Thankful that winter break was now upon them Mei rose with the sun and went on a short jog around the neighborhood before grabbing a bite to eat. For as much as she wanted to give Delilah a quick call she knew it’d be best to let her sleep in; assuming she stayed at her parents house. Yes it was probably a jerkish move to take her there but Mei had to believe that it was a good decision and they would know better than anyone if medical attention would be necessary; lord knows how students tend to trivialize ailments.
By the time she finished her oatmeal it was about 8:00 AM and her foot refused to be still as it shook the table she sat at causing ripples to form along the surface of her tea. Just a quick text to see if she’s awake… The only way she could justify messaging her so early on a ‘day off’.
After unlocking her phone screen, Mei opened up her recent text messages scanning for Delilahs’ name. Once found, she tapped the screen and began typing.
Hey, how are you feeling? Any better?
- Send
Delilah was sitting in the passenger seat of her mother’s Mercedes as she was being driven back to her campus apartment. It had taken some convincing but after downing what Elizabeth considered a healthy breakfast, taking some of her mother’s heavy dose ibuprofen, and promising to check in with them every few hours, her parents agreed to let her head back to campus.
Most of last night was a blank after she had last seen Mei. By the time her head hit the pillows, Delilah had been overcome with darkness. She had stayed that way until about five in the morning when her mother says her fever broke and and seemed to finally rest. Prior to that, Elizabeth had told her daughter she had spent the hours tossing, turning, moaning, and sweating. It was all they could do not to rush her to the hospital when it magically all stopped.
Delilah had verbally stated it was due to the stress at the end of the semester. Finals and her studio project just taking a toll on her body. Believable for anyone in the arts field. But the truth was much darker. Much more real than that.
It was while she was thinking if over that she felt her phone vibrate. Digging it out of her pocket, Delilah smiled seeing it.
Yep. Thanks again for bringing me home. I’m almost back to my place. Drop by? I need to talk to someone.
-Send
No problem, I’m glad you’re doing better. I’ll swing by in about an hour there are a few errands I need to run first.
- Send
With the holidays just around the corner there were a few last minute gifts she had to get before the deals expired.
Is there anything food wise you want me to grab?
- Send
Mei downed the last of her green tea and got up to rinse her cup out and put it in the dishwasher. This was going to be a rough year with shen gone. “Maybe someday we’ll be able to celebrate the holidays when everyone is home.” Wishful thinking but still a hope she had held onto for so long.
Coffee. Cappuccino, two sugars.
-send
Delilah sent the message and then went back to looking out her mother’s car window. The holidays were upon them but lord knew how much celebrating Delilah would do. Of course there was the traditional parties she was expected to attend but right now, they were far from her mind. She wanted to time skip over them.
Thankfully, she had taken care of ‘gifts’ awhile back with the use of the internet. The upperclassman had warned her that in this field, shopping wasn’t going to happen.
”Honey, it’s going to be alright. Making yourself sick over a final project isn’t worth it. You know what you are doing…” Her mother started and Delilah glanced over at the woman with a smile as they pulled up to her apartment building. ”Your Father and I love you no matter what path you take. I know we can be hard on you but we…”
Delilah leaned over and gave her mother a hug. ”I know Mom. I promise I’ll watch my health better now. But I’m going to go lay down for awhile. Classes were canceled for us today so it’s a good day to rest.”
With her mother’s reassuring smile, Delilah slipped out of the car with a wave and headed up to her building and to the six floor where her apartment was. Slipping in, she found herself falling not onto the bed but the couch as she closed her eyes. In there, she would hear when Mei got there.
About an hour had come and gone since she received the last text from Delilah. With a cappuccino in one hand and a chai tea latte in the other, Mei quickly shuffled across the parking lot to her brothers car - a loaner till she got a job and could afford her own or when he returned from basic training.
No more than seven minutes after she started the ignition did she flick on the right turn signal and swing into the visitor's parking lot where Deiliah currently lived. The apartment complex was huge, by her standards at least since most apartment buildings only reached maybe the third story back in Washington where as this one was seven. “Thank the lord for elevators” she sighed while shaking her head and pressing the up button. Sure she enjoyed running and exercise for the most part but hiking it up that many floors wasn’t on her to-do list… at least not today while she held hot drinks.
Minutes passed by the time she stood in front of Delilah’s white door. “Knock knock” she spoke while rapping her knuckles on the heavy door in lieu of ringing the bell.
It took a moment before Delilah’s eyes flickered open. In the haze of between sleep, she almost didn’t realize the door was being rapped on. Still, when she realized she was no longer dreaming, the raven haired girl threw her legs off the couch and walked towards the door. “You are an angel.” She smirked, not even looking through the peep-hole as she opened the door to greet her friend.
Throwing the door open, she raised her hands above her head to stretch before reaching out for the coffee. “Come on in. Excuse the mess. Been working on projects.” Delilah motioned towards the back side of the living room that she used as a work area. “Otherwise, make yourself at home. I promise I won’t fall over on you.” She joked.
