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DREAMS

For the first few seconds, neither of us said a word nor steadied our gazes on each other. The atmosphere felt awkward and it would seem neither of us knew what to say.

"So... pastor, huh? H-how did that happen... not that being a pastor is bad or anything of that sort." My attempt at breaking the silence was obviously a wrong move.

"But I look young and nothing like a pastor, right?" He sorts of completed, a light smirk at the side of his face. That, I did not expect.

"Yeah, kind of." Regardless, I replied. I'm not sure what it was, but I always seem to find my voice when I'm around him.

"It's okay. It's not my first time hearing that... on that note, what does a pastor look like?"

I kind of shrugged, not having quite expected the question. "Honestly, I don't know. I guess it's a stereotype thing."

He let out a brief laughter. "Probably." He added, and then the silence was back as he lowered his eyes from me.

"I need to tell you something because, I'm not sure what it means but I'm hoping to understand better from your reply." He started as his eyes lifted back to me, a sense of seriousness now hovering around him.

"Um, okay." I replied anyway.

He hesitated for a minute. "I've seen you before the party, the buffet area."

My brows furrowed for a second at his words. "We've met before? Where?"

"Please don't freak out or be in a haste to judge... In my dream."

My brows furrowed again. "I don't understand. In... your dream? We met?"

"No, we didn't. I meant to say... I saw you. I'd neither met nor seen you before and yet, I dreamt of you. You were in trouble... you cried out to me for help."

On impulse, my eyes widened at his words.

"I did?"

"Not you in person, but you in my dreams... so, when I saw you at the party. I couldn't believe my eyes then, I understood... God directed me to you." He explained, and in the end, I fell completely loss for words.

"Um..." I started, lightly scratching the back of my neck as I lowered my eyes from him, not sure what to say next.

He let out a light sigh, which made me lift my eyes back to him. "I creeped you out, didn't I?"

A brief and unsure laughter left my lips. "Not, not really. I live in Nigeria, you should hear the things people say in the name of religion." My eyes widened at my own words. "I'm not saying you made that up, or that religion is bad... I... I just don't know what to say or think."

He leaned forward. "You don't need to say or think much about the topic. All I'm trying to say is... if you have troubles, as long as I'm here, I'll try my best to help." He explained, and I nodded in understanding. To be honest, it was nice to know someone was ready to catch me if I fall and even though he was a stranger, Cergio was different in a not so scary but nice way.

A smile curled up on his face, and I reciprocated it with a smile of my own. This is nice. This felt nice.

Behind him, a little farther, I saw something familiar. It stood still, like a statue, staring back at me. Gradually, the smile on my face diminished. It's him... The masquerade. Its costume was made of what seemed to be a shade of dark brown straws. Full layered straws, making it hard to tell the original shape of the being possibly wearing it, and on its face, it wore a long faced wooden mask with strange carved shapes, an upside-down frown, and dramatic wide eyes. I could tell because I'd seen it up close in my dream. It was the same, and this was the first time I was seeing it in reality unless... unless, right now, I'm dreaming.

"Kasie." Cergio called as he waved a hand in front of me, forcing my gaze to shift back to him. His eyes held a questioning look. "You spaced out, are you okay?" He asked, but my eyes drifted back to where I'd been staring only to realise it had somehow disappeared. The spot was as empty as it had been before. What does this mean? Did I imagine it? Steadily, I brought a hand to rub the back of my neck as my brows squeezed to the center just as confusion plagued me. What does this mean? What is going on with me?

"Kasie." Cergio called again. This time, I felt something on my hand, and looked down at it, only to find out it was his hand. I lifted my eyes to meet his. There was a clear worry in them. Worry? Why would he worry about a stranger? Unless... unless to him, I'm just another lost soul.

"It's okay to share your problems. I'll help whichever way I can." He opted, and I couldn't stop the light frown that surfaced on my face.

"Share?" I repeated. "You believe it's that easy? Listen, I'm not sick and I definitely don't need a foreigner's help to deal with my problems. I'll take my leave." I stood to my feet and, without wasting a second more, I hurried my steps out of his presence before he could say a word. Finally, alone, I drew to a stop.

"What just happened?" I asked no one in particular. Why was I suddenly rude to him? We'd talked about his offer to help and it didn't bother me so much and now, suddenly, I felt irritated when he offered to help. I ran both hands over my face. "Something is definitely wrong with me." I concluded before hastening my pace towards the house.

Crazily, I was getting good at hiding from mum or the rest. It was from room to outdoor and back to room again.

"I don't know Jachi. I'm not sure asking her is a good idea." The sound of Chidera's voice made me draw to a stop just as I was at the corner of my room. I stared at all three of them that stood in front of my room.

"What do you want us to do? Keep pretending like we don't know what's going on?" Jachi asked and Chidera rolled her eyes at her. God, why does everyone keep gossiping or whispering around me then make me out to be an eavesdropper. Is it really necessary to talk right in front of my room?

"Yes, obviously we should. Kasie is doing the same. She didn't tell us they introduced her to Kamalu."

My eyes widened than natural. They know him?

"Uh, yes... sister Chidera has a point. Maybe, we should wait for sister Kasie to tell us." Lota added and Jachi folded her arms below her chest.

"Be quiet. This discussion is for the grownups, so don't give a remark. You're only here because you share this room with Kasie. Okay?" Jachi retorted and Lota folded her arms below her chest in annoyance as she looked away.

Unable to watch the drama anymore, I stepped out of my hiding position and made my way towards them. Lota was the first to notice my presence, and her eyes lit up in surprise. I flashed her a weak and also brief smile.

"You three knew about this Kamalu of a person and you didn't tell me?" I asked and the other two looked my direction, surprised to see me.

"It's not like that. We just found out the same day you did. Why do you think we weren't in the living room during your first introduction to him?" Chidera defended as she made her way to me. I stared at her and then at the other two. It didn't seem like they were lying about it.

"If so, why are you whispering about it in front of my room? You should have said something." I added before walking past them, opened the door and into the room.

"We're sorry." Jachi replied, and I turned back to them to realise they'd followed me in.

"So?" Chidera queried with raised brows.

"So?" I repeated.

"Did you say yes to the marriage proposal?"

During my second of hesitation, I lowered my eyes. "No, I'm yet to give a reply."

Their sighs in unison made me shift my gaze back to them, only to watch the relief expression on their faces as they murmured, "thank God."

"What? Is there something I don't know?"

"Well, nothing you do not know of." Jachi's reply seemed ambiguous, and I couldn't stop staring at her with a confused expression.

"You don't know who Kamalu is?" Jachi asked, surprised than I'm supposed to be, and it only made me worry more. She spared the other two a glance.

"See? A good reason for you to come home more often." She murmured.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" I asked, her side talks getting to me.

"Kamalu's family lineage is famous in this village. Notorious for being great spiritual communicators."

My brows squeezed. "Spiritual communicators? What exactly does that mean?"

Jachi sighed. "Do you really leave in the same Nigeria as we do? You know what I'm talking about. You watch Nollywood Movies."

For a second, I looked away, her attitude really getting to me, and so I walked up to her and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Should I slap you before you answer my questions the right way?" I warned, and the look in her eyes assured me she was finally ready to behave the right way.

"Let's just say he's a native doctor. The posh type."

I blinked a few times, more than usual, as I stared at her. Her words not quite settled yet with me. My gaze shifted to Chidera and then to Lota. They stared back at me. The look in their eyes told me they weren't in the least bit joking. See, this was strange. If they know, then it means mum, uncle Chimdi and aunt Ruby knows and yet... why would they consent to this marriage? It made little sense.

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