Chapter One

(Raya's POV)

I know what you're thinking. A nearly 20-year-old girl thrust into the 21st century world – the real world – in search of her true love? How crazy can you get?

The truth is, I never expected to find my true love in my lifetime. After Namaari and I amicably and mutually broke up last year, I wasn't very hopeful about searching for my actual true love. But Ba encouraged me to "get back out there".

I don't think he meant that as us being transported from our world of Kumandra to...the United States of America?

Tuk Tuk is nowhere to be found, and, from what I could see, it's just my father and me...in front of a house that isn't as big as ours in Heart.

In a flash, knowledge of the world we're in – the 21st century – goes through my brain, and, once my head stops spinning, I can tell it's gone through Ba's, too.

I check my...my cell phone...and see that it's Friday, February 24, 2023. I see a girl come out of the house to check the mailbox.

Mustering up some courage, I walk up to this girl, trying to not be too shy...or mistrusting.

"Be careful, dewdrop."

"I will, Ba."

The girl must hear our voices because she turns, and, in shock, she drops the pile of mail in her arms.

"R-Raya?"

"Y-you know my name? Wait a second...it's you. You're the girl I've been seeing in my dreams!"

"I am?"

"Yes! Your name is Rebekah, but you mostly go by Becky."

"Okay, either you're a really committed cosplayer, or actor, or you're trying to trick me. How can you know my name?"

"I know it seems impossible, pretty girl, but..."

"Wait...what did you just call me?"

"'P-pretty girl'? That's what I called you in my dreams. I hope that's okay."

"How are you here?"

"I don't know. One minute, Ba and I were in Heart in Kumandra...and the next, we were here."

"And...you're here for me?"

"Well, I mean...you are my literal and figurative dream girl."

"You did mention that you've been seeing me in your dreams."

"Do you wanna maybe get to know each other better?"

"Of course. You and your Ba can come in."

"Thank you. Ba! Come on!"

"Coming, dewdrop!"

Becky, Ba and I head into her house.

"My parents are gone for the day, so it'll be just us for now."

A look of panic crosses Becky's face.

"How am I going to explain you to them?"

"I don't know, but I know you won't be doing it alone."

"Thank you, Raya."

"You're welcome."

Over the next several hours, Becky and I get to know one another. Because Ba and I have 21st century knowledge, there's no need for her to explain movies or TV or video games or anything like that to us. So, Ba and I just get to know this girl – this woman – better.

She tells me her parents – her mother mostly – aren't okay with her being gay. She tells me that her father goes with whatever her mother does, and she expects hostile words from her mother about me being her true love.

"If I get kicked out, I'll have nowhere to go."

"You let me worry about that, pretty girl. Maybe we could find a way back to Kumandra, and you could be with us there. But you couldn't take any 21st century things with you."

"You barely know me, Raya. Why take me in?"

"Because you're my true love. We may barely know each other, but I'd love to get to know you even better...if that's alright with you."

"Of course, Raya."

Soon, the moment Becky and I have been dreading comes – her parents get home.

Ba puffs out his chest and crosses his arms, then uncrosses them, trying to look peaceful but intimidating at the same time.

After squeezing my girl's hand, Becky gets up and faces her parents. Instinctively, I stand up behind her, trying to bring her some comfort.

"Mom, Dad, this is Raya, and her father, Benja."

"Okay...and what are they doing here?" Becky's father asks.

"Well...um..." Becky starts before looking back at me.

"I'm the actual love of her life, sir."

"And what makes you think you'll be good enough for her?"

Ba stares this man down, annoyed that Becky's father thinks I couldn't possibly be good enough for my true love.

"Because, even though she's co-dependent, I don't mind her being so. I love her for who she is, and I wouldn't want her to change for anything, or anyone."

"I see. Well...I'm afraid that she has two options: either move out and be with you and your father...or you two break up." Becky's mother boldly says.

"Mom, you can't do that."

"This is a choice you made, and now you must live with it."

"You'll never understand, will you? Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community is not a choice and I didn't choose to fall in love with Raya, it just happened. And I love her with my whole heart." Becky says, looking back at me and smiling a small smile, despite the tears forming in her eyes.

"Well, I guess your mind is made up, then. You have a week to pack your things. Anything left will be donated." Becky's former parents soon leave to go who-knows-where.

As soon as the door closes behind her former parents, Becky collapses onto the ground, beginning to sob. Ba and I follow her to the ground, wrapping our arms around this distraught woman.

"Oh, honey. I'm so, so sorry." I tell her.

"Not your fault, Raya."

Suddenly, there's a knock at the front door.

Ba goes to open it, and, after he does, he's immediately knocked to the ground, unconscious.

"Ba!"

"Chief Benja!"

Becky and I immediately rush over to Ba, but Becky is grabbed and I try to fight this person off, but it's no use; they're stronger than me.

Knowing Ba would want me to stop this person, this monster, I rush to where they had taken my girl, but I'm too late; the damage has already been done. A neighbor has since called the police, and I stay next to Becky, no matter what.

When the police and paramedics arrive, Becky's former parents arrive with them.

"I was attacked." Becky tells the paramedic and police officer.

"By whom?"

Before Becky can tell her former parents who had attacked her, my father, now up, slams this scumbag to the ground.

"You stay away from my future daughter-in-law, you got it?"

"Future what?"

Becky flinches at her former father's tone and volume. He walks up to me, a cross look on his face. Ba notices this as the police officer forces the human that had attacked my girl onto their feet and places them in the patrol car.

"I don't know who you are, or where you're from, but you need to leave. You will have no part in my daughter's future."

Ba goes up to Becky's former father, facing him head on.

"Don't you talk to my daughter like that! And, for the record, your daughter can make her own decisions. She's an adult."

"Then why won't she act like one?"

"Because you never made it easy for me!"

"Life isn't easy!"

"Yeah? And who do you think made my life a lot harder with your temper and drinking?"

"I don't care where you go, but if it wasn't clear before, you are disowned."

Becky starts having an anxiety attack, and I'm immediately in front of her, my forehead on hers.

"Shh. Shh. Shh. I'm here, dep la. I'm right here. Ba and I will take you to Heart, okay? We'll get what you want most, and we'll leave, okay?"

Becky nods.

"Is she free to go?" I ask the paramedic.

"We'll need to take her to the hospital to do a full examination."

"My blanket, Raya."

"Where is it, baby?"

"In my room, under my pillow."

"Ba, stay with her. I'll be right back, my love."

Becky nods and I rush upstairs to her room and grab her blanket and her purse. I rush back down and hand her blanket and purse to her.

"Thank you, Raya."

"My pleasure, pretty girl."

"Raya? Stay with me?"

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, dep la."

Ba, Becky, and I go to the hospital, where a full examination is done on my girl.

It's soon found out that the person that attacked her got her pregnant, and, after the nurses and doctor leave, my poor girl starts to apologize profusely to me and Ba, telling us that we don't have to take her in.

"And leave you out on the streets? Of course not." Ba tells her.

"I agree, honey. Ba and I won't let you go anywhere that you don't want to."

"Thank you both. I – I'll never be able to repay either of you for what you're doing for me."

"There's no need to, my darling. We'll be with you every step of the way. Now, shall we find a way to get to Heart?"

Becky nods, and, suddenly, a portal opens up to Heart.

The three of us look at each other, Ba and I help Becky down from the examination table, and, with Becky's blanket in her arms, we walk through the portal, never to return to the 21st century ever again.