My Imaginary Friend

“Dalia, What are you doing?!” I could hear my mother yell outside the door of my room and I quickly said, “Well, go for now! Come back after an hour or so. Okay?” my whisper yelled as I said to a blank wall in front of me, though, there was someone in my mind. I walked to the door and opened it and looked at her, “ I can hear your laugh, in the basement. Who’re you talking with, so loudly?” She said exasperating. I blinked a few times, and replied “Friend?” “Which friend? “ She asked suspiciously.

“Thalia mom!” I said frowning at her clear suspicion. “Who’s Thalia?" “Friend!” I said. “I never heard of that girl” She said raising her eyebrows.

At this I was quite speechless. She wasn't wrong -“Ring-Ring!!” “Someone’s at the door" I said averting her questions to the person outside. She rolled her eyes and walked downstairs to the door. I skipped steps, and followed her to see who would come in the afternoon at leisure times.

My mum opened the door and a bright tan faced girl stood beaming merrily. She was somehow familiar. Very familiar. Her brown hair was braided messily and bandana tied around it. She looked very punkish, with hair ties around her wrists and funky chains around her neck. “Hi Dalia! Hello, Mrs. Carson.” She said as if she knew us for ages.

My mum, looked at my face with a funny look but the girl who was almost around my age pushed past her and got inside. “Why’re you looking at me like that?” She said standing in between me and my mother. “Who is this girl? Very disagreeable manners. Out of this house, this instant! Didn’t your parents teach you, to not prank strangers.?” My mother advanced her with insults and scoldings but she only replied quiet abashed. “I’m Thalia Mrs. Carson. Don’t you know me? And as for my parents, they’re no more."

“Thalia!?” I yelped quizzically but was quick to cover the confusion in my voice and replied. “ Oh, yeah, Thalia. You’re early. I was merely talking to you seconds ago.” I laughed coughing. to avoid the tension in the air and grabbed her hand and yanked her on the stairs, leaving a confused mum on the doorstep.

As soon we were in the room, I shut the door and looked with an expression saying ‘who are you and why are you here?’

“You called me, remember?” She said plopping on the bed. “We talk everyday Dalia. How can you be so surprised?” She said laughing slightly. “Well, because - because you’re not real. You’re- you were just an imagination.”

“Touch me" She said holding the palm of her hand. I was a bit startled but nevertheless held her hand. It was warm. Something I could hold on forever. “See?” She said before pulling me on the bed. It was nice having someone here. I had no friends, but I must be cautious. She could be a criminal too. “Dalia?!” I heard faint knock, and I said “Come in." My mother came with a tray of cookies and placed them on the table, and sighed and looked at Thalia, “I’m sorry dear. I just didn’t know you. Sorry about your parents ” “It’s alright Mrs. Carson. You didn’t kill em" She said laughing and taking a cookie. Slightly relieved, mum left the room. She never liked having apologies on her list.

“So, where do you live?” I asked to know her a bit better. “In your head" She said pointedly. My eyes widened again, but she only laughed. I looked at her, attempting to leave, but she replied “Just kidding, I live in the Appleberry street, in that dingy ‘Maven’s Mansion’ Apartment. Funny he calls that flat a mansion” She snorted having another cookie. “These are nice" She said holding them in front of her eyes. “How do you know me?” “Do you have amnesia? We’re friends. I was always there with you. Since the day you were born." She said cheerfully and smiled. That one word made me forget all the other things in plate. Friends. Never had them. But, Maybe I just thought that. I had a lot more second opinion on this girl and she seemed to lovely in her cherry spirit it was hard not to smile. Maybe my imaginary friend was real.

“Now, there’s the girl I know" She said as I smiled. After finishing the plate and talking with her, it seemed like we were really friends. Like since infancy. It seemed I knew her and she me like the back of our hands. All the while, since it was still blazing and a gay afternoon, we enjoyed it in the house. “Why’d you keep these windows shut. You should let the light in Dala. Or maybe I’m the light of your life” She said opening the curtains and grabbing my hand. We both braided our hairs and ran in the whole house. Did Karaoke and played with old stuff, such as dolls and cars. She even knew a lot about my games, and knew the reason of every scar on my body. She knew when and where a photo was taken, and basically knew my life.

I was bewildered but happy to have her. “Mrs. Carson, We’re going out!” “Alright! Take care. Come soon, before night falls" She said worriedly. I was mesmerized with her. Thalia was a wonderful person. I have known her. I felt like I did. A familiar person. Like family. We ran around the park as little kids and swung on swings and played tag.

“Where have you been my whole life!?” I said gasping after the run we took around the street. “In your mind" She said smiling. “That joke got old, after you said it the first time.” I laughed resting my hands on my knees. “I’m afraid, I’m not joking” She said with a smaller smile. “Come on Thalia! Quit it" I said still not trusting her words. Or, I was afraid to trust them.

She came closer and took my hands in hers and brushed my dark strands and locked eyes with me. Her brown eyes turned glassy, as she hugged me into a warm embrace. I suddenly pushed her and held her hands, “Does that mean, you’ll leave me?! You’re my only friend!! You can’t do that!! Please stay! I’ll do anything for you. Be with me. I’ve never had a friend like you"

“I won’t leave you. Not really" She said leaning close, her forehead atop of mine. We both closed our eyes, a silent tear rolling down my cheek. I felt her hand wipe it and caress it. All I ever wanted was this. A friend who will take care of me.

“Dalia! What’re you doing?” I rubbed my eyes which evidently were still tearful and looked around. There was no Thalia. No playground. I was laying in my bed.

“Dalia! What’re you doing in there? “ I looked at the door with wide eyes. I was back in my room. My mother was outside still knocking. What was happening?

I walked slowly towards the door and opened to see her with quizzical eyes.

“Dalia! Dear girl! Are you crying?” She said worriedly searching my face. “No! something went in my eye" I lied and she only said “Alright”

“Ring-Ring"- For a moment, it seemed as if the clock ticked back. My mum went down to see who it was, and I tip toed, expecting someone .Her.

“Oh! Mrs. Trinket! So good to see you! Any special business?” My mother words brought me to a shock, and checked correctly. An older women, walked inside the house, talking with my mother about neighborhood’s parties. Maybe it was a dream after all.

“Oh, and this is my daughter Thalia!” My eyes seemed to pop out through the skull and I looked at the girl. She was exactly the same. “Why’re you looking at me like that?”