FINDING THE MISSING AMETHSYT

Chapter 1

**FINDING THE MISSING AMETHYST**

**Anastacia's POV**

**5:00 AM**

I jolted awake, my heart pounding from the shadowy figures dancing through my nightmare. In my dream, I had seen my dad in a frantic state, carefully handing over a precious gem before he dashed off, urgency etched on his face. The eerie feeling lingered as I sat up in bed, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. With a deep sigh, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and slipped my feet into my cozy bunny slippers, their softness comforting against the chill of the morning.

I made my way to the bathroom, the familiar routine grounding me. I brushed my teeth with slow, deliberate strokes, letting the minty freshness awaken my senses. Afterward, I turned on the faucet for a warm bath, allowing the steam to envelop me, and easing the tension from my body. The warmth seeped into my bones, and I indulged in a few extra moments of peace, thinking about the dream that had stirred me from my sleep. Eventually, I felt drowsy again and slipped back beneath the covers, hoping to catch a few more minutes of rest.

***55 minutes later***

A knock rattled my door, pulling me from my brief slumber. I groggily recognized my brother Aaron's voice calling out to me.

"Ana, are you awake?"

Before I could respond, he opened the door and stepped inside, a bright smile on his face.

"Yeah, hey," I replied, rubbing my sleepy eyes.

"Hey Lil A! How are you doing today?" he asked, his enthusiasm infectious.

"I'm fine," I replied, a little more awake now but still struggling to shake off the remnants of my dream.

"He's not buying it," I thought, but I kept the thought to myself.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Yeh," I said, a little too quickly, hoping to divert his attention.

"Alright," he finally conceded, checking his watch. "Let's grab breakfast and get to school before we're late."

We both made our way downstairs, the faint sound of sizzling filling the air as we entered the kitchen. The comforting aroma of pancakes beckoned us closer.

"Morning, Mom!" I called cheerfully, trying to mask my lingering unease.

"Morning, Aaron! Here's your breakfast," Mom replied, placing a steaming plate of fluffy pancakes in front of him.

I glanced at the counter, searching for my meal. "Where's mine???" I asked, feigning confusion.

"You can have mac and cheese leftovers," she said casually as if it were the most natural breakfast choice in the world.

"Of course, you'd say that," I murmured under my breath, half-rolling my eyes.

"What did you say?" she asked, turning to me with a curious expression.

"Nothing," I replied quickly, shooting her an innocent smile.

Aaron chuckled, sensing the familiar morning banter. "Alright, um... Mom, we'll leave now," he said, trying to keep things moving as we gathered our things for school.

With a bit of reluctance, I followed him, knowing that the day ahead would bring challenges-but I couldn't shake the feeling that my dream held some hidden meaning, waiting to unfold.

As we finally made our way out of the house and into the early morning light, the excitement of heading to school was palpable. Aaron maybe Mom's favorite-it's hard to deny that-but he never takes that for granted and is always kind to me. I settled into the plush seats of Aaron's sleek BMW, a birthday gift from Mom that he adored. The engine purred softly as we cruised through the familiar streets, the sun glinting off the car's polished surface.