"Are you excited for today?" She asks and I nod with a smile as I take a bite of my cereal.
"Will Dad be joining?" I ask and she shakes her head.
"Your father has things to do for his work at the moment." She says but gives me a hopeful smile. "But he said he will make some time to do it another time." I nod and take my bowl up to the sink. "Don't worry about the dishes, just get ready to go."
"Alright." I smile and go upstairs to change and put my shoes on. I make my way down stairs and wait for mom to be done. Eventually she appears.
"All ready?" She says and I nod. "Let's go!"
~~~~~~~~~
The walk was fun, but mom mainly talked about things going on at work and new chores that will have to be done because of a new subject mom got promoted to.
"Mom, could we maybe talk about something else?" I ask and she looks at me confused.
"Why?" She questions and before I could say anything she speaks again. "Is it because of the chores? Hun, you know that you have to do your part while we're gone."
"Mom, that's not why. It's because I thought we were going on a peaceful walk, not just one where you name off a list of things to do while you're gone." I say and she looks at me, her eyes narrowed.
"Young lady, watch your tone. You don't ever do anything else so stop being lazy and learn to do your part."
"I'm not being lazy!" I shout at her and she looks at me disappointed. "Look, I just wanted to have a nice walk with each other and avoid fighting for once."
"We are having a nice walk." She says ignoring what I said. "If this isn't peaceful to you then that's just pathetic." She gives me a small smile when I frown. "Cheer up, hun."
"Cheer up? After you just practically called me pathetic?" I say and she goes to grab my hand but I move away. "No, I'm done. No wonder I had more fun any where else I went, you just make it worse no matter where I am!" She recoils as if I burned her.
"You take that back, young lady." She says and I start walking away from her. When she tries to catch up, I just run even faster. I'm going to that cave. It's the only place I'm familiar with so I'll just take a break there for a bit.
---------
"Hello?" I say loudly as I move through the thicket. There were birds chirping around me and I wondered if one of them was the bird from last night. "I have no idea what in the world I'm doing, but if someone's there then I could use some help." I sigh when there was no response. I made my way through the end of the thicket of trees and see the stone building appear. I half wait for a moment in case the woman appeared again but no one was there. My foot moves forward and before I knew it, I was walking towards the building. On the way there, I spot a girl who was in the garden. Her hair was in two braids as she was keeping herself busy in the garden. When I addidently step on a twig nearby, she looks up, sees me, and runs inside.
Oh gosh, please don't announce me being here.
My eyes widen as I look around for some were to hide but it was too late. I see the all too familiar women making her way out through the garden, but her serious demeanor changes when she spots me. She almost seems like she was expecting someone?
When she walks up to me, my worry seems to ease a little.
"Well hello there again, dear." She says when she comes up to me. "You have Fiona a fright for a moment." When I thought she was mad I look up to find her smile still there. She holds out her hand. "Apologies for no introductions last time we met. My name is Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine, but you may call me Miss Peregrine." I smile a little as I shake her hand.
"Y/n. Y/l/n." I say and she smiles.
"A pleasure to meet you, y/n." She says and she goes to walk over to the home. "Would you like to come inside?"
Did I really have a choice? Imagine showing up on someone's home unexpected and then you leave when they make an offer for you to come inside. That would just be rude.
I nod and she leads me inside to what she calls the Home for Peculiars.
"So basically, this home is for people who have talents that no one else has...?" I ask and she looks down at me with a smile.
"Precisely. Everyone here has a talent that normals would not react to very well. My job is to protect them as my own and to help everyone with their gifts." She explains.
"But how can you tell if someone is peculiar? I mean, can't anyone enter?"
"Only people who are peculiar can enter. That is why when you tried to invite your friend here, she wasn't able to." She says and I give her an uneasy look.
"How do you know about that?" I say and she gives me a look that was so similar to the falcon last night. She opened her mouth to answer when someone came running out the house. It was a boy who seemed to be about 16. A year younger than me. He had short black hair and he seemed in a hurry when he ran out.
"Oh y/n, this is Jacob. Jacob this is y/n." Miss Peregrine introduces us and he gives me a glare instead that slowly dissolves my smile.
"Is she a wight?" He asks and Miss Peregrine gives him a look.
"Now Jacob, don't be rude. She is a new guest that we will be having tonight." She says as she gives me a smile. "Besides, you already know that that time period is over." She says to Jacob who gives me another glare.
"I don't trust her." He says and goes back over to the girl in the garden. I think her name was Fiona?
"Don't worry about Jacob." I hear Miss Peregrine say and she laughs a little. "He can be like that with new people sometimes." I give her a small smile and we continue towards the house.
"Is it alright if I asked you something?" I say.
"Of course, dear." She says.
"When we first met, you said something about a loop? What exactly... is that?"
"Well, there are hidden places all over the world known as 'Time Loops'. Loops are occurrences, which only a ymbryne can conduct, where a date repeats over and over. A peculiar living within a loop experiences the same day, but they retain their memories with each reset. And living within a loop, a peculiar barely ages at all." She explains.
"Can anyone make loops?" I ask and she shakes her head.
"Loops can only be conducted by ymbrynes such as myself."
"Sorry for all the questions, but what exactly is a ymbryne?"
"A ymbryne can of course make loops, but they also have the power to manipulate time. Therefore that helps with making the loops. We also of course have the ability to change into a bird, but if you ask me that's the least needed ability." She says with a smile, almost like she was hinting at something. Wait a moment.
"You said you're Miss Peregrine, right?" I ask and she nods. My walking seems to slow down as I thought more about it. It all started to make sense. The falcon in my room last night and on the porch, I was seeing her the whole time?! My face turned red as I thought of all the things I said to her thinking it was just a bird. I can't believe the thought never came to me. But then again I thought this was just some house my mom forgot to mention. Oh shoot, my mom! I left her back there and ran in here and totally lost track on how long I was gone and-
"Dear, are you alright?" I look up to find Miss Peregrines gaze on me as I noticed I stopped walking.
"Yes, sorry." I say as I go back to walking and catch up to her. Her gaze doesn't seem to leave as I look down at the ground. I'm so going to be grounded. I still have to do my chores and on top of that a lecture. I feel like I was going to pass out from everything. The new information, leaving my mom like that, making me seem insane in front of Sarah when I was really telling the truth the whole time.
A new thought erupted and made me feel sick for a moment. Only Peculiars can enter. Does that mean I am peculiar? I never noticed anything before though....
"Y/n, are you sure you're feeling well?" I hear Miss Peregrine say and I look up to find her worried gaze. "You look rather pale." I give her a smile.
"I'm good, just probably should be heading back." I say, feeling guilty for leaving so soon.
"Wouldn't you like to stay for while?" She asks and I shake my head.
"I'm really sorry, but I might have sort of left my mom so I have to head back or else I am going to be lectured." I laugh a little. "Well, now that I think of it that night happen either way."
"Will you plan to return?" She asks and I can't say no. Besides, I can always find a way to visit. Make the most out of it. Before school starts.
"Of course." I say and she gives me a small smile.
"If you need help heading back let me know." She says gently as she puts her hand on my shoulder before I leave.
"Will do." I say with a smile as I turn to leave.
I thought I was just talking to a bird. That would be the ordinary thought, right?
~~~~~~~~~~~