The Astral Whale II (Dreams Series)

Chapter I: https://read.cash/@marcmire/the-astral-whale-dreams-series-c1f3cf49

Chapter II: The Rain of Perplexity

The last two days have been rough on school since examinations are near. It is also required that you get a clearance for extra-curricular activities and clubs for the school year's end. Talk about excruciating! I went on to buy a drawing book yesterday to ease my mind from the stress this week and the upcoming weeks. I sketched the scenery from where the whale was in my dreams since it's been three days since I haven't been to that dream state. The disappearing whale that's been drifting to the cosmic skies still bothers me, so I bet sketching it to detail might remind me and bring me back there.

 I got interrupted when a golden-haired girl named Jane tapped my back, "Hey, have you passed your paper yet?" she said. I nodded in response, and she replied with a sad smile. "I hope you get over it, Austin." I caught her glance at my drawing before heading out to the classroom with her friends to go home. I guess that's my cue to go home also, given that the clouds are starting to get all dark and grey as I looked through the window. I packed my things, stuffed them into my bag carefully, and went on to the bicycle stand. There, I saw an old friend of mine. Our eyes met for a second as he unlatched his bike from the rails, his gaze shows pity and scorn, but I guess that's just my intuition; he then went on his way after. I shrugged it off and proceeded to unlatch my bicycle and go home. Hoping that I would never get caught in this rain.

It wasn't even halfway home when I heard the thunderstorms signaling for heavy rain. I pedal faster, hoping to race the heavy dark clouds but to no avail. It started to rain heavily, and my uniform quickly got soaked; good thing there's a convenience store right up ahead. I could take shelter from it for a while.

I got into the convenience store and hastily put my bicycle behind a dry post. I noticed that Jane was also taking shelter against the hard rain and was sitting on the bench where a bus would likely stop. I quickly nodded to acknowledge her presence as our eyes met and drifted after that. I went inside the convenience store and bought two hot coffees to show a good gesture to a classmate. Then, I went out of the store and saw her scrolling on her phone.

"Mind if I sit beside you?" I asked calmly, holding both coffees.

She looked at me with those eyes which have the color of the ocean. "Yes, of course." She shifted and made space for me to sit, and I obligingly sat down beside her. "Thanks, this is for you." I handed her the hot coffee since it's evident that she's shivering from the cold of the breeze. "You didn't have to, Austin," She stated as she slowly grabbed the hot coffee, "But thanks." She sweetly smiled and took a sip after taking off the lid.

"Do you have a hanky? I have an extra!" So I offered her my extra handkerchief in case of damsels in distress. I remember dad's lesson very well, and I unconsciously smiled. In contrast, I remembered it then coming back to reality only to find Jane looking at me delightfully. It made me slightly blush and feel butterflies in my stomach.

"So, what were you sketching earlier?" She asked as she sipped coffee, with her body directed towards me.  I hesitated for a while if I should tell the truth or should lie. I figured that she wouldn't understand most of it, so I thought, why not?

"It's about a dream," I paused for a while, looking at the grey skies where the rainfall seems never-ending. "I know it's absurd, but I've been dreaming of whales lately," I said. "You're quite the dreamer, are you?" She chuckled, giving me a smile that can leave men dumbfounded. "I guess I am." I softly said. "But you know, strange dreams happen because we've been thinking a lot, trying a lot to put these thoughts into order– at least that's what I thought." She shrugged. "How about you, though? What have you been dreaming lately?" "Hmmm." She looked up, trying to collect her thoughts, and then went on to talk, "Well, my dreams have their variety. It can be about being lost in the dinosaur age, swimming with mermaids on the sea, and just the plain old scenarios where you could get caught up in fun or, worse, sorrow."

"My dreams also have their variety, Jane," I said in contrast. "But this specific dream makes me long for it to happen; it's slowly becoming like a drug but fueled by curiosity." I continued.

"The best kind of dreams that I want to go back into are those dreams that make me feel contented and enlightened, back to those scenarios where everything was fine and normal and-"Jane paused. "Sorry I got carried away." she softly chuckled and then sipped her coffee. "It's fine, hahaha. I also think I could wait a while for these dreams to occur. I guess you can truly feel the thrill that comes along in deciphering them, don't you?"

"You know, Austin. I'd wait, no matter how long for it to occur, like waiting for you-" She stated, smiling. I was perplexed when she said it out of the blue. "Wait for me?" I asked to clear my confusion. "Wait for things to go back to normal, I mean." I looked at her still, with confusion on my face. "Normal-" before I could ask for more, I hear the engine of a bus revving towards the bus stop. "Look, don't think about it too much." The bus doors open before her as she stood up, bringing along her with the coffee I bought.

"Just be you, the true you,” she said to me before getting into the bus, as I got left dumbfounded sitting on the bench in the hard pouring rain.

-          To be continued.