Love Is Second Best — Chapter 11: MEGAMIND

Carmella's POV

I went home smiling a lot. As usual, I ate my dinner alone that's left covered on our dining table. When I was done with it, I was able to get upstairs. I slowly twisted the doorknob as I checked on mom. I felt pity at her all of a sudden when I saw her napping in front of her computer table. I guess she's been working really really hard today. I hope she's just alright.

She looked really tired and she even wore her eyeglass in an awkward way already. I think it fell a bit from the bridge of her nose because she felt fast asleep without her even noticing it. I can't even wake her up because she might get angry at me.

I tiptoed slowly as I went inside my mother's room. I noticed that she only turned off the AV and the computer. I guess she's too tired to transfer to her bed. I hurriedly fixed the soft mattress of her bed and arranged the pillows. I gently put her arm around my shoulders as I tried to get her up and help her transfer to her bed. She's a bit heavy but I don't mind at all.

I am right. She's tired, she never even felt what I did to her. When her back touched the bed, I could hear her snoring soundly. I gently touched her cheek as I smiled.

"Hello mom. I hope you're not too stressed right now."

Silence. She never dared speak any word that answered my questions. I already expected it since this is the only time that I am able to talk to her about my feelings. She's so tired and asleep that I guess she never heard any of what I told her.

"I love you so much. Don't worry, when I will become a lawyer someday, I will make sure to give you everything that you want. I will make sure you will not be working for long hours. I will make sure to give you the kind of life that you want. Someday, mom. I hope you can wait for me a little."

I smiled as I stood up. I looked for a blanket since her room is a bit chilly because of the AC being turned on. She has to do it so that her computer will not be overheated for a long time while she's working. I tucked her on the bed as I hugged her. I tried my best to be as quiet as possible as I closed the door behind me as I went outside. I sighed. The only thing I wish for my mother to do for me is to accept me and love me as much as I love her.

I went back to my room. As I lay on my bed, I just stared on the white ceiling until I noticed that I was slowly closing my eyes... I never realized I already succumbed to a dream with my mother in it.

"No! Don't do this!" I can see my mom running away from a big,black monster without a face. We're in the middle of a forest that's more of a maze. The walls were so narrow and high. It looked sturdy and scary we got nowhere to hide anymore.

"Mom! Mom! Run!" I shouted but she seemed to not hear me at all. I can see that we're only running in circles and there's no way out. I can't seem to know what to do anymore. It looked vivid and real. My heart was beating so fast.

"Mom! Please run faster!" I shouted on top of my lungs. I felt like losing my strength to run but the monster just wanted to catch my mother and not me. I can hear the monster's roaring laughter. It is resounding the whole place that I want to cry.

"I-I can't run anymore." She weakly replied. In an instant, the monster caught her on the neck with his two, bare hands. His pointed nails dug into my mother's skin and I can see a lot of blood flowing from it!

"Carmella...please save me!" A shrill voice resounded the whole place. It was the voice of my mother that was slowly dying in front of my eyes.

"Mom!" I shouted as I opened my eyes. I quickly got up as I held my chest with my hands. I noticed I had perspired a lot as if I did run.

I felt relieved when I realized it is just a nightmare. It's only a dream that I am very much thankful for. However, why is it that it looked real? Why is that monster hunting my mom but can't even hear me? I noticed that even if I am shouting on top of my lungs, the monster was just ignoring it.

From my dream, it is my mom whom that monster really wanted to catch, but what was that for?

I went downstairs to get a glass of water. Maybe if I will go back to sleep, that dream will not continue again. Before I went back to my room, I sneaked to my mom's room to check on her. When I confirmed that she's sound asleep, I went back to my room.

I prayed to God as I slept back on my bed. I hope my mother is fine right now.

However, this dream is too strange. I wonder what was it all about?

I woke up the next morning still feeling very confused. That dream even bothered me until I got on the bus as I looked through the window. Someone sat beside me. I just glanced at his pants and when I realized he's a male student. I avoided my gaze and focused looking at the scenery of the metro district on our way to school.

I noticed the one seated beside me get off the bus at one of the universities exclusively for boys. Alwin Geroche University. I am now wondering why on earth is he riding a bus and not his own car?

I rolled my eyes as I focused on the scenery that I am looking through the bus' window.

"Hey...you seem to think about something. Care to share?" Kara greeted me with a fist bump. She was my best friend before Hope came into my life. However, she's in a different section that's why I don't see her that often.

"Nothing." I shook my head. She grinned from ear to ear as she expected a lot from me, too. I know she wanted to hear more words from me.

"Duh. I know you like how I know the reason why dinosaurs went extinct. C'mon, tell me." She even poked my shoulders using her fist. I chuckled as I touched where she poked me at.

"You never disappoint me. You're weird."

"C'mon, don't change the topic." Kara insisted. I sighed as I looked at her.

"It's just a dream about my mom."

"What about it?" She asked further, as she munched some kitkat bars. I grabbed some from her hands and I can see that she pouted her lips because of annoyance.

"It's really a terrible dream. My mom is chased by a monster."

"Wow, don't ever watch fantasy TV series at all times, there might be a continuation of that tonight." She responded as she giggled. I sighed as I rolled my eyes. She simply laughed at my reaction.

"You're silly. That's the reason why I don't want to tell you about it."

"I am just joking, you know. I can see that you look really stressed and the day is just starting."

I looked down and said nothing. Wow, she's really my friend because she could understand my non-verbal gesture even if I would not tell her about it.

"I guess it meant something. Did you tell your mom about it?"

"Well, what reaction do you want me to get from her? I am sure she'll be angry at me for thinking about many stupid things."

"Oh my, yeah. I almost forgot your mom is a real-life monster, I guess someone wants to take some revenge because of what she's doing to you."

I gave her an icy stare which made Kara shut up and gave me a "peace sign" instead as she grinned.

"But seriously speaking, based on what I have read from the 'dreams and their meanings' is that, maybe your mother is dealing with a big problem or someone that is stressing her out lately..."

She looked at me as if waiting for a reaction from what she said. Yeah, she's indeed serious now. I know this brat.

"You know, like the daily monsters that we're dealing with our lives."

"You know what? You don't seem to fit being sentimental, you look funny." I said between laughs. She gently pinched me on my cheek and ran away inside their room.

"I will surely get you later!" I shouted as I giggled.

"Who's that?" I was surprised when Hope appeared from nowhere behind me. She also looked at Kara's direction.

"Oh, she's Kara. One of my close friends since primary school."

"Oh, I see. It is so unfortunate that you're not classmates." I smiled as I faced her.

"Yeah. She's a bit lazy when it comes to studying but she loves reading books."

"I hope she'll be our classmate when we're in our senior high school years." She answered cheerfully.

"I really do hope so, too. Don't worry Hope, I will introduce you to her if our vacant schedule matches theirs."

"I'd be glad to! More friends, more fun!" We did the high five. As we heard the buzzing of the bell, we hurriedly went back to our room. I am thankful to Kara because I felt relieved from what she shared to me about dreams and their meanings.

However, a part of me wants to also share it to my mom. I realized that maybe I am also the one who always gave her too much stress lately. Thinking about it makes me feel sad and bad at the same time. I hope this is not really a big deal.