My eyes snapped open, and I instantly sat up, my shirt was soaked with cold sweat, my body was shaking, my heart was pounding and my breath got short. I looked around the room suspicious and paranoid about what happened. I got up cautiously shivering as I looked around once again I realized it was just another nightmare. I let out a breath of relief. "It’s just a nightmare Rachel, you have nothing to worry about." I tried to calm myself.
Nightmares are something very new to me talk less of continuously having them. I seriously need to calm myself down, dreams like this make me think that I’m going crazy, crazy about things I don’t know and don’t understand. I let out a long deep breath and then walked into the bathroom to take a shower.
Once I was done, I wore brown linen trousers, a white tee, and brown sneakers. I packed her hair into a ponytail and then applied lipgloss. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I look dead-on-my-feet, it was so obvious that I haven’t been having a complete sleep. I let out a yawn walking out of the room.
I could feel different people staring at me but I seriously don’t care, if they were in my shoes I’m sure they will look worse than me.
Once I entered the class hall, in a few minutes or more the lecturer walked in. As usual, I took a sit behind, I heard no words he said, when the students nodded I did, when they laugh I also did and when it was time to leave, well, I was the first to leave the class. Throughout the lectures, I felt like burying myself on a soft cozy mattress but every time my eyes closed a sound snap me out.
Leaving the lecture hall, I sat on a bench outside. I’m seriously exhausted right now, I feel sleepy and at the same time, I can’t fall asleep, not because I have so many things to do but because I don’t want to have any more nightmares in which I end up shaking and sweating.
"Hello, friend." Amy waved as she walked in my direction
"Hey!"
"Oh my god! What’s wrong with you?" She asked once she sat on the bench
"I know, I know I look drowsy, sleepy, zombified, drained, exhausted whatever word you wanna use, feel free to use it. I know I look bad."
"Seriously what happened to you?" She asked
"I haven’t had enough sleep and please don’t ask me why, I have no words."
"Okay but you extremely look like a jam."
I looked at her and raised an eyebrow "Jam?" I questioned
"Yeah, it’s the same as_"
"I don’t wanna know." I cut her off
"Anyhow, why don’t you take a day off from work." She suggested
"I’m gonna."
"Good for you, now after the last class, you should just go back to the hostel and get at least fourteen hours sleep, if not sixteen hours before you seriously look bad." She scoffed
"Okay, mom." I rolled my eyes "By the way, I didn’t see you in class today or should I say I have never seen you in class before."
"Do you pay attention in class?"
"It depends on who and what the class is about."
"You are in college Rachel, for Christ's sake, at least pay attention to the lectures."
"Hey, I’m too tired for lectures and I know I’ve been missing a lot but that doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention," I said
"Okay."
"So, like….Uhm…Are you going to go to the library today?" I asked
"Nope."
"Oh, then why don’t you come to the hostel with me."
The only reason why I’m asking Amy to come with me is because I don’t want to be alone and I already know that Alice won’t be around.
"Hostel?" She bit her lips
"Yeah, what’s wrong?"
"Nothing, it’s just that my nana won’t like it if I enter the hostel, she won’t like it at all."
"What! Why?"
"I don’t know and it doesn’t even matter because I have to go help my nana with some preparations." She said
"Preparations for what?"
"A student died the day before yesterday." She drew a cross on her chest and whispered "May her soul Rest In Peace." She turned back and looked at me "I’m helping her to prepare for the student prayer session." She said
"Okay."
"Do you wanna come to join us? It will be great." She asked
"No…Uhm I have a date with my bed, remember"
"Yeah, I forgot you need a long deep sleep."
I sighed "Of course I do."
Once the next class was over, I went back to the hostel. Reaching my room door, I pulled out my small keys from my pocket, and unlocking it I heard a noise from the end of the hallway, I tried my very best not to look in the direction as I know what I will see if I do. Once I opened the room and was about to enter it, I turned and looked. She was standing right there, in a blink of an eye, she rushed to me and pressed my back against the wall.
She looked deep into my eyes as if she was trying to pull them out. My breath was becoming short and fast, feeling like no matter how much I breathe in I still wasn’t getting enough oxygen into my lungs. She was incredibly close to me, to the extent, I realized she wasn’t letting out any air. As she turned to my ear, she whispered
"Stay away from her, stay away from Amy wise."
I stood in shock, still wondering what she meant by that, as I raised my eyes, she vanished, she was nowhere to be found. I quickly entered the room and closed it shut. I lean my back on the door as I instantly opened my bag and called dad. I can’t keep this alone, I have to tell someone, I don’t care if they believe me or not but I have to tell someone. Once dad answered the call "Hey Rachel." Dad said; his voice sounding very low.
I instantly knew something was wrong, grandma, how did I forget that dad is facing a lot right now, I can’t add up to his problem. "Hey dad, sorry it was a mistake, I dialed it mistakenly."
"Mistake? Rachel are you okay?" He asked
Dad called me Rachel, something is definitely bothering him, I can’t be a selfish daughter and add up to his problem.
"Hey, dad….Uhm…. I will call you later okay, I promise. Tell mom and grandma I said hi."
"Wait Rachel_" I ended the call before he finished the sentence.
"I’m sorry dad, but I can’t add up to your problems," I muttered
I would have called mom but the pressure on her is too much, and I can’t add more on her. I placed my bag on the chair and then fell on the bed. I have to take care of this myself.