The shy boy from math class

Chapter 23| Nightmares

     "Are you sure about this? We completely understand if you change your mind or-"

"I'm positive. Now go! You two have not had a good night of sleep in a while!" I reassure them with a smile.

Elle and Steven glance a look at each other. Elle smiles and breathes out the sigh she had been holding in for so long. "Steven and I really appreciate everything you've done for Grayson. We really appreciate this!"

It warms my heart when she tells me that. "It's no biggie, really."

Elle and Steven walk over to Grayson and they kiss him on the cheek that doesn't have the huge cut on it. Elle hugs me one more time and says, "The bathrooms right there of course. The vending machines that are closest to this room are down the hall and the second room to your left. If anything happens, even though I doubt it, give us a call."

"Got it. Thank you."

"Thank you so much again." She says one last time before they leave the room.

Once the door closes I immediately feel the loneliness set in. If Grayson was awake I think we'd stay up the whole night talking about anything. But for right now I'm the one talking and he's the one listening. He has no choice.

I walk into the small bathroom and change into my pjs there. Elle told me that a nurse occasionally checks in on Grayson in the middle of the night and that I shouldn't mind. I brush my teeth then tie my hair up. I walk back out to the room and pick up the remote control that's connected to the monitor.

After scrolling through boring old movies and a bunch of tv sitcoms with way too much background laughter, I finally settle on an episode of Friends.

I turn off the lights and the only light now is coming from the bright tv. The couch bed is sort of comfortable but not too much. Once I turn off the tv the only thing I can hear are the monitors beeping every second and the sound of Grayson's forced breathing.

I feel myself start to doze off quickly. I had a bunch of tests at school today and I probably failed all of them.

I look around the empty ballroom with classical music playing in the background. I hear footsteps approaching me from behind. As I turn around I make eye contact with Grayson. He's wearing a tuxedo with his hair styled fancy. He isn't wearing his glasses either. I look down at myself and see that I'm wearing the dress I wore at the anniversary party.

Grayson takes my hand, I instantly feel the comfort, and we begin to dance to the music. I can't help but admire him. He looks so peaceful. So at ease.

"Where are your glasses?" I ask him.

"They fell off as soon as I crashed." He tells me, then continues to dance as if he isn't in a coma.

"You're here. You're alive. You're conscious?" I try to read his face for emotions.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" He smiles.

"You're in a coma, Grayson." I remind him.

"But not here." He smirks as he twirls me.

The music suddenly stops. He pulls me closer to him and I can finally look into his eyes again. They're the perfect mixture of green and brown today. "Grayson?"

"Is there something wrong?" He asks.

I nod, "You need to wake up."

"I can't." He quickly replies.

"What do you mean you can't? Grayson, you have to!" I feel my voice squeak. "Wake up for me," I whisper.

"I love you, Selena, very much. But I can't." He says.

His grip starts to fade away. I frantically look down to see himself fading away. I try to desperately hold on as he looks at me in fear. "Grayson please wake up! I love you too now please wake up!"

"Selena-"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"Miss?"

I frantically sit up, gasping for air. I squint my eyes at the light, hovering my hand over my eyes. I flutter my eyelashes to see the nurse looking at me like I'm crazy.

She looks similar to me. She has her hair in a low ponytail and is wearing light purple scrubs.

"Miss are you okay? I think you were having a nightmare." She looks at me with concern.

I look past her at Grayson, huffing in frustration. "I'm fine, thank you."

She nods at me then starts to scribble stuff on her clipboard. I clear my throat and ask, "What exactly was I doing in my sleep?"

She glances up at the monitors before answering.
"You kept saying 'wake up'."

She starts pressing buttons on his monitors and checks stuff on the whiteboard.

"Do you think he'll ever wake up?" I ask.

She sighs, "He may wake up if that's the answer you're looking for."

I nod, pulling the thin blanket over my shoulder. I start to feel myself go back to sleep after she leaves the room.

***
"It was the strangest thing, Gen," I tell her, changing into a new set of clothes.

"It's not the first time you've dreamed about him." She says.

"Watch it!" I tell her. "But it was so different. We were dancing in an empty ballroom. We talked and before I knew it, he started to fade away from me!"

She hums for a second as I pack my bag up. "Everett wants to study psychology. Want me to ask him what your dream means?"

"No! I'd rather not find out because what if I hear something I don't like?" I glance back at Grayson. Nothing new. Still in a coma. "What are you up to later?"

"Nothing much, wanna hang?" She asks.

I smile, "You read my mind."

I look at the time and it's almost noon. His parents are almost here. "I have to go, Gen, see you later."

I hang up the phone and shove it in my back pocket. I sit down on the free space of the bed, grabbing Grayson's hand in mine.

"You visited me in my dream last night." I tell him. "What was all that about?"

The cut on his cheek is slowly starting to heal, the same with the gash on his lip. I push his hair away from his face and say, "Where the hell are your glasses? You won't be able to see when you wake up."

I bring his hand up to my lips, planting a small peck.
"Please wake up for me, Grayson."

"Squeeze my hand, wiggle your toes, do something! Just please wake up." I feel my eyes start to tear up.

Like all the other times, he doesn't reply. He doesn't move. I get up and quickly kiss his cheek. I rest my forehead against his temple. I hate this. I need him to wake up.

I never thought not talking to Grayson for so long would suck this much.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I whisper.