"Free me"
The voice in her head said. She knew this voice like she heard it a million times ago. Most of the times, a voice will whisper to her giving her advise. Like that one time when she was abducted by a stranger. The voice carefully instructed her how to trick the man and she did escaped.
She stared at her reflection for a long time now. The voice kept saying free me. But she just stared at her mirror looking half-asleep. She's daydreaming then--BAM! Her books fell off her study table. It's a mountain of books so it's no wonder they fell out of balance. She blinked, realizing that she just wasted 7 minutes of her life staring at her bed hair and pajamas. She remembered that she was about to get ready for school when that voice had started whispering to her again. It was smooth and enticing, it gave her goosebumps. She wanted to hear more but she likes it more when she's not dazed and NOT staring at her reflection for no reason.
She sighed remembering school. She have to deal with people again. It's not like she hated people, it's just that the whole idea of socializing with carefree and ignorant people made her sick. She had it bad. Her parents are divorced. Her mom left her for some rich man and live comfortably with her new mansion while she was forced to stay with her drunkard father. Life sucks for July. The end.
"Life is so unfair"She cursed. Then she heard a soft chuckle. She looked around to see if anyone was there but there was nothing. Her room fell in complete silence with her books laying on the floor, her bed all messy and the curtain swaying in the wind. The light peeking through the window, particles of dust sparkling in the sunlight. I must be crazy she thought. Then the weirdest thing happened. She just blacked out. She remembered falling into her bed then after a moment there was a light. It was hazy and she could only make out a form of a person sitting and floating in mid-air. She feels so drowsy like she might fall out anytime. Well she is already sleeping she thought.
"Hey there."
The silhoutte spoke in almost lazy but smooth voice. July noticed that the voice is that of a boy. He leaned toward July as if to examine her reaction.
"Why are you flying?" July asked plainly. Again, he chuckled.
"But I'm not. I'm floating, you see." He answered with a pitiful look as if he was asked by a child. July can sense his reaction even if everything was hazy except the freaking light. She squinted because the light was so bright that her eyes started to hurt. The silhoutte--err boy came closer but this time, his at her level. He was barefooted and wore an oversized white shirt with holes on them. He wore a dark blue ripped skinny jeans and he have bracelets and anklets too. What the heck. July thought.
"It's funny how you can ask such a simple question considering how screwed up this is."
July responded by giving a confused look. Well, He has a point but, for her nothing can be more screwed up than her life.
"What. Is your life THAT screwed up?
So much that you're fine with this?"
He asked as if he had seen worse. July felt like he could see through her. Suddenly, she wanted to hide or runaway.
"You can't run away from me." The boy announced. July's heart began to race, she started to panic. He sees through her.
"But this is a dream!" She said trying to calm herself. The boy gave her a smirk like he was enjoying seeing her being confused and all riled up. July pinched her cheek as hard as she could but it was futile. Then she was about to slap herself when the boy grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Stop that. You're only hurting yourself." He said. His head is so close to July, she can perfectly see him now that their face to face. His face changed, he looked pissed now. July felt like she had just been scolded by some older brother she never had. The boy tightened his grip on her arn, making her flinch. It's ironic, she thought. But she didn't mind, she was used to getting hurt by her father or her classmates. The boy noticed July making a painful expression so he released her from his grip.
"I'm Sorry."He said looking sideway with a painful expression. It's as if he was ashamed of what he had done. He glanced at July's fresh bruise that she got from her father's beating last night. She forgot to buy his beer so he bombarded his daughter with his baseball bat. July didn't fight back, she took the full blow and stayed on the floor for hours. She blacked out. Who wouldn't? Especially when your dad had gone psycho because he didn't get his precious beer.
She noticed him looking at her ridiculously purple bruise. She immediately covered it with her free hand. She gets embarrased when someone stare at it too long. It made her uncomfortable, knowing that they pity her. She had always worn long sleeves or jacket in school. Never before that she wore a T-shirt or skirt. She does it on purpose as to not catch unwanted attention.
"It's okay." She said looking down because tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Her tears dropped like rain. Breaking into tiny little pieces once they fall. Just like her.
"You want to go back? You shouldve said sooner." He said with a sympathetic voice.
July didn't say anything.
"I suppose that's a yes? But isn't it hell out there? What's the difference?"
Bullseye. July didn't know what to answer. Actually, she doesn't even care if she won't wake up. Nothing seems to matter anymore.
"Are you sure you want go back?"
July dazed for a moment then she nodded. But she remembered something before she leaves.
"Wait. What's your name?" She asked.
"Funny. How you ask that from someone in your dream." He said while stroking the tip of July's hair. July said nothing, she was waiting for him to answer.
"You're no fun aren't you. It's boring to tease you if you won't give in."
July stayed silent.
"Fine. I'm named Julai."
In that moment, July felt like she was being sucked up a black hole and the silhoutte of the boy named Julai was fading so fast that she only saw him waving goodbye at her. He even made a hush gesture at her before he disappeared completely. Then she shot her eyes open and saw her room ceiling.
