Reality Are My Dreams

A woman with long beautiful red hair sat down alone in a restaurant. She gave a sigh as she glanced at
her watch. "Why are you taking so long," she mumbled to herself.

"Ma'am," the waitress caught her attention, "Are you ready to order?" The woman shook her head and
the waitress walked away. She heard the waitress say to her coworker, "Poor girl is getting stood up.
She's been waiting for thirty minutes now."

Was she really getting stood up by her own boyfriend? How could he just do that to her? As she thought
these things to herself, her bag vibrated due to her cell phone. The woman sighed as she pulled out the
phone and read her text message. "Hillary, Adrian can't make it tonight. Our aunt and uncle from the
states came to visit and Adrian can't escape," she sighed again as she finished reading the text from his
brother. The woman named Hillary decided to reply back to the message, "Why can't he tell me this
himself." She stared at her text and deleted the message, "Thanks for the heads up." Hillary got up out
of her chair and walked out of the restaurant. "Adrian," she spoke softly, she wasn't sure if he was still
awake. They were on the phone together and things were now quiet. Though he didn't respond, she
continued speaking, "are things okay between us?"

"Of course," he replied. It was silent again. This was when she realized he had been texting someone the
entire time, "Hey, I'm tired. I'll call you in the morning okay?" She sighed when he hung up without
saying goodnight to her.

The next morning, Hillary woke up early and followed her morning routine. "I'm going to work now,
Ree," that was her only text from him that morning. Things were different with the two lately, they
didn't text and they didn't call. They only saw each other a few times a month regardless of living so
close to one another. She smiled and decided she would go and visit her boyfriend at work. It was
beginning to get cold in Tagaytay so she wore on a loose gray sweater with dark jeans. She wore boots
and threw her hair into a quick bun. Her makeup was simple, black eyeliner and mascara. Hillary stepped
into her car and drove to his workplace, a small coffee shop.

"Jake," she smiled as she walked up to the counter, "where's Adrian?"

"He took today off," Jake sounded confused. "Didn't he tell you?" Hebe shook her head and showed Jake
the text message that Adrian had sent her in the morning. "I remember him requesting today and a few
extra days off. Actually, thinking about it, Adrian hasn't really been coming to work lately." But this
didn’t make sense to Hillary, how could he say he was working if he wasn't. Jake stared at Hillary's
troubled expression. He couldn't lie to her, he didn't want to hurt her but Adrian is his best friend. Jake
cleared his throat, "Ah! I remember Adrian saying something about the arcade downtown."

"Oh," she mouthed still looking upset. "Thanks anyways Jake. If you talk to Adrian, tell him to drop by
because my parents are asking about him." She walked away from the counter with tears threatening to
fall at any second. She knew exactly what was happening. Hillary drove back towards her house, but
when she was a block away decided to head to the arcade. Immediately she spotted his car in the
parking lot. She rushed towards the arcade and searched around for her boyfriend. Even though she
knew what he looked like from behind, she pulled every man towards her trying to take a look at their
faces. "Excuse me," she said as she made her way through suddenly finding the person she was
searching for. He was across the room with another woman. They were coming out from a photo booth
with their arms hooked around each other. She scoffed at the sight but her heart broke when she saw
him lean down to kiss the other woman. Despite her heart break, she pulled out her phone and took a
photo of the two passionately kissing then stormed out of the arcade.

Adrian laughed as he took a look at the strip of pictures in his hand. "You're so cute in all these pictures."
He felt his phone vibrate twice in his pockets. "Hold these," he handed them to the woman. Adrian took
his cell phone out of his pocket and read the text messages to himself. It was a photo attachment of him
and the woman he was with kissing followed by a text "Come to your car. NOW." they were from none
other than Hillary. "I'll be right back okay? Play some games while I get us something to eat," she
nodded and he took off to the parking lot. He already saw her from a distance. She was sitting on the
trunk of his car and she seemed to be wiping away tears. Adrian put on a smile as he approached her.
"Hey," Hillary glances up at him; her eyes were red and glossy. "What's wrong," he tried to sound
concerned and reached out his hand to wipe her tears. She pushed his hand away. "Ok fine. Who told
you?"

"I didn't come here to argue with you or ask you why, I just wanted to give this back to you," she pulled
off the promise ring on her finger. "Promises are made to be broken and lies are told to reveal the
truth," she sniffed as she shoved the ring into the pocket of his pants. "Many times, I thought I was
doing something wrong but just now I realized it was you all along." She got off his car and walked
towards her own car, he followed behind her.

"Ree," he called after her," it was just a mistake. It won't happen anymore. I was just bored and needed
to play for a bit, I'm sorry." She ignored him and got in her car. He held the door open, "What about our
happy ending?"

