It's the holidays and Jayden couldn't help spending most of it in the attic. He is a game figurine collector. He has different gaming figures in his collection and always loves collecting more.
"Jayden, come down for breakfast!" He heard his mother call on him.
"Right there mum" he responded as he tried to make a mental note of some things that he needed to add to his collection.
He went downstairs and joined his parents on the dining table.
"You spend all the time in the attic, playing video games and collecting figurines, you need to go out, make friends, it's summer for crying out loud" His father said trying to get his son to socialize with his peers.
"I have told you dad, the guys at school don't really like me, none of them wants to associate with me" He said wondering when his dad would just let go of the thought of him making friends.
Jayden and his parents moved into their new home some months ago and the guys in his new school weren't all that accommodating. They tease him, calling him a nerd amongst other names while he ignores them.
The only thing that gives me a modicum of solace is that he gets to see Hayley, his crush, everyday in school.
The first time he set his eyes on Hayley, he couldn't take his eyes off her, she is so beautiful, her eyes shine brightly whenever she smiles at him. He has always tried to summon the courage to talk to her but couldn't bring himself to. Instead, he keeps crushing on her from afar.
"Did you hear what I said?" His dad spoke to him, bringing him out of his day-dreaming state.
"What, sorry what did you say?" He asked, trying to pay attention to what his father was saying.
"I said your mom and I are going out for the day, we would be back very late, so don't wait up. Do you have any plans for today?"
"Nothing much, I would probably just go to the game shop, there is something I need to get to add to my collection"
"You are 16 Jayden, don't you think you are a little too old for collecting figurines?" His father asked.
"Honey, just let him be, let's all have our breakfast" his mum said, cutting off his dad from making any more remarks about his collections.
They ate their breakfast and he went back to the attic afterwards. About an hour later, his parents called on him to lock the doors as they were about to leave the house, which he did after saying goodbye to them.
After a while, he decided to go to the game shop to see what else he could find to add to his collection. He was admiring a certain figurine on a shelf when a figure caught his eye. He looked up and lo and behold, his crush Hayley was a few feets away from him also going through some things.
It seems she noticed someone staring at her as she raised her head.
"Hi" she said, waving at him. "Hi" he responded as she moves closer to him.
"I never pegged you for a game lover" Jayden said trying to start off a conversation with her while his heart was pounding like crazy from being close to her.
"Yea, I love collectibles. It's more of a hobby for me"
"Wow! Me too, I have a whole collection at home" He said feeling so ecstatic that for the first time, they are saying more than one word to each other.
"I heard from the store owner that there are some figurines that could be found at the back,Would you like to come along" Hayley said, flashing him a smile.
"Of course" Jayden said going with her immediately.
They got to a section and there were lots of action figures stashed up in there. As they sort through them, Jayden's eyes caught what looked like a cube and he picked it up.
"What is it?" Hayley asked, watching as Jayden turns the cube in his hands. It looks very ancient, like something that has survived many ages.
Hayley tried touching the cube and her fingers brushed Jayden's hands and they both looked at each other, staring deep into each other's eyes unaware that their action was creating a spark which ignited the cube.
Before both could figure out what's happening, a light appeared out of nowhere and they found transported into another realm.
"Where are we?" Hayley asked, wondering what just happened.
"I don't know but it doesn't seem like we are in our world"
"How is that possible?" Hayley looked around, trying to find something that could help them figure out where they were.
"I think that cube activated some kind of portal into another universe"
"You mean like a parallel universe?" Hayley asked.
"It could be, I don't know but we need to find out more about where we are" said Jayden.
Just then they saw some people coming towards them and they waited for the people to get closer.
"Greetings travelers, you are welcomed into our world" They saw that these people had golden hair and looked very beautiful and handsome.
"You know we are not from your world?" Jayden asked the guy who looked like their leader.
"Of course, we saw the portal open and you appeared, you are not the first people who had come into our world", their leader explained
"Come! You must meet the rest of our people" he said as he led both of them through some trees into their kingdom.
Upon seeing their kingdom, Jayden and Hayley opens their mouth wide in shock, It is so beautiful. The skies shines brightly casting a glow all around them. The people of Cila were so welcoming and they learned from them how the portal works and how it opens every 100 years and when it does,it will remain open for three days before closing again.
They both looked at each other wondering how they would explain their disappearance to their parents.
"Time works differently here", said their leader. "By the time you get back, you will find out you are probably gone for a few minutes". They fell more at ease hearing that.
For the next three days, Jayden and Hayley had so much fun with the people from the Cila Universe, they learned of their ways, which is mostly filled with merriment with lots of food to eat and drink. The place is also filled with so many beaches to swim in. It is the best summer they have ever had.
They had lots of fun that they wished they could stay there forever but as beautiful as Cila was, they knew they had to get back home.
So on the third day, Jayden and Hayley made their way to the entrance of the portal they came from, as they were about to leave, they looked back as the people of Cila bade them farewell. They walked into the portal and found themselves back at the game shop.