Chapter 7

I scrape the last spoonful of my mac and cheese from the bowl. Karen's would've been better. I put the bowl in the sink and rushed to my room. I reach open of my door and switched the lights from a normal flourescent to my personalized white disco ball Dr. Cameron gave me when I got discharged from the hospital after 6 years. I jump to my bed and kicked of my boots. I'll probably shower tomorrow when I wake up. This is another advantage when Karen's not around. I place my phone beside me and I start my countdown.

"Ten, nine..." my eyes are starting to weaken, my legs and arms feel unfunctionable. "Eight, seven..." I try to focus on the 'stars' above me as little moving dots of light dance at the ceiling and the walls. "six, five..." I've figured how to enter my dreams, but I'm unsure about ending them. This time I'll figure it out, once I talk to Tokyo. "four... three..." That's it, almost there. "two... one..." I mouth my next line but then my phone buzzes loud disorienting my concentration. I groan in disbelief and smack my phone to pick it up.

"Are you home?"

"I was actually about to sleep."

"This early??" Oops. I've lost track of the fact that Karen doesn't know I started dreaming, let alone the fact that I can finally sleep at peace, if that's what it's called.

"I... I feel a bit tired." I hear a sound of a tray smacking the hospital floor from the other line, probably one of her patient's throwing tantrums again.

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay. I've had dinner already, you can head back to duty." I'm your tough girl after all.

"Alright ma'am. Enjoy your party." She's pertaining to what I told her this morning. Clearly it's a joke but we always ride with each others' hilarious punches.

"Will do. Just giving you a heads up, Gabe broke your mirror."

"Penelope!" I do a combination of a scoff with a smirk.

"Don't fret Mom. You know I don't have a party right now."

"Not even Gabe and Mason."

"They're both pretty tired."

"And so are you."

"I better go. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Sleep well." Karen hungs up first with me praying I do sleep well. I place my phone on the counter top and flopped back to bed lying on my chest, my face buried on the soft white pillow that smells like my vanilla shampoo.

"Karen's a great mom."

"Yeah, she is." I agree on the statement, but realized it was Tokyo's voice who talked to me too late. I scramble from my bed looking from where the voice sound. He's at my rocking chair.

"How did you get in hear?"

"How should I know? This is-"

"my dream" I finish his statement. "I get it." I stand up and removed my coat and scarf from myself. And as I plop it to my drawer, I realized the room was too bright for the evening. Too bright that it felt like the next day. I rush to my blinders and pulled the string revealing my window an it's view of Jonsell's Wednesday morning.

"So this is what's happening next." Tokyo stands from the chair, and is now standing beside me taking a glimpse of this minimalistic village.

"Yep. However not everything that's gonna happen will happen right now. You'll eventually wake up not even finishing the day, like a normal dream." I let out a laugh unintentionally because it's delirious to hear it from him.

"Like I know what usually happens in a dream. I just started doing it but I know I hate that I wanted this." I walk away from my window and picked up my phone, composing a text that I'll be sending both to Gabe and Mason. Tokyo turns to me staying at the window.

"Skipping class?"

"It's not even a real class. I'll be fine." I click the green button and there goes my message fly:

"tell the driver to skip jonsell. im sick"

It's not even a minute and both of them have replied instantly. These prying slicks.

"what happened?"

-Mason

"u pregnant?"

-Gabe

"im fine and im still a virgin. just need some rest" I send the message and switched my phone to a silent mode. I throw it to the bed.

"Meet me downstairs. I need to fix myself for this long dream."

"Aight mate!" Tokyo skips to my door and shuts it.

"Impressive." I whisper. He did the Australian accent on point.

Across the village's only gasoline station and cute part time cashiers is a coffee shop rendered by a Filipino couple. Their place is the go-to location for breakfast and hot coffee. I come here for the chocolate though. Tokyo and I settle on the nearest table at the windows. The shop is filled with Filipino celebrities like Dolphy, -a comedian- Efren Bata, -all time billiard champion- and Zijian Jaranilla's picture of his hit series 'May Bukas Pa' -a famous childstar-. Not only are the food and the display are Filipino, the tv's show is Filipino as well as the menu. Thank God for translations.

"This place is cool."

"You mean you've never been here?" I hand him the menu while scanning mine.

"I've never been in Terrell." I look up at him and as he looks at me as well, I pretend to call Tita Anita to order.

"I'll have the usual." Tita Anita smiles and nods at me, this time she faces Tokyo.

"Syota mo?" (Is he your boyfriend?) She asks and I try not to blush but there's no need to be flustered. I'm pretty sure he doesn't understand her.

"Hindi po, kaibigan lang." (No, he's just a friend.) Tita Anita clicks her tongue like any other Filipino parent would do when dismayed upon their children.

"Gwapo pa naman. Mas gwapo kesa kina Gabriel at Mason." As if?

"Naku hindi po. Bakulaw yung dalawang yon pero mas malala to." Tita Anita lets out a bashful laugh, making Tokyo to stare at us. It's fun to play with him when he can't defend himself. He looks at me with confusion.

"I just told her a joke. What do you want?" Tokyo sets the menu down and clears his throat.

"Isang longsilog po, pakidamihan ng kanin. Tsaka kung pwede po, tsokolate ang kapares, di po ako umiinom ng kape." (One sausage-egg-friedrice platter, add more rice. And if it's fine, I'd have a chocolate drink to pair, I don't drink coffee.) He states his order in perfect Filipino and in perfect accent. But he doesn't look at Tita Anita, he smiles at me. I look away, if only I could throw him a durian miniature.

"Aba, pinoy ka iho?" (Oh, are you Filipino?)

"Marunong lang po." (Just know the language.) He just doesn't know the language, he knows the courtesy of using it. And again, his accent is on point. Tita Anita laughs and heads to the kitchen.

"Mukhang maganda ang pagkakaibigan niyo." (Looks like you've got a great bond.) She speaks leaving Tokyo with a wide grin and me, an elf who wants to end this dream and wake up.

"She's a nice lady." Now he decides to speak up.

"I bet you love the compliment. I thought you've never been here?"

"I didn't say I didn't know Filipino." He gives me a wink and I show him how disgusted I am.

"Is there a way to end this dream?"

"I can corner you right now." He stands up from his seat and I quickly decline the suggestion.

"No! I mean... you don't have to." He sits back. I look out the window and he does the same.

"This is gonna be a long day, don't you think?" He asks with anticipation. I whisper to myself wishing he'd never hear me.

"Sinabi mo pa." (An expression similar to the expression 'you bet.)