A Stranger to You

His Confidante

Serenity's POV

I sat on the floor in a crossed-legged position inside this dark portal. No dream portals are floating or lining up is near. I don't think I'm in the mood to enter anyone's dreams right now. Honestly, I want to forget Dannon and this whole place reminds me of him. Why wasn't I born normal? Life could have been more simple.

What Dannon said at the library was too painful. It was a big slap on my face that it wasn't Dannon with whom I was conversing. It was Kai. The Casanova, egocentric, and insensitive jerk. The Dannon whom I knew only lives in dreams, and he will never exist in reality. He's just a person that only I know about, like an imaginary friend. I should stop thinking that Dannon and Kai are the same people.

My lips quirked when I felt a hand suddenly pat my shoulders. I turned my head to see who it is. It's her again. "You can come here?" I curiously asked. I have always thought that only I can access this black portal. That the only place she can invade is my dreams unless this portal is also just part of my dreams?

The thought left me wondering.

I heard her chuckle, and it pulled me out of my thoughts. She probably invaded my thoughts again. That would explain the sympathetic look on her face.

"If this is part of your dream, you should have the ability to manipulate it. Like lighting it up, perhaps?" She's right. I tried making things appear inside this portal, but I can't. "Right, even if you can manipulate this place, you wouldn't add bright colors, typical you," she said. "And I'm not sympathizing with you. I'm only giving you comfort.

"Because you pity me," she smiled and did not say anything else. "Who are you?" I asked. Her left brow rose in surprise.

"Who and not what?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm...," she paused and looked elsewhere, although there's nothing to look at here but darkness. In here, it's like nothing else exists but us. "I'm alive," she finally said.

"Is that your name?" I asked her. She chuckled while still looking straight at nothingness.

"No, I only want you to know that," I looked at her in curiosity.

"That you're alive?"

"Yes," I stared at her smile. It looked sad. Does she mean she's not only an element of living in my dream? Does she exist in reality?

"I used to." She answered the question in my head.

"What do you mean you used to?" She looked at me with a warm smile. It didn't show genuine happiness, but it showed adoration. She tapped the tip of my nose as if I'm a little kid and chuckled.

"You have so many questions."

"And you have no intention in answering them." I pouted.

"Are you sure that you do not want to enter your friend's dream?" I lifted my knees and hugged them closer to my chest. She waited for me to answer, but I remained quiet. "People wear different masks— Different masks for each group of people or a particular person they socialize with." She rose and took a step away from me. I took a second to admire her dress as it glows in the darkness. It reminded me of queen Clarion in Tinker Bell. "You should know that there are no masks in dreams, especially if the dreamer is not aware that he's dreaming. " It took me a second to process what she said. "Dreams are a representation of the dreamer's inner desire, fears, and naked emotions." She slowly faded into darkness, leaving me dumbfounded.

Dreams portal started floating towards me. Dannon's portal founds its way to me.

"What do you want to do today?" A woman with tan skin and long brown silky hair sat beside him. Her face is blurry, but I'm aware of her relationship with Dannon—she's his mother. He's been dreaming about her many times, and her face has always been blurry. Maybe because he never had a chance to meet her.

That's one of the things we have in common. We both never met our mothers, and both of them are also dead. The difference is, Dannon's father never took his right about knowing his own mother's name and how she died.

Dannon's father entered the scene and gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek. He then patted Dannon on the back. "How about we go on a family picnic?" He suggested.

Dannon's smile never left his lips. That is the smile that he never showed in reality. I know Dannon's relationship with his father is not good. He loathed Dannon. So, he basically grew up without a parent. He would probably wish to never wake up if he remembers his dreams. Like me.

I took a deep breath and motivated myself to be strong. I let my breath out and opened the exit portal. I will give him the time to experience a moment with his family, even if it's just in dreams. That's the least I can do.

Maybe this is the reason why I met Dannon. Among all people, I'm the one who understands him most. I'm like his confidante. Although he doesn't remember or even know me he also provides comfort.

***

Sunlight crept through my window. I groaned as brightness radiated to my eyes causing me to wake up from a deep slumber. Having this ability feels like I never slept at all. Although I don't feel exhaustion nor drowsiness. My eyes caught my reflection in the mirror. I sneered at myself and shook my head. I look like I just had a catfight with my frizzy hair. I went inside the bathroom and took a quick bath. After that, I put on my pair of black skinny jeans and a white T-shirt. I paired it with black low-cut Converse shoes and tried to tidy my hair in a ponytail. I squinted my eyes while looking at myself in the mirror. "I look like a bald person," I pulled my hair tie off of my hair allowing it to flow freely down to my back.

I went outside my room and I was surprised to not see my dad sitting on the couch watching television. He must be in the kitchen.

"Are you sure he's not suspicious of you?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt."

"You have nothing to worry about. He hasn't tried to approach Serenity. I don't think he knows."

Their voice got louder and louder as I walk closer to the kitchen. What are they talking about? I peeked inside and tried not to make any noise. I saw dad and Mr. Alpin sipping a mug of coffee while intently looking at each other.

Dad gave Mr. Alpin a soft look. "George, if you're thinking about that dream again, I'm telling you this one last time," Mr. Alpin sighed and looked at dad with a gloomy face. "Just forget about it. She's dead. Please, don't light another hope up. I'm sick of holding onto it while it fades into hopelessness." Mr. Alpin clenched his jaw while trying to stop himself from being emotional.

Who are they talking about?