I curled myself up while bawling like a 5 year old. I've been so scared for so long. I was scared, angry and sad. But I bottled up those emotions. Everything I've been holding up to now, was run free, as if a invisible dam broke and all those emotions pored out from my eyes in the shape of tears.
My eyes were blurry from tears and I couldn't see how Theodore's face looked when he approached me. But at that moment, all that I wanted was everyone and everything to leave me alone. His gentle hands tried to reach my back, I guess he was trying to pat me, but I swat away his hand.
Stay away from me!
Letici—
No! Don't call me that! I am not Leticia. I don't even know who she is! So why does everyone keep punishing me in her name? Huh? It's not my fault that everyone is mistaking me for her. I know those people are sad, but why do they need to punish! Me! I can't take it anymore!
I tugged at my hair so hard that it started to hurt.
Don't, please don't hurt yourself! His gentle yet raspy voice trembled a bit while saying. Was he crying too?
Ha ha ha ha ha, I laughed like a maniac at the request. Me, hurting myself? It's you people! Who are hurting me! Do you know for how long I've been getting these nightmares? Do you know how many times I tried to end everything only so that I could finally free myself from all this? I kept thinking that I've gone mad, I avoided going outside so that people don't think I am crazy if I suddenly see something I shouldn't have ever seen. And after a long time, and when I finally mustered up enough courage to take a train and come home, I was welcomed with another damn nightmare which felt so real that I… felt scared…
Yet, I still wanted to come here, to the club, for a change, but here too… they didn't leave me here… Maybe it's my punishment for going out, yes it's that! I have indeed gone crazy!
No leti— Theodore tried to say something but the darkness started to subside, and soon we were back in the club. I saw Claire running around, frantically searching for me, I guess she was worried sick when I just disappeared into thin air. Claire! I called out her name while waving my hand and motioning her to come where I stood. She came running and out of breath. Tears welled up in her eyes from fear and worry. She hugged me so tight that I felt suffocated.
Then… her eyes landed in Theodore, but rather than a sarcastic remark about me and Theodore making out, she looked him right in the eyes, with a disgusted and angry gaze. Let's go " Oleander"! She stretched my name a bit longer than it should be as if trying to give some signal to Theodore. Does she know him? What else is there that I don't know about yet?....
Claire's pov
I still remember the night clearly when she first starting to have those damned nightmares. She screamed in her sleep, and when she woke up, she was dazed as if she was not even here.
The nightmare she had last night, was nothing like the others. Even though she tried to show that nothing was wrong, I could still see the trembles in her hands. She was scared but she didn't want to worry us. I don't like the way she's suffering all by herself. It made my heart clench. When we asked her if she was alright, at that moment she wasn't even listening to us. Her eyes were looking through somewhere else, she was not here, not her mind at least. She looked terrified yet a bit at ease, as if… as if she found something she was finding for a long time… and I am sure that she herself didn't know what her reaction was at that moment.
Oleander is a wonderful person, I am saying this because I've been with her the longest. She is always calm and makes rational decisions. When she left the counter and disappeared in the crowd all of a sudden, I should've followed her right then, but I didn't, because I thought that she would take care of it…. But I never would've imagined that when I meet her again, I'll see her face tear stained, her hair messed up, which was a complete give away of her full blown anger, and her eyes losing their usual happy shine.
I don't know what Theodore and that guy did to her, but I knew I shouldn't have trusted Theodore when he said he will take care of everything...
Isabella's pov
I know the whole clubbing thing was my idea but… Uh! It's just too loud in here! I am not an extrovert person that's why these types of places are an absolute nightmare for me! The reason I suggested this was because it seemed like Oleander needed someplace loud and crowded. Maybe she thinks that if she is with a crowd then she won't have anything to fear. I know Lil sis is weird and stupid and annoying but honestly it hurts me to see her suffer this much! Mom and dad ignored the whole thing by thinking that this is all but a dream. But anything that harms their daughter should be concern but… well our parents aren't like that. I rea— what's that?