Mei’s eyebrows nearly raised into her hairline, “Wow, you definitely got a lot on your plate. Organized chaos?” Lots of stuff going on with things seemingly all over the place where only she knew where everything was at? Seemed like a rational explanation for why things were so spread out.
“So what is it you are working on?” she asked taking a seat on the couch once she had set her own cup on the coffee table. Had it not of been for the well timed stretch and sleepy look on Delilah’s face, her question would have no doubt been something else entirely; something along the lines of ‘Why aren’t you relaxing?’ or ushering the girl back into bed.
“What am I not working on?” Delilah chuckled, taking a sip of the coffee. The warmth going down the back of her throat was wonderful. Just what she needed. “The huge mess in the back is for the design studio. A dress out of materials that cannot be fabric. Honestly I will hate cardboard for the rest of my life.” There was a groan in the back of her throat as she looked at the pile near the window, ready to be bagged and trashed. Those were scraps too small to use.
“The rest of it is to be samples of work. Items showing different stiches and cuts…” She trailed off and looked back at the books. “Oh, and then there is English class. I don’t know how a paper on White Noise relates to all of this.”
Shaking her head, Delilah finally took a seat on the other side of the couch, curling her legs under her form. “But still, thank you again. I owe you.”
“I don’t know it’s probably because of the constant sound the machine makes after too many hours of working.” Mei shrugged her shoulders, it made sense to her at least. The rhythmic sound of the needle going up and down and up and down could be very hypnotic and mind numbing in her honest opinion. But then again who knows, it could be music to Delilah’s ears.
“No worries though,” she leaned forward to get her chai tea now that it had probably cooled down enough for her to not have to nurse the hot beverage. “So… any idea what happened last night?” It was a question that had been on her mind since she brought Delilah to her parents house
“Anything you wish to tell me?” Jade-pink colored eyes looked at the young raven haired woman expectantly.
Leaning back against the armrest, Delilah pulled the lid off her cup and stared down into the foam. “I had one really bad headache.” Letting those words sit in the silence for a moment, Delilah knew fully well that they would not cut it. Mei wanted, deserved, more of an explanation. Or at least as much of one that she could give.
“I don’t know what caused it. But I have a hunch it was talking about memories. You said something last night and I felt like there was something I was missing. Something I had forgotten. But the closer I got to see it, the more it hurt. I tried again this morning but stopped the moment the headache started to come back.” She shut her mouth and took a long drink as her eyes shot up. “So, fill me in on what you were talking about. Maybe that will break the barrier.” A weak smile went over her face. “If not, I’ll tell you to stop if Advil won’t cure the pounding.”
After removing her shoes Mei tucked her feet under her in an an attempt to get more comfortable. “You mean about the dreams?” she asked making sure Delilah was referring to the last topic that was brought up just before she collapsed.
“Whatever they are.” Delilah admitted. “I have heard rumor of something but I seem to be unable to recall anything. People say they are having very vivid dreams.” She gazed down at her coffee, spinning the liquid slowly. “I haven’t been able to remember any of my dreams since the semester started.” Delilah sounded down as she admitted this. What was her mind protecting her from?
Mei crossed her arms then sat back in the plush seat with a contemplative expression. “To be honest, I don’t normally remember my dreams. Usually I work out enough before bed that I pass out from exhaustion. Lately though…” she paused. Kneading her lower lip between her teeth her eyes wandered the room aimlessly. “Lately I’ve been having these flashes, images, like a slideshow; and I end up having these intense feelings. I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“It’s almost like watching a slideshow or a gif on the internet.” Mei fell silent while she replayed one particular scene in her mind, it was more pleasant compared to most which is why she seemed to hold onto it like a lifeline. “There is this one dream where I’m standing in front of a mirror in this dark purple satin dress. And as I look at my reflection my cheeks turn pink and my heartbeat quickens. The next small scene I’m walking down the stairs and at the bottom there is someone standing there. No matter how many times I try to see the person's face it is either blurred or darkened but”
After a several moments pause Mei leaned forward and stood up. “You’re really not looking very well.” She reached a hand out for Delilah to take. “Why don’t you go lay down for a bit in your room while I make you some chamomile tea.” Anything to help her friend relax.
“Don’t push yourself.” She cautioned when it seemed that Delilah was about to object which was met with a sigh and nod of her head. Strands of obsidian colored hair spilled over her shoulder when she got up “We’ll continue this later.” Mei reassured with a sympathetic smile. “I’ll be up there in a moment.”
When finally Delilah had made it to the base of the stairs Mei went into the bathroom to grab the Tylenol from the medicine cabinet then went into the kitchen to retrieve a glass of water while she waited for the teapot to whistle. The volatile reactions her friend was having to these dreams was a bit more than concerning but it left the creme haired young woman at a loss for what she could do to help ease her sufferance outside of avoiding the topic if possible.
Once the tea was done she took both cups and the medicine upstairs but by the time she opened the door her friend had already nodded off. At least it was a good sign, for now anyway; and so she left what she had brought on the nightstand beside the bed incase she woke up. “Sleep well.”
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