Every Waking Dream

by Lauren Eason

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  I pulled the car into a parking space as we all got out to admire the rows of rented limousines. Melissa exited the back of one with some boy strapped to her arm, a look she was going for nowadays. Raven shook her head and spit out her gum on the asphalt as we headed down the lighted walkway towards the gymnasium.

  Jason, Ben, and Max approached us outside. I thought it was sweet they had been waiting for the most opportune moment to find us. Jason had a long-stemmed rose in his hand that he gave to me, a nervous smile on his face. This was the first time I had ever seen Jason as anxious as I was. Placing the rose petals to my nose, I breathed in their sweet scent before wrapping my arm around his.

  “You’re beautiful tonight—I mean, you’re beautiful every night,” Jason faltered. I smiled reassuringly at him as I placed a light touch from my fingers on the sleeve of his suit.

  “I know what you mean,” I said, trying to calm his nerves.

  Jason and Ben held the double doors open for us as we passed through into an enchanted wonderland. The gym was drenched in white, with crystals hanging from trees hiding the bleachers behind them. The homecoming team had done a fantastic job with the scenery to appear as a winter forest.

  Bodies flooded the dance floor as a live band geared up in the background to play once the DJ stopped the music. I saw Abby snapping pictures as she came closer to our group. She turned around to greet us.

  “Mind if I take a picture for the newspaper? You have a good group here,” Abby asked as she held up her camera.

  We gathered around each other in front of the snow sprayed trees as Abby took a few shots from a few different angles. She held her camera back to look at some of the photos as we broke formation to glance over her shoulder.

  “These are really good, guys. Thanks!” Abby said as Jess and Max left us for the dance floor. As I was about to turn away with Jason, Abby caught my arm. I hesitated as Jason went over to the bar to grab us some drinks.

  “What’s up?” I asked as I came back to Abby.

  “How’s the assignment going that Zahara gave you?” Abby inquired, fiddling with her camera.

  “It’s going well. Jason is going to let me interview him to make sure I know what I’m talking about when it comes to football—”

  “That’s good,” she interrupted. “Do you know anything about the kidnappings?”

  “What? I thought Zahara was the expert on that,” I commented, glancing around to see if anyone was watching us.

  “She is, but she may have found something that complicates things,” Abby answered. “We’ve had our suspicions for some time, but we’re afraid to go public. You and that detective seem pretty friendly.”

  “How do you—”

  Abby scanned through some pictures on her camera, showing me a few where Detective Highwater and I talked outside of the gymnasium. “Look, I’m not trying to bribe you or anything, but...it’s personal for Zahara.”

  “How so?”

  “Her cousin was among the first girls to be taken. She’s sure it has something to do with what’s going on around town. We’ll give you what we know if you give us what you know. Does that sound fair?” Abby asked, a pleading look in her eyes.

  “I get it,” I said. “No sources.”

  “None,” Abby replied with a smile. “We only want to help shed light on the truth.”

  I nodded. With a quick shake of her hand, I headed over to Jason as he handed me a drink. “Business?”

  “Always.” I placed the rim of the cup to my lips. “Where did Raven and Ben go?”

  “Oh, they went off to the dance floor. Would you care to join me?” he asked with a charming smile.

  “You know how to dance?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Well, no,” I stated. “When did you learn?”

  Jason chuckled as he grabbed my hand, carrying me towards the dance floor. “I didn’t, but it doesn’t matter because I only want to look stupid when I’m around you.”

  “You’re getting really good at that,” I teased as Jason spun me around and brought me into his arms.

  “Hello, everybody!” the band shouted into the microphone as we turned to face them. “Are you all ready to get those feet moving?”

  The crowd shouted back its approval as the drummer counted down on his sticks. The band started out strong with a catchy rock number as Jason, and I danced around each other as though we knew what we were doing. We laughed as we took each other’s hands, swaying and gyrating to the music around us as everyone else seemed to disappear.

