Escaping from Nothing | Chapter 3: Unknown
Down at the bar, I looked very lonely compared to the hot sweaty people surrounding me. Being and not engaging with the crowd comforts me, especially after I literally saw someone from a nightmare.
Soon after, a figure approached me. I could not see clearly because I took off my glasses. I did not really need them then, and not having them on my nose keeps it safe from people around me who might bump into me at any moment.
I looked up to see a familiar looking face approaching me. It was a Monday, so maybe I should not go down to a bar for a drink. I put on my glasses and looked at my wristwatch to check the time, just to make sure I was not there at an inappropriate hour.
It was 8pm.
“Daryl! What are you doing here, all alone?” The man who approached me, said.
I finally recognised the voice and the face. He was Laver, my university classmate.
“Oh, I just came here to clear my mind,” I smiled.
He was a nice guy. His girlfriend was my best friend back when we were in university. I wondered if they stayed together.
“Clearing your mind in such an unclear place? You are surely different!” He laughed and yelled, to make himself heard over the loud music.
“Yes!” I yelled.
I did not know what to say, so I asked about my ex-best friend, “How is Jalila?”
“She is fine! She is doing great with her office work. I just came here with my guy friends,” He gestured over to a few other people at a round table.
I let out a small breath. Luckily, they did not break up, and I did not ask an awkward question.
“How are you?” He continued.
I shrugged, “I am fine! Just clearing out my mind…”
I realised I said that already.
He laughed, “Alright. It is great seeing you anyways! We have not met since the last reunion!”
I laughed too, “Well, I guess we are all just too busy. Anyways, have fun!”
He smiled, “You too!”
He left.
I looked at him as he walked back to his people and smiled at me when he sat down.
I turned back to look at the bar. The bartender was walking around serving people hurriedly.
I could not remember what happened in the last reunion for my university class.
Was Jalila with him at the time too?
Jalila was my best friend but we barely talked, since we pretty much fell out of touch during our final exam.
I focused on my studies and so did she. We stopped talking altogether after a while. I did not get a great mark in the end, but still found an apprenticeship and later worked as a lighting trainee. I heard she got good grades, and now working in an office.
Last classmate reunion was a blur for me. I did not even remember talking to anyone, but just listening to them.
I enjoy people’s company. I especially enjoy people’s company when I don’t have to talk or interact.
When I just need to listen.
People’s chatters do not make me ache. Silences do.
I looked at the bartender and waved as she came to serve me. I asked for a cup of water and she gave it to me right away.
“Do you need anything else?”
I smiled and shook my head. She smiled back and hurried to another customer.
I wondered if she was ‘new’ here too. Maybe we were all similar people, manipulated in this fast-paced world, struggling to find a place where we could all fit in and enjoy ourselves.
Maybe as I was enjoying myself, someone else was working hard in order to pay off their bills.
I don’t even know where this all comes down to.
I looked around me and enjoyed the noise and the music booming in my ears, easing away my stress.
It was only Monday and I already felt stressed out.
Was it because of Niann?
I shrugged at my own thought, paid the bill and walked out of the bar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I lied sleepless on my bed, thinking about Niann.
He seemed nice, and even though not as half good-looking as Kael, I had to say, he had something, or some quality that made me keep thinking about him, making me feel nervous around him.
It seemed powerful how a random person could affect you… but he was not any random person.
He appeared in your dream. He must mean something to you.
I giggled at my own thought and lightly slapped my face.
The thought was so stupid.
I did not know him, and he should not mean anything to me other than someone my subconscious made up and brought up to my conscious dreams. Somehow, he also existed and maybe it was just to tell me I am going to meet this person today or some sort.
Or maybe I met him before, and my subconscious just randomly reminded me of said person.
I leaned over to look at the clock next to me. It was almost 2am. I should be asleep by now.
I lied back down and sighed.
I should not let this stop me from sleeping.
Let it just be a random dream I had.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up from a nightmare, chased down by a large figure.
The figure was greyish, and non-human like. It still haunted me as I sat up and tried to catch my breath.
I felt a human arm under my hand. I looked over and the man started wriggling under the sheets and looked at me.
I now know this man. His name is Niann.
“Good morning, darling,” He smiled, sat up and rubbed his eyes.
“My name is Daryl, not darling,” I said warmly, but then turned cold, as I realised, I should not be flirting with a person I barely knew.
“Daryl darling,” He smiled.
His smile was not just pretty; it was heart-warming. He looked at me with his dark brown eyes, with a bit of beard on his chin, and his solid black medium long hair. Just like he was in the studio.
I smiled at him, with dozens of questions in my mind.
Why are you on my bed? What did we do? Are we close? Why were you in my dream?...
He looked at me and smiled, maybe thinking what I had in mind.
I was thinking, how real is he? I wanted to reach out to touch him but felt like it might be inappropriate to do so.
I started to think, and realized I must still be dreaming, since it was not possible for this to happen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I then woke up in panic, forcing my eyes to open brutally, keeping them bulgingly wide, looking at the dark ceiling.
Damn it, why was I dreaming of him again?
I turned around, moaned a bit from my aching back, and looked at the clock.
It was 6:34am.
I did not get enough sleep. I had to get to work at 9am and the alarm clock does not go off until 7:30am.
I did not want to go back to sleep. Seeing Niann in my dreams felt like I crossed a line and doing something I was not supposed to do.
Maybe he already has a girlfriend, or even a wife.
I shook my head and almost teared up at the thought.
He was just some person I met once, and I already developed feelings for him. The feelings might not be romantic or intimate, but it was already something that could grow and grow.
