Elora jerked up from the hard bed due to discomfort.
She groaned loudly massaging the aches in her temple caused by the bed.
"I could use a softer bed"
Sliding down the bed, Elora moved across the room lazily.
The sight out the window stunned her, it sent peace through her.
Hawthorne's morning view was ethereal different from the creepy atmosphere it gave off at night.
"Beautiful" Elora unconsciously whispers
"Elora! it's time for breakfast" Mira's voice drew Elora out of her trance
She y hurried up handling her hygiene before going downstairs
"Morning Mira" Elora greeted
"Morning, I hope you slept well Elora" Mira asked setting the table
Elora gave a faint smile
"I didn't know Hawthorne would have such a beautiful view at morning" Elora expressed her surprise
A grin broke on Mira's face
"I knew that had to be the reason for your casual state, you were all tensed yesterday " Mira said
Elora poured herself a glass of water
"Hawthorne is a very beautiful town, the morning view was nothing wait till you see it's winter view" Mira chatted casually
Elora could tell that her grandma really loved Hawthorne town by the way her eyes lit up when she started talking, it brought a subtle smile to her lips
"If only Mom and Dad were....." Elora's smile dropped as she realized she just lost her parents three weeks ago
Mira ofcourse noticed her granddaughter's sudden mood drop.
"Spending time with this old woman might rub off on you, why don't you take a stroll darling" Mira suggested
Elora raised her head to look at the 'old woman' that looks to be in her early forties
"I might get lost" Elora said
"Oh dear trust me you won't" Mira stated confidently which surprised Elora
"Go look for friends and a boyfriend" Mira added mischievously
Elora rolled her eyes
"Yeah find more friends that would call me weirdo, boyfriend? Not a chance in a million years " Elora stood up picking up her coat
"Later" she said
"Be positive darling" Mira yelled behind her
The door slammed with a loud bang
"At least she's getting somewhere" Mira smiled
-----------------------
Elora wrapped her arms tighter around herself, her boots sinking slightly into the gravel path that stretched between her new home and the distant heart of the town. Her breath curled in the morning chill, and the trees swayed lazily around her, their leaves rustling in a language she almost understood.
"Why do I feel like even the wind here is trying to talk to me?" she murmured to herself, adjusting the strap of her bag.
She had walked alone for nearly twenty minutes, letting the silence guide her, until a sudden, almost absurd burst of laughter rang out to her right. It was loud, sharp, and utterly out of place. Startled, Elora turned toward a small trail hidden behind a cluster of wild rose bushes. A girl burst through the foliage like a cannonball—bright red jacket, hair a frizzled halo of curls, and mismatched socks peeking from above her mud-caked boots.
"No way!" the girl said, stopping short when she spotted Elora. Her wide eyes sparkled like someone who'd stumbled across treasure. "You're new! Totally new! New face, new energy, whole new vibe! I felt it."
Elora blinked. "Uh... hi?"
The girl didn't miss a beat. "Hi! I'm Jessi. Jessi Smith. Welcome to the most bizarre little blip on the map—Hawthorne. You must be Elora."
Elora frowned. "How do you—?"
"Small town," Jessi said, flinging her arms out. "Everyone knew you moved in last night. With your grandma, right? In the creepy brick house on Cedar Lane? That place has history, you know. Real old roots. The kind that crawl." She gave a wiggly-fingered gesture that might have been spooky if she wasn't grinning like a maniac.
"Yeah... that's us," Elora said slowly. "I'm Elora."
"Elora!" Jessi repeated dramatically, as if testing the sound. "Nice. Elegant. Sounds like moonlight. Or poetry. You're gonna love it here... or hate it. Maybe both. But I've decided we're going to be friends."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that." Jessi looped an arm around Elora's and began pulling her forward. Elora hesitated for a second, but the warmth in Jessi's touch—wild and unfiltered—was strangely comforting.
"Where are we going?" Elora asked.
"You're going wherever I'm going, obviously. I was on my way to the café. Best chocolate muffins in the county, and you, my dear forest nymph, need sugar in your blood to survive Hawthorne's vibe."
"Forest nymph?"
"Well, you look like one. Straight black hair, spooky pretty emerald eyes, walking around like the wind knows your name. If you told me you could talk to flowers, I wouldn't be surprised."
Elora gave a tight smile, unsure how to respond. Talking to flowers wasn't far from the truth, but she wasn't about to share that now.
As they walked, Jessi kept up an endless stream of chatter. She talked about the weather, the color of Mr. Grady's dog's sweater, the ghost rumor about the library attic, and how she once convinced her math teacher that she had prophetic dreams. Elora listened, letting the girl's chaotic energy wash over her like a balm. She hadn't laughed since they arrived in Hawthorne, but now she found herself smiling.
They reached the café, a quaint wooden building with flower boxes under the windows and a crooked sign that read: "Honeybrew & Co." Inside, the smell of cinnamon and roasted coffee beans filled the air.
"See? Told you. Heaven," Jessi declared, waving at the sleepy-looking barista. "Two muffins! And a hot chocolate for my new best friend!"
Elora started to protest, but Jessi handed her a steaming cup and a muffin before she could finish. They settled into a corner booth by the window.
"So," Jessi said, peeling the wrapper off her muffin. "What's your story? You're giving me tragic princess energy. Or maybe cursed healer. Something very novel-worthy."
Elora sipped her drink. "There's not much to say. My parents passed away. Grandma and I moved here for a fresh start."
Jessi sobered instantly. "Sorry. That was a little... much. I talk too much when I'm nervous or excited. Or just in general."
"It's okay," Elora said. "I don't mind."
They sat in silence for a moment. Outside, a breeze sent dried leaves scattering across the sidewalk. One pressed against the window near Elora's shoulder and stayed there. She reached out to trace its veins with her finger.
Jessi watched her. "You really do feel different. The way you move. The way you look at things. Like you're listening to something the rest of us can't hear."
Elora looked at her. "Do you believe in weird things, Jessi?"
Jessi snorted. "Please. I practically collect them. I've seen glowing eyes in the woods. Heard whispers in the fog. Hawthorne's weird is legendary. But most people pretend it's all just stories. Not me, though. I've got a sixth sense for weirdness—and you, Elora Peters, just triggered every alarm."
Elora didn't answer. She looked down at her half-eaten muffin, then out the window again. Across the street, a vine crept slowly up a telephone pole, bright green in the crisp air.
"I think I'm glad I met you," she said finally.
Jessi grinned. "That's what everyone says eventually. I'm like a ray of unfiltered sunshine—burns sometimes, but I keep you warm."
The bell above the café door jingled, and someone stepped in. Jessi's eyes flicked over, then back to Elora. "You know, everyone's watching you. Not in a creepy way. Well, maybe a little creepy. New girl in town, tragic backstory, lives in the haunted house—people are curious."
"I'm not interested in being interesting," Elora said.
"Too late for that. You're already the main character."
Elora gave a soft laugh. "You're intense."
"And proud of it. Come on, let's walk you home before the trees start talking."
As they exited the café, the same leaf from earlier detached from the glass and fluttered to the ground, landing perfectly on the toe of Elora's boot. She stared at it, then nudged it aside.
Jessi whistled. "Even the leaves like you. Creepy. I approve."
Together, they walked into the slowly darkening streets, Elora unaware that something deep beneath the earth had taken notice. And that, in Jessi Smith, she had found more than a friend. She had found an anchor.
One that would matter far more than either of them knew.