Cinnamon Roll

I don't know in what mysterious ways his mind is working, but I figure he has already forgiven me for not paying attention when he was talking to me. Not that I was at fault there. Well, at least not entirely. However, I'm not sure whether I can do the same and be so noble as to forget how he belittled my life right into my face and in a way, me as well. But paradoxically, I still cannot bring myself to hate him for that. And it's not even because he is kind of my... totally my type. It's just that there's something about him that intrigues me.

Luckily, we didn't meet his father after we arrived back home. This time he was to meet some friends of his, so he won't be back for a while. The last thing I wanted was to face Mr. Liu after that questionable scenario with his son.

Wait a minute... Why am I even still thinking about this? I thought and stopped in the middle of the stairs. I'm sure Jack has already forgotten that. It would just make me look ridiculous if I acted weird when I saw him again. Since he probably meant nothing and was just sincerely trying to help. While I...

I continued my way up the stairs and before reaching the top, I raised my head to look up only to see Jack approaching. I felt myself wavering a little but I continued my way up. To my surprise and disappointment, he went past me without a word. I turned my head carefully to see his back getting farther away and I realized two things:

One: I would really miss him once I leave this place. (Or time, rather.)

Two: I don't really want to go. (Or at least there's a part of me that doesn't.)

I quickened my steps and rushed into my room. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and looked at that damned watch. The bringer of all problems and miseries. I took a closer look at it again but it seemed just a regular, fancy designer watch like all the others. Totally harmless. I was on the verge of turning it back to the time when I left my real home. The time it displayed on the night of my birthday. I figured it's safest to assume that this would be the correct way to ensure that I get to the right place at the right time.

But I just couldn't do it. Something in me just longed to stay here in this illusionary reality and the realization made me so angry that I threw the watch on my bed out of spite. It didn't break but landed right below my pillow. I lay on my back on the bed and for a moment I played with the idea of going back to my time and searching for him there. But what if he won't remember me? Or rather, he remembers but after such a long time has passed he resents me because of leaving without a word.

I covered my eyes with my arm and continued lying there in the silence. Even though I know that at another part of the house, Mrs. Nichols is doing her regular job of making dinner, it was so far away that no noise was to be heard. Mr. Liu was away and Jack... Well, he wasn't the noisy type, especially not alone. Even as a kid he probably never made a ruckus like most kids do but sat down and drew a picture or something.

I don't know when I fell asleep but I must have done so since my dream is too ridiculous to be real. I was out playing golf when it started to be foggy all of a sudden. I didn't want to continue playing but Jack's father insisted that I should play. I hit the ball but since I couldn't see a damn thing due to the fog, I accidentally hit the ball against a tree which bounced off the tree and hit him on the head. He started swearing at me which somehow made the wind blow heavier. As a result, I fell ill because of the cold weather. At home, my mother took care of me and even baked cinnamon rolls for me which is my favorite dessert. The scent of cinnamon wafting in the air felt so real. When I finally bit into one of the rolls she gave me, it was so delicious that its taste made me lick my lips. My mom was overjoyed to see how much I liked what she baked and kissed me on the forehead. But the funny thing is, when she leaned closer she smelled of aftershave. It was a strong but pleasant smell and oddly familiar. It felt strange but perhaps she hugged dad right before coming to my room or something and that's why she smelled like that. Although, I'm not entirely sure whether dad ever used this scent. But the moment I smelled it I felt peaceful and I thought that finally, everything was how it should be.

But not in reality. When I woke up, it was already dusk, so I had to switch on the lamp on my bedside table. That's when I noticed that my watch, which I threw on the bed, was placed on the bedside table next to my phone. Weird, I don't remember picking it up from the bed and putting it there. But perhaps I put it there half asleep to avoid laying on it while sleeping. I sat up on the bed and realized what was even weirder was that I could still smell the scent of cinnamon. I looked around almost as if I was looking for my mom hidden somewhere in the room. But of course, she is not here. Instead, I saw a tray on the desk, and as I got up and walked up to it the smell of cinnamon got stronger. A plate of pancakes was the source of the smell. I picked up the fork from the tray and took a bite. It was filled with apples and cinnamon. And it's truly delicious. I sat down to eat the dinner which Mrs. Nichols must have brought up for me since I didn't go down to eat. How kind of her.

After finishing dinner, I picked up the tray. I thought the least I could do was to bring it down for her so she didn't have to climb the stairs just for this.

I found her in the kitchen where she was already putting away the clean dishes.

"Thank you, it was delicious. As always," I said and went up to the dishwasher to put the plate and the fork in it.

"I'm glad you liked it," she said with a smile. "The young master told me you fell asleep and asked me to bring it up for you so you could eat it later when you wake up."

Hearing this, I dropped the fork from my hand, which fell on the plate with a clatter.

"Was he... Was he in my room?" I asked her casually while putting the fork in its place in the dishwasher.

"I think so. You didn't come down for dinner, so he probably went up to tell you that dinner is ready."

"Oh, I see." I closed the door of the dishwasher and turned around. "Good night, Mrs. Nichols."

"Good night, dear," she said in a kind motherly way which she often did when the master of the house was not at home. 

I went up to my room and I couldn't help but feel weird again. I don't know why but there's an inexplicable strange feeling I can't shake off. I took a shower before going to sleep and hoped that it would wash this feeling away but it didn't exactly help.

I was on the verge of falling asleep when my eyes suddenly popped open at the realization: I do know why the smell of that aftershave my mom smelled of in my dream was so familiar.

Because it's the same scent Jack uses. Unless he has switched to a new one. Which I doubt.