Love of Dream

"You were given the opportunity to come down to Earth and live again as a person but in anyone’s body. I look forward to your happy and contented lifestyle below, but despite this, you will also experience intense remorse at the unique one decision you made. But for now, you are the only one who deserves it because of your perseverance here above," a strong voice was heard. "Are you saying that the unique one decision I will make in the future is wrong? That's why you said I would regret it?" Someone with a tiny voice clarified. "As far as I can explain, my ability is only limited so far. I’m still not sure of the massive skipping of your life time below. As much as possible be prepared for the possible weight you will carry in the future." The voice is getting deeper and deeper in tone but its every pronunciation of every word is full of calmness. The woman lowered her gaze and her face seemed uncertain. "I still don’t know until now why you chose me. And now that I know my life down below isn’t going to be easy, I'm afraid I might repeat the wrong thing I did before." A shrill tone spoke from her mouth. The voice behind the tower of light stopped for a moment. A sighed was heard and spoke again. "This chance will never be repeated. You can refuse but the individual below your rank will not be replaced by you, only someone as capable as you can be demoted. Man is free to be given another chance as long as someone believes in him. Life below is different from life here but both have sacrifices. You have the opportunity to change your character and be different from your previous behaviour. In other words, you have the ability to correct the mistakes you made in your past life, and live according to your wishes." The voice is powerful enough to shed light on her confused mind. Voice that hides behind the light and is dazzling when viewed. An uplifting tone reigns above. The woman still seemed so confused and raised some questions. "Even I wanted that to happen and I was the only one who could get off. But, why me? While I am here, there are others seeking my status who are more worthy than I am, who need to change their lives more because of their wrong decisions than I do. Do I have the right to hear the answer from you?" The volume has raised upon hearing the tone. She explained her thoughts. "You are right but indeed was wrong. Even you yourself are unnoticed. Everything shouldn’t be compared and the scales don’t matter either. These are the reasons why sacrifices exists in both worlds. You will understand this when you experience the life below again. Until now that you can hear me, I am still examining you. Until you make that decision, my answer awaits. Now that I have given adequate answers to your questions, what does the little voice in your heart say? What does your conscience say? What will be your decision?" The final words have already been mentioned. It waits until the woman can think clearly. She fell to her feet and bowed, the surroundings enveloped in silence. After more than an hour, the woman stood up and faced the top where the strong voice had been coming from. “Nothing will happen if I just stay here, the question here is what my fate will be and whether I will be able to overcome my problems. I have nothing to fear, I have nothing to deny because my life depends on it, no one’s life is what I need to worry about. I want to change what I did before, I want to change myself, I want to live again." A determined tone from the woman. The voice rang out again. "Now that you've said how you really feel, it's not wrong to be true to yourself. The only thing that matters is how you handle it. How you show it that anyone will not be affected. Making decisions is the true challenge in life, you have to overcome it and trust that the decision you will make is right and not regrettable. I have said what I should say to you before your last moment here above. Now that you are fully aware, I am the creator of the two worlds. I will grant your wish of a second life on Earth. You can now go down and live according to your wishes," the creator's powerful words are slowly disappearing. Lara's POV Gradually, I could hear noises from the reclining chairs and tables around me. Then there was a loud pen continuously tapping on my table. I can also feel its vibration onto my arms up to my left cheek. There's someone next to me, I could feel his presence as he looked at me. "Why do you always sleep here? This is a library not your room," he said coldly. Why does someone always oppose what I do? I don't interfere with them so why do they have to bother me? I'm sleepy but I can't help it. I opened my eyes and tried to get my head up from bending over the table. I slowly faced him upward and stared at his eyebrows. Now I am fully awake as I smirked a little at least one centimeter added to my normal lips' size. I remember that kind of eyebrows from my favourite movie, the Happy Feet. It looks like the eyebrows from one of the penguin with yellow narrowed eyebrows one. It doesn't matter though, so I quickly grab my things and turned around from him. I was about to leave when suddenly he started making noise again. I