Once Upon A Miracle

Chapter 1: When Blue met Miracle

"Knowing there's one thing I still haven't told you: I now believe, by the way, that miracles can happen. "

~ Nicholas Sparks (A Walk to Remember) 

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Meeting Miracle was the most miraculous thing that had ever happened to Blue.

Blue, a dreamer and a believer of all things impossible, be it magic, dragons or mermaids, even that Blue with her wide, all-encompassing imagination couldn't have ever believed that miracles were not just something that happened. No, how was she to know that Miracle was a being, a person even?

And yet when he appeared in front of her, all smiles and dimples, it was impossible to pose an argument that satisfactorily nullified his outrageous claims. Suffice to say, Blue --- twelve-year-old, big-mouthed Blue --- who prided herself in having an extensive vocabulary for her age found herself at a loss of words.

His grin slipped slightly and he frowned. "Are you just going to stand there gaping? I did just save you, you know."

He did, indeed. 

You see, Blue was walking back home after a long, grueling day at school. Her bag was weighing her down and she was sweating like crazy from the heat of the blazing sun. Even the cool, salty air from the sea couldn't appease the heat. She just wanted to curl up on her bed and possibly never get out, much less to go to school. Unfortunately, however much she pleaded with her Ma, she refused to heed Blue's wishes. She really couldn't understand what the point of attending school was. It just seemed like an utter waste of time – time she could use playing with her dog, Timmy.

The worst part about school wasn't even the studying. Blue, apart from being an opinionated dreamer, was also a curious child – nosy, at times. She didn't mind the classes. No, what she did mind were the students. God, they were so mean to her.

One girl, especially. A new transfer student --- Sherry Luck. Unfortunately, for Blue, she just happened to be Sherry's number one target. Sherry was a tall girl for her age and seemed to already brag about her ample growth in certain regions of the body. Blue just thought she was fat. In times like these, Blue had to control herself from running her mouth lest she said something and ended up aggravating her more.

Sherry herself though wasn't overburdened with the morals of her deeds. But worse than her was her best friend, Warren, who had also transferred along with her. If you thought Sherry was bad, Warren's mere presence would make you tremble and soil your knickers. Blue could give a first-hand confirmation of that. He was the sort of boy who would torture insects just for the kick of it or throw stones at birds and laugh all the while. Besides, with a surname like McMeanie, what could be expected from him?

Anyways, as Blue was walking towards her home, she felt something weird. You know that tingly feeling on the pit of your belly that makes you feel like something is wrong? Well, Blue's belly was wriggling with that feeling. Her eyes were darting around, on the lookout, while her shoes (which were blue, by the way) squeaked against the pavement as she hurried her pace.

Before her the road split into a sharp small alley leading to a darker, abandoned neighbourhood while the main artery, broader and cleaner, led to the suburbs where her home was. She was almost there.

Suddenly though, when she was about to walk past the dark alley, something appeared near her feet, too quick for her to realise and down she went, tumbling face-first onto the asphalt, scraping her knees and elbows. Two familiar obnoxious voices laughed cruelly as Blue struggled to get up on her feet, her dress grimy and her knees and arms bleeding. She blinked back her tears as she finally turned to face Sherry Luck and Warren McMeanie.