Hiraeth

Chapter 2- Coffee And Rainy Days

Messy sheets. Clothes everywhere, scattered on the floor. Next to a wall of the room was the bed, and on it lay a very tired woman.

Someone who's about to complain about the bad hangover she has.

Suddenly, a sound was heard. Dawn groaned, not wanting to hear the familiar ringtone early in the morning.

What she thought is early in the morning is actually 3 in the afternoon.

"Hello" Dawn greeted, eyes still closed with her phone placed on her ear while she lay sideways. "Dawn Jo! It's 3 in the afternoon but why do you still sound like you just woke up? Is this how you live your life now that you don't live at home? Ah, you were out partying last night weren't you? How annoying!"

Yup. I know that voice and familiar greeting very well.

"Hey Ma. I'm sorry I'm still not fully awake yet. Why'd you call?"

"Aish, this kid is so irresponsible. Anyway, I was cleaning your mini library and noticed plenty of the books there are already finished by you. You remember Auntie Amber? She owns a library in her town. They accept second hand books and give back money. I'm sending these to her. Are there any books in particular you don't want to be thrown?"

In her sleepy state, Dawn didn't even bother thinking if she did have any books she doesn't want to be given away.

"No, you can go ahead and give them all" Dawn muttered, while trying to force her eyes open.

"Alright. When are you visiting home?"

No response. Dawn lost the battle of trying to stay awake. Sleep and the painful feeling of hangover won the battle.

"Seriously this child, so irresponsible. Whatever, sleep well"

It didn't take long before Dawn finally dreamt of something.

One that she really wasn't in the mood to think of.

Usually, her dreams consisted of people and relationships. Occasions that didn't happen and probably would never happen.

But this one was different.

Selena.

"Selena. I like you" Dawn thought. She repeated the same words over and over again, as if the girl she liked could hear her through the dream. I do like you, more than coffee and rainy days.

"No seriously. Who are you crushing on? It's hard to tell when you flirt with everyone" she answered, mouth formed into a smile, eyes shining, dimple showing.

The two were sitting on a bench, in the middle of a big open field. Students were playing different kinds of games and sports, all hanging out and just having fun.

Dawn observed the scene before her eyes. The smiles on the faces of different students, both from people she knew and didn't, the swaying of the trees and the grass as the soft wind made them forget the warm weather.

And right beside her, the best sight she could ever ask for.

The woman she caught feelings for.

"Why don't you believe me? It's really you I'm crushing on" she said, trying to convince the girl she liked so dearly to believe her words.

She really didn't know it was going to be this hard to convince someone you like them.

Everyone assumes I like them.

But why can't you even believe me when I'm already telling you straight up? She thought, remembering how every person she jokingly flirts with ends up believing that she likes them.