I'm awake.

But I refuse to open my eyes yet.

This bed is soooo comfortable.

What's that smell? Hmm... It's... nothing. This doesn't smell like my room. It smells airy and fresh. Not that my room is stuffy and... Well, you know.

I open my eyes and swing out of bed as I always do, but as I turn to see what I was just lying on, I see nothing.

Where am I? I look around and observe that everything here is white.

And when I say "everything," I mean nothing. There's nothing here but floors and walls that stretch to infinity!

What do I do?

Wait... What am I wearing? It seems to be a soft, simple, white sun dress. It's very comfortable, but I wish I could see what I look like in it...

Suddenly, a mirror appears.

Well, that was weird.

At first, I'm afraid to approach it, though I don't really know why. Maybe it could be a bomb disguised as a mirror... Oh well. I conquer my fears and walk up to the tall piece of glass.

Wow... This dress really fits me perfectly! And since it is sleeveless, I can see that my arms look smaller than usual... and so do my legs... and I look more evenly-tanned...

Of course, I know it's not possible for all of this to change over night. It's just this lovely dress going to my head.

Also, my hair looks different. It's not in a crazy, messy ponytail as it usually is when I roll out of bed. It's cascading down my back like a beautiful, orange waterfall. I touch it, and it feels so soft.

I think I like this place, even though I still don't know where I am. But now, my joy and wonder are joined with new emotions: loneliness and panic.

How am I ever going to get out of this place? I wish I weren't alone... I wish James were here.

Wait, if I thought about the mirror, and then it appeared, if I just thought about James...

Oh sh-

My thought is interrupted as someone taps me on the shoulder. I jump and quickly turn, assuming my ninja pose in case my visitor of dangerous. But, I should've known better. It's James.

"Hey," he says simply and grins at me.

"Yeah, hi. Do you know where we are?"

"Not a clue... But it's very nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I say thoughtfully.

"So... What do we do now?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say, folding my legs on the floor. I realize that I sounded unsure and worried when I said this. James sits next to me.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you whatever happens," he says as he puts a muscular arm around me.

I smile to myself. I'm not too sure of my feelings for James right now. But I can figure them out (maybe). Okay, well, I obviously, kind of, sort of, a little, itty bitty bit like him... Like, like like him. But what if he's the same old annoying James he used to be? What if I married him and had to live with him harassing me all day, every day? But he doesn't really harass me anymore... Let's just see what he does now.

I just sit there. I don't snuggle into his armpit, nor do I pull away. This is actually kind of nice. Focus, Lily. Focus.

"So, James..." I say, unsure what I'm actually going to say next.

"Lily?"

"Uh… What's up?" I say. Wow, that was so lame.

James looks up at the ceiling—I mean the sky. Um… Okay I still don't know what this is or where I am. "Nothing much, really," he says, and smirks nonchalantly.

"Cool… Do you still have feelings for me?" I blurt out. Oh, no. Please, Lily, please don't blush!

"Of course I do," he says, suddenly serious. "Why? You wouldn't happen to—"

"We should walk. Maybe we can get somewhere. Anywhere," I say, getting to my feet.

James hops up behind me looking a little confused, a little happy, and a little smug. Why must he look smug? It's so annoying.

We stand for a moment, turning to look as far as we can in each direction. I still see nothing, so I start walking in a random direction, and James follows. If James is going along with whatever I want, this must be some amazing dream land.

We walk for about thirty seconds before I have a great idea.

"Wait a second. Let me try something," I say. "I wish James and I were wherever Alice is!"

For a moment, the whiteness of the space around me turns into a blinding light. I quickly shut my eyes, and when I re-open them, I'm in a place that's looks the same as where I just was, except for the presence of a new, smiling person.

"Alice!" I yell as I run to my best friend and bury myself in her arms. "Oh, your hugs make everything better! What is going on here?"

"Lily! And James!" she says flashing a smile at James. "I don't know! I just got here… Wait… How did I get here?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Just appeared when you did!"

"Oh… Well I've been here for…" I wish I had a watch. "I guess you only came because I wished for you. Sorry," I said guiltily. She wouldn't have to be in this boring, barren land if it weren't for me.

"Oh, Lily, it's okay! Hold on… You wished for me? And that's how I appeared? Does wishing actually work here?" Alice asked excitedly.

"It would seem so!"

"Is that how James-?" Alice began, but stopped for fear of embarrassing me. It's a good thing she stopped, too.

"So, is there anything I can do to help you out?" she asked quickly.

"Not at the moment… At least, I don't think. I don't know who can help now! But this weird world does have the potential to be a pretty nice place… I think I'd like to stay for a while and explore," I decided.

"That's my girl, Lils! Think positive," she beamed. She has an amazing smile.

Suddenly, it looked as though a light bulb just went off over Alice's head.

"Well, um… If there's nothing else I can do for you… I have some, um… business to take care of," she said smiling mysteriously.

"Are you going to get doughnuts? I could really go for a chocolate-"

"Shush, James," I said. "Okay. See you later?"

"Definitely," she said running up to hug me again. "Seeya, James! Bye Lils!"

And with one last smile, she said, "Okay, so… I wish I was with Frank!"

And with that, she was gone.

James chuckled. "We should've known."

"Yeah, she can't get enough of Frank!"

Frank Longbottom is Alice's boyfriend.

"At least Frank's cool. I hate when my friends like some stupid guy."

Why am I talking to James about guys?

"My friends have liked some weird girls in their days, too," he replied. Good, it didn't turn awkward.

"I'm not a stupid guy, am I?" he asked. Okay, now it's awkward.

I thought for a moment.

"Nah."

"Really? I thought you hated me."

I've been pretending to stare off into the distance.

I wish I had a doughnut.

As I handed a chocolate sprinkled doughnut to James, I replied, "I don't."

"Thanks!" he said, taking the doughnut gleefully. "Do you want some?" he asks, ripping the delicious treat in half and holding it out to me.

"I could have just wished for my own, you know?" I smirked at him but still accepted his gift. That was thoughtful of him…

Between bites of my doughnut, I suggested we took a walk.

Neither of us expected we'd find anything; There was just nothing better to do.