•4•

I gasped out loud and rose from the bed. My heart was beating like crazy and I was breathing hard. I gripped my blankets tighter.

It was the same dream. The same dream I have been having since childhood. I slumped back on my bed.

I sighed and rubbed my now wet eyes. Like always there was wetness on my cheek.

I don't remember when they started but it was getting longer and quite scary. From the fragments I remember, the dream consisted of me or someone, I don't know, running down the stairs into the huge doors.

I step into the sunlight, scream for someone, I look among the crowd in front of me when suddenly an excruciating pain is hit on my back and legs give out. However, the most horrifying part is where I hold the small bump in my stomach and my hand are wet with blood. And the rest is pain. A pain so terrifying I doubt whether it is real or a dream.

But the details have been improved over the years. I might sound crazy but it appears more real as years pass by. And the picture last night was a real shock to me. I would have told it my imagination but I'd be lying if I said that because I hadn't even known a person with that face existed before yesterday.

I shook my head to erase the picture off my mind.

Jake had the same face as a man in the crowd I was searching for someone else.

This is crazy. And I don't know what was going on. My mom said it's okay to have recurrent dreams but these were more real now than before.

My eyes slowly dropped and I slowly fell asleep reassuring myself that this had nothing in my brain and I was perfectly okay.

The week went by without any happenings and I also didn't mention about my weird dream and Jake. I didn't want Emily to think I was a freak.

And slowly the weekend arrived.

*******

I got up late but on time to get ready within 30 minutes and waited.

The doorbell rang and I ran to open it. Wow, Emily looked beautiful in the floral dress and all but the car behind her was a beauty. I was instantly drooling and Em seeing this chucked and strode in the house.

"Mom Emily is here." I stood beside her and shouted.

"Hi. I am Emily. Nice to meet you." she smiled warmly at my mum and dad who came out of the hall holding Lily in his arms

"It's good to see you in person, Emily. Rose had told me about you and look at you, you are such a sweet girl. Here, I made you guys some snacks for the fun day. "

My mom gave her the basket she had prepared and waved us goodbye with a sweet nod my way meaning to be back home by 6 in the evening.

I shut the door behind and faced Emily who was busy rummaging through my mom's basket.

"So where to?" I asked her excited.

She looked up and winked at me."You'll see"

Thus we ended up first on the largest shopping mall in the town which, to be honest, could surpass any showroom in New York. From there we went to every nook and corner of the town in jer mini cooper.

I could only look at the places. Everything here was expensive but I did shop considering I gathered part of the money I saved. What? Can't go naked, can I? We went to the park and sat down enjoying my mom's delicacies.

With the way she was devouring it, I looked at her surprised. To my knowledge, she was quite rich with a big mansion and servants running errands. As if sensing my eyes, she looked up and smiled sadly.

"My mom passed away when I was 5 and dad was always busy. Being a single child and having a busy dad, I guess I missed out on so many things. " She shrugged.

I had always known that what seems like a fine and happy person on the outside can be hiding the most grieving part of himself in his smile. Even a man who owns everything might be yearning for company and this was the closest I have been to such a person.

I have been surrounded by genuine and humble people all my life. They had ordinary life and valued love above all. But sometimes I did feel like we were missing on major thing because we lack financially. But as I got older I learned to be satisfied with what I had. I valued my family above all.

I smiled at Emily and said."Then how about we could make this a routine in the weekend"

"Really" She exclaimed and jumped up from the ground, startling the people who were walking around the park.

"Yeah yeah," I laughed at her, trying to prevent her from jumping around.

I never knew such small things mattered the world to someone else. I have always been taught to value even the smallest thing in life. And I had this misconception no one was missing on these things.

But...

'People say, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. The truth is, you knew what you had, you just never thought you'd lose it.