"So this is where you've gone!" Nathan burst through the door and dashed towards her. "We were so worried because you just disappe-"
He approached her as she leaned on the table. She did not respond to his voice even if he was sure that it clamored even in the hallways because he literally shouted his heart out due to the frustration he felt the moment he realized that she was no longer at his side. He went to her seat and saw her - sleeping like a baby with her pretty face so peaceful and calm.
"Hey! We were worrie-"
"Shhhhh!" Nathan interrupted Mari. The three of them- with Nick- had been searching for her everywhere because she just disappeared but she was sleeping soundly. They approached her and saw that she was peaceful as she slept. Nathan yawned. "This kind of makes me feel sleepy as well."
"Yeah me too" Nick said and sat down on his chair. "Mari, you should probably rest as well."
"Yeah. I think so. I haven't been able to sleep because of the exams. Good night."
_______
"What's this? Why are these people sleeping soundly?" Henry, one of their classmates asked as the whole class entered their room at the same time.
"We have leisure day today- some kind of adjustment for this sem. Just let them rest now." their homeroom adviser entered their room and said. They class sat down. "I've been seeing oddities on my records the last time I checked."
"What oddities in particular ma'am?" Fallon asked. "Like altered scores or what?"
"What? No. There was some record at the end of my list. Perfect scores and recitation but it was full of absences. Oh, just forget what i said. Now listen. We have one week of adjustment for you guys. But I will facilitate. You can sleep at class just for today. Or do whatever you want. Just don't be loud." their teacher replied.
" Perfect scores and recitation but full of absences. What could that be? Or rather, who could that be? " Fallon muttered to herself and thought as the class cheered. She approached her teacher as she was watching drama. "Ma'am, silver and gold. Does that ring a bell to you?"
"I don't understand you, but silver and gold, yes. It rings a bell. That's strange." her teacher replied, but she did not avert her gaze from her laptop. Fallon left and looked at Joy as she went back to her seat.
"Hey Fallon." Nathan said.
"What do you want?" she replied, uninterested with him.
"Silver and gold? That rings a bell to me as well."
"I know right!"
"But i really don't know for sure. Maybe we are just assuming things." Nathan said and pondered hard as he closed his eyes and leaned on his table. "You should also rest you know. Everybody's on dreamland already. You should follow as well. Good mornight."
____________
Meanwhile
Joy wake up and she slowly got up from her table. She looked around and saw everyone already sleeping- with their teacher too busy with the drama she was watching. He saw someone pass by the hallway through their clear window. For some reasons, she found herself walking towards the door, eyes wet. She saw the man's back as he walked and she followed him. The man had silvery hair and he was wearing their all black school uniform. He headed towards the stairs and she tried her best to follow him and not lose him from her sight. Her vision was blurry because of the tears that were streaming her face but she just wiped them all off of her eyes because she doesn't want to be distracted. She wanted to see him and it was like her heart longs to be with the person she doesn't even know.
He headed towards the rooftop and Joy followed. The moment she went through the door, she saw the man sitting on the bench, looking above and his nose was sticking out because it was so refined. Joy felt something struck her as she looked at his back. It seemed to be a home to her- like a comfort zone she knew she can never go back to. He was familiar.
"Do... Do I know you?" Joy asked him and approached with a weary expression on her face. The man averted his gaze from the clouds and straightened his back without looking at her. "Have we met before?"
"If you saw someone you know, wouldn't you ask how they've been for the past times you haven't seen them?" he answered in a cold tone.
Joy's face was painted with a painful happiness.
"That... That's right.." she said and approached him.
"So my beloved. How have you been?"
Joy was startled with what she just heard and she stopped moving at once. All at once, she was suddenly confused and disoriented. The man stood up and she looked thoroughly. She wanted to see his face. It was like in slow motion when he was turning around- and when she was finally able to almost see his face, something broke so loudly that her ears bled.
________
"Hey Hope Joy. Wake up."
"I-I'm sorry." she said and realized that she was dreaming.
"You must be so tired. Should you not go to the clinic in that condition?" their homeroom teacher asked. Some of her classmates were playing chess and scrabble while others were simply chatting or sleeping.
"It was just a dream. Sorry for making you worry Ma'am."
She tried to remember her dream but she can't squeeze anything at that moment. All she knew was the fact that she dreamt- but the what actually happened at that dream was a complete mystery to her.