You Should've Listened

Beautiful Nightmare

The next two weeks somehow go back to normal. Normal. I don't know what that word even means anymore. Nothing that's happening with Dahlia should be normalized but-

     I cut off my thoughts off as I feel myself getting mad all over again. Dahlia and I aren't... stiff anymore. Those first few days after I brought her home hurt were weird, maybe because I was so mad but we're back to our usual routine.

     "Good morning, Reese." I look over at Dahlia, brows furrowed. She has a smile on her face but I'm still confused.

     "Reese?" I question her new nickname and she shrugs as she puts her seatbelt on.

     "You call me Doll and I wanted to give you a nickname. You don't like it?" I think about it for a second then shrug.

     "I'm not against it."

     "You hate it." We both break into a laugh then I drive off. After a few minutes she notices we're not going the right way and turns to me.

     "Where are we going?

      "The beach." I keep my eyes forward but I can feel her eyes on me.

     "Aries." She starts and from her tone I can sense her concern. "They'll call him if I'm absent. You know I-"

     "They won't call." I glance at her so she can see the certainty in my face. "My friend helps the attendance lady on Thursday. We won't be marked absent." She looks like she thinks about it for a second then I see her relax and a smile grows on her face.

     "Why the beach?"

     "We're going to knock out your bucket list today." I made her make a real bucket list after we talked about the safe houses she wanted to make.

     Learning to swim, maybe surf, build a big sand castle on top of her like in Lilo and Stitch. Those were all on her bucket list mainly since she's never been to a beach.

     She said she didn't give it much thought and they were dumb things for a bucket list but I disagree. "Why today?" I shrug as I keep on our drive.

     "The weather is perfect for all those things plus today is a make-up day. Neither of us are behind in classes, it'll be a waste of good weather." She doesn't disagree.

     It's about a half hour drive to the beach, she plays music the entire time and we end up singing along to every song together.

     "Either way I don't want to wake up from this!" Dahlia screams the lyrics as the wind blows her hair every which way.

     "Tattoo your name across my heart!" I yell with her and she turns to me with a smile. "So it will remain!"

     "Not even death can make us part!" We sing along at the same time and I chuckle at the way she pours her heart into every song.

     "What kind of dream is?" I start.

      "You can be a sweet dream! Or a beautiful nightmare!" She tilts her head out the window. "Either way I don't want to wake up from this!" We finish off the song together and are a laughing mess.

     "How do you even know that song?" I turn to her, shocked she could even ask me such a thing.

      "It's Beyonce." I say like that explains everything because it does. "Who doesn't know Sweet Dreams by Beyonce?" She throws her head back laughing. The rest of the drive goes the same, us singing each song at the top of our lungs.

     When we get to the beach I get things out from the back. "You packed things for us?" She looks at me with soft eyes.

     "Just food, a blanket and supplies for our giant sand castle." She smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes and I can tell something is wrong. "What is it?"