Expectations and Reality

Chapter 29 | STEP!

Breathing is hard. When you cry so much, it makes you realise that breathing is hard.

David Lavithan

☆☆☆

She woke up startled and frightened. Sweats all over her face. Fuming, she looked up at the also startled faces in front of her, shouting words that she couldn't fathom at that moment.

As on instance, she got out of the bed and ran towards the restroom. She splashes some cold water across her face, calming her curiosity. She breathed twice to trice before she again splashed another strands of water to her face. She squeezed her fingers against her eyes, brushing the sleep off.

After making sure she was awake, she headed back to her room. The faces awaiting her in the room portrayed her thoughts; confusion and panic.

She went back to her earlier spot on the bed as she sat, facing her father who was now on the couch in the room. "Are you okay?" Came Ms Rayn's panicking voice.

"No" she blurted without a second thought about her choice of word. Of course who ever would wake up at this hour of the day, wailing, with sweats forming a curtain to her face, would say she isn't okay. But her's wasn't just about the nightmare, it's totally about everything surrounding her - as in all other things.

"What's wrong my dear? You just passed out" Ms Rayn stated sitting beside her on the bed as she hands her a glass of water.

She collected it from her as she takes it down in a gulp. "I don't know" she said huffing.

"Didn't you had a nightmare?" She asked further concerned, her forehead creasing and her curiosity evident.

"Some sort" she replied nonchalantly. All she needed at that moment was to be given a space with her father. Not that she regarded Ms Rayn as an outsider, totally No! She just wasn't ready yet to tell her a single part from the dream, she wanted her father to know fast.

As if sensing the situation, Ms Rayn excused herself, saying she left the stove on. Even though she felt a little dejected, Lina felt at ease. She turned to her father as if on cue and his forehead creased. "You know you acted rude?" He questioned sternly, at all not supporting her actions.

She looked down to her fingers as she spoke "It's really urgent Abuya" she said with a little pout in her voice.

"Couldn't it wait till later?" He again asked, adamantly. As much as he wanted to hear what she had to say, he had to knock her brain and inculcate some behaviours in her.

"It's urgent Abuya. Please listen. I'm getting confused with each passing second. And the more confused I get, the more I fear I'll worsen the situation. Just borrow me your ears" she begged hopefully.

"Okay. But next time think twice before this your brain makes decision" he flicks her on the forehead, she winced but nonetheless she started.

She narrated the whole story to him and the further she goes, the more his hand becomes clenched to her bedsheet, anger evidently shown on his face. His fuming raising with great intensity. For a moment he was taken aback with the story, it was more or less like his'. Everything almost the same.

His hand travelled to her chin, wiping the strange lonely tear present there. She paused as she looked up at him "What kind of dream is this?" She asked him totally confused.

"I knew something like this would happen" he mutters beneath his breathe.

"Uhm?" She asked him, tugging a strand of hair back into her hijab, sniffing.

"Oh..nothing. Nothing..it was a forest, right?" She nodded at him, hoping he'll find a solution. She's afraid of going back to her own house, although she'll be staying the night over at her parent's, she's afraid going to that same dangerous man she saw in her nightmare.