In Your Dreams

Chapter 10: Believe

Casey perches on the end of her bed, one leg tucked under the other. "So? Did you get any closer to figuring this out?"

I glance out the window, recognizing the patch of forest Chris and I walked through when we left the gym. "Yes, actually."

Casey squeals. "And? What happened? Where did you meet him?"

I cling to the second, much easier question. "At the gym—Rachel said he was there working out, which is one of his favourite things to do."

"Working out? How do you know?"

I drop next to Casey on the bed. "I know because..."

We've been dreaming together.

We share dreams.

We met in our dreams.

Wow, I realize. Chris is right. How can I ask a professor, even carefully, if I can't even explain this to my best friend without it sounding crazy?

And what if a professor thinks I've lost touch with reality and I'm not fit for swimming or something? There's no way I can risk that. It feels bad enough when people look at me like I should be "strong" enough to talk about my parents without choking up; I can only imagine what they'd think if I told them Chris and I share dreams.

Casey stares blanking while I strategize. This morning I wouldn't have thought this could be real, now I do. How did I come to believe this? I trusted myself? I just knew? But that won't help Casey, or anyone; I have to show it's real.

I glance towards my bed, where I was standing when I got the flashbacks. Wait, of course. I didn't just know.

I tuck one leg under me on the bed and press my hands together. "I'm going to start with the facts. But to be honest, this is going to sound shocking, so brace yourself."

"You're starting with facts? So far, I'm not shocked." Casey grins. "Go on."

I smile briefly at her remark. "At first, I didn't remember where I met Chris, but I started to remember where I've seen him."

"Like?"

"Like...here on campus, and near a forest, and at the food court at Willow Garden Mall."

"Really? He's from our area?"

I realize I didn't ask. "He might be...but, when I met up with him today, we both remembered visiting a waterfall together." Casey's eyebrows knit together. "And jumping off it." Now they fly under her bangs.

"What?" Her voice reaches its highest peak. "Jessie, you've never been anywhere tropical in your life. Do you mean like a Canadian waterfall, like in Hamilton? Oh, or Niagara Falls? But what am I saying—you haven't jumped off a waterfall!"

I smile. "Exactly. Casey, remember how you told me about the thing where you had to give a presentation in French, and it felt so real?"

Casey shudders. "You mean my recurring dream?"

"Yes! And you said it felt so real, but you knew it was a dream, right?"

Casey looks at me funny. "Right..."

"Even though you have had to give presentations in French in real life."

Casey nods. "Yeah..."

"Well, here's the thing. Chris and I met..." And here's the part where I sound crazy. "In our dreams."

Casey is rendered speechless, which is very rare.