Star-Crossed

Chapter Three: I have been trying to find her/ Want to give what I've got

TONIGHT'S DREAM IS not like the rest. In this dream-no, nightmare-I am in agony. My body is falling fast, plunging past the stars and the planets and their moons. Hurtling toward the planet of creatures that look like us. Earth.

I can feel the intense pain in my abdomen. When I touch it, warm liquid seeps through the dress I'm wearing and onto my hands. I have been stabbed. Somehow I know this, but at the same time, I'm panicking.

I can hear the sound of Xerxion's roar as he shouts for me.

"Rania!" He is shouting like a madman.

I am light-years away by now, falling at the speed of light, and yet his cry of anguish still reaches my ears.

I close my eyes and pray that I get to Earth soon. Human bodies are much like our own and if I can get there, then there is a possibility I can find a compatible host.

Wait for me, my love.

I send that thought out to my still shouting Consort as I continue to hurtle toward Earth.

Nothing has cleared my mind today. Not my jog-the feeling of my muscles burning in the familiar way they did when I ran or the sights of the people around me. Not my shower-the feeling of hot water soothing all of the muscles I hadn't even noticed were tight. Even as I hugged Ava, Ty and Lari goodbye at the airport, my mind was still somewhat muddled.

Lari, as she hugged me, had whispered in my ear, "Everything will be fine, Rania. I'm sure Aida will call you about that job in no time. You won't be stuck in that house this summer." Then, pulling back, she'd said in a normal tone, "I'll text you when we get there. We'll set up times to FaceTime later, okay?"

I had smiled tightly and nodded as I watched them pass through the gate and leave. Lari had assumed the anxious look on my face was because of the thought of being in that house with people who despised me all summer, but no.

I am anxious because, for the first time, I could not differentiate between dream and reality. I mean, all of my dreams are always super realistic. They always feel more like memories than dreams. But in the end, I wake up and I know it's a dream. I wake up and my body realizes Xerxion doesn't exist and there is no way possible you can build a castle in the Cosmos.

But this is different. That dream last night... that dream of falling...

Of dying...

Even now, I can still feel the pain between my ribs from where some unknown object had pierced me. I could feel the heat around me as I hurtled through space at thousands of miles per hour, choking on my last breath, but still trying desperately to hold on for him.

It's probably because of that silly conspiracy Clarissa spoke of last night. That's the only explanation for it. I mean, I've never had a dream about dying before and now-directly after Clarissa told me about what Jacob told her-I was having dreams about falling and dying.

Right as I step out into the Los Angeles, my phone vibrates. I pull it from my back pocket and squint at the screen. Seeing the number, my eyes widen and I hit the answer button, pressing my cell to my ear immediately.

"Hello." Somehow my voice manages to sound calm although internally I'm freaking out.

"Hey, Rania," says Aida's cheery voice on the other end. "So, good news. You got the job."

I have to stop myself from break dancing in the middle of the busy sidewalk. I really didn't want to end up going viral on the internet for my poor dance skills.