I rubbed my face and eyes with my hand to make myself more awake and got off my bed.
The days still go on, even if I am not ready for it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)
Soon after, a figure approached me. I could not see clearly because I took off my glasses. I did not really need them then, and not having them on my nose keeps it safe from people around me who might bump into me at any moment.
I looked up to see a familiar looking face approaching me. It was a Monday, so maybe I should not go down to a bar for a drink. I put on my glasses and looked at my wristwatch to check the time, just to make sure I was not there at an inappropriate hour.
It was 8pm.
“Daryl! What are you doing here, all alone?” The man who approached me, said.
I finally recognised the voice and the face. He was Laver, my university classmate.
“Oh, I just came here to clear my mind,” I smiled.
He was a nice guy. His girlfriend was my best friend back when we were in university. I wondered if they stayed together.
“Clearing your mind in such an unclear place? You are surely different!” He laughed and yelled, to make himself heard over the loud music.
“Yes!” I yelled.
I did not know what to say, so I asked about my ex-best friend, “How is Jalila?”
“She is fine! She is doing great with her office work. I just came here with my guy friends,” He gestured over to a few other people at a round table.
I let out a small breath. Luckily, they did not break up, and I did not ask an awkward question.
“How are you?” He continued.
I shrugged, “I am fine! Just clearing out my mind…”
I realised I said that already.
He laughed, “Alright. It is great seeing you anyways! We have not met since the last reunion!”
I laughed too, “Well, I guess we are all just too busy. Anyways, have fun!”
He smiled, “You too!”
He left.
I looked at him as he walked back to his people and smiled at me when he sat down.
I turned back to look at the bar. The bartender was walking around serving people hurriedly.
I could not remember what happened in the last reunion for my university class.
Was Jalila with him at the time too?
Jalila was my best friend but we barely talked, since we pretty much fell out of touch during our final exam.
I focused on my studies and so did she. We stopped talking altogether after a while. I did not get a great mark in the end, but still found an apprenticeship and later worked as a lighting trainee. I heard she got good grades, and now working in an office.
Last classmate reunion was a blur for me. I did not even remember talking to anyone, but just listening to them.
I enjoy people’s company. I especially enjoy people’s company when I don’t have to talk or interact.
When I just need to listen.
People’s chatters do not make me ache. Silences do.
I looked at the bartender and waved as she came to serve me. I asked for a cup of water and she gave it to me right away.
“Do you need anything else?”
I smiled and shook my head. She smiled back and hurried to another customer.
I wondered if she was ‘new’ here too. Maybe we were all similar people, manipulated in this fast-paced world, struggling to find a place where we could all fit in and enjoy ourselves.
Maybe as I was enjoying myself, someone else was working hard in order to pay off their bills.
I don’t even know where this all comes down to.
I looked around me and enjoyed the noise and the music booming in my ears, easing away my stress.
It was only Monday and I already felt stressed out.
Was it because of Niann?
I shrugged at my own thought, paid the bill and walked out of the bar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I lied sleepless on my bed, thinking about Niann.
He seemed nice, and even though not as half good-looking as Kael, I had to say, he had something, or some quality that made me keep thinking about him, making me feel nervous around him.
It seemed powerful how a random person could affect you… but he was not any random person.
He appeared in your dream. He must mean something to you.
I giggled at my own thought and lightly slapped my face.
The thought was so stupid.
I did not know him, and he should not mean anything to me other than someone my subconscious made up and brought up to my conscious dreams. Somehow, he also existed and maybe it was just to tell me I am going to meet this person today or some sort.
Or maybe I met him before, and my subconscious just randomly reminded me of said person.
I leaned over to look at the clock next to me. It was almost 2am. I should be asleep by now.
I lied back down and sighed.
I should not let this stop me from sleeping.
Let it just be a random dream I had.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up from a nightmare, chased down by a large figure.
The figure was greyish, and non-human like. It still haunted me as I sat up and tried to catch my breath.
I felt a human arm under my hand. I looked over and the man started wriggling under the sheets and looked at me.
I now know this man. His name is Niann.
“Good morning, darling,” He smiled, sat up and rubbed his eyes.
“My name is Daryl, not darling,” I said warmly, but then turned cold, as I realised, I should not be flirting with a person I barely knew.
“Daryl darling,” He smiled.
His smile was not just pretty; it was heart-warming. He looked at me with his dark brown eyes, with a bit of beard on his chin, and his solid black medium long hair. Just like he was in the studio.
I smiled at him, with dozens of questions in my mind.
Why are you on my bed? What did we do? Are we close? Why were you in my dream?...
He looked at me and smiled, maybe thinking what I had in mind.
I was thinking, how real is he? I wanted to reach out to touch him but felt like it might be inappropriate to do so.
I started to think, and realized I must still be dreaming, since it was not possible for this to happen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I then woke up in panic, forcing my eyes to open brutally, keeping them bulgingly wide, looking at the dark ceiling.
Damn it, why was I dreaming of him again?
I turned around, moaned a bit from my aching back, and looked at the clock.
It was 6:34am.
I did not get enough sleep. I had to get to work at 9am and the alarm clock does not go off until 7:30am.
I did not want to go back to sleep. Seeing Niann in my dreams felt like I crossed a line and doing something I was not supposed to do.
Maybe he already has a girlfriend, or even a wife.
I shook my head and almost teared up at the thought.
He was just some person I met once, and I already developed feelings for him. The feelings might not be romantic or intimate, but it was already something that could grow and grow.
I rubbed my face and eyes with my hand to make myself more awake and got off my bed.
The days still go on, even if I am not ready for it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)
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