Limitless: The Second Edition

Oliver

I am dreaming.

I have to be dreaming.

There is absolutely no other logical explanation for what's going on.

There is absolutely no way in the universe that Derek Anderson is in our high school auditorium, walking towards the stage with a big grin on his face. This can't be real.

I come to my senses enough to realize I'm leaning on Hannah. She's completely red-faced with shock. "Please tell me this isn't a dream, Hannah," I beg, gripping her arm. Not even my two crutches are enough to hold me up at this point, I'm so caught off guard.

She looks at me, her green eyes wide, but she's too excited to even speak.

The handsome actor bypasses the stairs on the side of the stage and instead opts to just climb up the front. I quickly glance behind me and see one chick sitting on the floor, head in her hands, while three other ensemble girls hover around her, urging her not to pass out. I myself am surprised anyone in this room is still conscious. For the last few weeks, most of the girls in this cast have not shut up about how hot Derek is. Now he's here, and the stage has descended into chaos. Ms. Dawson doesn't even try to control the situation. She's just standing off to the side laughing at the madness.

I half expect Derek to go up to the girls on the floor first, but then my heart skips a beat when he makes a beeline for me.

"You must be the famous Oliver Carowski," he greets me, holding out his hand for a handshake.

He's only an inch taller and a year older than me, but to me, he might as well be way older. Because he just seems like he should be older than he is. I don't even know what to say at this point. Derek Anderson is right in front of me, asking for a handshake. This is unreal.

I quickly force myself to snap out of it and shake his hand with what I hope is a firm grip. "Dude, you're my hero," I manage to say. "I can't believe this."

Derek looks down and laughs to himself. "I'm flattered, but you're my hero, bro," he replies. "Never, ever, in a million years did I imagine I'd live to see the day that an actual crutch user got cast as Enso. Yet here we are. I'm so, so proud of you." His gaze shifts to Hannah. "And who's this?"

I lay my hand on Hannah's arm. "This is my friend Hannah. She's playing Sholta. Wait until you hear her sing. She's amazing." I want to hype her up as much as possible, hopefully to increase her chances of getting him to like her.

Derek shakes hands with Hannah. "Pleased to meet you, Hannah."

The next thing I know, Hannah has her arm around me. Between Derek in front of me and the sensation of Hannah's arm touching me, my brain is going haywire. I half expect myself to short circuit any minute now.

Derek smiles and gestures towards us. "Are you two..."

I shake my head.

"No, we're just friends," Hannah answers. But she looks over at me with a peculiar smile on her face, as if she's trying to tell me something. I don't know what it is, but I wish I could read her mind.

"Got it," Derek responds. "But you'd make a good couple. Hey, I'm looking forward to working with you two. I've been waiting for news of a school doing this show so I could come and help out. My understudy is doing the show show until mid-March so I can be here."

"Derek, I'm just a crippled high school kid. I do not want to let you down," I tell him.

Hannah shoots me a disapproving look.

"Dude, don't talk like that," Derek replies. "I can tell from the way she's looking at you right now that she's told you before not to say stuff like that. Seriously." He steps forward and pats me on the back. "You got this."