I run straight to the dance floor ( which was a bad idea!). There stood a guy with a remarkably strange presence. I won't say look cause this is Halloween time and everyone is in these damn costumes which don't even make sense. Like isn't Halloween for ghosts? Then why are they dressed as superheroes and stuff? That aside, the man about whom I was talking, was wearing a half face eye mask ( I don't know what those are called) like only one of his eyes was covered in the eye mask. His eyes were a beautiful golden colour. Which seemed to change a little when he looked my way. Strange! How does one's eye colour change? Maybe its just lighting? He was wearing a white tux with golden coloured designs on it. A sword like thing hung on his waist. Probably a decoration. But it's colour was so beautiful! The sword's hilt was a light lavender colour though I could see the blade.
I walked up to him as if I was enchanted. My senses came back when I was standing right in front of him. His face dangerously close. He was about to say something when I heard Claire's voice. She was calling out for Oleander? I wanted to up to her and ask what's wrong but suddenly I was trapped in a weird lavender coloured void! What the– why is the void lavender coloured? Aren't they supposed to black?
I was trying to make sense of all the things happening, when I saw everything going back to normal. I stood in my place, frozen, because I can't understand what was happening. I looked around for Oleander and Claire, but no trace of them could be found. Just as I was about to give up, I saw Oleander and Claire coming from a dark corner. I am sure that I searched that place and didn't find them there, but now they are out of nowhere coming from there? Oleander's eyes were puffy, her hair a total mess. I have never once seen her cry, so what happened to make her look like this?
Oleander's pov
I couldn't walk properly and had to take Claire's help. If it weren't for this immense physical pain, I certainly would've thought that everything I saw or heard or happened was nothing but a stupid dream or maybe hallucinations. I would've thought that I have finally gone crazy to see these types of things in the middle of a crowded place.
As we were walking towards the counter, we saw Isabelle waiting for us a with a exhausted demeanour. It looked as if she was searching for us, but that can't be true, right? And even though I knew that she would this very much annoying, i still couldn't stop myself from running into her arms and hugging her tightly, as if my life depended on her. There was a time when I believed that, no matter how scary if a nightmare I am having, if I touch my sister, every nightmare and bad things will go away. And maybe I still believe that. That's why I felt the urge to hug her, and make every nightmare I've been having for days go away. But you see my sister doesn't like physical interaction and I was sure that she would find this ann– Huh? What is this? Why is she looking at me with concern and affection? That look, I've never seen her that way. I couldn't help but burst into tears in her arms. She was, is and always will be my safe sanctuary.
I don't exactly remember what happened next. All I did remember was taking a cab home. I don't even remember I got to my bed. But there was something else. Something else happened, but the memory is blurry and I can't remember what happened, but I think I heard someone say " I am sorry" and "please come back to us" I wonder what that means?
That night I had a dream, in that there was this girl, she had beautiful bright red hair and her eyes as dark as obsidian. She looked a bit sad and relieved at the same time. She stood facing a cliff while hard wind blew on her face, making her hair fly in the air. She looked right in my eye and smiled brightly like a child who finally found their trusted friend. Even though she was smiling, her eyes, they were not. They were filled with so much sadness that I felt like I would drown. It was painful watching her. The without a warning she turned towards the cliff and…. Jumped!
I ran up to the cliff, hoping that she would be holding onto something at least, but she was falling in an endless rift with a peace filled smile.
She was saying something to me, she called my name and was saying something but I couldn't understand a single word.
"Oleander don't–
What? What do you mean by don't?
"Even if they beg–
What are you saying?
Oleander! Wake up!
"Please save–
Save? Save whom?
Oleander are you alright? Please wake up dear!
" Everything is now up to you"
What do you mean by that?
OLEANDER!! Wake up!
Hah hah I opened my eyes, only to see Isabella, Claire and my parents standing by my bedside with a worried expression.
Are you alright? My mother asked.
Why? What would happen to me? I asked completely oblivious to the things happening. Sure I had a strange dream but I don't think they can know that.
I don't know! We all suddenly felt the need to go to you, and when we reached, we saw you twisting and turning in your sleep. My sister said in a worried tone.
How can that happen? But anyway I am alright! You guys don't have to worry! I said trying to sound all cheerful.
Hearing this, everyone said ok and went downstairs. As Isabelle was going she said, you don't have to act all tough in front of us. We are family! Before closing the door behind her.
Hah family? What a joke!....