Eros

My alarm kept ringing but I couldn't move an inch. Did she really kissed my cheek? What for? But I could tell I'm blushing right now. This is the first time I've met a woman and she kissed me?

No worries I am totally cool with it. It was just a peck, it wasn't a kiss yet. Wait did I just say yet?? I must be out of my mind.

I immediately grabbed my phone from the desk beside my bed but I accidentally fell.

"That's certainly a wake up call for me."

I stood up and turned my alarm off before I went downstairs to grab some breakfast. I rarely eat but these days, I feel like I am eating more each day. Although I only ate cup noodles yesterday.

Anyway, I should just eat a little and continue painting.

Oh shoot I forgot my paints are all dried up. I had to buy lots of it first after eating.

I cooked an omelet and some bacon. I also toasted some bread to go with it. I put it all in my plate and went to the table to sit down. After doing so, I took a 10 minutes break and went straight to the bathroom.

I wore a mustard shirt and black shorts since I'll only be buying paint. I also wore a black slip-ons to match with my outfit. I head straight out after and grabbed every color of paint there is.

"That's a lot of paint." Someone said from behind

I turned around and to my surprise, it was Keila. She was wearing a black and white collared sweater, black shorts, and black high cut shoes. Her pitch black hair were dangling out of her white cap.

"I thought you only go to the library? I didn't know that you're a painter." She said while scanning through my basket.

"Uh, just a hobby I picked up." I said and looked away.

"I guess we happen to have more than one similarity." She said and pointed the counter in front of me.

"Your turn." She added.

I walked towards the counter and didn't utter another word. She did the same too. After paying for my stuff, I was about to head out when she called my name.

"Do you want to have some breakfast? I know a good place." She offered as she grabbed the paper bag from the counter.

"I-I have to call rain check today, I'm a tad busy." I said as nicely as I could

She laughed and hit my arm.

"Stop acting shy it doesn't suit you!"

I raised one of my eyebrow and she laughed even harder

"Anyway, I was actually hoping you wouldn't agree though. I didn't have extra money to treat you. Maybe next time?" She said while smiling at me

"Sure."

We both bid our goodbyes and I went straight home. That's weird, why do I feel like I'm doing something wrong? I mean she was just offering me breakfast, and its not like she likes me. But even if she does, its not wrong to accept her offer right? Galene isn't even my girlfriend..

Argh nevermind, I got some work to do.

--

I'm finally done! I didn't have any tremors again today but I somehow feel tired. What time is it?

It's already 1 am? Oh no I need to sleep! I hurried to my room and tried my best to sleep. The next thing I knew I was in a place where I haven't been before.

Wait, where's Galene?

"Galene?" I called as loud as I could but no one answered.

I sit on the bench near the playground and sighed.

"You're in the wrong place, right?" Someone suddenly said as they sit next to me.

He was wearing a blue hoodie and beige pants and black slip-ons. His hair's as long as mine and as black as Keila's.

"What?"

"You're in the wrong space. You were supposed to meet Galene." I stood up after that

"How did you know her? Who are you? Where is she?" I continuously asked but he just raised his hands in defeat.

"Hey slow down. I can answer all your questions. Just ask them one by one."

I calmed down and sit down again before thinking about what to ask him first.

"So you wanted to know how I knew her. She is just like me. We're both stuck in a certain place, at a certain time." He explained while looking at the swing set in front of us

"The place where we are, we call it our home. By our I meant beings like us, Galene and I. To put it in a scenario, my home opens at 1 am, Galene's open at 9:27 pm. Each being's home opens up at a particular time. We get to choose who to let in or who to avoid." He continued

"You were able to meet Galene because you kept sleeping at 9:27 pm. And to be honest? You're the only person that can enter Galene's home."

He finally turned to look at me. Somehow I feel pitied on. But maybe its just me overthinking. He laid his back on the bench and looked straight ahead again.

"But how did you know her?" I asked

"Oh, we can visit each other homes as beings. I was lost when I first came here and I accidentally entered her home. She told me I could come there anytime if I wanted to. So I went there every single day and we talked about our stories." He answered

"She's like my best friend. I invited her here over for a thousand times but Galene never came. She stayed at her home all the time and hoped that you could sleep by the time her home opens so you two could meet." He added.

"And when you've met her, I couldn't visit her anymore. Because once we have our person, we can't let any 'beings' enter our homes. That's the rule of our world."

I was quietly listening to him. This feels surreal that I don't know how to process all these information.

"I let you in since I thought you needed to know the time to meet her. She would probably be mad at me since she hates burdening you but she can't enter my home anymore so I'll be fine."

I looked at him

"Why can't she? Do you have a person too?" I asked

He nodded and chuckled.

"She's probably losing sleep over a painting right now too. Just like you did." He said

"She's a painter too? What kind of coincidence is this?" I scoffed.

"Tell me about it." He uttered and laughed.

"Oh by the way, make sure to write all you want to remember as soon as you wake up since you'll probably forget about everything I said." He said.

"Why? I remember everything that happened in Galene's home though?"

"Since you're not my person, you're ought to forget about all this. We only get to choose one person, who can basically remember everything even after leaving here, and the rest are like visitors. Just like you right now. You're a visitor." He explained

"Geez, man. This'll be a lot to remember I really hope you do remember all of this." He teased.

"I'll try to remember it all. But the summary is like one person per being, and sleep at 9:27 pm to meet Galene." I said

He laughed

"Yeah, sounds about right." He said.

"Oh shoot you need to wake up now." He said and pushed me which caused me to stand up.

"Wait before I wake up, I must know your name. So I could tell Galene about you." I said while he was still pushing me.

"Eros. Just tell her I'm doing great! Now go." He pushed me which caused me to trip. The next thing I knew I was in my bed again.