"Happy endings are for fairy tales, not reality," he let go of the door and she drove off leaving him
standing alone in the parking lot.
PATHRICE PIDLAOAN

Levy dela Rama, a weird but an outstanding college student lives with a normal life is very satisfied
sitting in a corner together with his books. Until one day his peaceful life became different because of his
seven classmates and eventually his circle of friends.

Geneva, Pauline, Amalia, Pathrice, Ruby, and Angeline came from rich families. They never imagine that
they will have a friend like Levy, who is weirder than Ruby. Like Levy, these girls also love reading books
thats why they decided to make friends with him. They consider each other not just as friend but as a
family. Despite of many problems that challenges their frienship they still stand as one no matter what
happen.

The semester is over and they decided to have a summer trip. Although Levy doesn't want to join them
because he's the only boy, he doesn't have a choice. Aside from reading books, these girls also like island
hopping. Usually they wanted to go in places where no one discovers it yet. One day while they are in
the yatch of the sisters, Ruby and Geneva, they notice a small island.

“Hey guys, can you see that?”, said Angeline with an eagerness voice.

“Yo mean that small paradise?” said Eunice with fascinating eyes.

They all looked at it each other and it seems that they all have the same thoughts. They decided to go in
the island.

“Wow! I suppose were in Boracay because of this beautiful place!”, said Amalia while getting out from
the yatch.

“Enchanting!”, said Pauline and Rica.

“Guys?”, said Pathrice calling their attention because she notice something. And all of them shouted
with joy and excitement because of the mini water falls. They jumped quickly and swim like there's no
tomorrow. They currently enjoying the moment when Ruby saw something not far from their place.

“Guys, is that a housee up there?”, and Ruby pointed the direction.

“Wait yes it is. Hmmm... Who is the owner of that house? Who knows maybe he is my long lost Prince
Charming!”, said Eunice with a big smile on her face.

“Daydreaming again! Can't you see that house is so creepy! Then you want your Prince Charming came
from that house?”, said Levy.

“Yes that house is so creepy. Even spiders will not live there.”, said Geneva.

“Well I dont care if that is the scariest house in the world. We will go there!”

“What? No way!”, said by them but still Angeline wins.

“So what are you waiting for Angeline? Knock on the door.”, said Amalia.

“I can do it just wait a second.” Angeline knocked on the door twice but no one answered

They decided to go but suddenly they hear a big voice coming from the house.

“What do you need?”, the man asked with a big and loud voicce.

“Uhmmm..Ah...Nothing”, said Nora.

“Yes actually where going home.”, said Pathrice while pulling away her friends except Angeline who'se
mezmerize by the man in front of her.

“Do you want to go inside?”, the man said with a calm voice.

“Oh really? You mean you'll gonna let us in?” said Angeline

“Angeline!”, they said it with a warning voice.

“Guys please this is my chance! Don't be killjoy!”

“Fine.”

They didn't do anything but to allow Angeline for the sake of her lovelife. But they didn't notice the
smirk of the man. The man brought them in the dining table and invited them to eat. They can't refuse
to the man because of Angeline. A few minutes later, they seemed comfortable with the presence of the
man. They enjoyed talking to him specially Levy.
“So you're living alone here? Aren't you scared?”, said Pauline while eating.

“No actually I have a sister. She's upstairs, she's not in the mood to eat. She wants different food.”

“What does she wanted to eat?”

“You.”

“What?”, said Levy

“Haha.. You know what you're not just handsome you're also a joker.”, said Angeline with a forced
laughter and feeling of heaviness of her head.

“Im serious. Really serious.”, said the man.

They didn't notice what he is saying because of the effect of the sleeping pills in their foods. A
longsilence happened. They woke up in an empty room. The smell of poignant dry blood is in the whole
room.

“Where are we?”, said Angeline with fears.

“This is all your fault!”, said Levy.

“This will not happen but because of your fantasy our lives is now in danger!”, said Rica.

“Guys your fighting for nonsense reason. Our problem is how we can get out of here.”, said Amalia.

“Well, since you're the one who decided to go in this creepy house, think of how we gonna escape
here.”, said Ruby.

“Are you blaming-”

“Shhhhh...” Pathrice interrupted their talk.

“What?”

“Listen.”

“What was that?”, said Geneva who seemed so scared that's why she hug her sister.

They hear a moan and seems that it is closer and closer to where they are now. Slowly they step
backwards at the corner of the room.
“What the hell is that?”, said Angeline with the feeling of scaredness.

“Its a...Its a girl. Thank God its just-”

Angeline had been interrupted when she realized what the man said earlier.

“No...no...this is just a dream. No...help us please...”, Levy said.

“Run.”, said the mysterious girl.

They don't know where they will go because of the small space of the room. Without knowing, the girl is
already in the room watching them with an evil smile. Few minutes later you can hear the scream of the
people who want to end their lives at that moment. Then silence is settled again in the whole island.