"Well, guys, I want to tell you all something." Instantly, I could discern something worrying from Jas's tone.

"I thought of leaving California and decided to stay with Aunt Katherine."

"What?" I shrieked, totally spoiling the ambience of the restaurant.

The waiter approached our table, asking if everything was okay. I didn't care to give him a look. He waited for a while and left as soon as he smelled the tension in the air.

"But why, Jas?" I was deeply entangled in the equilibrium between anxiety and distress.

"It's really hard to manage here on my own." He was just staring at his hands as he wrung them restlessly. I gasped since I didn't anticipate this. As he recognized our reaction, he muttered, "For the transition of my mind, precisely."

"Oh, come on, man!" Joe sighed.

"You all knew already how tough it was for me to hold on here. I need a break." His brows started furrowing as he struggled to make us understand.

"Look, Jas!", Larry took Jas's hand and locked it within his, asking, "Are you sure you'll be fine there?"

"I can't conceive how it'll be there. Yet I feel that leaving this place will not be a regrettable option."

The waiter again interrupted us, asking, "Do you need anything more?" He felt awkward coming to us again.

Oops. kind of messing with the aura of the place. My face shrank as I realized it.

"Nope. Get us the check, please." Larry answered him.

"But you've already applied to UC Berkeley. You dreamt of studying there, right?" Clara broke the silence that conquered us shortly.

"It was my dream once, Clara. Not now. Not after everything fell into an erroneous spot."

Both of our aspirations are to join UC Berkeley. But he backpedalled at the very moment.

"Argh! How are you saying that you'll be fine there without us?" I couldn't withstand his justifications.

"Jeez, El! However, eventually we'll all shift away from pursuing our higher studies, right?"

I stayed put.

"El, please. Try to perceive what I'm saying. It's not that I'm isolating myself from you all. It's just that I need a change." I merely bobbed my head in affirmation. I didn't want to argue with him anymore since he had already made up his mind.

Absolute stillness greeted our vicinity. None of us uttered a word until the waiter greeted us back with the check. He was much relieved as we paid and left the restaurant without further quarrels.

"He should thank me for not breaking the furniture when I was anxious," I mumbled as we came out.

We all left with a formal bye-bye. I just waved my hands at Jas as I started making a move.

All the way back, I found myself still wrapped in a nagging negative feeling. "Is it good for Jas to leave here?" I couldn't quickly fix it.

I got myself so latched on to my thoughts that I totally forgot to give Larry a look. He was also in a state of shock and dejection. We both pedaled all the way in absolute silence.

As I got into the house, my mom came towards me, exclaiming, "Hey, there you are! So how was the movie time, sweetie?"

"Uh-uh, let's not talk about that now, mom." I said as reclined on the sofa tiredly.

"Is anything wrong, honey?" She sat near me, caressing my forehead worryingly. She smelled like medicine. Earlier, I had to spew out this odor. But now I am acquainted with it. If she is a doctor above all, then what will she smell like other than medicines?

"Nah, not now, mom. I'll explain everything later. Now, if you don't mind, let me rest for a while." I got up and climbed the stairs to reach my room.

"Have you had something, El? Do you want me to prepare anything for you?"

Of course, the air I breathe now is overflowing with my mother's love and care rather than a nagging irritation.

"I already had my dinner, mom. Have a good sleep. Love you!" I threw myself into my room, even before the flying kiss I gave reached her.

I felt so suffocated once I got in. I cracked the window to let some fresh air enter my territory. The piercing cold breeze hit my face widely, ruining my hair. I untied it as I didn't bother.

The sereneness of the milieu and the melody of the wind blowing slackened my tensity. I suddenly inspected the oak tree to ensure that my little Towhee baby was fine. She was lying safe under her mom's wings.

Ting!

I was distracted by the tone from my mobile. A message popped in. It was Jas.

El? It displayed.

Yeah. I replied numbly.

Another text jumped into my notification bar soon.

Sorry, El, for not discussing it with you before. I know you'll be angry. But it's for the better. I promise you.

