Dreams have nothing to do with the world we live in, right? Dreams are their own universe and have nothing to do with our actual life. They have nothing to do with me moving from France to Japan with my father, then back to France alone.

The funeral was boring. My friends were with me, holding my hands as I stared silently at his corpse. I didn't cry one bit when I was called from school to the hospital to see my dying father. I didn't cry when I packed my bags to leave and my friends wishing me safe travel. I only smiled at them and said, "don't worry, I'll be fine. I love you".

In my dreams, or the other world, I cried at the funeral instead of standing numbly. I slapped the cold cheek of the man who tried to raise me all alone and yelled at him to wake up. I didn't just smile at my friends at the airport. I hugged them tightly, bawling as I told them that I would do my best to keep in contact with them.

However, Ellenora Collens does not cry. Crying is not allowed to show for any emotion of any kind. Ellenora can laugh, smile, scream, let out the occasional "ow", but Ellenora does not cry. Ever.

"You're probably tired," is what Auntie told me when she drove me to my apartment. "Why don't I call the school and keep you from going just an extra day so you can rest? Does that sound okay?" She asked, big blue eyes glancing over at me.

I gave her a shrug and a small shake of the head. "I don't care either way," I mumbled as we reached the tall building that I would be forced to call "home". "I'll have to go eventually, right?" I unbuckled the seat belt and exited her van, going around back to get my two bags.

Auntie waited for me to reach the wooden door, then unlocked it. "Your father worked hard ti get you this apartment and had been paying it off until the day he died so you wouldn't have to worry too much. Take good care of it, okay?" She smiled softly at me and I smiled back. I loved how she did her best for me. She was the only person on my mother's side who cared about anyone besides herself. "Now, here's the key. If you don't mind, I want to stay until you're settled. Just to help around when I can."

Before I answer her, she took my bags and ran inside, heading right and down a hall. I blinked, surprised, and shut the door and turned on a light before running after her. "Auntie!" I called, finding the room she was in. A room with a twin bed with mint green sheets and pillow cases, with a bubblegum pink rug underneath and matching pink curtains. I froze in the doorway, too surprised to speak before regaining my composure. "I-is this a room for you...?"

She looked at me through a mirror that hung beside a closet, smiling and looking at me as though I said something stupid. "No, darling! Of course not!" She giggled. "This is your room! I decorated it! Isn't it adorable?"

I tried not to cringe at that. I should've paid more attention when father talked to me about when I was older and on my own. Auntie would want to help. Right. Stupid me. "Y-yeah... Well... It's just not, really, um... Me? You know, a room is like a canvas... Shouldn't I be the painter since it's my canvas?" I asked, trying the method of "You did a great job, but I want to improve it a bit more".

She did an awful job.

"Oh, yes. I do suppose you're right..." She looked like she was thinking as she hung my clothes with her "organization".

Did I actually win with her on this?

She looked like she was going to cry. Oops! I went over and took her shoulder. "Um...! Why don't we both redecorate together? That way we can spend some time together?" Please, let the orange-haired girl win this time! Don't make me have to act like I'LL cry!

"Oh, I see now!" She smiled happily, recovering from that emotion before I had to pity myself for making my eyes water a bit more. "You're first break from school, we'll redecorate your room!"

I put my hands together with a small "clap", smiling happily. "Yes!"

Day one back in France: Auntie special boring.