Short Story Soup

A Long Time Coming

A/N - This was my entry for the Profectus Prompt Challenge Round 2! I hope you enjoy!

https://www.wattpad.com/story/260648255-profectus-prompt-contest-judging

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'She was my waitress at a restaurant this time,' I wrote in my journal, having just woken up from yet another dream. A dream with the same teenage girl, who seemed to be around my age, in it. For as long as I could remember, I had had recurring dreams involving this mystery girl. She used to show up less often, but lately, she was there every night.

'I took a moment to recognize her, but once I noticed the adorable freckles dusted across the fair skin on her face, her cute face-' I reeled my hand from the page, rereading my words before hastily erasing them. Seriously, what would my parents think if they read that? I thought to myself. They would send me to confessions every night at the idea that their only daughter found another girl "adorable" and "cute".

No longer feeling motivated to finish writing, I tossed the journal under my bed, threw on my school uniform, and scowled at my reflection in the mirror. I despised skirts, but going to Catholic school – against my will I might add – meant there were strict gender norms. After I finished getting ready, I hurried to leave the house, calling out goodbyes to my parents.

As the cold winter air of January hit me and the door clicked shut, I wondered if I would ever meet the unknown girl. My knees didn't think I'd have a chance to, since they felt frostbitten by the time I reached my car, but the rest of me had a glimmer of hope. It had to mean something, that the dreams were happening every night, right? Or do other kids have dreams about people they're never met on a nightly basis?

I opened the door of my car and slid into the driver's seat, starting it up and cranking the heat. I could only whine to myself that this car not only was parked in the cold of the driveway instead of the garage, but it also didn't have heated seats. My butt was going to be as frozen as my knees if the heat didn't kick in soon! Winter in Wisconsin was no joke!

The wait gave me a chance to think though.

I'd been dreaming about my mystery girl for at least ten years, probably longer. At first it was infrequent, maybe every other week. But ever since the beginning of last summer, they had been increasing in frequency. First, they were weekly, and then in the last month or so they started appearing every night. The funny thing was that most of them now included her driving in car, and then periods of her doing some sort of a job. None of them were romantic, for which I was grateful. I already thought she was attractive, so if I started having dreams about kissing her, I'd be even more uncomfortable around a family that would already judge my desires.

I had known I was into girls for years now, but there was no way I was going to come out and announce it. Last year a girl at school had come out, and everyone there had freaked out. I was stunned at the harassment she had received. She ended up transferring to the local public high school to finish her senior year where being out was less of an issue, and I felt a pang of jealousy that she could. But there was no way my parents would let me do that. Especially if me coming out was the cause. I'd be lucky to have a home.

I wondered idly if the dreams becoming so frequent meant something. Was she was somehow getting closer? Was she real and could I meet her? Would it be reckless to stop somewhere for breakfast, just in case she was there? I mean, that is crazy, right? There is no chance she would be real! But if she can't be real then I guess there would be no harm in maybe going to get some waffles, right? I still had plenty of time before school after all!

From what I remembered of the dream, it wasn't a high-end restaurant, and it wasn't fast food. So, the only real place in town that fit the bill was the Wolf Road Diner. Luckily, they also had awesome breakfasts, so I was going to come out ahead either way. On the other hand, if there was an adorable brunette with hazel eyes and freckles for my waitress, then I was going to have a hard time eating anything!