  The band finished with a few songs and then slowed it down with a rhythmic melody to catch our breath. Jason held out his hands to me. Taking them, he pulled me close into his arms, the warmth of his body radiating against my chest. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he placed his hands modestly on my waist.

  “I’m happy I met you,” Jason whispered as his hands moved to the small of my back. We swayed to the music, turning each time slightly.

  “As much as my parents have done, I guess I could give them credit with this one,” I smiled.

  “I saw you before the barbeque. Ben was inside the store, and I was waiting for him in the car. You came out with your mother to load groceries. I wanted to talk to you the first time I saw you,” he admitted. “I was a little jealous Ben got to talk to you first.”

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  Jason smiled mischievously. “Ben told me how he struck out with you, so I took a few notes from him on how to do better. Pretty sure if I had started the conversation with how I watched you get into a car, you wouldn’t give me the time of day. Sounds creepy even now.”

  I chuckled, shaking my head. “I suppose that’s a good excuse. I did think Ben was stalking me.”

  “Not his best moment in life,” Jason remarked.

  “I’ll make sure to only mention it in public places in front of people we’re meeting for the first time,” I teased. Jason held his hand up to my cheek, his thumb trailing down my jawline.

  “I wasn’t expecting the diner to be our first kiss. I wasn’t as confident as I normally am. May I try again?” Jason whispered under his breath, stepping closer to me.

  My hand slid into his hair at the back of his head, the soft curls tangling around my fingers as he bowed closer to me. I felt his warm breath skate across my lips as his mouth closed over mine. My eyes closed as I took in his rich scent as his hands slid up my back. Tingles spiraled down my spine all the way to my toes.

  Jason pulled away, the warmth leaving me as I opened my eyes. Not wanting to let go, I pulled him to me again, kissing him passionately. His kisses trailed down my jawline to my neck as the music ended in the background. We separated once again as Ben and Raven headed over to us.

  “They’re getting ready to announce homecoming queen,” Ben said as the band left the stage for Principal Norman.

  There was a high pitched sound from the microphone as Principal Norman lifted it to her height. “Hello, students and volunteer staff. I’m pleased to make this year’s announcement for homecoming king and queen. This year we will have a virtual vote, so please use those smartphones and log into your student portal to place them. Good luck to you all!”

  Raven whipped out her phone out of her small backpack and handed mine to me. Logging in, I saw Jason on the ballot for homecoming king. “I didn’t know I could vote for you.”

  “Yeah, well, I wasn’t too invested in campaigning this year,” he replied. “You’re not going to vote for me, are you?”

  “Oh, I already have,” I chuckled, placing my votes.

  Jason rolled his eyes as Ben placed his arm around his shoulder. “Want to bet it’s you and Melissa?”

  “Are you trying to get me in trouble here?”

  Ben slapped him in the stomach as Jason doubled over, his breath leaving him. Principal Norman took to the stage once again as everyone waited eagerly for the results.

  “It
looks like we have two clear winners among us,” she stated, checking the results on her phone. “Melissa Harden and Jason Andrews! Come on up here, you two for your crowns and first dance.”

  Jason grimaced as the students around him clapped him on the back. He looked at me apologetically as I smiled. “Don’t worry. Go get your crown.”

  Jason sprang into action, walking onto the stage where Melissa was waiting for him. A girl from her homecoming court placed a slender, beaded crown on top of Melissa's red curls as another gave her a bouquet of roses. Jason received his crown and scepter as the couple stood together while Abby snapped their pictures.

  The band behind them picked up their instruments as the flowers and scepter were taken away. Jason turned to Melissa, who rushed over to the microphone, ripping it from its stand. The band stopped as the first few notes left their instruments.

  “I know traditionally the king and queen dance together for the first song. However, this year, I want us to be able to choose the person we get to dance with,” Melissa announced.

  “What is she doing?” I whispered to Raven, who stared on blankly.

