Ariya turned slowly.

"Look who is talking. Tck tck."

Lina blinked. Mouth open. Completely lost for words.

"You didn't expect me to accept defeat did you?"

Lina shook her head slowly, looking at her best friend like she was a whole mystery.

After the party they bid goodbye and went to their various homes.

When Ariya reached home, everywhere was calm.

She pushed the door open carefully and slipped inside.

The house was dark.

She glanced at the time on her phone. 3:30am.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Without wasting time she tiptoed across the floor, each step careful, controlled, almost invisible in the silence.

She reached her room and gently pushed the door open.

She slipped inside, closed the door softly behind her, and let out a long breath.

For a moment she just stood there in the darkness.

Then she dropped onto her bed.

Her body relaxed, her thoughts slowed, and the weight of the night finally disappeared.

Not long after, sleep pulled her under—

And Ariya drifted into her fairyland.