𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔- 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧'

March 2022

Through the window of my grandpa's grey kia, I viewed a blooming blue scenery with the golden sun shining abroad the shaded landscape. The cool breeze brushed soothingly over my face as my grandpa drove. We were going to celebrate my grandma's birthday at a seafood restaurant, she had talked about eating there nonstop, she would stop by during her daytime delivery job to pick up orders and was in love with the scent of the restaurant. Her busy work schedule didn't give her the chance to go. We were contented with her eagerness of trying the restaurant and we decided that it would be nice to go out for the occasion.

The chimes above the door clattered as we walked into the restaurant. Seeing that no one was in line, my grandpa walked up to a young lady who was counting reservations and setting tables for customers. "Hello, how may I help you?" The young lady greeted. "I need a table for 3." My grandpa said. She tapped on three buttons on her screen and then told us, "Follow me." preceding us to a booth. "Your waiter will be here soon for your menus, enjoy." She apprised, smiling gingerly. My grandparents thanked her, and we were shortly looking at the luscious options on our menus. My grandma's convincing was valid, and we couldn't believe what types of meals we were looking at. King crab, lobsters, and crawfish glowing red on their palates; clams and oysters dawning on their sides of the palates, but they wore some light on them which helped them shine beyond. The shrimps posed in their coral-colored world serving as sides yet rested appetizingly. The restaurant could've been a buffet. "They have a seafood boil here; we can order that so we can portion out this food we like, that being everything we've seen. It's reasonable to buy." My grandma advised. We agreed to the suggestion as it was an easier meal that we want and aspire to.

This restaurant was packed, having waiters shift left and right. It had solely been eight minutes since the young lady enunciated, informing us that our waiter would arrive to take our orders. There was plenty of time to sit and chat till midnight. I resorted to the window beside me, like one would stare in the moonlight, I let the sun lighten my face while I stared at the cars up front. I was living and withering when my mind expressed apathy to the external superficies. Then, I was drawn to an image.

He contrasted the colors of the setting around him, even the people close to him. Walking at the parking lot towards the seafood restaurant, Lucian's attendance stood out above anything else. The chime from the entrance clattered with a subtle ring. His family of four stepped inside the restaurant and his eyes aimed to mine. A fluttering sensation surged in my blood.

My heart got lost in its synchronization, I blinked rapidly, snapping myself out of this false reality that I formed. There was no restaurant, there was no grandparents, there was no parking lot gilded by the sun; I was alone, in this universe where Lucian and I diverged, ignoring each other's essence. One exchange reverberating in my ears as if it occurred a day ago. Luckily, Lucian couldn't examine my mind, he'd be terrified at the portrayal I almost made him play. I was horrified of myself, my heart wasn't pulsing fast just because my blood was rushing from my inflamed dreams, it was because my heart hastened out of horror, my daydream could've been a hallucination or a lucid dream, but it wasn't. There couldn't be an interlude where we would be together. I was sitting in my seat, gaping at the blurred lines on the whiteboard and Lucian was in another class, imaginably with his friends. Here I go, cloning the muse of him. I've seen him so much that he has anchored my mind. Why was he there? Nausea stirred in my stomach at the thought.

You walked in
Caught my attention
I've never seen
A man with so much dimension

It's the way you walk
The way you talk
The way you make me feel inside
It's in your smile
It's in your eyes
I don't wanna wait for tonight

So I'm daydreamin'
With my chin in the palm of my hands
About you
You
And only you
Got me
Daydreaming, with my chin in the palm of my hands
About you
You
And only you.