stopped with my back to him and waited for him to speak. "Is my face funny to you? Or am I just so handsome that I made you smile like that?" he said confidently. Is he for real? Is he out of his mind? I don't care, just leave. I no longer hesitated and hurried away. I could hear him shout as if he was calling me. I didn't look back and accelerated my walk. I suddenly remembered my dream a while ago, it's a bit vague now. I can no longer remember exactly what happened, the only exceptionally clear summary is the reincarnation of the woman. She who deserves to be given a second chance to live again in accordance with her will. I wish I was that woman, I wanted to live as someone else. A happy life without problems. Where I am contented with what I have, I want that. I wish the time will come for me to experience that. But wait, I also heard a manly voice in my dream earlier. Hay, I can't remember what he said to the woman, I feel like that's what will help her. Too bad, that will help me for good too. If it wasn't for that man, I would have remembered it all. "That crazy penguin! Tch! I wish I could tear his eyebrows," I shrieked in the air. As I was walking I thought of buying ice cream at the convenience store that I will also pass by today. I immediately ran the other way while the traffic light was still red. I also don't know why I came this way, maybe because I was so quick earlier because of that man. After crossing the road, I went straight to the store. I immediately searched the ice cream area and looked at what flavors there were. I can't choose what flavor of ice cream I will buy, because they are all delicious. Maybe it depends on my mood what flavor I always eat each day. I picked the Pinipig one, a vanilla ice cream with a chocolate shell studded with pinipig crunchies or known as grains. I lined up at the counter, I didn't think there were quite a few people here in the store. This ice cream I was holding along the line might melt right away. Seriously, when can I eat this? I thought of grabbing some money from my wallet and getting ready so that I wouldn't have to struggle at the counter later. I dug in my pocket but it wasn't there so I looked inside my bag first. I was looking for it but I couldn't find it. I’m already wondering where I put it or left it. I saw that the person in front of me would pay next at the counter. I thought I'd just return that ice cream and not take it. Before I could even leave the queue, a tall man grabbed my arm. "Why so fast?" He said with a disgusted expression on his face while looking down at me. I looked at his eyebrows and realized that this man was that crazy penguin which I have been tormented with annoyance earlier. I tapped away his hand that was holding my arm and looked at him again with an irritated gaze. "Still no words, huh? And what's with that face? Is that really what you're going to open up to me, after I chase you for a long way just to give you the wallet you left behind?" He exclaimed. I was amazed at what he said, until I gradually remembered that I had lost my wallet. "My wallet? Is it the pink one with a bunny chain on it?" I asked immediately. "So you can talk, after all," he said while smiling. I find that so annoying but I can't blame him for now. I want my wallet back. "Give it to me," I whispered. I shifted my gaze to his pocket where he seemed to be grabbing something. Until I saw my wallet in his hand, I put my hand in front of him, signaling for him to give me my wallet. But he slowly lifted it above my head and brought it closer to his face. So I also saw his face irritating. He looked down at me and tried to make an annoying face. "Say thank you first," he said and smiled. It's so obvious that he's actually teasing me in the first place. Argh! I don’t have time for such things. This man, he's incredibly annoying! I want to kick him away. "Give me my wallet first before I thank you," I commanded him. He looked away then looked back at me immediately. He seemed mad but that's fine, that's my goal here though, to annoy him back. "You're so sweet at that age, I know you're just being shy in front of a handsome man. But that's okay, I will wait for your pleasure first." he said confidently and blinked. I frowned at what he said. He thought maybe he could get me in that style of his. I faced him again then sighed. I raised my heel to make our faces line up, then I put my mouth near his ear. "Hey man, don't mess with me. You know the reason why you should hand me my wallet right now is because I don't know if you're a thug or whatever you are, before I scream here that you stole it from me." I calmly warned him. I saw him swallow saliva and seemed to stiffen at what I said. So I immediately took my wallet from his hand and went to the counter. I took the money and gave it to the woman at the counter. I saw that the ice cream I was holding had melted. I thought I'd just replace it with a new one. "Uhm, excuse me. Can I replace this with another one? It melted." I requested. "Oh? I see. Sure," the woman replied and smiled. I came back to the ice cream area and picked a new one. I gently slided the fridge off and went back to the counter. I placed my ice