The word promise suppressed my anger to some extent.

Whatever Jas. If leaving this place can fix you, then I'll accept it. I believe in you. But don't try to do something stupid. I'll not be around there to uplift you when you're down. But I'm only a call away.

I didn't know what black magic he did to calm me down in a minute.

Have my words, El. I won't smash your hopes. He replied.

With that streak of hope, I dozed off.

________

"You can't do this. No, you can't do this to me, even in my worst nightmares." I wailed.

"You made an irrevocable blunder, Jas. You can't do this. You can't." I yelled out of control.

"Oh dear! Are you fine? Open your eyes. No one did anything." I heard a familiar voice. That was my mom. She was shaking my shoulder harshly to wake me up.

I rubbed my eyes to catch a better sight. My cheeks were wet from the flow of tears. I recognized my mom's hands holding me very gripingly. "Honey, are you feeling good now?" Her mellifluous voice brought me back to reality.

"Aw, shit! That was one hell of the worst nightmare!" I mumbled, placing my hands over my head after realizing the scene. My whole body was still shivering from the impact of it. She offered me a glass of water to drink. Even it turned up as a pool of thick red blood for my eyes.

"Ugh! To hell with my illusion!" I cursed my visual cortex or whatever.

"El! Please relax. Whatever you had was just a nightmare. Nothing more." She kept patting my back to relieve me of the nervousness.

"I'm fine, mom." I made it sure for her. She left, planting a kiss on my forehead. To chill myself and elevate my spirit, I instantly jumped into the shower.

But, I couldn't stop ruminating about the dream. Even under the cold shower, it started sweating. It felt so hot, as if I were standing amidst a raging inferno. "Why the heck did I have this nightmare?" I kept cross-examining my delusional mind. It took me a while to realize that 'the deepest fear of the heart gets wings to land in a dream.'

"Dear me! Please pacify yourself. Jas is fine, and he'll be fine. Could you shut your phantasm for my sake?" I blathered like a lunatic. Eww! I would wonder if I'm not.

I composed myself and barged out of the bathroom by sticking a colossal, fluffy purple towel around. When I intended to handpick the outfit of the day, my mobile blared with ceaseless bleeps. With an emerging annoyance, I checked on it. My inbox was flooded with numerous emails. The subject of one read as the selection post at UC Berkeley.

It's my lifetime goal to study at UC Berkeley. I've always wondered about its atmosphere and majestic grandeur. I already applied for a bachelor's in astrophysics, as the treaty between me and the sky is eternal.

And today turned out to be the day I desperately waited for nearly four months.

"Oh jeez! It should bear glad tidings!" I prayed to the Almighty to perform some magic to include my name in it even if it wasn't there. I know it seems inane, but I deeply prayed for it. With so much budding hope, I opened the mail. And yeah, God fulfilled the marvel I yearned for!

I exulted as I found both my name and Jas's. "Woo-hoo! It's my day indeed!" I jumped out of joy and reached out to mom and dad to convey the great news I had heard after ages.

"Oh darling! Just hold on. Don't bash yourself against the wall." My mom cackled at seeing me wandering with a mere towel.

"Mom! You'll be over the moon once you hear this!" I snatched her hands and twirled along with her all over the living room in excitement. "Whoa girls! Are you two practicing for prom? But wasn't it already over last night?" My dad was in total surprise to see us spinning around like a crazy couple.

"Okay, my loved ones! I'm going to present you guys the best news I've waited for." I stopped spinning and bowed down as if I were going to commence a magic show.

Oh wow! It'll be awesome if I can become a magician!
Okay, enough fantasizing about it.
Reveal them soon.

With plenty of these disparate thoughts running behind my head, I revealed the breathtaking news to them with twinkling eyes.

_______

Hello readers!!

Are you guys shocked? It was just a dream pals. So, calm down.

How can I let anything happen to our mitochondrion?

Hope you're all staying safe and healthy!

Have a great read champs..!!

Love you all! Cheers!!

_______