You laugh as you wobble off the couch just as Phoebe leaps onto it with you, joining you during the chorus of the song. You jump along side her and it slowly turns into a contest to see who can be the loudest.

"What is all the noi-Oh hey (Y/N)! Thought it was you, you know the pack of rabid dogs down the street just named you their queen for that kind of ear piercing howling." He says, grabbing the remote off the table and switching off the stereo.

"Not surprising that you're the only one to speak dog." You say, still bouncing on the couch. Ever since 3 months ago when you had met Max, whenever you ended up in the same room you'd trash talk until one lost things to say.

"I came only came to know after I saw them do your signature dance, what is that? The dance of the dying monkey? Very chic." "Oh come on Max, that is not what a dying monkey looks like, you should know! Haven't you ever looked in a mirror before?" "Whatever, just get off the couch before you break a hip, grandma." He says, walking away from you.

"Ha! I win this round!" You jump off the couch to note that in your notebook and do a cute little celebratory dance as Phoebe cheers you on.

"Wow, you bested a high-schooler and trash talking, your parents must be proud." "Actually my parents are-!" You catch yourself before you say anything and bite your lip and suck in a breath, exhaling through your nose.

"Hey Phoebe, I better get going, it's getting late." You say and grab your bag off the floor, showing yourself out.

Phoebe gets off the couch and slaps max's arm, "Max! Why would you say that! You know (Y/N)'s parents passed, that's just disrespectful." "I did it, to shut her up." He says and leaves the room while murmuring incoherent things under his breath.

Phoebe immediately picked up her phone and texted you. She was pretty anxious about your response though, since finding about your parents Phoebe always beat around the bush when it came to anything about them. She'd avoid talking about her parents and complaining about her siblings and she'd never ask her something about them. Her thumbs moved swiftly across the virtual keyboard.

'Hey, I'm sorry about Max's behaviour today, if you wanna talk about it I'm always here.'

You took a quick look at Phoebe's house from a distance, the only light in the street coming from your phone and from shops. Your eyes moved over her text in the grey and the breeze fluttered your lashes lightly. You sighed again, stopping underneath a dim streetlight to type out your response.

'It's fine, Max's always playing around.'

You look at your text and frowned, erasing all the words and pocketing your phone.You took a quick look around the place and took a few cleansing breaths and then continuing on your way home.

Everyone had already left their jobs and gotten home, the sun had set a while back and you were taking the long route home. It was a little abandoned alleyway turned into something special. Street vendors from all different types of cultures came and sold a little piece of their home here. The alley was lit up by all kinds of colorful paper lanterns. You smiled at the flickering candles and continued walking, hands buried in your fur coat.

You walked to the closed stalls and slightly pouted, you were feeling a bit peckish. You walked a bit further stretching your neck out to check for any open stalls until you caught the light of a paper lantern glowing in the distance. It lit purple and you wondered if it was artificial because it was flickering and radiating heat just like any other flame.

"Hello." "Ah!" You yelped and jumped a foot back.

"W-Who said that?" You asked and turned around slowly, trying to locate the source of the voice.

"Step forward and you'll find out."

You scoffed, "Yeah right, I step forward and for all I know a net will fall over my head."

"No, I meant, step forward and you'll be able to see me." Said an impish woman as she walked from behind the counter, hunched over painfully. You raised a brow, "Who are you?"

"Just an old street vendor, trying to make a living by selling good luck charms, dearie." She says and you cringed at her high-pitched voice, "And I have the perfect one for you." She says and walks behind the corner once again, hopping up on a stool to be able to look you in the eye.

"Oh, I couldn't." "Now at least look at it, a beautiful charm for a beautiful girl." The lady hold a tray of charms in all forms in her wrinkly hands; bracelets, necklaces, hair pins. The twinkled at you with mystery and you can't help but gape, it looks like it belongs in a museum rather than the side of an alley.

She picks up a hair pin and holds it out to you. Your reflection in the purple and blue gems stare back at you as you take the pin delicately and analyse its intricate designing. There are gold wines curled next to the gem-flowers. A few gold chains fall from underneath the flowers and are attached to a fastener and is placed on the other end of the pin.

It magical, almost, like something a sorceress would wear.

"Come closer dearie, let me put it on for you." You lean over to the the woman pin it into your hair and then show you yourself in cracked mirror.

"It's absolutely stunning!" You beam at her and she flashes a smile.

"Now you're very lucky, because that pin holds great luck and also comes along with a palm reading." She holds her hand out and you put your smaller one in her palms.

She looks at your open hand with a look of concentration and mumbles a few words you weren't able to make out.

"It has spoken!" You lean over, "What does it say?"

"Someone you least expect will become your greatest enemy. And someone you least expect will become your significant other."

You squint in confusion, "You can't see a name in there?"

She laughs, clearly amused and lets go of your hand, "Nope, these things are never clear, all I can say is stay on your toes."

You nod and reach into your purse, "Ah darn, I have no money for this pin."

She shrugs, "It's alright, you can stop by tomorrow and pay me then."

"Are you sure?" You ask and she nods, "Of course, dearie, now run along."

You smile and thank her, walking away when you hear her say, "Oh! And happy birthday, dearie." You spin around, "How'd you know it was-"

You stare at an empty stall. The light from the lantern snuffed out.