SECRETS - A CALEB MCLAUGHLIN AU STORY

CHAPTER 6 - TOO MUCH ON MY MIND, I'M ALL IN MY HEAD

CHAPTER 6

TOO MUCH ON MY MIND, I'M ALL IN MY HEAD

Caleb had a spare bedroom at his house on the beach. Him being who he is, he would have guests over all the time. Jacob slept there. When he went to sleep last night... he had a horrible nightmare. It felt like as soon as he drifted into sleep, the moment it began, so did the nightmare.

He was standing in a black void. Silence. Then, he heard laughing. Caleb laughing.

But it wasn't his sweet, warm laugh. This was an evil laugh. A sinister laugh.

Jacob looked over at him, and Caleb kept laughing. Then, he sneered at Jacob.

"You really think you have a CHANCE with me?!"

Jacob is confused, "Wha- No? Caleb, I... I know I can only be friends with you. I know that, and..."

Jacob stops.

The nightmare Caleb approaches him.

"And it's TEARING YOU APART, ISN'T IT?! All you want is me! You ONLY want to be with me. It's all you want from life now, is ME! And imagine what would happen, if I found out. What if I found out how you really felt about me?! Imagine what would happen then?!"

Jacob takes a deep breath, "I know this isn't real. This is just a bad dream."

The nightmare Caleb steps closer, still a horrible, sinister sneer on his face,

"Does it matter? You know what will happen if I find out... You'll be ALONE again."

"Stop," Jacob quietly says, trying to remain calm.

"You know it," the nightmare Caleb smiles, "You know, the second I find out about how you really feel about it, I'll be DISGUSTED."

Jacob clenches his teeth and fists, "Stop!"

"And now," he all of a sudden hears his father's voice. He turns around and sees him standing there,

"You destroyed your relationship with your family, all for him!"

"It wasn't FOR him!" Jacob yells, "Caleb made me realize how fucked up you were! Because of Caleb, dad... I realized that you were pulling me down too! Caleb helped me do that!"

"Oh yeah?" the nightmare of his father asks, "And did you see the look on Caleb's face when you yelled at him?"

Jacob clenches his fists again, "Stop."

"You may have Caleb now... but do you really think you can keep this secret? You won't be able to contain yourself. One day, you'll try something. You'll do something. And Caleb WILL find out. Imagine what he'll think. Imagine the look in his eyes, looking at you..."

"STOP! STOP IT!!!"

"You know I'm right. And then you'll be truly... ALONE!" the nightmare of his father smiles.

"I SAID STOP!!!"

...

"Jacob? Bro?" Caleb shakes Jacob awake.

Slowly, but surely, Jacob is drifted out of sleep. Once again, he has a pounding headache.

He gets up, puts his hand on his head.

"Oof," he slowly mutters.

Caleb, now in a blue jean jacket and jeans, looks down at Jacob,

"You ok, buddy?"

"My head is POUNDING," Jacob complains.

"Oh, um, I think I have some Advil in one of my cabinets, I'll go get it," Caleb nods, then gets up.