In My Dreams

Chapter One

The sun light shines through the window spreading gold through the cracks of the blinds. Slowly and reluctantly, I uncover my face and rub the remainders of sleep from my eyes and gaze up at the ceiling stretching my arms above my head as I yawn. I wake from a restless sleep. My hair feels tacky around the back of my neck and I feel like I've had no sleep. I know I had a dream last night but the memory faded as soon I woke but now I am left with a flat battery for a brain. After a few moments more I begin to think about Alex. It's hard to try and not hold my breath to stop myself from crying, but underneath the sound of my wrenching heart I can hear clinking and clattering of pots and pans from the kitchen downstairs and that is when I regain my composure. Christmas Day is here.
What is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, where you should be surrounded by the people you love and loves you back, only I'm not.
I check my phone to find no messages from him not even a phone call, not a single one.
"Ada, are you up?" My mum calls from the bottom of the stairs.
It's 9:30, well there sure is no point in lying in bed feeling sorry for myself any more.
"I'm up! I'm just about to jump in the shower and then I'll be down." I yelled.
I check my phone one last time, nothing. I shuffle my feet in disappointment towards the en-suite and start the shower. I catch my reflection in the mirror staring back at me. For a moment I don't recognise myself, who is this person staring back at me? I'm puffy eyed and bloodshot, my cheeks are sore and chapped. I bite my tongue, trying to hold the tears that threaten to leave my eyes as the thought of Alex slips through the cracks of my brain. I take a long deep breath in and I slowly exhale out. My face fades away in the mirror as the steam thickens and takes over the bathroom. How long was I staring at myself for?
I step into the shower and welcome the warmth of the water on my body. The water pours down, it drips by my side and saturates my hair while my mind fades out of dullness and life returns to normal for a few moments. The steamy water calms me; it takes my mind off of things.
I feel fresh and my tacky hair feels clean, I actually feel human again with all things considering. I'm taking time with my appearance today and pull my new purple sparkly dress out from the bag. It's the perfect dress for the occasion but I also bought the dress to wear for Alex. Now that I've squeezed myself into the tiny sparkly number I'm hopeful no one will suspect a thing. No one will suspect that my heart has been torn out from my chest by Alex himself.
I finish applying the finishing touches to my makeup when my phone screen glows next to me. Has he finally texted me? But when I see it's not his name on my screen, I feel instantly despondent.

"Ade, are you at mums yet?"
It's my brother, Mason. Texting to tell me he's going to be late again, I bet. I roll my eyes, he is so predictable every year.

"Yes, I am. I've been here all night. Late again?
He is fast on the replying as he's online almost immediately.

"I am on my way but will probably be another hour. Can you do me a favour?"
I laugh through my nose, I knew there would be a favour in it.

"Only if you say please."
I chuckle to myself and I press send.

"PLEASE can you ask mum if Jax can stay? I know what you will say, well why can't you ask her yourself, you know mum will say yes if it comes from you."
Jaxon is my brother's best friend and has been ever since preschool. Jaxon is older but they have always been inseparable from the moment they met. My brother has many friends but Jaxon I've always had time for. Maybe because I've known him most his life but compared to Mason's other friends who are into that clubbing and holidays to Magaluf phase, Jaxon is different which makes him tolerable.

"Yes Okay. I'll work on mum but you have to give me a time when you will arrive. You know she will only ask?"
I complete my look with some pink lip gloss while I wait my brothers reply.