From Dreams to Nightmares

Chapter 22

Kalilah's perspective

"Don't cry for pity so much, do something. After all, there are consequences to your actions." Zoe tells me trying to encourage me out of this bad mood I've been in for a long time. I know I was wrong and I know I have to do something to fix the situation but I don't know where to start. What should I start with?

"What would you want me to do? She doesn't want to talk to me, it's not like she can call me anytime and give me a solution to everything Zoe!" I say, indignant and exhausted by the feeling of heaviness that crushes my soul, guilt and regret are not inferior either. Every feeling consumes me bit by bit and if I don't end this fight I will lose in front of my fear.

The chain of my thoughts was interrupted when my phone started ringing on the bed and I watch Zoe curiously pick it up and show me the caller with her eyes full of amazement. I look up at the sky happily as a sign of thanks, then I lie down next to Zoe and take the phone from her hand. "Marrien Tosca..." my friend reads aloud a little confused. "Isn't that Octavia's Aunt?" she asks and I nod my head, Zoe gives me a diabolical look and I answer before the call ends. "Hello?" I say slightly unsure of the intention of the gesture of calling me that out of nowhere. "Hello, dear, how are you? I called you because I want to meet and talk to you, it's about Octavia..." she tells me in a colder tone, not the one she usually uses. Usually this woman is the sweetest lady you can meet, she has a way of speaking that captivates you, just like Octavia. "Of course, is she fine, did something happen?"

"Don't you want to meet and talk face to face?" she asks me sweetly and I look at my friend who was listening to the conversation on the loudspeaker, I give her a questioning look and she nods affirmatively. So I say, and the hope started to reborn in me "Of course, tell me where and when!" I say and the smile grows on my face, my heart starts beating fast, I felt like a racing horse.

"We'll meet at the first cafe on the left at the entrance to the mall, in 2 hours! It's good like this?" the woman asks me and I was watching Zoe jump around the room looking for clothes already. So I find the courage to Answer and say. "I will be there!" then I hear how the woman hangs up and I throw the phone loudly, scaring my friend who stops in place with her clothes in her hand and looks at me confused. "Zoe stop spinning around the room so much, you're making me dizzy!"

I think those two hours were the longest two hours of my life. Thoughts filled my mind dozens in a row, my friend was talking to me but I couldn't listen to her at all. I couldn't just think what was so bad that Octavia's aunt would ask to meet me? Has Octavia suffered something? is she ok Or does she just want to show me how well she's doing now without thinking about me? Zoe drove to the mall and I didn't even realize what was around me until I got to sit at the table waiting for the woman who would open my knowledge.

Zoe was watching me from a distance, I knew she wanted to be sure that nothing was happening. She doesn't really trust anyone. Only me, and yet I can't understand why! I know for sure that I don't deserve it!

"Hello dear, how are you?" I hear from behind me and then I see Octavia's aunt in all her splendor. She is a beautiful woman, she has unusual features and a pair of imposing brown eyes, which I think Octavia inherited because they both look like two drops of water. I get up again with a shy smile and greet her and she hugs me tightly, even her smell reminds me of Octavia.

"Hello madam, I could be even better... I had better days!" I say looking at the drink menu. I was too ashamed to look her in the eyes and I felt her gaze burning holes through me. "I would feel better if you called me Miranda, that's my name after all. I know I'm getting old but I don't want to admit it!" she says, laughing lightly, and I then mustered up the courage to look at her, and her smile was a copy of Octavia's, it's incredible how much she can look like her. "How is Octavia, is she okay?" I ask because it was the only thing I think about days and nights in a row since Octavia stopped talking to me!

"I'm afraid it's not good, she's suffering from a broken heart..." She says looking me straight in the eyes and I was panicking inside, I felt like I was running among bombs on the battlefield. "I can explain..." I start to say and she stops me. The waiter comes and we order our drinks, for me a hot chocolate and for her a black tea. Then after the waiter leaves, she looks at me and says.

"It would be good to speak more slowly in this city, gossip travels enormously fast! And I don't care why you two fought, I just care that my daughter hasn't been feeling well for days and I think it's time for you to apologize to each other.  I know how Octavia loves, and maybe this scares you because her love seems perfect, without compromise and prejudice, but that's just a facade, no love is like that, it's never just rosy, but that doesn't mean you can't to make it pink. If you give each other a chance. I know that Octavia can be stubborn, but imagine what it's like to have so much love to offer and not have anyone because you grew up in a place where love was excluded from the landscape. And this is only my fault! You can't blame her for being like this, blame me for being like this!"  she tells me and the passion with which she speaks is intoxicating, it gives me strength but at the same time it scares me. Like her niece, the woman is good with words, she knows what to say at the right moment to make you forget everything...

"And how can I make her forgive me if I can't even reach her, she won't answer my phone." I ask her and Miranda shakes her head disappointed by my question. "My God, you are incredible! Go to her, you know where she is, enter her room if needed, my door is always open for you!" She tells me and a smile bloomed on my face and she smiles in turn looking at me. "Still use protection or I'll beat you both!" she says Then we laugh in unison.

Enjoying our drinks, our conversation was pleasant, we talked about everything and almost nothing, but we were never bored for a second. Hours passed until we got up to leave each in her direction, each with a plan, and mine was to reconcile Octavia!

Taking me to the place where Zoe was waiting for me, I was thoughtfully looking for my friend, I didn't even realize what I was doing until I felt like I bumped into someone and all that dear girl was scattered on the ground. I am stuck for a second then I bend down and help her collect all the things from the floor. I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going!" I say to the girl and she looks at me then laughs softly. "It's not a problem, I didn't see you either. I recently moved to the city and I'm still getting used to the places..."

I hand her the boxes while pointing at the girl with the blond bar. She was a very beautiful girl and the fact that she moved here for nothing explains why I never saw her again. "You know something, if you want to get to know the surroundings and you're bored alone, me and my girlfriend can accompany you" I can't even finish what I said and the girl hands me her phone to put my number in it. She was calling me so I could get her number. " What's your name?" I ask her and she gives me a big smile. lighting up the room with her tanned skin and bright blonde hair. "My name is Alex!"

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