3 BETWEEN REALITY AND DREAM

That's the last thing Thea remembered after she opened her eyes. She's temporarily motionless with all the musing. All she can see is an aqua green colored wooden ceiling of the room she's staying in, and she bows down to her stomach to see a small hotdog pillow on her waist. Remembering how his arms feel from there. There's a sense of relief, yet thwarted by the excitement.

"Thank God, it's just a dream. I could have died in that dream. But that arms, that hot air from his breath that tickle my nape, that man who saved me. So weird, I'm dreaming of someone's arms around me, and I really loved how it felt. Am I crushing on him? The man in my dream? Could it be my guardian angel? Or my soulmate?" Exclaiming herself with a bright, crazed smile.

She woke up just before her alarm clock rings. Pull herself up and jump down from a double-deck bed. She occupied the upper deck.

"Thea..ugh," Jassy, one of her roommates who's stayed below her deck, groaned and turned her back away, with both eyes still close. To show a complaining move with that loud thud she created as she jumps down.

"Sorry, Jas." She let her low, hesitant voice speak up, barely, not intending for Jassy to hear as long as I say, sorry. I don't want to disturb her slumber the second time anyway. She thought.

Jassy maybe her roommate, but they seldom talk with each other and even with her two other roommates. Her lack of confidence makes it harder for her to find friends easily. The thoughts of being unwanted taken over her personality, induced by the traumatic experience of constantly being bullied in her childhood days. However, she can hardly perceive what makes her different, what reason had her childhood mates to bully her. She began to feel skeptical about making friends, and it doesn't end up in her childhood. Especially now with her roommates. She's the odd one between the four of them, they are sociable and party girl kind and Thea is a school, work, home kind. As of the moment, there is only one person she considered a close friend, her workmate Mercy; she's chatty, the first one to approach her, and non-picky with friends. In her work, she may look the way too opposite of what she actually is, which she tried very hard to do good in her job. Still, she's not getting used to talking to people.

She stayed in this boarding house for almost a year now in a small room with three more borders with her. Since her father's death, the sole breadwinner of their family, and since her mom is just a plain housewife, life began tough on them. Slowly, She began to accept and be contented in her present situation. This is the only place she can afford to stay with her minimal earning as a salesgirl. She can barely pay for her tuition fee, though everything is fine and well-handled just by doing with all the effort she can make. All the struggles as a self-providing student give her more motivation, and her love life is not on her expectations. She's a planner, and it's not on her list, but she wonders like a child with a curiosity about that topic, and from what she had felt from her dream last night, her curiosity grows stronger.

Walking out from her room in a small hallway to the C.R., she bumped by a half-naked man.

"Hey!" Brow furrowed as her eyes followed him going inside one of the rooms. She pouted her lips with a nuisance. "Don't even know how to say sorry. He's not even supposed to be here; it's an all-girls boarding house." She grumbles with a stump on her feet, moving towards the bathroom.

She takes off her clothes, turns on the shower, and rubs the soap gently to her skin. She can't help thinking about her dream. She closed her eyes, imagining back on how he looks, the man in her dream, the wavy long blond hair, his masculine, powerful and gorgeous physique, his breath, and the strange and exquisite feeling he made her feel, the surprisingly warm and gently touch of his skin that elevates more than the feeling of dread over the intimidating circumstance.

Shivering by the thought of it, urging her to make another smile. This is the first time she's fellin' so happy.

I heard a lot about it. Is this how it feels, being in love? I love it, and it feels good and great and crazy, yeah, crazy, especially me, who's in love with the man she never knew and maybe never really exist. Nevertheless, she thought, on the contrary, better be contented with what she can only have, but just an imaginary boyfriend. She's pretty sure that she will never have one. That nobody will ever like her even.

She let herself carried by the feeling that was giving her considerable bliss. In the midst of her shower, full-tongued and cheerful, she sang the song.

"Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare

Somebody pinch me, your love's too good to be true

My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere

Baby 'long as you're here, I'll be floating on air

Cause you're mine

You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare

Either way, I don't wanna wake up from you"

Finished bathing, she's relieved to see that Jassy's already out of their room. She's probably awake and getting herself some breakfast. Her other two roommates are working the night shifts and usually arrived after 8 am. There's a feeling of comfort and delight; she's more at ease and need not worry for them to be eyeing her.