cream on the counter table and wait for the cashier to check it. Suddenly, someone put his ice cream next to mine. I slightly turned my head to see such a weirdo. "Pay that for me, I want one too," he commanded. I see, the penguin guy again. I didn't do anything because the cashier was already there so I just included his with what I paid. The woman wrapped our ice cream and then gave us the change. I took mine and gave him his. He's quiet while eating his- wait, that ice cream had melted already? He's struggling with his Pinipig. Is that the one that I picked first earlier? What? I feel like he's crazy and weird and somewhat dangerous, so creepy. I can feel the atmosphere is getting heavier and heavier as none of us are not saying anything. But honestly, what am I doing here with this man? Seriously, I don't know what to do next. I suddenly remembered that I have to look for a particular book at the bookstore. I want to read some articles that are connected to what I dreamt a while ago, I'm curious. Where is that place again? Oh! it's near my way home. I thought I'd tell him before we parted but I don't have the courage to speak first. The bookstore is still a bit far, so I'll just enjoy my ice cream first. After I finished eating my ice cream, I took a glimpse of him. Why is he still here? Where is he going and do we need to be together? I turned my gaze out of him and soon after, I can already see the store about 20 meters from here. So I decided to say goodbye to him. As I was about to say a word, he suddenly stopped from walking so I looked at him. "I have to throw it in the trash," he said while showing me the popsicle he was holding from the ice cream he had eaten earlier. This time, he looked like an innocent child, that's why I chuckled a little but not too obvious for him to notice. I nodded as he pointed the trash can in front of him and waited me to come, so that I can put mine too. I don't want to admit it but his face is cute as he waits for me to approach him. So I tried to talk to him that I was going somewhere else. It was as if I suddenly felt sorry for him when I had ignored him in the first place. "Is this your way home? I have to go somewhere else, so from here, we will take a different path," I explained and put my popsicle in the trash can. "I followed you here because this way is the only route to the bookstore near this place," he responded with a confused face. "Huh? Are you going to the bookstore too?" I asked. "Am I not allowed to?" He reasoned. What the hell is wrong with me? I am just assuming until now? I didn't expect that. Hayy, the hell, Lara? "Where do you plan to go? The bookstore is right there so I'll be going now," he said and started to walk. "T-to the bookstore too...," I answered. I hope he didn't notice that I'm embarrassed right now. I turned down as he looked at my face. Why the heck I'm being shy right now? "Your face is starting to turn peach as if it's like there's steam that will come up your head anytime," he said like he's teasing me. I knew it! He noticed it! "W-what are you saying? Stop daydreaming and just walk!" I argued. It's not like this is something big that I have to embarrassed about. It really happens all the time, to make mistakes. So, there's nothing to think about it. Stop it Lara, you have to change the atmosphere! I started to come up with him as we walk towards the bookstore. The two of us are not saying a word again. Until we made it in front of the store and entered. He's still quiet so I remained as well. I ignored him and started looking through the book. I was busy looking at books until I found something that interested me. “Do you believe in dreams?" I was surprised when suddenly someone spoke behind me. The book I was holding almost fell. "I'm still searching for answers," I just replied coldly and turned back to what I'm doing. I picked the book of Dream Of Truth. I don't know why but I'm really interested in books or articles that states about dreams. Maybe because lately I’ve always had a dream that I don’t remember most of it. It feels like the curiosity of wanting to know how to remember it. Because I feel like I need to. "Dream is the opposite of reality. Dreams are lies that try to mislead the person who dreams into reality. They are just illusions that most of people including you wants to happen. It can be really bad for you or fake happiness that still make you smile. Dream is not real and cannot be real." I listened to what he said. And I realized that, that might be possible, but there was still something inside me that didn't want to believe to what he said. "Is that what you believe?" I asked to clarify. He seemed serious after all, so I expect that he's confident to what he said. "Hmm.. Nope, but that's what was written here," he replied while looking at the book in his hand. Actually, I thought he was serious about what he said earlier. I would have believed that. "Give that to me," I forced him to hand the book to me. I took it with the one I saw earlier and went straight to the counter. "Hey, wait!" I saw him follow me as well. I paid for the books then I immediately left the store. I didn't look back at him and accelerated my pace.