Dreamer ~ A Daniel Seavey Fanfiction

Chapter 19

HARPER'S POV

"I still cannot believe you finessed your way into a second date this fast," Kaylee says to me at the end of the day. We spent all of lunch gossiping about Daniel, and she hasn't let it go since.

"I kinda just went for it and hoped for the best," I admit, laughing.

"Lucky you," Kaylee teases.

Suddenly, an announcement comes over the loudspeaker.

"Attention students," the secretary's voice echoes through the school. "Due to an emergency at the University of California, Los Angeles, we will be holding students in the building until the next announcement is made. Thank you."

"Yikes," I say. "That doesn't sound good."

"They're probably just having us stay in here so the emergency vehicles and everyone can get through without having to worry about us," Kaylee says, shrugging. "I do hope everyone is okay, though."

"Me too," I agree. "I wonder what happened..."

☆☆☆

"Okay, okay," I laugh. "Try another one."

Daniel and I have been studying for almost three hours. Well, kinda. We're goofing off more than anything, and the only thing can remember is the sound of Daniel's laugh.

"Okay, fine," he chuckles, leaning back. "Hit me."

"When was the battle of Bunker Hill?"

"Oh God," Daniel laughs, running a hand over his face. "December, 1775?"

I burst out laughing. "That was the battle of Quebec! Bunker Hill was June, Daniel!" Daniel starts laughing again with me, and I can barely breathe.

"Oh, I am so failing this test!" Daniel says after we calmed down.

I wipe my eyes. "Me too. I can't even remember what date the Declaration was signed anymore." I lean over and take his hands, putting them on either side of my head. "My brain is mush."

"You know what that means," Daniel says smiling. "Study break!"

"Daniel, we can't," I laugh, tossing a pillow at him. "We've already taken about twenty breaks so far!"

"So this is twenty-one," Daniel retorts, catching the pillow I threw at him with one hand. He reaches down and grabs the TV remote, turning it on. "You want a drink?"

"Sure," I answer.

"Okay. I'm making popcorn," he says brightly.

"No objections here," I laugh. Daniel goes downstairs to his family room, where they have a popcorn machine, and I turn the volume on the TV up, where the weatherman is gesturing at a brightly colored map of the city. As I get up to grab the flashcards that Daniel and I had been throwing around the room in frustration, the news story changes.

I look up and read the headline: UCLA STUDENT OVERDOSED AT FRATERNITY PARTY. The girl's name - Carmen Sun - appears on the screen in giant letters. But it's not the letters or even the name that catches my eyes.

It's the girl's photo. I know her. But there's no way that it could be...

"Okay, one bowl of popcorn, ready to go," I hear Daniel say as he comes thundering up the steps. His voice sounds almost hazy, like he's talking to me underwater. "What else do we need?"

I can't even process the words to answer him. I'm fixated on the TV screen, analyzing every part of the overdose victim's face. Because there's no way that she can be who I think - who I know - she is.

"Harper?" Daniel asks me, crossing the room from the kitchen island to the couch. He sees my face, but I can't look at him. "Harper? What happened?"

"I..." I turn to him, and I know I look dazed. My eyes are glassed over, and I feel like I'm back in a drug house with my parents - getting a secondary high on whatever was in the air. My brain is reeling.

"Harper!" Daniel says urgently, shaking my shoulders gently. "Are you okay?" I can't speak. "Harper, talk to me!" I just point at the TV. I feel sick.

His eyes flick to the screen, but his hands stay firmly on my shoulders, and he reads the headline, realizing what it says. Then, he turns his face back to me, concern clouding his beautiful, clear blue eyes as they search mine. "The girl? Did you know her?"

My mind is racing, and I can't see straight. The only thing I can see clearly is him.

I swallow. "She's my sister." I break away from Daniel's eyes to look at the TV again, but I can feel his eyes still focused on me. "And she's supposed to be dead."

~