In front of the mirror as she's combing her wet hair gently and continues humming the tune of "Sweet dream and beautiful nightmare" by Beyonce. She noticed some glow in her look when she takes off and not wearing her eyeglasses. She looks beautiful, though she can hardly believe it herself. She didn't have a courter, and she always thinks that she's not likable—reason enough for her to stop hoping for some romantic relationship.

Wearing her uniform polo shirt with company logo printed paired with straight cut jeans and blue canvass loafer shoe. She grabs the bag, ID with the name written Timothea Ruzen, eyeglasses, and neatly ties her hair in a simple bun before heading.

She can describe her outfit as simple and comfortable, but most people see it as untrendy and unfashionable. But then again, she never really cared. Being branded as a nerd is not new to her. She stands and will always stand for what she is. Just like Jim Carrey's saying goes, "When you create yourself, to make it, you're going to have to either let that creation go and take a chance on being loved or hated for who you really are…or you're gonna have to kill who you really are and fall into your grave grasping onto a character that you never were."

Her day went just fine as always, as usual as it is. Her, being aware of how boring her life really is, yet, she loves the routine; it is easier, simpler, and never intimidating. Home early since her work schedule today is in the first shift, 8 am-6 pm, and classes haven't started until next week. She dropped by in the nearest cafe to take out some dinner. Got the budget meal pack with spring roll and rice in it, she also asked for a free soup, and the server gives it without hesitation. Thea never dined in this cafe. She never wants to be around with the crowd as much as possible, not unless she really needs to, and though she should get used to it. Dinning in the café will only mean eating alone in the middle of crowds, and everyone is dining with their folks that makes her really hate eating by herself there. She hated how it makes her look lonely and intimidated.

It's yet 7:30, and she has never been ready and excited for an early slumber ride today. If there is something else that makes her feel totally excited in her life is to dream. Dream about him, the man she fell in love with. To rephrase, the imaginary man she's in love with. She silently laughed over herself, thinking about how impossible her reveries were. As if we could decide what to dream.

Slowly, the world wanes as nighttime takes away her consciousness.

Approaching a riverbank, Thea passed by a handsome man with a preppy look in short pants. He has brown hair with a light beard the same color as his hair. He is standing by a small motorboat on the river bank. He reaches his hand, offering her a ride. She slightly shakes her head and smiles. Moving forward, she passes another man in beach pants, short half bare exposing his six-pack abs. Holding a paddle, he nods down and invites her for a kayak. She just simply, wave her hands and move forward.

Not far, she catches a glimpse of a bamboo raft; it's edge touch inconsiderably to the river bank's soil. Making her notice the rope tied with it and the nearby tree in one end. A man facing his back from where she stands, sitting in the raft with most of his lower leg dip in the water and drench partly, the knee-length folded hem of his jeans. His slightly dirty white dress shirt moves smoothly as the tolerable wind blows, as so as the buri hat he wears, nearly puffed away from his head.

The plan to tread toward him unnoticed failed, for the moment she steps on the raft, it rocks joining the rippled water. To avoid losing her balance, on her knee, she sits on the raft. Same second, he turns his head over his shoulder, brings her in agape. Showing the handsome face of a man with wavy blond hair in which few are escaping from his native buri hat.

"Ooh.." involuntarily came out of Thea's mouth. The feeling of connection and familiarity tranquilizes her as if assuring her that she knows this guy and she's safe with him.

Not a minute later, he stands up to reach for her. She noticed how he handled well, balancing the raft. He reaches her hand, guiding her in the middle. She can't help but gawk and be amazed by his beautiful blue eyes and the divided chin as she stands up.

His expression is straight, emotionless, and mysterious yet gentle and affectionate. Seated in front of him, her eyes still glued, focused on his semblance.

Untying the rope then picking a bamboo pole, long enough to reach the bottom of the river, he uses it to drive the raft. He's so busy pushing it to move the raft, and Thea's too busy gazing at him. He already took off his white dress shirt now, leaving his well-toned upper body nude. His muscles moved after his every forceful push, giving his abs and biceps more details on every curve.

As he is settled, and they are already in the middle of the river. He leaves the raft floating by itself and squats down in front of her. This time with a smile on his face and glitters in his blue eyes. She can feel the butterfly's flutters in her stomach again as her hearts dancing wildly, with flashy checks giving evidence on how she feels.

Hypnotized by his lips as it moves and speaks at a slow pace. "You are secretly beautiful, as pure as this nature, waiting for me to discover..." those words echo over her brain, gaining her consciousness back in reality.