"I swear he was being so patronising. And the way he was showing me around and ordering me around, it was like I was some blind, disabled, retarded person"
"That's Ronnie for you. Unfortunately dad is blind to his faults, and thinks he's great"
"Actually, maybe it would be easier if I was retarded. It would help me put up with Ronnie and his ways"
Caitlins sister looked at her, and they both burst out laughing
"God, how awful is Ronnie if I wish to be retarded, just so I can stand his company?"
"Ok, enough of that. Tell me more about it him"
"Who?"
"You know who Caitlin. The one who bumped into you"
"There's nothing to say"
"Don't be like that. Tell me something at least. What did he look like?"
"I don't know. I only saw him for a second"
"Was he tall, dark and handsome?"
"I don't know"
"What were his eyes like? Were they the sort you could get lost in?"
"You ask too many questions"
"When he saw you, did he say anything?"
"Should he have?"
"I can't believe he didn't say anything to my beautiful sister"
"He doesn't know me. So why would he say anything to me?"
"Still, it was me, I would have said something to you"
"I think I made a mistake telling you about him. Just let it go"
"Who knows Caitlin, maybe he's the one for you? And this was Gods way of introducing you"
"You need to stop reading these romantic stories and stop watching these romantic films. Come back to earth. Real life doesn't work like this"
"A girl can dream"
Just then their mum entered the room
"Ok girls, here's some milk. Drink it and go to sleep"
Caitlin was about to go, when her mum stopped her
"Caitlin, study hard and make us proud. I don't know what the atmosphere is like, but I trust you completely. I know that you'll do us proud. Just remember don't fall in love with anyone. Love seems easy while you are in that bubble. It's when you come out in the real world, your love is tested. I don't want you to get heartbroken"
"Don't worry mum. I'm going there to learn, not for anything else. You have nothing to worry about"
"Barry, please stop this"
"Just a little bit more"
"No. Barry it's been days and we've looked everywhere. She is nowhere to be found"
"She has to be somewhere"
"And yet she's not. Barry, are you sure she's real? She's not some sort of figment of your imagination?"
"No. She's real. I held her in my arms. And those eyes, I can't forget those eyes. I could get lost in them for days"
"Well we've looked everywhere and she's nowhere to be found. So what now?"
Barry sat down with his head in his arms. Where was she? He could still remember everything about her. Her touch, the perfume that she was wearing. Her scared little face as she begged him not to hurt her. She was real, there was no doubt about it, he had held her in his arms, so where was she?
