nyctophilia | dreamwastaken

back again

2 years later:

I open my eyes, greeting the sunrise that has peeked over the trees. I sit up, stretching as the opened book falls to the floor. I must have fallen asleep while reading, I think. I put the book on my desk and I head to my dresser, picking out my favorite jeans and a long-sleeve, throwing a gray shirt over it. I put on some rings and I grab my beanie before heading downstairs.

Niki is already downstairs, sighing as Cinder knocks down some spice bottles from the counters. "Hi." I greet and Niki looks up. "Oh, hello." I walk to her side and watch as she throws ingredients together in a bowl. The smell is absolutely delicious, and I smile. "What are you making?" "A gift, for a friend. I just got the notice that he's back in town." She responds and I nod.

"Have I met him?" "No, I don't think so." Niki responds and I head to the cupboards to make some cereal. I finish making it and I grab the bowl to my room, leaving Niki to concentrate on her muffins. I sit down at my desk, turning on my pc. I watch as it hums to life and my monitor lights up.

I've been secretly planning to pay Niki back for the pc she had bought me. Although we planned to do 50-50, it ended up being more of a 75-25. Over the past 2 years, I've been earning money by working at a local retail store. So far, I have over 80% of the money saved up. I click on chrome and I sigh, going into Amazon to find more books.

It's clear I have an obsession with books, but they're like an escape to another reality. A reality that doesn't need someone to rule it, or someone to ruin it. A reality where if you had the right mind, the book doesn't have to end even after you've finished it. After about an hour of slowly eating and shopping, I have 3 new books ordered and I'm ecstatic.

When I put my bowl at the sink and I wash the dishes for Niki, I can see that the muffins are inside the oven and she's outside, tending to her garden. I watch the timer closely and after 4 minutes, the muffins are ready. I rush outside to tell Niki, and she hurries inside, taking them out.

I head outside, seeing that she's planting new orchids to line up the path. Niki has told me she wants to add a pond in the backyard, possibly the front yard. I tell her that it's best to put it in the backyard, and leave the pretty presentations to the front. I don't know if she'll follow my advice since I'm not the best at that, but we'll see.

When I clean up a bit of her mess, I head back inside and I wash my hands as she wraps the muffins in a small basket, and she starts to write a letter. I smile at her kind gesture. "I'm going to go hand these to him later, do you want to tag along?" She asks me and I shake my head politely. "I'm good, thanks anyways." Niki nods and I sneak a peek at the letter.

My heart nearly stops, as I read the first letter. C. I glance away, unable to read further. The last time I knew a guy named C... I awkwardly grab a glass of water, and I watch as she tucks the note inside the basket. "Want to help me with the orchids?" Niki asks, smiling at me. That, I can agree to. "Sure!"

We head outside, and I watch as she gives me a quick lesson on how to tend to the orchids. When she's finished, I water them as she heads back inside and grabs the basket. "I'll be going now! If you need me, just call my phone." Niki informs me and I wave to her as she gets inside her car and drives off.

I rush inside the cottage, washing my hands before going to my room. I sift through my closet until I find what I'm looking for. I grab the canvas and my bag of supplies, and I go back downstairs. Cinder watches me as I grab some snacks and I pet her quickly. "I'll be back, okay? I'm going to the bridge."

Cinder just blinks at me and I sigh. I head out and I shut the door behind me. I start my walk to the bridge, watching as the leaves fall around me. The soft sounds of the forest fill my ears, and a sense of peacefulness washes over me. When I reach the bridge, my easel is still there, a few leaves collected around it. I smile and I brush the leaves off, setting my unfinished painting on top.