It Wasn't Just a Dream

Chapter 4 You Make Me Feel Like I'm Always Living in a Dream

"What?!" Riley flipped out.

"Riley, calm down." I tried to reassure him. "It's not like finals. A test isn't that bad."

"You mean I have to study?! Actually?!"

"Well, unless you wanna flunk..."

"Uuuugghh! This suuucks!"
He throws his arms up and storms into his so-called bedroom.
They put a sign above the door saying "Man Cave"

So I guess that's what I have to call it now.

Lately, I received notice from the teacher that there was a test coming up for the three boys with me.
The teacher didn't say it to them, but instead said to tell them myself.

Brandon came out.
"What's it for?"

"Well, it's based on the subjects you're good at. So you tell the teacher what you're good at and they make up a test for that subject. It's simple. Just say the subject you're best at."

"PE!" Riley yells from inside the man cave.

I scratch my cheek. "That one doesn't count..."

"Dammit!"

"I'm not really the best studied in the world, so you're not the only one who's gonna have trouble with it, Riley."

He groans.

"Oh. And Brandon, can I talk to you?"

"Hm? Uh, sure."

Both of us walk into the living room.

I sit on the couch with him and it's silent for a couple seconds.

"So you... needed me?" Brandon breaks that silence.

"Uh, yeah. I was gonna ask you about... you..."

"Huh?"

"No, I mean, well... okay. Today when we were walking to school, you weren't happy. I could see it. You said something about being in my dream and then you went all weird... Care to explain?" I tell him softly.

Brandon hesitates and his hair covers his eyes.
"It's a lot for me to grasp, the fact that we were in our hometown a while ago, thinking noting could go wrong and then bam, we suddenly came out of a girl's head... It's so confusing.... And I feel I have no power... I feel like I never really existed in the first place and we were just there as soon as you dreamt us... It's so weird."

"Brandon, to me, you're not just some dream that could go away any second."

"Uh...!"

"I can't imagine being without you guys anymore... Mostly because I'm with people I care about now... At first I was freaked out, but... now I think this was meant to happen. Like you were supposed to be with me. All three of you... if you guys weren't here... I'd be alone again... And no one would care..."

"I didn't say I was gonna leave."

"Hm?"

"I get that your family doesn't exist anymore. And I understand how sad that is... Being alone sucks. I know..."

"Nuh..."
His eyes are sad again.

I erase my sad feeling and put both hands on his shoulders, making him look me right in the eye.

He blushes.
"Hannah?"

"Don't give up yet."

"Wha-"

"Don't. Don't give up on this life you have yet. I can't make you go into my dreams and I can't erase you. You live on earth in my house now. It's a new life. Embrace because the old one is not gonna happen anymore. Please, Brandon... Just don't give up yet... Don't let people get to you..."

"Hannah..."

"People broke down my walls... people picked on my for having nobody in my life... People told me no one loved me or cared and ever will... And I believed them... I thought I was no good. And I still think that today... My mom was pregnant when she died. So not just her and my brother but my other two baby brothers died as well... So I actually lost four family members... My whole other family lives on the other side of the world so I can't see them ever. Plus they don't even know I exist... So I really do have no one..."

"That... that's probably the worst thing in my whole life I've ever heard..." Riley's voice echoed from behind me.

"You... heard all that?" my heartache wasn't as bad anymore as soon as I heard him.

"Yeah. You okay?"

"I'm... not sure."

"Hm. I'm gonna go work on more stuff in the man cave if you guys need me."

"Okay."
I look back at Brandon.
"It's not your fault. It has nothing to do with faults."

" I know that, but... still, I feel like I'm not even supposed to be here or like this is some joke."

I grip his shoulders a little harder.
"You were definitely meant to be here, Brandon. This is nothing close to a joke."

"Still..."

"If I can't convince you to think of it in my perspective, then think of it this way..."

This gets his attention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At school the next day, guess who decides to come to school with me in my backpack and take up the space of my lunch?
Jay.
My talking, Australian cat.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper shout at him. "And where the hell is my lunch kit?"

"Oh. So that's what that extra other bag was..."

"You dumbass, stay in my bag."

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Because this is a school, not a petting zoo, if the teachers allowed animals and pets at the school, I think I would've brought you earlier, and you have no right to complain, you're the one who came with me without permission in the first place. Plus I have a test today and I don't need any distractions."

"Shit, you sound angry."

"Maybe that's cuz I am..?"

"I thought only the boys had a test."

"Well, you thought wrong. Stay put and don't let anyone see you if they go in my locker. Got it?"

"Ugh. Okay fine."

"Good." I go to class and take my test.

_______
Brandon
_______
I sit down at my desk before everyone and start the test.
Before everyone.

I don't feel so upset because of what Hannah told me.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
"If I can't convince you to think of it in my perspective, then think of it this way..."

Those exact words get my attention.

"You came from one of my favorite dreams. And you're making my life the best dream I've ever had. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"...Huh..." I thought for a minute.
That actually helps.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Because of that, I can focus way better.

My test subject and the other two boy's subjects are this;
Mine is history, Riley's is science, and Owen's is math.
Apparently Hannah had to do it too and hers is about English.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After we get our tests back, I look at my score and I got 100% on it.
Yes.
Thanks Hannah.
I owe you one.

I look at Owen's and he got 101%
How?
Bonus questions.
Plus Owen has always been smarter than all of us.
Riley is all upset over his but I look.
He got 86% on his. I wanna laugh at him but it could be worse.

Plus I don't feel like critiquing anyone right now.

I'm too happy.
Too happy about the fact that I don't have to worry anymore.