11 Chapter 11: Sneaking into Dreams
I toss and turn on my bed and finally sit up when I realized that sleep wasn't going to be my guest tonight.
Aunt Anna's words keep rattling in my head. She was trying to stop me from running after him, she thinks my passion for him will hurt me because she experienced the same but in the end she did choose her passion over other things, she didn't try to move on but did what she and her love planned all along, she is trying to live a life where she thinks she can be happy, where she believes to still see him and the reality is that she is confident that she can live for both of them even if he is not here for her.
If he is fire then let me burn in my passion too.
I look at my bedside table clock, it was 10 p.m. I get up from my bed and head to the bathroom to change in casual from my night dress. After I changed, I take a quick glance at my appearance in the mirror of my dresser.
I was wearing a simple chiffon printed maxi that ends up to my ankle with bishop sleeves and high neck. The dress hangs loosely on my body hiding my body parts underneath it. I braid my long brown hair and drape a scarf over my head.
I went down the stairs, slowly tip-toeing the corridor, my flip-flops in my hands and I walk out of the house and shut the door behind me.
Okay, here we go again.
~~~
No, not this one... Yes, that one seems perfect!
I caught sight of a stone exactly the one I was looking for. It's not sharp, not too big and not too heavy either. I angle my face towards my target, squint an eye and aim the stone in one hand.
Woohoo! Just hit the target. Okay, just one more time...
I arch my body and my hands to throw the stone at my target. I shoot it when someone comes out on the balcony, at a very bad time, and...
The stone hits them.
"Ouch!" the person holds the edge of his head with both the hands and squint their eyes in pain.
"Ooppss... you came out at the wrong time, boss." I gave him an apologetic look.
"What in the world ARE YOU DOING HERE!" he half shouts at me from his balcony while gripping his head in his hands "You just hit me twice today!"
"Thrice, if you count the punch in the stomach," I say, thoughtfully. "And I was just trying to wake you up." I pout at him with my hands on my hips.
"Go home kid or find someone else to play with!" he says and turns back to head inside.
"W-wait!" I call him back.
"What!?" He swirls his head and gives me an intense glare.
"Wouldn't you even invite your friend to your house when they visit you for the first time?" I show my puppy dog eyes to him.
He thinks for a moment and looks at me with a sad face "NO!" and his expression changes back to being stern. He goes inside and shuts the door to the balcony with force, making a sound as to imply the anger, he was feeling towards me.
"NO! Don't goooo! Come back! You told me that we needed to work on my spying skills so I'm here to learn?" but no response comes back. "Hello?" I heave a sigh and slump down next to a tree in front of the house.
So what to do? Just sit here or head home?
I guess I'll go with the latter.
"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream." I sing while playing with my fingers.
"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream." someone clears their throat behind me and I look at the person "I knew you would come!" I grin like a kid at Samuel, revealing my perfect white teeth.
"If someone whimpers at a time like this at the front door of your house, I bet you would have no choice either," he says while shaking his head. I look at his face, his swell has reduced where the bruise still lingers and it somehow gives me some inner peace.
He's wearing black sweatpants with a simple white t-shirt, his shirt stretches from his chest.
"What's the plan now? You're going to tell me or just stay like this?"
"Oh right!" I say, averting my gaze.
~~~
"Don't tell me we are doing this again." his mouth hangs open.
"I thought you were smart enough to have guessed it already." I roll my eyes.
"It never crossed my mind! How can one come back to the place where they have witnessed a crime before just like that," he says in an exasperated tone.
"Well, I do and you are also doing it with me, boss." I deadpan, looking in front of me where stands the same building 'The Shippers' and if you guys were smart enough then you would've guessed it by now too that we're in the same alley from where we witnessed the crime.
Actually, you didn't guess it, Samuel just mentioned it above. Never mind.
"We're going to have you check up by a psychiatrist tomorrow, first thing in the morning." his voice unwavering and stern.
"As you wish boss."
We stay in a dark corner of the alley, hiding through every possible way, for a long time now already and nothing seems to happen apparently.
"It's midnight already, we should head home now," he says, looking at his wristwatch.
"But I haven't seen him yet." I look at him with my fallen face "We only saw trucks moving in and out of the building."
"He's not going to come out every time just when you wish him to. You have to plan something else," he says, looking at the building in front of us.
"But I've got no idea what to plan," I say with utter annoyance.
"Then we'll think over it but not right now." he stands up off the ground and before walking out he turns back "Come on, we have planning to do first." reluctantly, I stand on my toes and we quietly make our way out of the alley and for a while we just walk quietly side by side.
"I'm sorry, I dragged you here along with me," I say, breaking the silence.
"You're realizing this now? Spare me your sorry, please." he rolls his eyes at me.
"I didn't have any choice but to drag you and besides I don't know anyone here who could help me and by judging last time, you were not a bad company," I say, tucking a finger under my chin, thinking over the consequences that might have occurred if he hadn't been there last time.
"You're asking me to help you?" he asks with furrowed eyebrows.
"Yes, something like that...." I say, shrugging
"Okay! but in return I want you to work for me extra hour without the pay."
"HEY! I won't work for you for free!"
"Well, you have to because you just woke me up from my sleep, merely an hour ago," he replies with the same tone I used with him.
"Uhh... I'll make it up to you... but only for tomorrow!" I said, adamantly.
"Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and the day after that."
"But-"I try to protest but he cuts me off.
"NO BUTS! You need to learn some manners of the city. You just don't barge into others house in the middle of the night, waking them up from their dreams just so you can play with them." He says, looking at me with rage in his eyes.
"I-" Again I try to say but he snaps at me.
