You didn't have a particularly exciting life....okay that's a lie. You were a world renowned author with a dream to write one book for every genre that existed. The only problem was...you were horrible at writing love stories.
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"Y . . . N." . . . "Y/N?" . . "Oi! Wake up, dumbass!"
With a gasp, you jolt upright in bed. The sun hasn't even begun peeking through your windows, and the cold night breeze slips inside, carrying the faint smell of morning dew.
You glance to your side and suppress a groan. Your annoying roommate is staring at you with pure irritation.
"Your annoying cat won't stop meowing! I need my beauty sleep!"
Turning toward the door, you see your beautiful calico baby staring up at you. It must be around four in the morning; she's always an early riser.
"Yah, yah. You knew about my cat when you moved in," you mutter. "If you don't like it, then please move out and tell your mom I helped for as long as I could."
Selena rolls her eyes and storms out in a huff. She's new to the city, and her mom asked you to let her stay. You would have said no, but your mom begged. Apparently, your mom owed that woman a favor; and you love your mom too much to refuse. Still, you're starting to regret it... a lot.
Your cat saunters back to her bed and curls up. She never actually wants to go out in the morning. Honestly, it feels like she does it just to mark her territory; a subtle reminder to Selena that this is her home and she'll do as she pleases. You don't really mind; you're a heavy sleeper. What's aggravating is how often you're woken violently by that woman.
Since sleep won't be coming back to you, you decide to just get up and start your day. At least it's early; no one will be on the roads yet.
Swinging your legs off the bed, you let the coolness of the wood wrap around your feet as you stretch your arms overhead. A satisfying pop cracks your shoulders. Stretching first thing in the morning is good for you.
Reaching for your glass of water, you pop your daily morning vitamin into your mouth and wash it down. Hydration is key to a productive day! ...You think.
Noticing your phone is unplugged, you sigh and plug it back in. So much for scrolling through a few videos before actually getting up. No matter.
You walk to your closet and pull out a tank top, jogging shorts, and socks. Since your job involves a lot of sitting, you make it a point to exercise regularly. It's easy in your line of work to gain weight. There isn't anything wrong with that, but considering the long hours you spend writing, it could lead to serious health issues.
Kissing your baby goodbye, you grab your watch, strap it on, and head out of your room. On the way outside, you snag the water bottle you keep on the counter.
Your home isn't big; a one-story house with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Both your room and Selena's have their own full bathrooms, while the smaller bathroom near the entrance is just a toilet and sink.
The backyard, though, is your favorite: a wide oasis of greenery with a gazebo in the middle and a mini pond full of koi fish. Every inch of your home is decorated with comfort in mind, as if it were built solely for relaxation.
The third bedroom is technically your office, but the truth is your whole house becomes your office when you're in the flow.
As you start your jog, the crisp autumn breeze hits your face, and you can't help but smile. You hate summer — you thrive in the coldness of the later seasons. Most people get seasonal depression around this time, but not you. You thrive off this weather the way phytoplankton thrive off sunlight.
...Bad analogy? Maybe. Meh.
Halfway through your run, the air feels damper. It's going to rain. You pick up the pace, deciding to head back home before the downpour.
But you stop suddenly when a flyer stapled to a tree catches your eye. You hate when people do that. Snatching it off, you frown as you read: it's an advertisement for a hotel in China. More specifically, the real attraction is a well.
According to the flyer, visiting the well clears creative blocks and reveals the steps you need to accomplish your goals.
Yeah, right. And if someone looks you in the eyes, you'll suddenly sprout wings and fly off as a pig.
Crumbling the flyer into a ball, you stuff it into your pocket and jog the rest of the way home. Luckily, you hadn't gone far. You make it back just in time for the first drops of rain to splatter against your pavement.
Success!
Inside, you find Selena angrily packing a backpack.
"Huh? Why are you up?" you ask.
She shoots you an annoyed look. "My stupid boss called me. Apparently someone in the office leaked important documents."
Yikes...
"So now we all have to surrender our laptops for investigation. Might not be home tonight, so I can't close down the house."
Every night, the last person home is in charge of "closing" the house: turning off the lights, unplugging cables, locking the doors. Usually that's Selena, since she gets home late. But tonight, it'll be you.
Finally, some time to yourself.
"Ah, okay. That's fine. See you around, then."
You grab a cheese danish from the cabinet, giggling softly to yourself, and retreat to your room for a much-needed nap.
But when you walk in, your phone is blowing up with texts. Sighing, you check the screen. It's your publisher. They've been bugging you for a timeframe for your new book, and you've been too embarrassed to admit you're dealing with writer's block.
The phone buzzes again — a call this time. You groan but answer.
From the other end, a cheerful voice sings out: your publicist, Serona.
"Hey, sugar cube! How you doing this stormy morning?"
You glance out the window at the storm clouds and the soft pitter-patter of raindrops streaking the glass. A smile tugs at your lips.
"Oh, I'm doing wonderful. Actually, I'm going to China this week for a much-needed vacation."
That's a lie.
"Oh, well I have news!" Serona chirps. "There's a publishing firm in China that's been reaching out to me. Vox Ghostwriting? They want to fly you out to discuss your new book. They want to make a deal. Since we're your main agency, we'd get a cut, but most of the profit goes to you and them."
You pause. Sounds like a scam...
"Don't worry, I already verified their credibility," she adds quickly. "They're legit. In fact, they're the most profitable company there right now. Are you interested?"
You're about to say no, but then she drops the real hook:
"All expenses paid. Food, hotel, first-class flight... and you can bring your cat."
Lilith can tag along? Hell yeah.
"Okay, I don't see why not. Send me the details, and I'll start packing."
You hear her giggle as she types something in the background.
"Trust me, you won't regret it. Just remember to pack warm clothes. I hear the resort is near a mountain, and they've been getting a lot of snow."
With that, she hangs up.
Turning toward Lilith, you see her lazily stretch before curling back into her bed.
"Should I knit you a blanket?" you ask.
She glances at you, blinks slowly, and promptly ignores you again.
Taking that as a yes, you pull out your knitting needles. "You won't regret it, baby."
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Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! And can I say....I love y/n already!
