I remember the first time I looked up at the sky when I was young and said, "The clouds are so pretty, and the sky is so blue."

  I can't believe that I'll be saying it again today. "I am bluer than any sky out there. I should be called the universe at this point because of how dark my emotions are right now," I cried.

  "Girl, you're over-reacting so much. You look more pale than anything, actually. Are you sure you have seen the skies and the clouds when the sun is out and about? I'd mistakenly think that you're a living vampire in this modern age," Erza said and started eating her pancakes.

  "Ugh, way to cheer me up, my very supportive friend."

  "What? At least I'm being honest and telling you that you look so... well, I think that might also be why you're still single."

  I gasped, "Wow, that's so rude. Couldn't you be nicer? I'm a sensitive woman!" I started crying and hid my face on the table.

  She just sighed. "Look, I tried helping you once. And that's it. You even wasted this handsome guy that I hooked you up with."

  "I uhm--" I was stopped at my sentence and continued saying, "Wait a minute, that time wasn't even my fault. You scared the guy off and claimed that he was a wuss puss." I gave her a disappointing look.

  "I have no idea what you're talking about. I just told him that if he ever does anything bad to you..." Erza stopped for a second and all of a sudden, I started hallucinating that there was a dark aura around her. "Yeah, that's all I told him, and it seems like he actually had bad intentions, so he just moved on." Her face went back to normal, and she started drinking her coffee.

  "Erza, I don't think that's why he just moved on. You actually scared him off." I said in a low voice with an unbelievable expression.

  "What did you say?" Erza asked.

  "Oh, nothing. Just keep eating your breakfast. I'm scared that if you didn't properly eat all your pancakes... you might blow up and kill everyone in the world."

  I looked around in the breakfast cafe. All I see are the couples enjoying their breakfast together so sweetly. My face started to go bitter. What a sight for sore eyes. I can never get used to looking at couples like this. How long has it been since I was in a relationship? Is it even worth looking for one when all the people I know are taken? I sighed in sadness.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "Why are you so desperate to be in a relationship anyway, Sera? It's not even worth it." Erza asked as she noticed me frowning.

  I looked at her grumpily. "I don't wanna listen to someone who's currently in a relationship right now."

  When I said that, she started choking on her food and started coughing. She immediately drank some water and stuttered, "W-What?!"

  "Oh, you heard me. I don't know if you have forgotten, but you and my brother are together, right?" I stated in an obvious tone.

  She looked away awkwardly and started scratching her cheeks as if she didn't know what to say.

  "You guys have been together for a year now, and I still can't believe that I have to catch you guys in the act before you guys would ever tell me that you both are actually together. You two have left me as the only single one in the group. So, yes. I don't wanna hear it." I pouted and looked away from her with my arms crossed.

  Erza just stayed quiet and started sipping her coffee very slowly. I just shook my head.

  The night came, and I passed out immediately after a long day on my bed. Usually, when I black out from being tired, I sleep without dreaming. But this specific night is different, just like from the past. The dreams that I wasn't expecting to see again are coming back like a sun rising that I can't stop from happening.

  I was looking at an unfamiliar place. It's dark and cold. I saw an unlit torch on the floor and picked it up. As soon as I picked it up, a small flame ignited on a torch by the wall. I lit my torch with it and shined the place to see better. I'm in a dark tunnel with no other way but going forward. I slowly walked towards the darkness.

  As I went deeper into the tunnel, I heard a faint voice. It was the voice of a man.

  "If you know the secret, tell me now, and I will spare your only son."

  The voice of a woman scoffed, "You will never find it. You will never know what it is."

  It went quiet.

  Not a minute passed by, and I heard a loud thud and the sound of a woman choking. My heart starts beating so fast as I tried to run to where the noises were coming from. I ran further into the tunnel but there was nobody there.

  I felt a chill behind me and a voice whispered close to my ear, "It's time. You need to hide. Don't come back!"

  I looked behind me to see who it was. I was surprised to see a strange silhouette in front of me. I can tell it's a silhouette of a woman. But who?

  The shadow suddenly looked at me. She looked mad. It started walking towards me, but I stepped back. It kept walking and shouted, "NO!" and jumped on me.

  I awoke from the dream. I was sweating and my heart was beating so fast that I was catching my breath.

  "Why am I dreaming of those again? I thought I would never dream of them again since I was in high school."