Splendid Fall

Ch.6 Mirror Mirror

"I don't know why they would be jealous."

Sara tilted her head slightly to the side and peered at the funny girl, "You are so lucky, Birdie. You have him wrapped around your little finger."

Seeing the bewildered expression on Birdie's face, Sara threw her head back and gave a laugh.

"Do you not see the spell you casted over him?" She asked. "The boy is so in love with you."

Birdie's heart began to pound in her chest as a river of unfamiliar guilt started to pour through her veins instead of blood. Her head felt too heavy for her head and her lungs refused to work properly.

Anyone else would kill to be in Birdie's shoes. Adan was perfect. But why couldn't Birdie shake off the sticky guilt that was starting to coat every single cell in her body?

I like him, Birdie told herself. He's great. He's funny, charming, and attentive. My parents love him, his parents love me...we're perfect together.

"Maybe you're just lost in cloud nine," Sara teased. "Who wouldn't be when they're wrapped up in Adan's arms, am I right?"

Birdie nodded, a nervous laugh bubbled out of her as she scratched her head and tugged at her sleeves.

"It was nice seeing you Sara," she said, turning towards the portal.

"Same here," Sara said sincerely. "Hopefully next time you'll come out with us?"

"Yeah," Birdie nodded. "Hopefully."

Before Sara could say anything else and distract her once again, Birdie stepped into the portal and disappeared. Her heart ached from the suffocating guilt inside of her. Her chest began to tighten and breathing became too difficult. Birdie leaned forward and placed her hands on her knees. She forced her lungs to take in as much air as possible as she placed her hands over her ears and tried to shut out the ringing.

Suddenly, before Birdie could catch her breath, there was a loud crash.

Startled, Birdie straightened up in alarm. Her fast pace pulse climbed sky high as she looked around with wide eyes for the source of the crash.

Somewhere in the room, hidden behind shelves and boxes, a music box had toppled over the edge. The unmistakable tune of a piano ballet began to play in the silence. Birdie turned in her spot until she pinpointed just where the sound was coming from.

Her feet began to move towards the back of the room where a large desk had been pushed back against the wall. Birdie walked around the edge, searching for the music box. When she spotted the small golden box laying on the floor, she leaned over and picked it up, causing the small dancer to snap off.

"Shit," Birdie muttered, holding the ballerina in one hand and the music box in the other.

The music still played loud and clear. Birdie sat the box down and shut the lid, killing off the sound and drowning the room in silence once more.

As she stood by the desk, examining the ballerina, the back of her neck suddenly began to prickle. The eerie feeling of someone watching her crawled up her back, causing Birdie to whirl around.

"Adan?" She called out, gripping the small figurine in her hand. "Adan?"

Silence.

Before birdy could take a single step forward, the spring on the lid of the music box snapped in half, causing the box to fly open and start it's music.

"Jesus Christ!" Birdie jumped.

She picked up the lid and tried to force it back on. But the stubborn pieces would not cooperate. Birdie lifted the box to her eye level to see if she could somehow put it back together. The break wasn't too bad, she would be able to snap the pieces back like a puzzle. But the ballerina would take time. There was no way she was getting back on her pedestal without glue.