The Boy In Her Dreams

🌺 CHAPTER TWENTY 🌺

EJIRO'S POV:

Although, I made it through school yesterday and I even summoned enough courage to speak to Evan, the message I had received in the phone still hunted me.

Sara, Nnadzwa and even Noah had noticed my mood swings yesterday and had asked severally what was wrong with me. And of course, I said I was fine.

I just couldn't believe it. The more I thought of it, the more I couldn't help but ponder on the question.

How?

That day, when I had reached for my phone to receive the message felt so surreal.

I looked into my phone and I just couldn't believe my eyes. That very scene of me being pinned to the wall with knives, swords & cutlass as I shrieked and cried loudly in agony while Evan pierced the dagger into my skin in my nightmare was displayed on my very phone in the form of a short video.

I thought it was a nightmare.

I knew it was a nightmare!

So How?

The amount of fear that fueled me that very moment was unexplainable. I expected to fall unconscious, but the next thing I knew was the sound of my phone clashing into the floor as my grip on it loosened.

Mother probably thought I was already dressed for school this morning, but here I was, clutching my knees to my chest and placing my chin on it as I sat on my bed and pondered on what had happened two days ago.

"Ejiro!" A voice called out from outside the room.

I stood up from the bed, raced to the door and pulled it open.

"Good morning." I said to Hannah, not even caring to give a little smile.

"Wha–Your brothers are eating breakfast already and here you are, still in your nightwear." She said.

I sighed. "Can't I just not go to school today?!".

"Ejiro, what's wrong?" Hannah asked, placing an arm around my shoulder and walking into my room. When I didn't give a response, she shook her head and sat beside me on the bed.

"You're not still thinking about that thing you saw in your phone, are you?" She asked.

I didn't say anything, rather, I rested my head on her laps. Next, I felt trickles of tears runs down my cheeks and my heart just ached badly inside my chest.

I heard her sigh, and the next thing I knew, Hannah brought up her right hand to my back and moved it in a soothing manner. More tears trickled down my cheeks.

She probably must've figured out I was crying silently because, she started singing softly while her hands still moved up and down my back in soothingly.

"Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore.
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I don't care what they're going to say–".

I sunk my head deeper into Hannah's gown as streams of tears flowed down my cheeks. I didn't know why, but I found myself taking short rapid breaths, and the rush of adrenaline fueled me.

My heart rate increased and I found myself trembling under Hannah's hold.

I stared at the faint scars on my wrists as I continued to sob silently.

Suddenly, the door knob turned and the door was pushed open as mother stepped into the room.

She glanced at Hannah and I for a while and rushed to me.

I wished she wasn't there at the moment. I didn't want to explain myself. That I was crying because I was scared for my life, because there could be a possibility that those nightmares might be on a spiritual level and that I experience the pains I feel in the nightmares in real life.

"Sweetie! What's the matter?" She asked as she gently raised my face from Hannah's laps, making me sit up on the bed. She held my face in her both hands and stared deeply into my eyes.

She stared at me with so much concern laced in her voice and I stared back into her glittering dark brown eyes. I wanted to look away as more tears streamed down my eyes, but the emotions of concern swirling in those brown orbs of hers made me feel vulnerable, and I just wanted to cry in her arms, tell her everything and hear her whisper confronting words into my ear.

I shook the thought away and wiped away my tears. I didn't want mother getting worried about me.

"I'm fine, mother. I just feel really sick, can I skip school today? ". 

She stared at me doubtfully and looked deeply into my eyes as if trying to uncover a truth. Then, she traced her fingers up my cheeks and around my puffy eyelids. "Why then are you crying?".

The floor suddenly looked attractive as I brought my gaze down to the floor.

"I–". I tried to say but stopped to clear my throat once I heard my cracked voice and I took in a deep breath. "I don't know. I just started crying. It happens.".

She nodded at me but I could tell she still had her doubts.

"I'll leave you to rest then. You can skip school today." She said, and walked out of the room.

"Want me to leave?" Hannah finally spoke up. 

I stared at her for a brief second and shook my head as I took my position, resting my head on her laps again and shutting my eyes.

People often say, one way to escape reality is sleep, and it works for a lot of people, unfortunately, I'm not just any people. Sleep does the opposite for me, it reveals my reality rather than letting me excape from it. It locks me in a hole of never ending pain and fear, and grips my neck tight as I struggle to survive.

The sound of the door opening pulled me out of my reverie as I stared blankly at the person who walked in.

"Ejiro, some girls named Nnadzwa and Sara and a guy named Noah came to see you. They said they're your friends at school." Jokpa said and walked out of the room immediately.

I lifted my head and narrowed my brows.
"What are they doing here?".

"Are those the girls you told me about. Oooh! I can't wait to meet them, and... Noah!!" Hannah shrieked in excitement as I rolled my eyes and ran into the bathroom.

I didn't want them seeing me in my current state.

I came out and stared at my reflection in the mirror and shrugged. Then, scurried out of the room with Hannah.