My party was nearly completed. I had the food all laid out on the small wooden white table accompanied by a large turquoise teapot filled to the brim with peppermint tea. The pale blue tea set were set out for 3, each with a cup, a plate and a place mat with little kittens with bows adorning their necks. I placed down my friends name cards which assigned them to their seat and I was done! All that was missing were my friends! At that thought, my ears picked up the slightest of knock and I spun around to see my friends in the door way. Rose was standing in front with her curly orange hair tied neatly back into a small pony tail. Her green eyes were sparkling with charisma and her freckle covered nose twitched at the smell of cookies. Then there was Thalia standing behind Rose. Thalia seemed to always have dirt smudged on her nose, the colour of her eyes. She had a boys hair cut with the exception of a side fringe. The colouring of her hair was another variation of brown. She stood 3 inches taller than Rose. "You're here! Come in!" I squealed in excitement.

Thalia bustled in and awkwardly fell into her designated chair. Rose on the other hand seemed to glide into hers. I plopped down in my own seat and the party began! I giggled at Thalia's' joke as I poured Rose a cup of steaming fresh tea. "Tea for you Thalia?" I asked and offered her one.

She nodded her head eagerly and clumsily extended her hand taking the cup. Thalia placed the cup on her saucer with a part of her tea sloshing out of the cup and grinned a toothy smile. "No problem Thalia!" I waved a hand. "Rose, do you think you could give me a hand with my homework later? It's super duper uber hard!"

Rose gave me a thumbs up making her sunset coloured hair bounce. "Amazing thanks!" 

My eyes landed upon the warm glowing cookies in the centre of the table on a pale blue plate. Extending my arm, I grabbed one and held it in my hand. I bit into the cookie tasting the chocolates goo ooze into my mouth. My taste buds were simply in heaven. I grabbed my steaming cup and sipped from it. "Mom makes amazing cookies don't you think?" I stated to my friends.

They both picked up their own cookies and put it into their mouths. The look of bliss appeared on their faces as they continued to munch. Thalia held out her hand to swipe another from the plate but I slapped her hand away. "Hey Thalia! Only 1 each!" I laughed.

Thalia rolled her eyes and leant back in her chair harrumphing. I giggled at the action and covered my mouth to stifle it. Thalia was such a drama queen at times! 

Soon enough, all the tea had been drunk and the cookies demolished. It was time for farewell for now. I stood up and walked them to the door of my room. "Bye Thalia! Bye Rose! See you soon!!" I waved my hand side to side quickly.

They both turned and waved as well as they disappeared behind the corner. I smiled to myself and sat down on my blue bed and sighed. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten so many cookies. I laughed to myself.

My parents stood on the other side of the wall to my room. They had been listening in for the entire time. My mother looked at my father with wide eyes. He looked back with sadness and held her to his chest as she cried.

It's normal for children to have imaginary friends. But at my age it wasn't. 

I was 12.

 5 years later

A single bead of water rolled down the window of the speeding car, blending with the blur of a landscape. The drumming of the rain was crashing on the skylight above my head. I sighed deeply and turned my head to face forward. My parents were whispering quietly, they thought I was asleep. As if I could. "Daniel, is this the right thing to do?" My mother murmured under her breath in a hushed manner.

My fathers knuckles whitened as he gripped the black leathery wheel tightly. "Yes Marie, she will be cured, she won't have those friends anymore."

They were taking about Thalia and Rose. My only friends in the world. A soft hand put itself on my thigh and gave it a comforting squeeze. Out of the corner of my eyes, I caught a flash of deep red. Rose sat next to me. I put my hand on her dainty one, I wouldn't admit it but I was scared. I didn't know what lay ahead of me, in my future. I shook my head and stared at my reflection through the foggy window. 

My parents were frightened of me, they saw me as a monster, a freak of nature. I felt tears sting my eyes and threaten to spill over but I blinked them back painfully. Every time I thought of what others thought of me, it felt like a thousand knives were being stabbed into my chest. My throat would close up and I would find a lack of oxygen. At school, it was no better. I was called names, picked on, even the teachers wouldn't look me in the eyes. The girl who talked to thin air. 

My hallucinations were minimised, they were only of Thalia and Rose, nothing else, no papery pale face of a leering clown, no clicking of spiders and no chocking on invisible water. I was blessed with mild schizophrenia. Had it been worse, I would probably be in a mental asylum. Arms strapped in a straight jacket, barred mouth piece glued to my face. Dangerous would be labeled on my forehead. I transfixed my gaze onto another droplet of water watching it trail down the rain stained window. Eventually the hum of rain faded away and everything fell into complete silence.

 I picked up my sketch book feeling the smooth leather front cover. Flicking through the pages, I found a blank canvas. Pencil to paper, I let my mind wander. My hand etched shapes, which became a figure next to a car window. What seemed to be minutes became hours. Shading the picture, I began to recognise what I had drawn.  I had drawn myself, sleek ebony hair, icey blue eyes, blush kissed cheeks, next to the car window. In the drawing my hand seemed to linger on the glass pane while a side view of my face was shown, framed by my hair. Sighing, I packed away my pencils and book, storing it deep within the depths of my bag. "Oh I see you're awake sweetie!" My mother chirped cheerily with honey dripping off her words.

I grunted in response as I turned to look out the window, the blurs were becoming trees and shrubbery as we slowed down. A mansion seemed to look up ahead, perfected topiary animals were scattered around the front of the institution. A figure dressed in a white coat stood ridged by the towering front door. The car finally came to a stop and I slung my bag over my shoulder as I stepped outside. 

EverTree