Wildest Dreams

s ix

S OP H O M OR E   Y E A R

I woke up in a jolt, trying to catch my breath.

Sweat covered my body but my hands were blood-stained. My heart beat thundered inside my chest as I try to get a hold of reality. Taking another deep breath, I get out of bed.

"It's just another nightmare."

The sun had barely even risen, but I was more than wide awake.

I washed the blood out of my hands first then changed my clothes. I left the house quietly.

Not a lot of stores in the town were open at this hour, but the open ones were enough to keep me company. I bought coffee and a waffle, consuming my breakfast in a bus stop. When more people started to show up in the streets and the first sun rays touched the concrete, it was time for me to go back home.

I arrived just in time before my grandparents opened their bedroom door. I changed my clothes again, took a bath, then went downstairs with my jacket and schoolbag.

"Where do you think you're going?" Grandpa asked while he and Grandma eat their cooked breakfast.

I joined them on the table, putting toast and bacon on my plate. "It's the first day of school."

"Is it?" Grandpa furrowed his eyebrows.

I finished breakfast quickly and put my plate in the sink, splashing it with a bit of water.

"How was your sleep? No nightmares I hope," Grandma said.

I turned around with tight-lip smile on my face. "No, just the usual scare," I replied.

"See, I told you it was just memories from the farm. A new scenery is what she just needs," Grandpa uttered.

I dried my hands with a towel then pulled out my black fingerless gloves from my jacket's pocket.

"Are you sure about that?" Grandma asked, eyeing suspiciously at the gloves.

It's been a year already and they still don't understand I wear them for my own protection.

"It gives me a good grip to reality, same goes with the dreams." I grabbed my bag and headed to the staircase to tie my shoelaces.

"Do you want me to drive you to school?" Grandpa suggested.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'll need the solitude once in a while."

I left the house with my jacket hood on, my auburn hair falling through the gapes.

The sun had climbed higher, and so was my nervousness.

I arrived at school an hour before the assembly. I headed straight to the auditorium and found myself a seat near the front.

I read a book to pass the time. The room started to fill quicker than I expected, but the faces I haven't seen in a while weren't present yet — that I expected.

As I sat among strangers, it seemed that everyone has someone to talk to, someone to laugh with, someone to share what happened during summer. All I have were weeks of nightmares, sleepless nights, trauma and loneliness.

When the assembly was about about to start, I took one last glance of the people behind me. I still haven't seen them and I was starting to worry they saw me first instead.

"Good morning students of Springwood High!"

Unlike last year, new and old teachers were introduced, along with the new facilities and organizations of the school. Students were informed as well about the change of classrooms, locker locations, and schedules. The assembly lasted for two whole hours that the person beside me had fallen asleep. I wish I could too, but then again I'll wake up flailing my arms like a crazy person. Instead, I planned out how to get by the day.