Chapter One

The night sky glittered like a shimmering pond of stars as the clock ticked past nine, its deep hues glowing as brightly as the lively cheers, laughter, and joyful screams that filled the air.

Yet even with all the excitement, it wasn’t enough to lift the spirits of a twelve-year-old albino girl, her delicate lips drawn into a deep pout as she was pulled along. Her large honey-colored eyes, narrowed in a glare, only added to her adorably grumpy expression.

“Oh, come on! You’re going to love this, Lia, I promise!” The brunette girl exclaimed joyfully, trying to lift her best friend’s mood.

She could clearly see Lia's irritation deepening with every passing minute, yet despite being pulled to a place far too noisy for her taste and against her will, Lia didn’t argue or protest.

“Fine! But you’re buying the fries, April!” Lia grumbled; her voice tinged with reluctance.

April, grinning with satisfaction, nodded eagerly before leading the way into the bustling carnival. She quickly paid for their tickets at the reception, then dashed forward, pulling Lia along as they disappeared into the colorful throngs of people gathered in one lively place.

As they ventured deeper into the carnival, April's grip on Lia's hand tightened. Without warning, she bolted ahead once more, only to come to an abrupt stop in front of a stall lined with people, all waiting for a serving of fries smothered in cheesy sauce.

At first, Lia couldn’t quite figure out what line they were in, but when her eyes landed on the sign that read, ‘Lovely Fries!’ everything clicked. Despite having indulged in fries just that afternoon, an undeniable craving stirred within her. There was something about those fries that she simply couldn’t resist, no matter how many times a day she had them. It was as if she turned into a mad dog for them every time she would come across them.

April chuckled when she noticed Lia’s mouth watering at the sight of the fries. As they waited in line, April glanced around, scanning the area. But when she spotted what caught her eye and quickly turned back to Lia, she realized her friend was nowhere to be found. Looking ahead, April soon saw her at the counter, telling the man to add extra cheese to her fries.

Now, April couldn't help but wonder how Lia had managed to get to the front of the line so quickly. Had the crowd let her through because she was a child, or had she sweet-talked her way into a prime spot? Either way, it was clear Lia couldn’t wait a second longer for those fries, which were just nothing but a boost to the fat.

At times, Lia seemed utterly mad when it came to fries, and April could never quite figure out why her friend was so obsessed with them. Lia's love for fries was so intense that she once even forgot to come back for April, leaving her stranded in the bathroom while she wandered off with her fries in hand.

It was as if Lia wasn't out with April, but rather on a date with her beloved fries! Just recalling that memory made April's blood pressure rise, but she forced herself to stay calm. After all, it was in the past, and despite everything, Lia was still her best friend among the entire group—there was no changing that.

But the fires were one of the very useful tricks up her sleeve. Fries could make Lia do just about anything.

“Hehehehe… got you, Lia. Eat all the fries you want, but you’ll be spending the entire day doing only what I like. Kehehehe!” April mumbled to herself mischievously before stepping forward and paying the man for the fries.

"Happy now?" April asked, watching as Lia nodded eagerly, lost in her fries. Lia offered her some, and April took two, savoring the bites before quickly wiping the cheese sauce from her fingers with a tissue she’d pulled from her purse. She even handed an extra tissue to Lia, making sure her friend could clean up as well.

April glanced at Lia and asked, “Hey, now that we’re here, what’s the curfew your family set for you?”

Lia hummed thoughtfully before answering, “No curfew. I told my parents I’d be hanging out at your place. But I’d prefer to head back before midnight, just to avoid my mom calling yours.”

April flinched, then began, “Oh, that’s bad, then we—” but her words were cut short as she was startled, her heart sinking to her stomach, when Lia suddenly let out a yell that sounded like an enraged gorilla.

She resembled a mother gorilla scolding her kid.

“Hey, you! Come here! Oh, you’re so grounded!”

“Huh?” April wondered in confusion, but as she followed Lia’s gaze, she saw another problem approaching. It seemed they were never meant to enjoy a moment of freedom, like carefree birds, without some form of parental supervision. Now, can they?

“Oh my gosh, give me a break,” April muttered, twisting a strand of her shoulder-length brunette hair. Her cerulean eyes tracked the shorter boy approaching Lia, his head bowed defiantly. April couldn’t shake her growing concern about their plan.

Lia glared at her brother with frustration as she finished munching on a fry. She turned to him and demanded, “Nate, what are you doing here? According to the doctor's prescription, you’re supposed to be in bed for two days with that high fever. So why on earth are you here, looking all happy and cheerful?”

Nate swallowed hard, rubbing the back of his blonde head nervously. “Well, I… I couldn’t miss today…” he stammered in reply.

Lia frowned, shivering from the cold air as she asked, “You couldn’t miss today? What exactly? If it’s the carnival, it’s here all the time. You could have come when you were feeling a little better. Why now? And even all alone with your little frog-like friends?”

Nate’s two friends fumed, their faces contorted into pouts, but they remained silent. They had no intention of drawing attention to themselves, especially considering what they’d done when they were just ten years old.

