1 Chapter 1: Shasta Daisy and her hundred dream catchers
The night sky's full of stars but there is no moon.
My white soft blanket wraps around my body protecting me from the chills of the night. I wrapped it tighter to feel more warmth on my sensitive skin. It is indeed a frosty night and for the record, it's not even winter yet. Since my room is placed at the highest peak of our house, I have exclusive VIP access on our roof using my wide sliding window as my pass.
I checked the time on my phone and just like the weather it's cold but somehow watery, making the screen slippery and harder to use.
2:29 am
I really want to sleep but I have an inevitable curse that's punishing too much. And I am not guilty about anything.
I was about to surf my SNS account when I suddenly heard loud bangs from the door. It's my grandmother for sure! She will scold me to death when she finds out that I am still awake rather than being tormented in my dreams. It's not like she's not aware of my bad sleeping schedule, she's just waiting to catch me in the act.
As soon as I stood up, the blanket falls off the roof and gave the freezing wind the chance to attack my body making my spine shiver in harsh coldness. When I heard the knock again I rushed real fast towards the window but because of the strong winds, the white curtains that are hanging behind the window directly slapped my face and tangled around my frail body together with my blanket.
I took a glimpse at the door while busy untangling the stubborn fabrics around my body. To my surprise, the door is open wide. My grandmother was holding the knob with her left hand and knocking using the other one. My jaw almost dropped and it feels like my spirit left my body and float towards heaven because I am so doomed right now.
A few moments passed and I found myself standing up at the fur-made red carpet inside my small room while both of my arms are raised pointing the ceiling and savoring my grandmother's madness.
"I told you to sleep early, Shasta Daisy! You will die earlier than me if you'll stay up ALL night ALL the time!" She took her time emphasizing the word 'all', maybe assuming that it will help me understand her point.
Nonetheless, grandmother was saying those words while untangling the curtains and blanket around my body. Soon after she spoke, she perfectly untangled those horrible fabrics.
I jumped on my bed and felt the very fluffy cushion and closed my eyes.
"I told you already, I'm sick of having my dreams. It is a dream, but it's very vivid and continuously about that man,' I replied trying to cancel her point.
"Look around your room, Shasta. It's full of dream catchers, different in size and thread colors. You are worrying nothing," she tried to argue.
I flipped my position to face her before answering, "Those dream catchers-" then I pointed all my four white walls where my hundred dream catchers are hanging- "I think they are all working in reverse. They have too much magic they are being tricked by themselves. They are casting away my pretty dreams and catching my bad ones."
My grandma started shaking her head, left to right. Canceling my theory. Maybe this is why we fit living together because we always try to cancel each other.
"Everyone dreams about something or someone, Shasta. It's a matter of how will you deal with them."
"But my dreams are different! They are nightmares! It's traumatizing! And I'm very sick of it!" I argued back.
Before she went out the door, she handed me a tiny new white dream catcher. I rolled my eyes but still accepted the dream catcher, simply because the color is white.
"Great. Now I have 101," I sarcastically said.
I don't think anyone will be able to understand what it feels like dreaming about a tortured man every time they try sleeping.
I abruptly opened my eyes and found myself covered in cold sweats and catching my breath desperately while my tears are flowing constantly from my eyes. It feels like the oxygen is running away from me and it's so hard to chase them. I can also feel my hand trembling and all can do is chew my regret and frustration.
I shouldn't have fallen asleep.
I stood up from my bed and catch more air to fill my dying lungs and wiping my tears which is entirely useless because they keep on falling and falling like an overflowing dam.
This is what always happens, this is my sucking routine. I will try to stay up all night and will eventually fail, then I will have a tormenting dream about the same man. On the next day, I will feel extra tormented, I'll wake up covered in sweats and will seek all the consumable air in my room just to fill my dying lungs, sometimes crying too. After that, start my day with regrets and unstoppable frustration.
That is my routine every time I will wake up FOR YEARS. And yes, it's very traumatizing, tiring and sickening that I just want to remove my brain before sleeping. If only there is a method on how to have insomnia like how you can catch fever if you walked under the pouring rain for hours.
After so many inhale and exhales, my lungs were back to normal and I have calmed myself a little bit. Only my frustrations and regrets are all I have to conquer now. And in order to do that, I thought a brilliant idea.
I opened the only window in my room and looked above the sky and shouted; "I've been tormented in my dreams about him for years! Why not introduce him to me and torment me while I am awake too?!!"
Yes, that's my brilliant idea. To shout at the sky.
I wanted to shout more to release all my frustrations but I will set aside that for now because I feel like I'm already lat-
"Shasta Daisy!! Nate and Nicky are here! Are you done?!" I heard the roaring shout of my grandma as if she knows what I'm thinking. Though, I only thought that I'll be late but- I checked the time at the white wall clock on my wall.
"Shoot! It's 7:35!"
MY CLASS STARTS AT 8! AND I JUST WOKE UP!
Panic level: 99999999.
With that, I started moving at the speed of light.
The slam-bang sound of my shoes echoed around the house as I ran downstairs. When I reached the kitchen I saw Nate and Nicky sitting side by side and eating breakfast at our dining table while I saw a glimpse of my grandma's back at the kitchen counter, probably preparing more food.
"You just woke up, 'no?" Nate suspiciously asked while munching the toasted bread.
Nicky hissed at him with obvious disgusts.
Nate and Nicky are known as the N-Duo. They're the best duo in the world and they are my BEST FRIENDS!
We met in 7th grade. Well, it was Nate who I first met. He found me in the middle of the road almost getting hit by an over speeding 10-wheeler truck. Because of that incident, I became friends with them even though Nate nicknamed me 'Jaywalker' for months. Nate looks like a typical soft boy –ivory skin and upturned set of lovely eyes.
"Morning," I told them while preventing my laugh and dodging Nate's question.
We left the house and wait for the bus after eating breakfast as fast as we could.
When I glanced at Nicky I saw her trying to tie her long hair. I personally think that her strict almond eyes and her long brunette wavy hair are her best assets.
For me and almost everyone at school, the N-Duo really fits each other. Nate has a warm, cute, and attractive personality while Nicky carries the 'smart-strict' personality. Their contrasting personality made them fit perfectly each other. While me? I'm just their third wheel.
"Let me help you." It was Nate's calm voice.
"Don't remove my scalp, you devil!" Soon enough after Nate offered his help, Nicky started feeling regret.
I rolled my eyes trying to release my stress. Why the hell do they need to fight all the time?
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH!" Nicky shouted so loud near my ear and I almost slap her mouth. But she runs fast towards Nate while aiming him a punch. I think… he deserves it…
I can see Nicky's despair, her ponytail is too tight and it surely hurts your scalp like no other. Never mind that her hair looks like the messiest thing I ever saw in my life. Bird's nest is definitely a hundred times prettier.
I want to forget every little hope that one day, they will want to date each other. Because they are totally hopeless.
