The Raven's Vision

Chapter Four

           "She never seemed shattered; to me, she was a breathtaking mosaic of the battles she won."

                                                                                                 - Matt Baker

When I awoke, it was around eleven in the morning. I must've been more tired than I thought.

I had a dream -- odd but pleasant. There was a meadow, full of grass and hills, trees and flowers.

It was warm. There was a small breeze in the air that soothed me. And the sun was out, with fluffy white clouds floating about the sky... it was mesmerizing.

As I was walking down the meadow, I caught a glimpse of a girl -- no, woman, bending down and picking flowers.

I approached her -- she was wearing a green floral dress and a sun hat. Her red hair glimmered like the sun rays as it waved through the wind.

Gently, I placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face me, a lovely smile playing on her lips. Her dimples deepened.

"Hey, you..." She softly spoke, with a tinge of playfulness in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to see you, of course." I replied.

The woman stood up, and she slowly put her arms around my neck as I placed mine around her waist.

She pressed her forehead against mine as we leisurely danced in the sizzling yet welcoming heat.

Waking up, I realized that the girl was Annie. Which is the weird part.

I've just met her. The girl in my dream should've been Jenna. Maybe I'll just imagine it was her.

But when I picture it that way... the dream doesn't seem as vibrant anymore. I could be overthinking it.

After swiftly changing into comfortable clothing, I headed to the lounge. Jenna was waiting for me by the big window.

"Hey." I greeted her. Jenna flashed me a nervous look. She seemed both anxious and stressed -- she fidgeted with her necklace as her eyes flickered on me when she greeted me back.

"Sorry I got up late. I was tired." I said as I thought back to the previous night's encounter.

"It's... it's alright." She replied quietly.

"Is something the matter?" I asked. I could feel her tension rising.

"No, everything's fine! I'm just... nervous." She murmured.

"Why are you nervous?"

"I... don't know, it's just a feeling. No big deal." Jenna stammered. I looked into her eyes -- they seemed a bit more red than usual.

"Um, alright." I responded. "I'm going to get something to eat."

Jenna nodded firmly, gazing back out the window. "Okay. I'll see you later."

As I left for the cafeteria, I could sense that there was something wrong with her. That Jenna was troubled.

I sighed as I loaded food onto my platter and took a seat at an isolated table.

"Hello, Grayson." A warm and friendly voice suddenly called out.

Looking up, I saw Annie standing there, holding a plate of food. "Hey!" I smiled back.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She inquired.

"No, not at all!"

She sat across from me. Today, she was wearing a white floral dress with a denim jacket, along with her beret. "Did you sleep well?" I asked.