“YOU know what, Meredith? While I was looking at you and Randal earlier in the canteen, I saw a spark,” Shanaia said out of the blue. 
They are now under the Narra tree which has become their hangout place just behind their college building. The breeze is cold and clean, including the chirping of the birds which is nice to hear.
Meredith’s cheeks suddenly blushed. “S-spark? How did you say so?”
“Because the way you look at each other is different as if you’ve known each other for a long time.”
“Really?” she said in disbelief.
Marylex put her arms around him. “Do you like him?” she asked straightforwardly.
She looked down. “I-I don’t know.”
“But is it okay if I ship you two?”
“S-ship?”
“Hashtag, MereDall loveteam!” She even applauded in the air. “What do you think, Shan?”
Shanaia rolled her eyes at what Marylex said. “You’re so corny, you know?”
Marylex crossed her arms. “Me?! No way!” She narrowed her eyes at her. “Don’t tell me, you’re just jealous because you still admire Randall.”
“Shut up, Lex! Captain is still better than him, duh!”
“Tsk! Then why don’t you even support our friend?”
“The hashtag you came up with is really horrible. Hashtag RanDith sounds better!”
The latter winced. “Ew! It’s worse than I thought! Just replace the first letter with a ‘B’, it became a Bandit.”
“Hey—” they were about to start a fight when Meredith intervened.
“Enough!”
They both calmed down but Marylex didn’t give up. “But is there really no hope that you will like him?”
She sighed. It’s not that she’s picky. And she knew that no woman will not like him. He’s tall, smart, and talented. His good looks are just a bonus.
“I-I don’t know either.” Disappointment was evident on her face.
“But there’s hope, right?” Marylex insisted.
“Even if it’s 50:50, maybe there is hope,” Shanaia added.
She was speechless.
“Cat got your tongue?” Shanaia muttered.
Meredith took a deep breath. “Well, I have something to tell you guys. But promise me first that you won’t laugh at me.”
The two looked at each other for a moment then gave a serious answer. “Promise!”
“Since I was seven years old, I have always dreamed of two people. . .”
She stopped. Maybe it’s the right time to tell her friends what she’s been carrying for a long time. She hasn’t told anyone about her dreams even her mother.
“And then?” Shanaia asked impatiently.
“The man’s face is blurry, but I can see the woman’s face clearly. I have never seen her in person. I don’t even know if she’s still alive or not. I know I am not the woman in my dream but I feel the pain when I see her sad. I am also happy when she is happy. . .”
Her friends stayed silent but they had goosebumps upon hearing her story.
Meredith continued. “And that man, I feel like I’ve known him for a long time even though I don’t know what he looks like. I feel that I love him so much, that’s why I’m still confused about what’s going on. Until I saw Randall—”
“Oh my god! It’s him. It’s Randall, right? He’s the one. The man in your dream,” Marylex interrupted, excitedly.
“You’re right, Lex! He may be the one in your dream,” Shanaia added.
She looked down and played with his fingers. “I’m not sure yet. All I know is, when I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. It’s like it’s going to explode.”
“Why don’t you talk to Randall?”
“What will I tell him? What if he just laugh at me? I also don’t want him to think that I’m a liar.”
“Wait!” Marylex interrupted.
“Why?” Meredith and Shanaia asked in unison.
“Do you still remember what Randall said on our first day of class?”
Shanaia tried to remember that day and she was right. Randall mentioned that day in front of their class that he had been looking for a woman for a long time.
She snapped her fingers in the air and quickly grabbed both of Meredith’s hands. “It’s him, Mer. I’m hundred percent sure that the guy in your dream is no other than Randall.”
She frowned. “How can you be so sure?”
For her, it’s really impossible, if not, who is Randall in her life?
“He told the whole class that he was a year ahead of us because he was looking for a girl for a long time.”
She wondered. Remembering their first day of class, she doesn't remember him saying anything like that. Because his mind was occupied with his appearance and feelings when she first saw him, so she didn’t hear what he said apart from his name.
“It’s really impossible! If he really is the man in my dream, why is the man’s face still blurry? Besides, if I’m the girl he’s looking for, he should have talked to me about that before.”
The two did not answer. They just looked at each other. “Well, you have a point.” 
“Name! Right! What is the name of the man in your dream?” Shanaia asked.
She never heard them mentioning their names in her dream. “I-I don’t know. I don’t remember them calling each other’s names.”
“What?!”
“Seriously?!”
Marylex and Shanaia grimaced. 
That’s her problem. How can she find them if she doesn’t know their names? That can be her lead to find them.
She feels that until she can’t find the true identity of the lovers in her dream, she will not be at peace.
She put her arms around them. “Don’t be sad! You guys will be the first to know once I find him, okay?”
“Promise?” the two said in chorus. 
They sealed their promise using their pinky swear. “Of course!”
“But is there really no hope for you and Randall to be together?” Marylex teased again.
“Lex!” she whined that Marylex only gave her a peace sign.

SATURDAY morning, Meredith woke up early to go to the market to buy one week’s worth of stocks for their cake shop. She looked at the list she was holding and when everything was settled, she decided to go home. She was about to cross the other road to wait for the bus when suddenly a black van stopped in front of her. Two men got down from there and simply dragged her into the car with her purchases.