𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒

Chapter Four

Walking into Caleb's modestly built and decorated house, his parents greeted me affectionately and told us when his older sister, Lizzie, would be home. After informing us when dinner would be ready, we were dismissed to Caleb's room.

I wandered in and smiled, "Thought you said you were redecorating?" I asked him, setting my bag down beside his drawers.

He glanced elsewhere sheepishly. "I was."

I laughed, sitting down on his bed before rolling over and studying his film collection. "You still haven't got the last of the Fast and Furious?" I questioned him over my shoulder.

"No," he said, "not yet," I smiled, inwardly recording that someplace for a birthday or something.

Caleb accompanied me on his bed swiftly, leaning back against his pillows. "All I know is that my past life wasn't exactly a film person." He spoke, causing me to stiffen.

In an effort to seem composed and collected, I tossed my hair over my shoulder and smiled, seeing as Caleb followed the minute movement.

"Still don't know if it's a boy or girl?" I asked him, compelling him to chuckle.

Playing with his fingers, he replied, "I think it's a boy, just maybe homosexual."

I nodded, rotating over onto my back, "Makes sense."

I stared up at his ceiling, falling silent as anxiety plummeted into the abyss of my stomach. I hated this. There were people in prison for not dreaming, in mental asylums, dead. It terrified me enormously, and it panicked me even more that I was alone in this. I opened my mouth, I always did, I just never said anything. I simply wanted to tell him, to tell someone.

Except I couldn't. They'd turn on me in terror. I know they would.

"What's wrong?" Caleb inquired abruptly. I sat up, twisting to face him.

"Nothing," I assured him, beaming when he didn't seem convinced. I rose from his bed, "Should we watch one of your many films?" I invited him, attempting to divert him.

He agreed and I plucked one out to watch. Once it was rolling, I rested next to Caleb on the bed, observing as he suddenly seemed uncomfortable.

We didn't get too far into the film before we were summoned for dinner, and I raced Caleb to the dinner table. Having won, I pondered on what my prize should be as Caleb's dad dished out our meal.

"I know," I said, tilting forward to Caleb, who sat opposite me at the table. "You gotta tell me this secret you've been keeping since Year Nine." It was a known fact in our friendship group that Caleb had this golden secret that he had been keeping from everyone for three years; Alex had pestered him in Year Nine Science, and he had revealed a little of the truth. Alex, of course, made it a big deal just to taunt Caleb, thinking she could get it out of him. He still hasn't unveiled it to anyone.

He cast me a dangerous look. "I don't think beating me to the dinner table deserves that big of a prize."

I pouted, "I don't deserve a big prize?" I asked. I was joking, of course, but I saw as Caleb's smile wavered slightly.

When Caleb's parents were finally seated, they sprang up a discussion that lasted until Caleb's dad made a small quip about his wife's past life.

Again, I stiffened.

My knife scraped against the surface of my plate as Caleb's mum reacted, recounting all that she understood about her past life. I could feel Caleb's eyes on me but I ignored him in an effort to appear unsuspicious.