CHAPTER 154: 154-TURNING ME INTO A SEDUCTRESS

Clementine:

"Oh, that makes sense," I said, remembering the comment that had offended me so much. "Anyway, I’m going to explore the house," I added, pointing at the pink one and rushing toward it.

Suddenly, we were so upbeat. In the back of my head, I knew something wasn’t right about our behavior, but that thought kept slipping away the more I breathed in the fresh, flowery air.

"Do you want me to come?" Haiden asked, offering to stay with me to make sure it was safe.

"No, I can take care of myself, neighbor," I shrugged, then rushed to the door.

It opened easily. I stepped inside. It was a one-floor house with a single bedroom, a beautiful, aesthetic kitchen, and a bathroom with a tub. But the bed, it was so cozy, so big, bigger than any king-sized bed I’d ever seen, and covered in flower petals. I jumped onto it, bouncing up and down. It was soft, bouncy, and almost cloudy.

Then my eyes landed on the door. What I saw froze me. The two gnomes I thought were just statues walked in, smiling ear to ear.

"Welcome to our garden. We will be your hosts for the rest of your life, and we’ll make sure you live happily ever after here." As soon as they said that, I screamed.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I’m Toby, and this is Tilly," the little gnome with a white beard and pink hat said, raising his tiny hands as he introduced the woman beside him.

"How are you speaking?" I stammered.

"Well, that’s quite rude. We are creatures just like the rest of the ones in the world," Tilly pouted. She had pink, squishy cheeks and wore a pink scarf, just like the house I was in.

"Are you dangerous?" I asked, strangely feeling comfort in their presence.

"Of course not. We are creatures of love and romance. Here, you will feel different, much happier. This place is full of happiness. We help grieving souls feel better and express their hidden feelings," Toby explained, winking at me.

I didn’t know how to respond. It felt odd. "Oh, I’ve never heard of a gnome talking. I’m sorry for screaming at you," I mumbled, feeling like some princess from a fairy tale, talking to gnomes. What’s next, I’ll be talking to a bird?

"It’s all right. It happens. We don’t judge anyone. In fact, we don’t judge anyone here at all. We are just happy people," Tilly said.

"Are there more of you?" I asked.

She instantly nodded. "Your friends, they will find out. They have their own gnomes. Every house has gnomes, and they take care of their guests."

There was something about their presence. They seemed so cute and kind, and the things they said sounded perfect. Who wouldn’t want to be happy? But in the back of my mind, I felt a push, like someone whispering for me to wake up, open my eyes, and get the fuck out. Yet every time I thought too hard, the gnomes distracted me.

"So, who are these men?" Tilly asked as Toby helped her onto the bed, since they were too small to climb up themselves. She lay on her stomach, reaching out to pull him up beside her.

"They’re my squad mates," I uttered, crawling back into the bed so I could rest against the headboard with my arms wrapped around my legs.

"No, they’re not. They’re more than just that," Tilly giggled.

"Actually, you’re right. They are my mates. Not all of them, though. Just two," I admitted. I didn’t know why I was oversharing with them.

"Really? Which two?" Tilly asked.

"Haiden and Yorick," I mumbled.

They both nodded. "Well, we did see them look at you weirdly, like with so much emotion. It was so cute," she said, hyping me up.

"I don’t know. I never thought about them like that." I began to nervously look around.

"Really? Then you should," she insisted, making me stare into the distance. Was she right? Should I think about them? I didn’t know. Maybe I just wasn’t ready to risk it all, the friendship and everything.

For some reason, I kept talking. "I mean, I don’t even know if they think the same about me."

"You don’t have to think about all that. You just need to go for it," Toby advised.

I nodded, agreeing with him. They weren’t wrong. I guess I just needed to take a step.

"And what are you wearing? These are such ugly clothes," Tilly frowned at me. I was in baggy pants and a loose sweater.

"Yeah, they need to go," Toby agreed.

I pushed harder to listen to the voice in my head. "Actually, these are the clothes I feel comfortable in. It’s not just that I’m a teenager anymore. I’m also a crusader." I said it more for myself than for them.

"You don’t have to be. From now on, you’re just a teenager who will live her best life. She will do whatever she wants. The good thing about this place is you do whatever you think. You don’t hold back. You don’t have to be afraid," Tilly told me, staring into my eyes.

"You’re right. I’m not a crusader. I’m just a teenager. I’ll do whatever I feel like. Show me the dresses," I said, jumping off the bed.

"That’s a good girl. Come on, carry us," Tilly requested, her arms in the air as she asked me to carry her, and I picked them both up in my hands.

Following their directions, I ended up in a dressing room. The dresses were beautiful, more like ones from old times. One was pink and white, with intricate designs and little pearls stitched along the hem. I slipped it on quickly and stared at myself. My waist looked slim, my breasts defined, my hips wide so the dress flowed perfectly.

"They will want to tear this dress off the minute they see you," Tilly giggled, making my cheeks turn red from blushing.

"You better seduce them before someone else comes here and steals them from you," Toby whispered in a way that goosebumps covered my body.