RELIVE: The Legend of the Blue Gemstone

Chapter One Who am I? Even I, don't really know who I truly am. There's a lot of missing pieces in my existence that even my parents, my adoptive parents, haven't got the faintest idea. I was adopted when I was only a baby. They said they found me on the shore, wet like I came from the depths of the ocean. It was a miracle I was still alive. And since then, they raised me and named me Seanna Rink. I grew up in Santa Cruz, California, near the beach. But there's something peculiar about me, not because of my blue-green eyes and my ginger hair. It was something that I have strangely possessed since I was a kid. As years passed, despite my differences, I grew up like a normal teenage girl in society. Indeed, my peculiarities cannot escape from bullying nor from others' ignorance, but in this century, bullying doesn't typically matter. When you know how to defend yourself, you can live a normal life. Glad I knew how, and I am glad my parents were always there to cheer me up and defend me. We were a happy family back then, my mom, dad and I, not until my mom got sick and died, and that left me with so much guilt. Three years later my dad remarried Beth Jones and I had a step-sister, Karissa. I am only a month older than her, but we've never been close. I always tried to be an older sister to her, but it seems like she hates it. I'm now 18 and currently in my senior year. Everything was good. I have friends, I work part-time jobs at a café near the school. I have social media accounts, and am even quite famous on i********:. I have always been the top one in class since elementary. I have dreams that I am eager to achieve, and that includes being a doctor and having my own farm and family. Indeed, everything was good, but not fine as before. My dad worked the whole week in the city, and I was often left with my stepsister and my stepmom. It's not like they hate me, but for some reason, I feel like an outcast in the family. I couldn't feel the comfort I felt when mom was here. Perhaps, because I'm different. Yet I cannot defend that, because even I can definitely say, I'm indeed no ordinary. I tried ignoring the reality that there's something peculiar about me, but the harder I try, the more strange things I encountered and discover. It makes me more anxious and confused. Like the time I got so mad, because the bullies ruined the letter I wrote to my mom for Mother's Day. They made fun of it, and that filled the rage in me, then unknowingly, it burned right in front of them. Another reason is how I am so fond of animals, and oddly, it felt like I could connect to them. I can feel energy and can see with my naked eye, what a normal human can't. And for that, they say I was an alien or something. I can feel some strange energy underlying in my veins. A strange urge of truth insisting to escape. I tried searching online, but there's no answer that satisfies me. Yet I've known that dreams you often dreamed about have meanings or messages. I often have this dream, a tempting Blue Gemstone, residing a great energy beneath its crystal appearance. What is it? What's the meaning? What's my origin? Why am I different? Who am I? Indeed, I live a normal life like a normal human should, but... Am I really LIVING? Living with these ongoing questions? I was at the beach at the moment watching the golden hour on the skyline, reflecting on my life, my real existence. Being at this exact moment, I always felt the serene comfort of my mom's presence. We're both so fond of sunsets. Every afternoon we go to the shore just to watch the sunset. I miss mom, I miss our moments. When it was already dark, I made my way home. When I got home, I caught my stepsister and her boyfriend kissing intensely on the sofa while watching Love Island. Is there really no privacy nowadays? I ignored it and walked to my room. As soon as I got inside, I threw myself on the bed, closed my eyes, then I fell asleep. I woke up as my stomach kept growling. Then I remembered I had never eaten dinner. So, I walked downstairs towards the kitchen and I saw my dad, stepmom and stepsister, enjoying their dinner. A heavy feeling suddenly came in. Did they even think about whether I already had dinner? I was tempted to walk back when suddenly dad saw me. "Seanna, how long have you been in there? Come and have dinner. I thought you're still not home...?" Dad suddenly looked at Beth with an asking expression, perhaps pertaining to his question. "Oh, I thought she was still at school," Beth deniably replied. I walked towards them and took a seat. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep." Stepmom handed me a plate, then I started filling it with food. "Since you're here. I can talk about college." Dad suddenly uttered. We all put our attention to him. "Seanna," he called, and his expression suddenly drew with pity. "Yes dad?" He coughs, gathering confidence for what he's about to say. "Seanna, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if I could send you to college this year. The company I worked at got banned, that's why I can only send one of you to college. And Karissa needed it more, so ..." "Me? Thanks Dad." Karissa meddled as he ran towards dad then hugged him tightly. Watching that moment pierced me deeply. They were so happy while I'm stuck in melancholy. My dreams crashed in just a second. Though I really wanted to beg my father, I stayed quiet. "It's okay dad. I understand." I lied and acted like I was fine, though inside I was just holding it together. After dinner, I took care of the dishes. Everyone left except my stepmom. "You would be fine, Seanna, if you'd just accept the fact that your father loves us more than you. We are his new family after all." Then she left. I was voiceless. My chest feels so heavy that at any moment I'm going to burst out in tears. But I fought not to, not in their presence. It's not true. Dad loves me. ... I was in my room going circle in my bed because I couldn't sleep. Until now I was haunted by Beth's words. I heard knocks on the door. "Seanna, still up? Can I come in?" It's dad. "Yes, dad." I sat on my bed. Then he slowly opened the door, walked towards me, then sat in front of me. "I know you're still thinking about what I've said earlier." He uttered as he genuinely gazed at me. "It's not like I chose Karissa over you, Seanna. You know Karissa, she's a bit tempered. I promised as soon as I saved a lot of money, I'll instantly send you to college." "You don't have to work harder Dad, I do. I'll study harder, so I can take a scholarship. If not, then I can have my chance next school year." "I always believed in you, my daughter. "Then he opened his arms, and wrapped it around me. I hugged him back, as he kissed my forehead. "Of all my blessings, you're the best Seanna. You'll always be in my heart, my daughter. Always remember that." His words calmed my heavy heart. "I love you too, Dad."