I opened my eyes when the sun rays sneaked through the glass of the window and gently crossed my eyelids.
Sitting up on my bed, I rubbed my eye with one hand and tried to get my messy hair to go down with the other before I shifted my look towards the brown box on my table.
Inside it, was the uncolored grey Dream, sleeping peacefully. I shifted my look next to the box and let out an annoyed sigh.
I forgot about my homework...
***
I walked to the school with shaking legs. First because I didn't know what to say to the teacher. Second, because I didn't know how to introduce the grey Dream to everyone. They are already bothering me because of my name so what if I will show them the strange Dream? I'm sure they won't leave me alone ever again.
Dreams are linked to their owners, in other words, you could never leave your dream behind at house. It should always be with you, wherever you go. That's an unspoken rule, and that's the same reason why I was cradling this brown box all the way to the school building.
I walked into the class, the brown box in my hands. I took my seat, and... One... Two... Three...
" Yume! You got a dream!"
" Finally!"
" About time you did."
Since everyone had their Dreams for quite a period of time now, they became familiar with each other's Dreams. Yet, because I was the only one without a Dream, it would be an underestimation if I said they were more than eager for the day I would get a Dream too.
" Show it to us!" The girl who said that didn't need to ask. Because she actually took off the box's cover without waiting for an answer, before even finishing her statement.
Everyone's eyes went wide as they saw the Dream. " A grey one!"
" Is this really a Dream?"
" Didn't hear of a grey Dream before!"
" How did you get it?"
" What kind of blessings does it bring?"
Here we go, now I've become everyone's main subject.
" Just leave him alone, you can ask him as much as you want later. I'm trying to focus on my work and you're disturbing me." A voice spoke from the side of the classroom.
There was a girl with long blond hair secured in a ponytail with a blue ribbon. She had glimmering green eyes that reflected a serious look. She was the 2nd place student in our class, Amy.
Once no one cared about her, she gritted her teeth and looked at another girl. " Do something about them, class president."
The girl who was sitting a few seats in front of me turned her head to face the others who were surrounding me, almost about to choke me. She had short brown hair decorated with a red bow, and two similar colored brown eyes with a pair of red framed glasses in front of them. " Please leave him alone, it's almost time so take your seats."
Following the class president's orders, everyone left me and went back to their seats. I whispered a thank you to her and she only answered with a small smile before going back to her book.
Now to the real problem. What should I tell the teacher?...
***
The last period of the day was reserved for Music lessons. As we were about to finish, the teacher allowed us to leave our seats and discuss with each other without disturbing the other classes around.
The other students quickly formed groups, and I was the only one left alone. Without noticing it, when I was wandering around without a Dream and only worrying about my present, my friends left me.
' You're boring!'
' You don't even know what you should do!'
' You will only hold us back.'
' If you're not going to work hard for your future and try only to enjoy your present, then you will only bother us.'
Were what they told me. One after the other, each one of my friends who had a Dream looked down on me because I didn't have one, and left me, until I was left all alone, just like now.
" Play for us please, Amy!" One of the class girls asked the blonde girl from earlier. Amy turned her look between her friends' faces who came to support the girl who asked her.
" You have a pink Dream, right? You want to become a pianist?"
" Let us hear you play!"
The girl turned her look towards the teacher. " If only our teacher allowed us."
She had a smile and gestured towards the piano. Amy thanked her before walking to the black instrument and sitting down. She raised the cover and took a deep breath before letting her fingers dance on the keys.
The sounds followed one after the other as we all gathered around her. We stood in silence and listened to her play. It was such a holy melody that brought us to an unseen world. Her fingers finally came to a stop and we were pulled back to the real world when the piano's sounds died. The whole room burst with clapping, even the teacher clapped for her. " Such a good play, after all, you do have a pink Dream."
The bell rang and the students turned to reach for their bags and leave. But there was only one girl who stayed behind and walked around the piano before she ran her fingers on the keys to test them.
At that, everyone stopped as if it was a secret call for them to hold on. She sat down and she started to play. And much to everyone's surprise, she was good.
We turned back to her and listened carefully. But she didn't notice us, focusing on the keys in front of her and playing with every inch of feelings she had. She didn't know that we existed there until the room burst with clapping again when her music faded.
That was a strange melody, I felt it was filled with something that couldn't be touched, couldn't be heard, but it reached my heart. A silent cry, a feeling of sadness, and a call for help.
" That was a good play too, Hannah." The teacher complimented our class president. " But, there were some slight mistakes. Yet, you did great. Do you attend piano lessons?"
" Not actually Miss, but I used to play with my mother when I was little." She explained.
" That was good for someone with a red Dream, you sure love piano though, right."
Maybe my eyes tricked me then, because for an instant, Hannah's lips seemed to be shaking. Nevertheless, she smiled brightly at the teacher and thanked her for the compliment.
Everyone left, and I stayed behind so that I could give my excuse to the teacher. " So..." She started.
I looked at the box in my hands and narrowed my eyes. " Actually Miss, I can't write my homework. I could have made up anything, but I was taught that lying is bad a thing, and I would rather not."
She raised her eyebrow and I continued to explain. " It's because I don't know what I want to be. I don't have an idea of what type of future I want to get, that's why..."
" But you have a Dream already?!" She pointed towards the box. " Not exactly..."
I told her as I showed her the grey Dream. " It's an uncolored Dream, and it needs to be raised so that it can get a color. I believe, by raising this Dream, I can have a clear idea of what I want to be, so I'm taking it in. But, still, I can't do my homework, I can't lie, nor say that I want to be something that I don't really want to be. That's why..."
She kept looking at me before letting a small smile. " I understand, hurrying you to make up your mind won't help, so take your time, and find out what you want to be. And once you find your answer, you better write your homework and give it to me with your own hand."
" I promise," I told her with a wide smile and took my leave. Once stepping into the school's yard, I expected that I wouldn't find anyone, but much to my surprise, I saw this certain girl who stopped everyone at the doorstep to listen to her play. She seemed to be checking on her Dream. When I walked to her, she quickly covered the box and looked up at me with a smile. " I didn't think I would find someone here after school."
" Same here." I returned her smile with a similar one. " Want to walk home together."
" Sure." She said and we walked side by side through the road. " So, what type of Dreams is this grey one?" She pointed at the box.
" Ah... Actually, it's not my Dream, I'm just taking care of it for some time. I still don't know what type of Dreams I should get."
" You still don't know what you want to be then?" She pointed out and I only nodded.
" By the way, I liked your play." She seemed slightly surprised and turned to me with wide eyes. I smiled. "I think it was better than Amy's." She had a small blush at that
" Your Dream is red, right? Does that mean that you want to be a doctor?" This time, I saw it right, her eyes flashed with sadness.
" Yeah, you can say that..." She stopped in front of a very big house and turned to me with a smile. " Thanks for walking me, that's my home. Goodbye and see you tomorrow." She waved at me. I waved at her and continued forward towards our far cottage...