Our Fleeting Dreams

Prologue

Prologue

"Nasaan ako?"

Those words are starting to form in my mind every time I close my eyes and starts dreaming. These past few months, I've been starting to doubt my dreams. It feels like real. Like... it was real.

"Hello!" I shouted as loud as I can.

"Anybody there?"

Palakad-lakad ako sa kalsadang walang tao. Tirik na tirik ang araw at pawis na pawis akong naglalakad na tila ba'y nawawala. I'm familiar with this place. This is exactly where I'm spending my time reading books and clearing my mind.

The library I used to love when I was a kid up until now.

Ngunit nakakapagtaka dahil walang tao. Nananaginip ba ako? Nababaliw ba ako? Should I start slapping my cheeks right now? Or should I pinch myself?

Pumasok ako sa loob ng library. It was the same place it used to be. Maraming librong nakapatong sa lamesa. May mga nakakalat din sa sahig kaya't pinulot ko iyon at nilagay sa tamang shelves. It's so creepy here...

"Eos?" I shouted.

"Eos, nand'yan ka na ba?" I shouted louder.

"Hey, Eos, stop it!" gulat kong sinabi nang may kumalabog sa dulong bahagi ng library.

It must be from the science genre section so I went there. Kumuha pa ako ng upuan para pang-self-defense. Hay nako, si Eos talaga! I'm gonna punch him if it was him!

Nagulat ako nang may pusang lumabas doon sa hallway na 'yon. It was a black cat with a green tag around his neck. Nasagi niya siguro iyong mga libro kaya naggawa iyon ng ingay.

"Fuck it," I cursed when the cat walked away.

Lumingon iyon sa akin pagkatapos ay umalis na. Inikot ko ang buong library ngunit wala akong nakitang tao roon. Where are you, Eos? I thought you'll meet me here. I thought you'll say something?

I started to overthink. Iniwan na ba ako ni Eos? Hindi na ba niya ako mahal? May nakita na ba siyang ibang babae? Oh, fuck you then, Eos!

"Eos, 'wag namang ganito," I murmured.

After that, I saw myself crying. I'm insane. Siguro nga, iniwan na ako ni Eos. Siguro nga may mahal na siyang iba. Siguro nga, he realized that I'm just a girl that came out of nowhere in his life and started to love him, pero hindi niya kayang suklian ang pagmamahal ko sa kaniya.

"You are such a liar, Eos! I freaking hate you!" sumigaw ako nang malakas na malakas dahil wala namang tao rito.

Walang makakarinig sa akin kung sumigaw ako, kung umiyak ako, o kung ano mang gawin ko rito wala namang makakakita! I'm losing my mind! Really damn that Eos!

"Ang ingay mo," someone spoked.

Bahagya akong natulala sa pagkagulat. Is that Eos? Is that finally him?!

Lumingon ako sa aking likuran kung saan nanggaling ang boses. Nadismaya ako sa aking nakita. Hindi siya si Eos.

Sino siya? Why is he wearing a black mask?

"Who am I? Why am I wearing a black mask?" sabi niya na ikinagulat ko. Wait, how does he know?

"How did I know?" he chuckled.

"What the fuck?" I cursed.

"Ops, no cursing."

"Hinahanap mo si Eos?" he said.

Tumango ako. "Uh, yeah. Do you know him?"

He nodded. "I do. I found something near the librarian's desk."

Inabot niya ang isang papel. Kinuha ko iyon sa kaniya at binasa ang nakalagay doon.

Sorry, Brea. I love you.

That was written in the paper. I hate to admit but this is Eos' handwriting. Why is he saying sorry? Ano ang ibig mong sabihin, Eos?

"Where is he?" I asked the creepy guy.

Nagkibit-balikat siya. "I don't know."

Kinuwelyuhan ko siya. "Where is he?" tumaas ang aking boses.

Tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay. "I said, I don't know! Geez."

Umiyak pa ako lalo. What is happening, Eos? You should come here and tell me that! Hindi 'yung magsusulat ka sa papel at makikita pa nitong lalaking 'to!

"Alam mo ba ang pinasok mo?" the guy asked.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. Anong ibig niyang sabihin?

"You shouldn't have come here."

"You shouldn't have meet Eos," he said.

"This is dangerous, Brea. You should stop this."

Nagising ako bigla sa alarm clock. My heart is pounding so fast at hindi ko namalayang tumutulo na pala ang luha ko. Was that real? Did I dream again about Eos?

May kumatok sa pintuan ko at nakitang si Skye iyon, my little brother.

"Good morning, ate! Happy birthday!" he greeted me then kissed my right cheek.

"Thank you, Skye."

"Bumaba ka na, ate, your friends are here."

I nodded. Pumasok ako ng banyo at naligo roon. I put some light make-up on my face. Sinuot ko rin ang blue na dress at ang kaparehong heels. After all of that, I went down.

"Happy birthday, Celeste Brea!" ani ng dalawa kong kaibigan.

I thanked them and received their gifts. Pumunta kaming lahat sa dining table upang mag-umagahan doon. I received huge gifts from my parents and some books which made me delighted.

Nang maghapon, nagulat ako nang may mga organizers na pumunta sa aming bahay at nag-decorate sa aming garden malapit sa swimming pool. Akala ko simpleng handaan lang ang magaganap for my 19th birthday! Nanood nga lang kaming series nina Vina at Cy kanina.

"Mom, ba't may paganito pa?" I asked while we're watching them organize.

"It's obviously your birthday, Brea," aniya. "At saka darating ang mga tito't tita mo, and you'll meet someone later."

Napataas ang kilay ko. "Who?"

"You'll see."

"Hindi mo naman ako ipapa-arranged marriage, 'no?" I said which made her laugh.

"No. Sige na magbihis ka na ro'n."

I rolled my eyes. Totoo naman, ah. Ayon naman kadalasan nangyayari sa mga birthday para sa merging ng companies. But I know, they will not do that to me. My life's not cliché, it is full of mystery.

Pinagsuot ako ng bonggang dress at mataas pa na heels. Ginawan din ng smoky look ang make-up ko. I went outside at nakitang marami nang tao. My eyes darted on a man that has wayfarer on his eyes, napansin kong napatingin din ito sa akin. Bumaling din ang mata ko sa kausap ni Mommy na mukhang ka-edad lang niya. They aren't familiar, sino sila?

Are they the one that she wanted me to meet?

"Brea!" Mom called me kaya lumapit ako sa kanila. I saw how the man eyes' sparkled.

"Happy birthday, Celeste Brea," the man greeted me.

Ngumiti ako. "Thank you po."

"Happy birthday," the man with the wayfarer whispered at me.

"T-thanks."

Mom looked at me with her worried reaction. "Brea, I know how much you've want to meet them. This might be hard for you but I think, this is the right time."

Wait. Could this be my...

"I want you to meet your real father and your half-brother, Brea."