Dreaming of Alten

Chapter 6. Real Life

"Did you know there was an earthquake last night?" Mom asks, as she walks into the kitchen the next morning, already dressed for work.

I stick my spoon into my bowl of cornflakes and mumble, "Yeah."

Mom shakes her head. "Your father didn't even wake up."

I swirl my spoon around in the cornflakes. "No surprise there." Dad once slept through a fire alarm.

Mom pours herself a cup of coffee and remarks, "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep." I hadn't been able to go back to sleep after I'd woken up to the earthquake, so I'd spent another night staring at my ceiling until dawn, and then I'd gotten up and taken another hour-long shower. If this goes on, my parents' water bill is going to be larger than the national deficit.

Mom gives me an appraising look. "Is everything okay at school?" she asks.

"Everything's fine."

"Good," she says. "That's good."

An awkward silence falls between us, and thankfully her phone chooses that moment to ring. I've never been happier to hear a ringtone. Mom goes out into the living room to take the call, and I take the opportunity to pour the cornflakes into the trash and go back to my room.

~

Thursday is the day Lily has to get to school early for an hour of debate practice, so she doesn't usually pick me up unless I call her and ask for a ride.

I take the bus to school, trying not to think about Alten and the black thing chasing us last night, and how all my dreams are messed up lately.

The bus pulls into the school parking lot and the first thing I see is Kimberly and her boyfriend Colin making out on the hood of her car, acting as though they're the only two people in the entire universe.

The kids at the back of the bus open a window and yell stuff at Colin until the bus driver yells at them to stop.

I get off the bus and head for my locker. Lily's already at hers, looking excited. "Good, you're here!" she says, grabbing my arm. "Guess what? The salon people just called, and they say they can squeeze us in on the morning of the dance if you still want that manicure."

I stare at her, confused. "We're not even going to the dance, Lily." Has she forgotten about Jacob already?

"Very funny, Ash," says Lily, rolling her eyes. "After all that time we spent picking out dresses? I don't think so."

What's she talking about? We didn't spend any time picking out dresses because she didn't think Jacob was going to ask her.

"And Tyler wants to know if you guys want to hang out after the dance, or go to a restaurant or something. We could watch movies at his place."

"Tyler?" I say. "You're going to the dance with Tyler?" When did he even ask her? She was still heartbroken over Jacob last night.

"Yeah, well, I can think of plenty of other people I'd like to go to the dance with, but unfortunately I'm stuck with my boyfriend."

He's her boyfriend now?

"Are you okay?" asks Lily. "You look kind of pale."

"I stayed up kind of late last night," I say. "And I just saw Kimberly and Colin making out in the parking lot, and I think the trauma of that may have damaged my brain permanently."

"Yeah, those two seriously need to get a room. They're at it every morning. It's definitely not the best way to start your day." Lily takes her phone out of her pocket and grimaces. "I've got to talk to Tyler before class, but let me know what you guys want to do after the dance, okay?"

What does she mean, you guys?

Lily looks over my shoulder and waves at someone as she slams her locker door shut. "And here comes your boyfriend, right on cue," she says, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "See you later, Ash."

My boyfriend?

A pair of arms circle me from behind and a familiar voice says playfully in my ear, "Hey, beautiful."

I freeze.

It's Alten's voice.