Months has passed until Madison's 8th birthday finally came, she didn't feel much excitement like before when her mother was alive. Because without her mother?

Everything doesn't feel the same to her.

To her surprise, her dad went out early, so she did her usual chores and ate her breakfast before going back to her room, she planned to just stay there throughout the day ang go out only if she needed something.

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Night had came as Madison decided to turn off her lights while she waited for the door of her house to open and the usual sounds of a person bumping into furniture and some stuff downstairs.

To her surprise...,

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there was none.

It was completely silent, which Madison feel that it's close to .

It was already passed 9 and her father hasn't come back yet.

She suddenly had a thought that her father would let this day slide without any trouble since it's her 'day'.

She sighed at the thought.

It wasn't like her day though.

Probably soon she'll be getting another beating or tomorrow...

She was suddenly lost in her own thoughts as she sat on her bed with her back leaning against the headboard.

Minutes later, she slightly flinched at the sudden sound of knocking as her eyes instantly darted to where her windows were.

And there it was again...

The figure of a boy stood just right outside of her window. She watched the figure raise its hand, only to knock on the window again.

She noticed his head facing the window as if he was waiting for her to draw the curtains open. She suddenly jolted on her spot when the figure's head turned exactly towards her direction.

She sat frozen, completely spooked by what just happened as she felt her heart pound against her chest. Her eyes stared at the figure's hand, raising up again and knocked 3 times while this time, it wasn't the usual soft knocks she heard before, but a normal knock as if her window stood as a door.

Well, it does look like some kind of doorway if it only had a balcony but unfortunately, the plan of constructing it was canceled, so they left it like that. She was also thankful that she had that window locked because who knew who or what can go inside her room.

The figure knocked again as if it was getting impatient. Madison felt her heart raise again when it suddenly let out something to purposely get her attention.

"Psst.", it called out softly.

Madison still sat there frozen, her eyes were wide as she stared at the window. She pursed her lips, not letting out a word until the figure spoke up again.

"Psst, open the window...", it called out again, raising his voice abit.

She suddenly had the nerve to finally move and quietly move off her bed to stand beside it, still not answering him. Her stare still remained on the window as she made sure she didn't get his attention.

"I know you're awake."

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The room went dead silent...

As if after what he said, they both expected another response from one another and patiently waited for it.

But in Madison's case, she's already hoping he wouldn't speak again but,..

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"And I know that you can see me the same way I see you."

Unfortunately, he did.

Madison's eyes widened abit, feeling her hands slowly tremble in fear. For an 8 year-old girl, she really felt this much fear as if she's in an actual horror movie because of the situation she's in.

"G-go away... I-I'll call m-my father if you d-don't--"

"Call your father...?"

She heard the boy playfully scoffed in his words and chuckled before speaking up again.

"Are you sure about doing that? I suggest that it's better if I'm the one you're facing in this time of day rather than your father.", it said with a calm tone and then a hint of sarcasm in the his last words.

Madison went silent.

To be honest...

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She's really afraid of her father...

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But what does it make by facing this '' outside her window...?

"Who... Who are you...?", she breathe out, finally getting herself to talk back even though her voice was already shaky.

She waited for an answer as it took a while for the person outside to respond back..

"I'll tell you, when you let me in."

"H-how will I know t-that you're not just t-trying to steal a-anything?", she courageously asked, making the person behind her window feel taken aback by her choice of words even though she still stuttered.

"I don't steal. I only take if it's actually given to me.", he simply replied.

"Then... How will I know that you won't hurt me...?", she asked straightly as she watched the figure tilt his head to the side.

Once again, the person took awhile to answer, somehow impressed by her choice of words and her way of asking questions.

"I have no intention of doing so."

Madison blinked as she took a deep breath, quietly letting it out as she started walking slowly. The figure's head moved aswell, exactly following on where she was moving to until she reached the end of her bed, now facing the window.

"How are you standing outside...if there isn't any platform out there for you to stand on...?"

"Let me in first, and I'll tell you."

He said for the second time as the young girl took a few steps towards the window. Her breath started to go uneven as she was now a bit closer to the window that shields her from the person outside.

She gulped as she reached for the soft fabrics of her curtain and clutched some of it in her small hand. The person tilted his head again as he stared at her little figure from outside.

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He suddenly asked and this time, the girl was now the one that stared at his figure from inside.

Of course she is.

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She didn't even know what to expect on his appearance...

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"I-I am..."

, it said with a calm voice.

"P-promise...?"

"You have my word for it.", it said, fully showing the hint of sincerity.

"T-that means...?", she asked, not getting his words clearly since he didn't say the word 'promise' instead.

"I promise.", he simply said.

She took another deep breath before she finally draw the curtain to the side, and at the same time, she instantly lowered her head in fear of seeing whatever his appearance is and closed her eyes shut.

A few seconds of silence had occurred before she heard a small chuckle along with the same soft knocks on her window as if the person was getting her to look up at him.

"Brave girl. That wasn't too bad, was it?", the person let out calmly as Madison slowly opened her eyes and she looked up.

The appearance of the person in front of her wasn't as bad as she thought of.

His red hair looked neat as if they were taken care of, he had brown eyes as he stared at her with a calm expression. Seeing this, the little girl somehow felt at ease and sighed in relief.

"...May I come in now?", he asked politely as Madison blinked 3 times before nodding in response.

She then went up on a soft bench that's placed under her windowsill and stood on it, reaching for the silver handles since she wasn't that tall enough to reach it without getting on the bench as a support.

"Be careful.", the boy suddenly said, a hint of worry in his voice as the girl nodded.

When she finally unlocked the window, she pushed the right door-looking-window open and went down the bench as she took a step back, watching the boy go inside.

The weird thing is...

He didn't walked inside but instead he somehow floated until he finally went inside her room completely...

She watched him as he landed on the floor smoothly and stared at her. She looked at his outfit that consists of short-sleeved green tunic and tights apparently made of cloth.

She guessed to herself that he was in his teenage years by observing his features even though he was taller than her.

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"Can you please tell me your name now?", she asked.

She was kinda taken aback when he suddenly smiled at her.

"My name is Peter.", he answered, revealing his perfect white teeth.

"And you?", he added, even though he honestly knew her name.

"I'm Madison.", she held out her hand to him, gesturing for a handshake.

Peter just stared at her hand before looking up at her.

"Oh, I... I don't do those...kind of stuff... Sorry about that...", he chuckled sheepishly as Madison replied with an 'oh' and lowered her hand.

"That's alright... I guess a simple introduction is enough.", she pursed her lips into a straight line, thinking if she should try to let out a smile or no.

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Well, in the end she decided to keep a straight face instead.

A few minutes passed...

The two talked for awhile as if they're getting to know each other little by little by asking small things, which also led them into one small topic to another. They conversation continued

until the clock hands in her clock strikes 11pm.

By that time, Peter told her that he had to go now and the girl just nodded in response, feeling a bit tired as well.

Peter then walked towards the window while Madison followed behind him, waiting for him to leave so she can close the window again.

Before he went out of the window to fly back to his home, he told Madison something that she clearly wasn't expecting to hear today.

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"By the way, I know it's kinda late, but "

Peter said as he finally flew out of the window, not even waiting for her to respond at his greet.

Madison blinked at what just happened until she suddenly felt the corner of her lips went up, forming a small smile. She didn't know how he knew that it was her birthday, but the simple greet somehow made her day complete.