SIX MONTHS LATER
I was back home with my parents. I was on leave with pay. I'm entitled to two weeks break yearly. Who was I to refuse?
I've been home for a week now. I'm sure I have added some more weight over the week. My mom fed me like I was a baby cow.
I was an only child. That's why it came as a surprise to me when my parents allowed me to take this job and live far away from them. I was their spoilt little girl.
"Lee" my mom called from the living room. As if Lily wasn't short enough, she still had to make my name even more shorter. But I'll have to admit, I really loved it when she calls me that. It made me feel more special even though I already knew I was very precious to them.
My dad was always at work and almost always never around. But I knew he loved me so much regardless. Although I usually only talk to him when I needed money.
"Yes mom" I stood up from my room and walked towards the living room.
"Did I tell you about the new occupants of the house two blocks away from ours?" she asked.
This has been going on since I returned back home. From one gist to another. The new neighbors, the neighbours whose son was caught stealing, the neighbours who got sick, the ones who passed away and so on. I always enjoy the time we spend together just talking.
"No mom" I replied. And then she proceeded to tell me about the new neighbors. This was why I loved being home. How did I stay away from home for almost 10months now? She cooks, I eat, sleep, gist, go over to Daisy's place or Daisy comes over to my place. It's all I've been doing all week.
My phone started ringing and interrupted my gist with my mom. I excused myself to answer the call. I walked into my room closing the door behind me.
It was my boyfriend calling, Ziko.
Yes, you read that right.
We started dating three weeks after we went on that company trip. Three weeks after I picked up that call from him.
FLASHBACK
"Lily?" Ziko said into the phone again when he realized I didn't reply the first time.
"Yes, who's this?" I asked pretending to not know who it was. Yes, a girl had to keep her acts up.
"It's Ziko, I am just calling to know how you are feeling after we dropped you off last night" he said sounding really nervous and concerned.
"Thank you Ziko, I'm fine. I was just stressed out is all. Thank you for checking up on me though" I thanked him. Even Mia didn't try to check up on me. I'm sure she was having a good time on her free day from work and forgot about me.
I know, I get too attached to people easily and become kind of clingy. This was why I avoided getting close to people in the first place.
"So I was wondering if we could have lunch together tomorrow. I noticed you always had lunch alone" he asked, still sounding nervous.
Does he pay that much attention to me to notice I ate alone during lunch?
Mia and the others have lunch breaks together but I always kept to myself because I wasn't really comfortable around new people. I was that weird.
I accepted his offer though. "Okay, Ziko. That's not a problem"
END OF FLASHBACK
We started having our lunch breaks together. Then one day, he confessed he liked me and asked me to be his girlfriend. I didn't have a boyfriend, so I decided to accept him as my boyfriend since I kind of liked him too. And the rest they say, is history.
"How are you today sweetheart?" Ziko asked bringing me back from my thoughts.
I still wasn't used to all these words of endearment even after 5months of being in a relationship with him. It still felt weird.
Our relationship was nothing like Laila and Tariq's. In fact we kept it a secret from our colleagues at work. I was the one that insisted that I wasn't comfortable with people I was working with to know about us. It's silly I know, but that was what I wanted.
"I'm fine Ziko, same as the other days since I got home" I said, sounding kind of bored. Sometimes I wondered I accepted o be his girlfriend. He was good looking, smart and sweet. But I still felt like something was missing.
"I really miss you and can't wait for you to get back" he said sweetly.
Goodness, he was so sweet. If only he was him.
To answer your question, yes. I still have those dreams. They haven't stopped.
In fact, I look forward to them now. Instead of frightening me, he now jokes around with me. We were kind of friends now. I couldn't even explain the dreams anymore.
"I miss you too, Ziko" I replied absentmindedly.
"Lily, where are you?" I heard Daisy's voice call from the living room.
"I've to go Ziko, I'll call you back later, Daisy just got here" I informed Ziko.
"Okay then, talk to you later. My regards to Daisy" he said and I ended the call.
Of course he was acquainted with Daisy. They became friends the moment we started dating. And Daisy didn't stop singing I told you so in my ears for weeks.
I still haven't told Daisy about my dreams. They were no longer nightmares. I could call them beautiful nightmares though.
********************
I was getting way too familiar with this place. This forest. These tall trees. It was the place where I first saw that mysterious cat. The place I met him. I still don't know his name. But I was planning to ask him today.
Each time I open my eyes and find myself here, I knew immediately that I was dreaming. I've gotten used to waking up to this.
Why was he taking so long to show up?
Just then, I heard rustling of leaves behind me and I knew instantly it was him.
"Hey little Missy, missed me?" he asked with a smirk plastered on his face.
"You wish" I retorted back.
"So you still won't tell me what this is all about? How am I here? Is this still a dream? Why does this feel so real? Who are you?" I questioned him without pausing to take a breath.
"Calm down, little Missy. I think we'll meet soon" he said still smiling so mischievously.
I knew there was no need to keep asking him questions, because he wouldn't give me the answers I need. How can he tell me we'd meet soon, like I've not met him already.
"Can I at least know your name?" I asked with hopes that he'd answer me this time.
"Call me whatever name you'd like to call me little Missy. Enough of this little chit chat, I think I should allow you have a goodnight rest" he declares and vanished into thin air.
How disrespectful of him.