STORIES TOLD, STORIES LIVED

Chapter 2

ALESSIA'S P.O.V

"Wake up."

"Leeeess, wake up!"

"Oh my gosh you must be kidding me."

I slowly opened my eyes. First thing I found was Arina's pouty face. She shook my body. Or pretty much shook the whole bed.

"Finally. Thought you're dead." She finally released me.

"Almost die again because just got turned upside down." I rubbed my eyes. "What's for breakfast?"

"I'm kinda need some caffeine. You join?"

"Never say no." I grabbed my blanket and pretended to fall asleep again.

"Oh no. Please. I spent fifteen minutes to wake you up."

"Go shower first. I'll be awake when you're ready."

All I heard was her sigh. But she took her towel and locked herself in the bathroom right away. I guess it worked, then. I slowly folded my blanket, not wanting to make any noise, and grabbed that journal on her bedside table.

You stay up late at night pondering your dreams
And I sit here mirroring your thoughts
You and I, both of us have dreams
You and I, both of us long for the reality of it
You and I, both of us wonder
Wondering of an unfixed future
Dreams will always be in our reach
No matter where we are standing
As long as we keep fighting for it
Now, just close your eyes
And may the day coming offers us a ticket
A ticket for a bitter journey to a sweet destiny
- Arina Shaw

Posted.

"I'm done!"

Arina yelled from the bathroom. I quickly jumped back into my bed, faced the wall, yawned, groaned slowly to let her know that her voice woke me again. I know my friends long enough. I acted good.

"Sleepy head." Arina mumbled.

"I can hear you."

"Good. Because I mean it."

"You rude."

"Yeah and you better get ready, or else I'll leave you."

"See? You rude."

I lazily walked into the bathroom. But one gaze at the journal though, I didn't want to leave any hint of what I just did. Pretty much good. Arina didn't even pay attention to it.

Half an hour later, after that struggling moment of picking good outfit for such a hot sunny day, Arina and I both walked to Starbucks. Yeah, we took a walk. Glad she and I didn't have class today. So no need to rush on anything.

"Can I ask you something?" I sipped my coffee.

"Yeah."

"How do you picture yourself in five years?"

"Me?" Arina chuckled. "Teaching classes, if that's still not obvious."

"And?"

"And... Haha. One thing I wish but would never happen though."

"Tell me about it."

Arina took her time to stare at the distance. She's prolonging the sigh. A little voice in her head must said she would never be able to do that. But again, and always, I've been a roommate and best friend long enough to guess what's on that thoughtful mind.

"Writer." She finally replied.

"What took you so long to say that?"

"Because mother nature wouldn't let me to reach it."

"Wow. What, you and mother nature are some kind of best friends now?" I sassed.

"Jeez. You don't understand. I have nothing. I don't even start anything. It's just a dream." Arina stared down into my eyes. "Just like your stupid dream, that you said so, of becoming a singer. My stupid dream is this."

"We're not the same, girl."

"Yes we are. I believe every person has one thing at heart that they really want to do, but at the same time they know it'll forever just be a dream."

"You're such a pessimist."

"Oh look who's talking." She slapped me with her thick novel.

"Trust me, Ari. You're on your way of becoming a writer."

"You're...creepy." She smirked.

"I hate you." I walked away playfully, because basically I was just walking up to the cashier table to get myself extra tissue.

"I love you more." She waved with that sassy face.

Arina and I pretty much spent our day doing nothing. By nothing I meant we liked to drown ourselves in our own stuff. Mine would be YouTube. I could surf funny videos to cooking videos all day long. While Arina, next to me, was busy finishing her thickest novel yet. Yes, we are two very different people. I would never use my time to read novels like she did. That's why I-

Oh, a notification popped up.

"Who's that?" Arina noticed my busy fingers on my phone screen.

"Mom. Asking what's the difference of baking powder and baking soda."

Lie. Very stupid lie.

"Yeah? Interesting question."

"Ha." I raised an eyebrow.

"You type fast for such a light question." She kept checking on me. "And pretty long too."

"Are you peeking on me?" I sat and lied my back on the wall so she couldn't see what's on my phone.

"Hmm." Arina squinted her eyes. "Never mind."

"Good. Finally."

I kept typing. Fast. That was a surprise. Didn't think they would response this fast. Very exciting. I knew it. Keeping a secret from roomate is always exciting.

***

Four days later. Life was normal. Arina and I had classes, homeworks, and all of the stuff. Nothing too serious. Except for the past four days, my phone has been at its busiest phase. Notifications kept popping up.

And what's funny? Arina didn't know anything, at all. Wink wink.