  Melissa came down the stairs as the crowd parted for her. I stood next to Raven as Melissa approached her, a spotlight shining on the both of them. Melissa took Raven’s hand in hers and walked her out into the center, where the crowd formed a ring around them. The students cheered as Raven smiled, hiding her face behind her hand.

  “Yes, Raven!” Jess yelled from the side as we cheered for them.

  “I guess that rivalry is dead,” I remarked to Jess and Max as I saw Jason head over towards me. He extended his hand, which I took as he led me out.

  “They’re all staring,” I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me. The band played another slow song as we swayed to the music.

  “I don’t think we’re the ones they’re curious about,” he assured as couples from the crowd filled in the gaps around us. He spun me around and pulled me back in, catching my hand in his and entwining his fingers through mine.

  Jason’s breath was hot, sending a shiver down the side of my neck as he sang along to the cover song by the band. I listened to his soothing voice as I melted into his body, everyone else fading away. I was utterly content within his arms, a place I never thought the voices inside my head would be rendered speechless. If only I had found this sooner, maybe I wouldn’t have made the decisions I made in my past.

  “Aislin?” a voice asked from nearby as the music stopped. Glancing over to my left, I saw someone I never thought I’d see again.

  Charlie was holding on to the girl who had uploaded the photo of Raven the night before. She looked between us as Charlie stiffened in her arms, staring at me.

  “Do you know her?” she asked him, bringing his attention back to her.

  “Uh...” he began. “We used to be neighbors until her family moved a few months ago. I was wondering what happened, but I didn’t think you ended up over here.”

  “Who’s this?” Jason asked, taking my hands in his.

  “Jason, this is Charlie. Charlie, Jason,” I introduced, trying to avoid an awkward exchange. I glanced around, trying to find Jess or Raven in the crowd, but to no avail.

  “It’s good to see you again,” Charlie said. The girl slapped him on the shoulder. “Oh, this is my girlfriend, Heather.”

  “We’ve met. I just didn’t know her name until now,” Heather grimaced in disgust. Melissa sure knew how to pick her friends, but from the change I was seeing from her, this girl was no longer a part of her group. It was pretty clear by Melissa outing herself to the whole school tonight that she didn’t want anything more from a person like Heather.

  “Do you mind if I speak with you?” Charlie asked me. Jason let go of my hand.

  “I’ll be here when you get back,” Jason whispered in my ear as I walked away from them with Charlie. We drifted over to a quiet area within the forest scene.

  Charlie stopped and gave me a small smile. He was exactly as I remembered with his shaggy blonde hair and light green eyes. I saw his muscle twitch in his jawline as he tensed, trying to think of a way to start whatever conversation he was trying to have with me.

  “There’s something I’ve always wanted to say to you that I never got the chance to—”

  “Charlie, we don’t have to talk about the past,” I interrupted. “I’ve started a new life here. I have friends who care about me, and my family is finally starting to pick up the pieces.”

  “I know,” he answered, taking my hand in his. “It’s not about that. I know what happened before you left, and I know about the rehab. I wanted to tell you something I should have a long time ago because maybe if I had, then it wouldn’t have driven you to that point. I believed you—I’ve always believed you about the dreams.”

  I stumbled back over the white sheets on the floor. Charlie grabbed my hand with both of his, catching me and pulling me to his chest. I braced myself against him as I regained my footing. Snatching my hands away and putting some distance between us, I felt my breath quicken as my chest tightened, taking in his words.

  All this time, I had thought he had rejected me. That he would never understand, and now he was here, at my dance telling me this. The room spun as I tried to control the onslaught of emotions. I could feel the panic set in as he waited for my response.

  “How could you do that to me?” I asked in a voice much calmer than my thoughts. “You made me think something was wrong with me, and you knew this whole time?”

  “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way,” he said, trying to take my hand. I held my hand away from him. “Ais, please. You dropped this secret on me, and I didn’t know how to react. I’m sorry. I know I should’ve been there for you.”

