Dreaming

Chapter 2 - Dead Man

"Cass you okay?" Jake's voice was shaking.

"Yeah fine." Not fine at all but you can't explain years of bad dreams and then actually seeing a person who you thought was made up, and by-the-way you kill them every night in your dreams.

Cass tucked her hair wisps behind her ears. "Fine Jake, really. Go to class."

She'd probably break down and tell Jake the whole story, but she really didn't want to do that. Last time she told someone about her dreams...well her mom left, a physiologist wrote her some major prescriptions and her dad moved them to this tiny middle of "everywhere" (aka nowhere) town.

The truth was eating her up inside but she didn't want to loose Jake and she just wanted to be normal not the crazy girl with bad dreams.

Her face was bright red as she took her seat. Her cheeks flamed when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Cass looked to the heavens, could she get any help from up there on how to handle this situation?

Silence.

Another tap.

She turned towards him.

He was smiling and he was gorgeous.

"Hi I'm..." the bell rang and the teacher called for order.

Maybe Cass's prayer was heard.

Cass zoned out during roll call and new student introduction. She mindlessly ate the chocolate doughnut.

He was real!?! As in real.

With him right behind her how could she avoid him?

Her attention snapped back when she heard her name.

"...Cass, you will help him with the Shakespeare project..."

Him? Who, the new guy...oh crap.

She raised her hand. "Sir, I think someone else might have a better project."

The teacher shook his head, "Everyone else is teamed up, you were an exception to do a single person project. So this is great, now you will have a partner."

English class lasted forever.

All she could think about was the boy sitting behind her. She could feel his gaze on her hair, her frayed t-shirt that used to be black but was now more a dark brown.

What must she look like?

A mess.

Why couldn't she have just run a brush through her hair this morning? She did sometimes...okay never, but today would have been the day to start.

After class they exchanged texts so they had each others numbers. She still hadn't caught his name and at this point she didn't want to ask.

"Great, I'll see you around." He strolled out of the class like he owned the place. All the girls watched him, and several giggles broke out.

Once he was gone Cass found her legs could actually move. She went back to her locker for second period's book.

Thankfully Jake wasn't around. One look at her and he would know something was majorly up. One question from him and she might crack and tell him everything.

New guy was not in any more of her classes. One class was bad enough, and thank God she only had one class to worry about.

Luckily by the time she saw Jake she had gotten herself under control.

Smile on her face.

Cass was good at faking happy. She had done it her whole life.

"Say hi to Ann for me."

"Will do, see you tomorrow." Jake ran out of the building to his car.

Cass watched him drive off. She really hoped Ann would be okay.

As she walked home tears fell. Cass couldn't help it. The fear had been sitting on her all day and she saw no way out. No way out for Ann, and no way out for the new guy.

It wasn't fair. The only guy she had ever liked was the one in her dreams. Some nights they would talk and hold each other, before she killed him. He was kind and funny. His heart was good and he valued her.

No one ever came close to her dream guy, not even Jake.

And here he was, in her town.

Cass dreaded the future and she knew the only way to keep him safe...she had to stay away from him.