Chapter 3: Nightmare

"Well, technically and basically, every game needs a character's name. You choose and think of what you want to name your character," She laid half of her body on top of my bed and sprawled her arms out wide. "Let's say, it's like you're just writing your story. You need to think of a better name. But, instead of thinking about a full awesome name, you need to think of a short one."

I rested my chin on my knuckles, watched her jadedly. "Like?"

She places her forefinger and thumb on her chin and stared blankly at the ceiling, which had a lot of black printed scribbles, motivational quotes that I stared at every morning to start my day well with a dash of positivity.

"Since your personality goes along with the cats," she sat up from my bed, "why not use a word that has a connection to that word?"

I cock my brow and look at her baffled. She started typing and swiping on her phone, her face turning serious as she searched for something interesting on it. Ignoring her, I faced the table and started my unfinished business– clearing my table and leaving my laptop.

Still in the middle of letting my fingertips hit the keys on the keyboard of my laptop to write the essay from one of my major subjects, Angela suddenly screamed. That sudden screech caused me to look at her in surprise after I flinched and typed random keys on my laptop. A series of footfalls followed suit, rushing towards the direction of my room. Then, the door slammed into the wall next to it. It looked like it was gonna break the wall.

"What happened?!" Mom shrieked, Dad standing behind her, giving me a questioning look. 

"Is everything alright darlings?" he asked, worry trailing his voice with a heavy accent on his words.

Angela burst out laughing. "I'm sorry Mom, Dad. I just got so excited about helping sis on thinking of her name."

'A total freak.'

I shook my head before looking at our parents. "I am deeply sorry for worrying you two. Angela escaped from her cell again. Obviously, she skipped her meds once again."

Mom sighs in relief as Dad caresses her back deliberately, calming her nerves. "We thought something bad had happened to you two. Don't do that again, sweethearts."

I gave them a comforting close smile and nodded. "Everything's fine. Don't worry."

Dad nodded and simpered when his eyes landed on the table behind my back. "I'll be doing the dishes. Finish your paperwork, darling. Angela," He turns his head towards my sister.

"Yes Dad?" she asked, tilting her head up, locking eye contact with our father. 

"Stop messing around and let your sister finish her work. You should do your own, too," he continued.

I cross my arms when Angela chuckles, fist blocking her mouth. "I finished it already at the library."

'Probably with her boyfriend as always.'

I huffed and faced our parents again. "Alright. We need to finish our tasks now, ain't we?"

Mom and Dad nod their heads and give us one last look. "Good luck with your studies and don't stay up too late if you are planning to play it. Alright? " Dad gave me a warning look, pointing his pointer towards me.

I nodded my head with a smirk and hummed in agreement. Once they left my room, I swiftly turned my swivel chair to face my table.

"Neko," Angela uttered.

Tilting my head to the left, I faced her, moving my foot to turn the swivel chair with me. "What?"

She presented me her phone is currently on a site. A Japanese learning site. "Neko means cat in Japanese," she pulled away from her phone, putting one of her thighs on the other one.

I straightened my back and lapped my arm over the other arm, listening intently.

"It would be nice if you named yourself a cat. You're introverted and go oh-so-feral when someone approaches you, love to be lazy around when you do nothing but to be productive at chilling," She sighs. "To be honest, you're quite scary when someone walks to you and asks what time it was. You look like you're ready to pounce on your prey with your appearance." 

I shook my head in disapproval. "Neko is too soft and cute for me," She immediately received a glare from me when she smirked. "And, don't you dare pick a name that is after an angel, 'cause I ain't one. It will be your worst choice if that crosses your mind." 

She went silent for a few hours, while I was still busy completing my two essays. I threw my arms in the air once I was perfectly done. Stretching my arms out in the air, feeling every ounce of my muscle contract, back bone-cracking a bit that satisfies me. With a smile, I scanned it once again for any errors. When I'm done, I shut my laptop.

"Does your mind still work?" I joked.

She sighs, feeling all burnt out. "It's hard to think of a better name. You are too choosy. The reason why you don't have a boyfriend, yet."

I threw her a deadly glare. "I don't see the connection to that." 

With a grin, she said, "Your standards are too high. From guys to even names. Tell me, how can you find your boyfriend, if you are like that? Say, shall I blame your romance novel husbands?" 

I shrugged my shoulders. "As if I'm looking. I don't have time for them. And, no."

"And," Her grin widened when she rambles on her phone's contents. "I saw this behind your notebook." She showed me my cursive letterings on clean paper.

My face remained stoic, though I was surprised at what she'd shown me. 'How did she see that letter if I tore it before? Have I torn it?'

"I'm glad you have a taste in men, leaving the stage of forever no boyfriend."

I crossed my legs. "What do you want to convey?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "Duh! Ivor Zenedy is the hottest guy I've ever known on our campus. And, to think that my lovely sister, which is you," she pointed to me with a smile, " has a huge crush on him to even write his name on the back of the notebook. That means, you smart cat, knows how to like a guy after all."

It didn't reach that point, me liking him. It's just that, I was bored and Ivor was speaking in front of our class that time, reporting. Since there was nothing that caught my interest, I started writing his name and some of our classmates that I remember. Because, to be frank, I barely remember their names and only their faces reside in my memory.

"Know what, I already think of a perfect name for my character," I smirked as I got up and let my shadow loom over her.

With a puzzled look, she raised her right brow at me. "And that is?"

"Nightmare," I spit confidently.

"Why did you choose that one out of all the cute names you can think of?" she asked.

I leaned forward, closer to her ear. "Because once you spill it, I'll be your worst nightmare ever," I said before standing up straight again.

Her enlarged eyes, mouth slightly open, prove to me that she's frightened, and that satisfies my inner demon. Angela is not the only one who can play dirty here, hence I can use her most well-known weakness.

"If our parents knew about this, I would spill everything that you hide from them. And, one of it will, and surely is, about your boyfriend." A triumphant smirk plastered on my face when she shook her head aggressively.

She kept it to our parents for too long, since her reason was too dumb and lame, which was, she didn't want her boyfriend to know all the weirdest things she had ever done in her life. Sure enough, she's just scared to end things between them. I don't literally understand love and relationships after all.

"You're the worst ever, you know that?" Angela pouted and I nodded.

"Of course I am."

She scoffs and stands up, didn't even dare to look at me directly in the eyes. "And your character's name suits you."

I chuckled when she dashed out of my room and slammed the door behind her.

"Well, I'm nobody's nightmare. Who will fear me anyway?" I shrugged my shoulders and diverted my attention to the game equipment laying on my table. "Nightmare, huh."