As Nate nervously fidgeted with a loose thread on his hoodie, Lia’s gaze shifted to his friends. She turned her attention to the tan-skinned boy, who had an unusual habit of carrying his backpack everywhere. Lia couldn’t believe he hadn’t outgrown it.

What a shame.

It was indeed a shame, but Lia never voiced her thoughts. Instead, she simply told him to stay out of her sight. Now, she was growing increasingly irritated by his bag, which was as bulky as a traveling bag.

“Leo?”

The boy snapped his attention to Lia, his gaze framed by thick cat-eyed glasses.

‘Seriously, this kid has a weird sense of fashion,’ Lia thought, grumbling to herself as she noticed the fear in his expression, realizing it hinted at some guilt.

“I’m curious,” Lia said, “how did your parents let you leave the house unsupervised when it’s already past your curfew?”

Leo appeared even more frightened than Lia’s own brother, his forehead beaded with sweat. In a burst of sheer panic, he yelled at the top of his lungs, “I didn’t sneak out!”

April’s eyes widened in realization.

They were completely busted.

“Nice. I believe you,” Lia said with a satisfied grin.

Nate, trying to deflect attention from himself and his friends, scoffed and retorted, “So what if we sneaked out? At least we didn’t lie like you, you albino.”

Lia was taken aback by his retort, but quickly fired back to stay at the top of the fight, “Huh? And what about you, coconut head? At least I don’t need supervision like a child, unlike you.”

Nate’s anger surged, making his cheeks flush even more than his fever had, and he snapped back, “And what makes you think that? You’re just a kid, too, only twelve. Don’t pretend you’re some grown-up.”

Lia crossed her arms over her chest and retorted, “No, I’m thirteen. My birthday is this month, so I’m officially a teenager, unlike you, kiddo.”

Her tone was dripping with a 'duh' attitude, clearly aimed at irritating her brother enough that he’d just leave. She wanted him to go and get the rest he needed.

“I can’t believe it! You call yourself a teenager when your temper is as short as your height,” Nate scoffed, clearly frustrated. He resented having to justify himself on such an important night. He was there for a reason, and now his sister was ruining his mood.

“Huh! Have your eyes finally gone bad? I’m taller than you, penguin,” Lia retorted with a groan. Nate bristled at her comment, especially since he was wearing a hoodie adorned with a penguin’s face and a cap that also featured a penguin.

“Who said you’re taller than me? Look, you’re wearing joggers!” Nate shot back.

Lia suddenly felt the urge to check her own oversized joggers, which contributed to her height. She had a height complex, one that had begun with April, who was taller than all of them, even at such a young age.

Before Lia could respond, April stepped between them, placing a hand on each of their faces and pushing them apart with exasperation.

“Enough, both of you,” she said firmly.

“We can’t spend the whole night fighting. We’re here for a reason, so let’s stick together so no one should worry, no one should fight, and absolutely no one should complain about today to any of our parents. I hope everyone is on board with this.” April concluded.

Nate grumbled, and Lia sighed in frustration before reluctantly nodding. She resumed munching on her fries, now cold, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. Despite their lack of warmth, they still tasted amazing.

April gave a small smile as she removed her muffler and wrapped it around Nate’s neck. He was shivering with his face flushed bright red.

“Thanks…” Nate said gratefully.

April shook her head, replying, “No problem. Now, where do you plan to go in this condition? We can head there first.”

Nate glanced at his sister, who had transformed into a fries-eating monster in his eyes, making him roll his eyes at her childish behavior. He then turned to April and said, “If that works for you… the FABLED WHIMSICAL CIRCUS is where we want to go first. It starts in about twenty minutes.”

April’s eyes brightened with excitement as she responded with a wide, joyful smile, “No way! That’s exactly why we’re here, too. Since we’re headed to the same place, let’s hurry up and get there.”

Nate smiled as April took Lia’s hand, though Lia remained uninterested. April turned to Nate and said, “Let’s go, kids! Today, I’m treating you all, so be good and stay within my sight.”

Nate and Leo both nodded enthusiastically, cheering loudly, “Yay!” as passersby looked at them with smiles.

“I’m not interested in some stupid circus,” Lia said wearily.

April shot her an angry smile and replied, “You’d better keep that mouth sealed tonight, or I’ll snatch away those lovely fries of yours.”

“Fine,” Lia grumbled, her distaste evident, but she didn’t argue further, knowing just how eagerly April had been anticipating this night.

“Wait. Where’s Danny?” Nate asked.

Leo glanced around and noticed Danny standing behind them, absorbed in his own world as he snapped selfies of himself.

Both Nate and Leo grumbled as they approached him, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. Danny, however, remained unfazed, thinking their actions only helped him capture a better shot.

Danny was so obsessed with his selfies, thanks to his photogenic nature, that it drove both Leo and Nate to the brink of irritation, to the point they joked about throwing him into a lion’s cage just to see what kind of selfies he’d manage to capture.

Lia and April strolled together, chatting animatedly and happily, while the kids conversed eagerly, sticking close to them as they walked.

The night was young and stretched long, brimming with the promise of both fun and a touch of the fantastical, yet tinged with a sense of something timeless.