CHAPTER 13

I was walking through the busy lobby of my condominium building towards the elevator when someone greeted me. I never expected to see this guy's presence here.

"Hi," said Eric, appearing out of nowhere.

He was holding a bouquet of red roses again. My cheeks burned as I glanced around, wondering why he always brought red roses. Did he think I needed the attention?

"Hi, Eric. How did you know I live here?" I asked, glancing around the lobby to see if anyone was watching us.

"I guess I'm a smart guy!"

"Do you always do that? Stalking me?" I said in a sassy tone. The way he treated me made me concerned.

"Whoa, hey, I'm just kidding," he said, waving his palms while the bouquet was tucked under his arm. "Aren't your friends close to me too? Can I give this to you so I won't ruin your day?"

I took the bouquet, feeling embarrassed as people glanced our way. I turned my gaze back to him and noticed his outfit. He wore a gray sweater, black jeans, and hi-top sneakers. His hair was messy, as if he didn't care to comb it, but it suited him. I also noticed a black earring in his left ear.

"Thank you," I replied, wanting to leave immediately.

Eric scratched his head. "I think I have to go. I came here to check on you."

I couldn't respond right away, so he turned to walk away. I closed my eyes and thought, Great! Clara, you're so awkward. "Wait, why don't you come by my unit first? It's embarrassing to let you leave so quickly."

"Thanks, but it's probably best not to. I'm worried about what people might think," he said. Then, with a playful grin, he added, "That you let a gorgeous guy into your unit."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you don't want to, I won't spend time either," I replied with a hint of sass.

He laughed, showing his pearly white teeth, and I couldn't help but think he looked angelic when he laughed.

"Can we do it this way instead? Can I ask you for a date?" He approached me using hand gestures. "Maybe just a friendly date, and can we do it now?" Friendly date? Who was he kidding? A date is a date.

"Okay, I'm free now," I replied, feeling hypnotized by Eric. Who could resist someone like him?

After Hector died, many guys asked me out, but I turned them all down. Now, I wanted a change. I wanted to give Eric a chance.

We ended up at an Italian restaurant near my building. There, we ordered tuna pasta, my favorite dish.

"I went to your clinic, but you weren't there, so I asked one of your friends where you live," Eric said, filling my glass with water. We also had iced tea and garlic bread. "I've been planning to ask you out."

I could feel his determination. "I took a leave today to clean my unit and maybe redecorate," I said, laughing inside because I hadn't planned to mention that. Why not redecorate it?

"Can I help? I can refer an interior decorator," Eric offered.

"Thanks, but I'll do it myself," I said, noticing the disappointment in his face. "But... you can assist me if there are heavy objects to lift."

Eric's face lit up. "When are you planning to do it? Do you want me to bring my Tita Cecile and cousins to help?"

His anticipation was amusing. "Oh no! Don't bother them. Maybe the two of us can handle it tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"I'll be there tomorrow morning," Eric said broadly.

Seeing his smile, I couldn't believe I'd agreed to let him visit me. But why not? I was ready to get to know Eric better. If this was the beginning, I hoped everything between us would turn out well.

***

I woke with a start, my heart racing. The familiar surroundings of my bedroom felt strange and disorienting. Everything was enveloped in white, even the chair I was sitting on.

I stared at the white door a few meters in front of me. Inhaling deeply, I got to my feet and walked towards it. As I reached for the doorknob and yanked it open, a swarm of fluttering butterflies burst towards me. Startled, I jumped back and lifted my arms to shield my face. They struck my head, arms, and body, making me nearly stumble.

Suddenly, a hand seized my left arm. Terrified, I screamed. From the swarm of butterflies emerged the burning image of a man. The smell of scorched skin filled my nose, and tears streamed down my face.

"Let go of me, please. Who are you? What do you want from me?" I cried.

The burned man released my arm, and the butterflies vanished. His body turned into a bright light, slowly changing shape. As his transformation unfolded, my knees wobbled with weakness, and I burst into tears.

I jolted awake and sat up, covering my face with my palms. The bad dream was back to haunt me again. I searched for my phone and checked the time—eight a.m. already. Hurriedly, I got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

I sipped coffee while standing by the sliding door of the balcony. The horrible dream from earlier crossed my mind again. I went inside and placed the cup on the low table. I searched for my tablet, sat on the sofa, and browsed through Google. I looked for the meaning behind my recurring dreams.

Butterfly—A butterfly's dream means special issues you are sensitive to losing; it may also reflect a fear of loss.

I paused momentarily and glanced at the sliding door. I then continued reading.

If you dream of a butterfly flying away from you, you must let go of something special or important to you. Butterflies represent personal interests or relationships we don't want to give up.

I furrowed my brow as I pondered. Do I need to set Hector free? In my dream, I caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were sad. Why could that be? The intercom suddenly beeped, interrupting my train of thought.

I stood up and pressed the speaker. "Good morning, ma'am. You have a visitor. His name is Eric Ross," the female receptionist at the condominium said.

A broad smile spread across my face. I knew Eric would come early.

"Sure, send him up. Thanks!"

Yesterday, I could read Eric's anticipation about visiting me here. It made me feel like a teenager again, excited and hopeful that I had almost forgotten my bad dream.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. I quickly opened it, greeted by Eric's broad smile. He wore a gray T-shirt that showed off his well-shaped chest, track pants, and brown sandals. His messy hair suited him perfectly. Seeing him daily might make me miss him when he's not around.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, holding a large sports bag in his left hand and a plastic bag in his right.

"Wow, you brought a lot. What's in the bag?" I asked, pointing.

"Aren't you going to let me in first?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, come in, Mr. Ross."

"I know you don't have any tools, so I brought some," he said, placing the sports bag on the floor. He lifted the plastic bag and added, "And groceries, in case we don't feel like cooking today."

I laughed. "We could have just ordered online, but thank you." I peeked inside: spam, Korean-style instant noodles, Spanish sardines, and Coke. "I'm speechless. Thanks again, Mr. Ross."

"Mr. Ross, seriously?" Eric teased as he unzipped his sports bag. "I thought we were past the formalities."

I laughed again, noticing a sparkle in his eyes. I put the groceries in the pantry and then closed the door. "I don't want a major redecorating job. I want to move some things and add shelves near the kitchen."

"I'm at your service," he said with a smile. "You didn't make a mistake asking for help."

I brewed him a cup of coffee while he prepared his tools. I was nervous, unsure if he knew how to make shelves. This wasn't a school project.

As I brought him the coffee, his phone rang. He answered it immediately, so I set the coffee on the low table.

"Yeah, Tita, I'm here. She's with me now. Don't worry, everything's under control," Eric said, then handed me his phone. "Tita Cecile wants to talk to you."

"Yes, Tita, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him," I said, raising my voice so Eric could hear. I couldn't stop laughing at Tita Cecile's banter. She seemed like a fun person. Eric just scratched his head while drinking his coffee.

"Don't call me again, Tita," Eric protested when I returned his phone. "I thought you were on my side. You betrayed me."

Their playful banter made me like them more. I hoped Eric had a similar relationship with his mom.

After the call, we listed what needed to be done. At ten o'clock, we decided to go to the nearby mall. Eric volunteered to drive my car.

As time goes by, I'm starting to appreciate this process of moving on. This is the first step, and gradually, I'll get used to it until I finally leave the painful years behind.