Maya- Thanks for yesterday 😁, I enjoyed it ☺. That was a sweet surprise 😍.

Clave- I'm glad you did. I enjoyed every        bit of it too 😁. What's your schedule like.
 

Maya- busy every day 🙄

Clave- 😂😂😂😂 really?

Maya- yeah, pretty much, why do you ask 🤔

Clave- um just wanted to know

Maya- well, i'm only free on sundays cuz i don't go to church 😑

Clave- oh wow, me too 😏, so you're up?

Maya- not really, mom insisted that after church, i spend the afternoon with her and a few others 🙄. Bonding time she says 😒

Clave- 😭😭😭 i cry for you 😂😂

Maya- i need it 😊. Tomi's a Christian now you know.

Clave- yeah 🤔 i kinda noticed, was gonna ask her about it but forgot.
That's strange, because she's one person i never thought would become one.

Maya- when she met Max, a lot changed 🙄

Clave- whoa when did they meet

Maya- in college

Clave- that's a long way back, did they date? I hear Christians don't date 🙄

Maya- Yeah in a way-it's complicated actually. I think their definition of dating is much different from ours so they were mostly just friends, really close friends until i found out that they were looking to get married, hence the dating part

Clave- really 😯

Maya- i was surprised too, okay a little bit more than just surprised, i admit I was kinda angry at her, but as a friend, the least i could do was be happy for her.

Clave- you were really cool to do that because Christianity is totally silly if you ask me. 

My chest clenches at that and I feel the urge to defend Tomi.

But he's just saying the truth. It is silly.

Instead of standing up for her, I just brush it aside and focus on his earlier compliment.

Maya- thanks

Clave- i was just stating the obvious, no need to thank me 😁

For a few seconds, I just read and reread  the text, before I hear the ring that signifies the arrival of another text from him.

Clave- what are you doing now ☺

I look at the bowl of KFC chicken I am currently stuffing myself with and I bite my lip.

Maya- eating 😏

Clave- oh i remember 😂, you'd kill for food, what exactly are you eating.

Maya- chicken

Clave- you're not asking me to come join you 😢

I roll my eyes and peel off another part of the spicy drumstick, munching on it noisily.

Maya- you know i won't 😂

Clave- a guy can try, can't he 😏

Maya- most certainly 😁

After that, there is silence, no beep from my phone showing that his reply has come in and I blow off a strand of hair that had escaped my bun.

Looking over at my table across from me, I remember the enormous amount of work I am yet to complete and I groan.
I pick up my phone from the bed and after staring at it for some time wondering if I should send a message or not, I decide to send it. 

Maya- i gotta go, see ya later ☺

Fair enough.

Satisfied with myself, I drop my phone and kick myself off the bed to take on the monster of files piled up on my reading table. 
While sorting out the files, a beep erupts from my phone and I pick it up.

Clave- good night sweet pea 😘.

I raise an eyebrow and let out a chuckle; sweet pea? That's a new one.
I roll my eyes and without replying brush it off and resume my battle.

                         ※※

It was raining terribly and I couldn't see past ten centimeters away from me.
My hair hung in wet tendrils over my face and unto my shoulders blurring my vision even more.
My clothes clung tightly to my wet and aching body.
My feet were in dire need of rest because I had been running for hours now, trying to locate the screams. The closer I got, the farther they seemed to be.

I could hear the footsteps behind me.
They were coming, the men in black masks.

Give up......

Give up......

No, I couldn't, not now... no, not now.

My tired feet quickened their pace towards the screams in the distance.
The screams grew louder.

Finally, I was close.

Suddenly, the approaching steps seemed to be closing in on me.
Oh, dear, I couldn't stop, I had to get to those screams.

I could hear the screams getting louder and louder meaning I couldn't be far away.

I couldn't give up, not when I was so close to achieving my goal.

The steps behind me quickened and grew louder and I sped up too.
My chest was heaving vigorously and my heart was beating violently against my chest.

Suddenly my left foot struck something hard and I lurched forward......

Darkness....

I fling the covers off me and jerk up panting heavily.

It was a dream

It was a dream. I pant. 

I raise my hand to my temples to find it's drenched in sweat.

It's just another nightmare.

I hug the covers tightly to my chest and sob silently.

I check the time on my phone.

4:45am

On a Saturday morning, that's pretty early even for any early riser like me.
I sniff and rub my tear stained face.
I can't possibly go back to sleep, not after the nightmare I just had.

It's too disturbing.

I try to think of the next best thing.

Eat.

I smile a watery smile to myself.
Why, that wouldn't be so bad.

I swing my legs down and slip on my dressing gown, heading for the door not before making sure that my eyes are dry and that my face isn't give off any inkling that I have been crying. 

As I sneak past the corridor, I strain my ears for the sound of my mother's famous snoring.
By the way, my mom is the greatest snorer, if there's anything like that. But anyway, you get the point.

Usually, during the night or early mornings like these, her snores can be heard about a mile away.
Strangely, as I try my best not to make any noise, I can't hear her snoring.
In fact, I would say that I could even hear the soft but firm beating of my heart against my chest.

Oh well, anybody can decide to get rid of any habit, snoring not excluded.
I shrug off my curiosity and tread carefully down the stairs and towards the kitchen.

My stomach grumbles in longing for a particular jar of cookies that I had kept hidden at the rear end of the fridge, behind the big bowl of peas. Gross.
What do people see in eating such grubby foods.
Well, they don't know what they are missing.

A self satisfied smile spreads across my face congratulating myself for managing to save that last jar from being given out by a certain overly generous woman called my mother.

I practically skip into the kitchen, my thoughts gradually veering away from my reason for deciding to eat at this time of the day in the first place.

Once I push open the kitchen door, I stop dead in my tracks and my mouth falls open at the sight before me.