  “You saw me,” I replied. “You saw me in your dreams. You recognized me, and yet, you told your friends about the crazy neighbor girl. You let your friends harass and bully me to the point I was afraid to go to sleep at night. Do you have any idea what kind of hell you put me through?”

  “Ais...I’m sorry—”

  “You’re sorry. You were the first person I trusted...and you broke my heart,” I choked out, trying to force the tears back.

  Jess rushed towards us as I walked away. She was speaking to me, but I couldn’t hear her. The ringing in my ears had grown so loud it was the only thing I could hear. My feet carried me back towards Jason, where I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, pressing my cheek against his chest underneath his chin. Instead of asking me questions, he simply hugged me back, comforting me with his presence.

  I saw Heather storm off towards Charlie, where he was speaking to Jess. Jess gave him his phone back and left him and Heather alone to talk. She walked over to Jason and me before Max swept her up against him.

  “Where did you go? I’ve missed you,” Max said, showering her with kisses on her cheek.

  “Hi everyone,” Melissa said as she and Raven approached. We all left the dance floor and headed for one of the tables to talk.

  “I don’t think anyone was expecting that, Melissa,” Jason commented, glancing over the couple.

  “I certainly wasn’t,” Raven replied, holding on to Melissa’s hand.

  She smirked at Raven. “That was sort of the plan.”

  “But why now?” I asked. I blurted it out before I could stop myself, but I felt like she owed us an explanation.

  “Ais, it’s okay—”

  “No, it’s not,” I said, cutting Raven off. “She treated you, and I like garbage, and now she wants us to get over it. Just like that?”

  Melissa put a hand on Raven to calm her. “It’s okay, Raven. Aislin is right. You both deserve an apology from me, but especially you, Raven. I know I told you this last night, but they need to hear it too. I’m not the best at this, but I am truly sorry. I’m sorry to Ben for the way I acted when we were dating. I’m sorry to Jason for trying to manipulate him and hurt other people. And I’m really sorry to you, Aislin, for everything I’ve done to you. It
’s taken me a long time to be honest with myself.”

  “I’ve heard too many people say they’re sorry to me tonight. Sorry doesn’t cut it anymore,” I said, walking away from the group and slamming through the double doors of the gym.

  My world was crashing down around me, and it wasn’t even because of Melissa. I couldn’t help but wonder how different my life would’ve been if people started being honest with themselves like Melissa claimed to be doing.

  “Aislin!” Raven shouted from the walkway as I heard her heels rushing towards me.

  I stopped and closed my eyes, looking up towards the sky as Raven and Jess pulled up in front of me, blocking my path.

  “Jess told me about Charlie,” Raven panted. “I know you’re going through something right now, but please, don’t take it out on Melissa.”

  “How can you still love her, Raven? After the way she’s treated you?” I questioned, eyes narrowing.

  “Because,” she breathed, “I just do.”

  “But why?” I pleaded. I needed to know why I felt this way for Charlie while falling in love with Jason. I needed to know that I wasn’t a bad person.

  “Because I forgave her. We talked, we sorted through our shit, and we found peace,” Raven continued. “But this isn’t about Melissa and me, is it?”

  I scoffed, trying to act tough. “Someone from my past has haunted me all my life, and they show up here. This was what I was running from. There’s no telling if he’ll spread my secret around. What if he tells Jason?”

  “Ais...” Jess stepped in. “Jason won’t treat you that way.”

  “And how do you know?” I snapped. “You weren’t there, Jess. The way he looked at me when I told him. When I reminded him of his own dreams. He’s the one who spread the rumors about me that made me...lose myself. Maybe if I had been stronger...”

  “You are strong,” Jess reassured, grabbing my shoulders. “But you don’t have to be. Not all the time.”

  “I don’t want to be strong right now,” I mumbled. “I want to go home.”