𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥, 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐱

𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲

i woke up to the sight of a certain ragdoll cat staring at me, pupils wide.

bambi meowed and spun in his spot.

i checked the time. 8:23 am. i looked back at my cat, then to my bedroom ceiling. i groaned, threw the covers of my body, and went to get both me and bambi some breakfast.

it was just another day. but things have gotten a lot better since my dreamlike experience in narnia a year ago.

i fixed a bowl of cereal as bambi munched on his food.

it was a nice day out. winter was turning into spring, and there was much more to do now.

maybe i'd take myself on a date.

i washed the dishes after finishing my breakfast, and took a shower.

i changed into a long sleeve f/c dress with a small cutout, matching platform mary janes and white leg warmers.

i pulled my hair up, letting loose strands of curls stay how they were.

after getting my bag ready, making sure i gathered my essentials (keys, lip gloss, lotion, wallet, phone, etc), there was only one thing left to put on. there were only a few rare occasions i took it off, and last night was one of them. it was the last competition of the season.

putting the necklace on always felt so nostalgic, yet so new. i could still feel the phantom warmth of caspian's being with me whenever i had it on.

the pendant was cold against my skin, but gave me both solace and connection.

i brushed my fingers over it, and sighed.

i didn't know i would miss him so much. love is such a funny thing. it can make you feel so empty, yet so full. as for me, it felt like there was a missing piece in the puzzle that was my heart. and i think i knew what that piece was.

but a while ago, i got the thought. clearly, time works differently in narnia than it does in this world. what if years have gone by there? what if things are different when i go back?

but then again, i don't think i should worry. my intuition hasn't really failed me before, so why should it now? 

i sprayed my favorite perfume, and gave myself a quick twirl in the mirror. i looked good, but more importantly, i felt good.

i kneeled down and softly cupped bambi's soft face. "i'll be back, bam. be a good boy, okay?"

bambi purred, and gave me a small meow in response. i smiled, and booped his nose. "good boy."

i picked myself back up, placed my bag over my shoulders and went on about my day.

i didn't know what i would do exactly, i just knew i wanted to spend some time with myself. so my initial thought was to get something nice to eat, maybe go to the art museum or the bookstore, do a little shopping, i don't know.

as i walked down the busy streets, i noticed a lot of little things. butterflies fluttering over freshly bloomed flowers, little kids playing in rain puddles, couples sitting at outdoor tables of restaurants having lunch. seeing those things made me happy, but only made me miss my time in narnia so much more. 

it only made me realize how much i wanted to be there. with caspian.

i shouldn't think about it too much. after all, i'm taking a day for myself. and besides, i would be back. i didn't know why all these thoughts were coming to me now. i stopped and took a breath.

after clearing my mind, i decided to get something to eat. there was a nice little restaurant nearby, so it seemed like a good choice.

time skip 

by now, i was done with lunch, and was leaving the restaurant, still tasting the faint sweetness of my dessert on my tastebuds.

the weather has gotten a bit warmer since the last time i was outside, and the clouds held some color in them. just standing there, feeling the light breeze did wonders for my mood.

when i opened my eyes, the breeze was carrying pink and purple flower petals around me, similar to those of the blossom tree in cair paravel's garden. it felt.. magical.

but just as quick as it came, it went away. i stood there, collecting my thoughts, and waiting in case something else would happen. but nothing did. with a sigh, i turned back in the direction of my apartment building. 

bambi rubbed his head against my legs as soon as i walked through the door. i picked him up. "hi, boy."

he jumped down and ran to the mirror in my room, pawing and meowing at it until i got to the room. "what? what is it?" bambi turned back to me and meowed again. i then followed my cat to my room.

'what's got him so worked up?'

i stepped up to the mirror, but all i saw was my reflection.

but then i felt a breeze, and caught the refreshing scent of the sea. the mirror then sparkled with blue, and the same flower petals came from the mirror, swirled around me once again, and went back into the mirror.

i looked down to bambi with a smile. he meowed.

my skates were sitting right next to the mirror. i picked them up and faced the shimmering mirror with certainty. "you ready to go back?" bambi stood up and jumped through. "i'll take that as a yes." and with that, i went through the mirror.