Uno

*The Present time*

The diamond chandeliers on the ceiling reflects the gold utensils laid down properly on each table. As the surroundings was filled with a sweet classical music, it sounded exactly like "Merry-go-round from the howl's moving castle"

Red carpets filled the floors and the alleys designed with crystals along the way. The entire restaurant looks very expensive and luxurious. It's like telling a story of a gold Buddha buried underneath the place.

A group of orchestra is place right next by the information table, the way they played the music well sometimes felt like it is supposed to take you on a different place.

The place wasn't void with silence but an enormous crowd chattering as they dine in.

I walked past the sixth table and poured the nobles with a glass of an expensive wine.

"I feel bad, we had a row when mom came home yesterday," the british woman uttered to her husband, her lips were curved down as a sob rose on her throat.

"Oh well, you're the one throwing a wobbly at me."

"I'm sorry honey, I'm just really pissed off." he cupped his wife's cheek and kissed her. Well I wasn't trying to gossip with them, I'm more of just doing my job.

After filling their glasses with wine, I evaporated abruptly out from their sight. My feet walks in a steady and slow pace as my other hand held the wine bottle.

Probably I was stupid enough for not noticing the lady's feet crossing on the way which tripped me, resulting for the bottle of wine to land upon her beautiful and expensive dress.

She then stood upon the chair with the intense irritation on her face, the lady is stout in appearance however she's absolutely rich and bratty from the way she looks.

I gathered myself up from the floor and face the consequence of my accidental action, lowering my head for an apology.

"Stupid bitch!" she blew up, as well as her brows arched high and her face  became red.

"Do you know how much expensive this dress is?"

I kept my eyes stilled on the floor and not moving for an inch, her hands swayed to hit my face with her blazing hot palm, but before she could ever do her intention. A deep sinister voice echoed somewhere near from us.

"Don't you dare touch an inch of that woman. Take the stout lady away!" he ordered in a thunderous voice which astounded me. The lady wailed out of frustration but she wasn't able to do anything at all.

I looked around to find the voice but I couldn't. I continued my path but the same voice interfered me.

My body turned towards the last row of tables which was covered by the curtains. One of them was opened and a tall man with a slender body sat upon the corner of it.

His fingers played a beat on top of the table, as his left leg lie acrossed the other.

"Thank you sir!" I bowed down my head as I set a foot on front of him. When I stood up he smiled at me and like the place and time slowed down. As the music created that certain weird familiar ambiance, that felt like there's something between us, something—such as a certain connection.

His face...

"Gwen, wake up!" mother screamed which broke my dream's scenery.

"His face...what does he look like? Oh my god mom why did you wake me up? I could almost recognized him"

"Recognize whom?"

"The guy in my dream!" I uttered in a rushed tone, as my actions can hardly be control.

"You've been trying hard to recognized him for the past three years, same dream, same person and still you're unable to recognized him when you wake up," mom uttered in a fading voice as she walks out of the room, whilst  frustration runs to my veins, as well as the urge within me to eagerly know him and see his face clearly. Every time I tried to remember him his face came blurry and undistinguished.

That mystery knocks me off all the time, I've been dreaming the same dream for the past three consecutive years and I am still unable to distinguished the man on my dreams.

And these questions keeps bugging inside my head. Who is he? Why do I keep dreaming about him?

The ambiance of my thoughts broke upon the loud sound coming from my phone. It was Celeste calling me.

"Happy Legality Bestie!" her voice echoed from the other line.

How ironic would it be for my dear friend to feel overwhelmed upon knowing I turned 18th today, as, while, me on the other hand don't feel certain euphoria for it nor excitement.

I always had this rational thinking particularly in viewing things, and I haven't thought turning 18 is something to be happy or somewhat to get giddy for, as if it gives you powers or something special.

"Thanks, Celeste"

"So what's your plan today?"

"Oh well, I bought tickets for Raven and I," well except for one thing. Raven, my boyfriend.

The only certain strike of special excitement deep down me, I have always planned of surprising him on going to Paris with me. This has been what he always wanted, well unfortunately we're unable to do it due to his hectic schedule on his work so instead I took the initiative of doing it.

It's not always guys who needs the effort sometimes, we also need to move.

"Oh well, that's great! Speaking of Raven I bet he gave you those long sweet messages again," Celeste chuckled sweetly  but in the other hand my heart sunk.

How can I tell my best friend that I have been waiting for Raven's message since last night. He usually greets me on my birthday at the exact strike of  November the 10th in the clock but until this morning he haven't sent me a message yet.

"He didn't"

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't received any messages from him."

"That's odd, you know what I mean" I lowered my head, knowing Celeste may pertain a certain possibility.

"I don't think he's the kind of person to do what you are thinking, maybe he just have a lot of things to do at work," it's never good to assume without a solid and complete proof for it.

"Anyway, I'll be going to his place and surprised him for our trip," my heart feel alive and happy thinking that he might probably be in tears for this surprise.

"When? I mean what if he don't want to talk to you or ignore you?" her words started to stumble out from her mouth in a fast pace.

"Celeste, calm down. I know him and hence, why would he not talk to me?"

"I j-just don't want you to be in tears, it's even your birthday today," I know she is just worried but I know my capability and I wouldn't settle for a decision I can't handle. Whatever it takes I must face it, the truth may be painful but is preferable than being lied to and tried to be manipulated.

"I can handle myself and thus I know he can't endure me," my hand held the phone tightly as I pursed my lips.

"Babe," a familiar voice of a man echoed through the other line.

"Whose that Celeste?"

"Oh, it's my fiancée," she said it an awkward tone.

"You never told me you have one," It's somewhat upsetting, my best friend just didn't told me she's engaged with someone already.

"I'm sorry, I was planning to tell you though."

"It's okay I understand, hope you have a great day. Got to take a shower now, mom's waiting on the table already." I chuckled and end the call, as my body hop off the bed and went directly to shower.

Today, I wore the dress Raven bought for me on our anniversary. It is a light pink lace dress with little strawberry designs embroidered on the end of the skirt. It looks so cute and elegant.

"Looking beautiful darling, where are you going on your day?" mom asked as her hand keep reaching some nuts to her mouth.

"To Raven mom, I bought tickets for both of us." A wide smile drawn on my lips as my eyes wrinkled in gladness, uncontrollably grasping the intense joy felt inside me as I showed her the plane tickets.

"I'm happy that you are happy, Happy birthday my child." Tears began to form out from her eyes, it wasn't because she was sad but rather she couldn't restrain the happiness flowing like an endless river inside her.

"Thank you mom"

She lifted her lips up high, giving me the most genuine smile in the world.

"I really want to eat the pancakes you made, you know how much I love it." I bit my lower lip hoping that she won't ever offended and upset.

"It's okay honey, next time then. Go now you might get late."

She stood upon the dinning table and walked out of my sight, as I was about to open the door.

"Wait! One more thing."

Her steps were faltering, as her eyes gleamed with her flimsy voice. As while, her other hand is holding a royal red colored box. It looks so special due to its golden linings on the edge.

"Wear this" It was a silver necklace with a radiant red ruby pendant. The design along the edge of the stone looks archaic and exquisite, it somehow looks like coming from thousand years ago which indicates the importance of how it looks like and to the person who will wear it.

"And this should protect you," she uttered right after she locked the necklace to my neck.

"Protect me? Why?"

Her words were obviously unusual and it gave me goosebumps, like is something predicted about to happen to me?

"Gwen, in this world you should not dare to take this necklace off of you."

"Why mother?" a confusion started to form inside my head.

"In unum in tenebris erit nunquam adjuvaret thesaurus."