IT WASN'T A DREAM

CATALINA 

“Ma’am are you sure you don't need a glass of water or to sit down?” The maid asked me for the umpteenth time while examining my face with pity in her eyes. 

“No. I said no.” I shooed her away. 

“Okay,” she withdrew. “It's just… you drank so much, I just don't want you overreacting again.” Her last words sounded more like a whisper.

“She said she is fine. You can stop worrying now.” William spoke before I could make out what to say. He waved his hand, a gesture indicating she was dismissed. The maid bowed lightly then vanished in the giant stairway leaving me alone with William. For some reason that thought gave me the chills. I hugged myself.

“You are Catalina Thales, right?”

“No,” I went on attack mode immediately. “Don't even think about it.” I glared at him, sticking my finger at him. He didn't flinch. 

“Look Mister,” I ignored the blank expression on his face. “You may think you have everyone fooled but not me, I know who you are?”

He raised a brow. “Really?” He sounded amused. For the first time, I saw his face make an expression except it was a jester’s look, a creepy one too. 

“Tell me then,” he took a step, I edged away, my back meeting the wall. His shadow swallowed my puny figure. I was like a rat backed into a corner by a big cat. He eased forward a bit more, closing off the little gap between us. 

I held my breath, unconsciously, biting my lip at the same time. He let one hand rest on the wall and he leaned in a little to whisper. “Who am I, Catalina?”

My heart started pounding, racing against my chest. I opened my mouth but closed it again. I had forgotten everything I wanted to say, all of a sudden.

‘Catalina, what are you doing?’ I snapped at myself. ‘I can't believe you are letting this creep back you against the wall. When did you become so weak? Tough girls kick the asses of lunatics like him.’

I clenched my teeth and firmed my expression. Yh, I wasn't scared of him. I wasn't scared of anything. 

“What, cat got your tongue?”

I glared at him. “You think this is the terrace?”

His eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, I remember you. I remember everything. I don't know how the hell you managed to get me back into the house and return to the guest room in time to deceive everyone but you can't deceive me either. I'm going to call the cops on you, you lunatic.”

He smiled, his gleam dripping with mockery. Then he chuckled but it sounded so sickening. He shook his head and he leaned in again. My fist tightened. He brought his face so close to my neck and he sniffed my hair. 

“You reek of alcohol and you look like a mess. I think you should focus on getting your empty brain together before you start looking for lunatics.”

He pulled away, the grin still playing on his lips. “Or you could go ahead and tell every cop about me. I'm sure they will believe you.” 

I fixed my eyes on him, listening to his sick laugh and watching him light his cigar while he disappeared into the guest bathroom.

I huffed. ‘Does he think I won't do it?’ I kept my word. I told a cop, well, a cop in training and my best friend, Ginny Lockwood. By the time I was done with my story, Ginny was dumbfounded at the same time wearing a concerned glint on her eyes.

“I know right. He is unbelievably evil. It's so shocking.”

“No.” Ginny drew close and placed a hand on my shoulder. “What's shocking is that you dreamt all that up. Your imagination is wild, girl.”

“Ginny,” I wiggled out of her grip. “You are my best friend. How can you not believe me? This isn't a dream.”

“A man was flying and you were up in the air with him after your adopted cousin threw you off the terrace. A guy who wasn't even home the time you had this… real experience.” She gave me a long look. “Do you realize how this sounds?”

I pursed my lips and trained my eyes on the flowers blown about by the breeze. My university, Shire University, had the best flora and fauna. 

“Catalina. Catalina. Catalina Thales.”

“Fine,” I puffed a breath from my lips, pouting at the same time. “I get it. I sound a bit wack.”

“You sound very wack.” She shuffled close to me, we were both sitting on a stone bench underneath an oak tree. She placed her hand on my bare lap. 

“Darling, yesterday marked the third year since your parents had that accident. Yesterday marked the day you were adopted by your relatives, the El Segas. Yesterday was a reminder that your life sucks. I know you, you must have chugged three bottles of vodka. You must have been drunk silly. In a state like that, anything crazy can happen, including a very vivid, insane dream.”

“It wasn't a dream.” I shook her hand off again then stood up. “Why would I dream of my adopted cousin? When I was adopted, he had already traveled overseas. Until yesterday, I didn't have any idea what he looked like.”

“You saw him in the hospital.” Ginny reminded me. “I'm sure he is a cute looking guy. Who wouldn't want to dream of someone like that.”

“Ginny!” I covered my face, hiding the blush on my cheeks.

Ginny laughed. Strange though, that I thought he was cute. Why would anyone think those empty cold eyes were cute?

The vibrating of my phone drew me out of my head. I checked the screen. It was a reminder telling me it's time to go to work.

“Ginny, I’ve got to get going. I’ve got a night shift today.” I picked up the book on the stone bench and roughly crammed it into my tote bag while I hurried towards the street. There was a major road facing the university frontage. Across was the bus stop. 

I still had my eyes fixed on the book, it couldn't fit in right and it just kept scrunching the more I tried. I cursed a few times as I attempted to walk while fixing my book problem.

I must have been lost in my own world, I had to be because a crazy History student was blaring his car horn at me but I didn't turn, I didn't stop— I just kept moving. 

Then I felt a strong hand grip my arm and before I knew it, my feet were off the ground and I was swinging backwards. Immediately I was whipped back, a car zoomed past as fast as a bullet train. 

My heart stopped cold. 

‘Did I just survive a car accident?’ I asked myself while I tried to make everything make sense but I couldn't. I stood absolutely still, fixed on one spot, like an ice sculpture. I didn't want to move. I was still trying to believe I was alive. 

“Are you alright?” A voice questioned behind me. I recognized the voice. I turned my head slowly, my gaze trailing to find the face of this towering young man. 

The instant our eyes crossed, my heart skipped, I clenched my chest immediately. 

He tried to touch me, but I scampered back. My breath raced faster and faster as I looked at him. I was right, I was right. It was him. The flying man was right in front of me.