Accidental Beauty

Chapter Twenty-Two

♡ C a t ♡

Of course, if this occurred in the timeline of any normal teenager's lives, they would wake up after their session of probably some highly illicit drug use feeling the remaining essence of their high dissipate. Since having visions provided by the god of sleep would only happen to a person clearly infused with a generous amount of vape. They would stand up from the Starbucks floor quite dizzily, laugh it off, and continue on their way.

Much to my disappoint, we aren't average, addicted teenagers anymore, or never were to begin with. That explains why when I gained consciousness, the cool, Starbucks flooring had disappeared and sharp rocks were stabbing themselves into my back. I slowly sat up, brushing the clinging pebbles off my skin hastily. The sun was a burning orb in the cloudless sky, beating down onto me and stinging my eyes with its luminance.

Fragments of memory drifted into my mind, though none pieced together the way I had hoped. Hypnos showing me my alleged 'deepest desire' which I would like to disagree with. I'm far too young to get married, especially to Jake, a boy who both hates me and my cabinmate Kayla alike. Never going to happen. Hypnos must have gotten it wrong, because never had I once dreamt of being with Jake.

My eyes examined our current surroundings. Jake, Kate, and James were sprawled out around me, all still sleeping. We were laying in the middle of an abandoned parking lot with a vacant building looming over us to match. The pavement was cracked, and honestly, steaming with the rays of the sun. I jumped to my feet, then swayed on the soles of my boots. My head rushed with the abrupt rise. I must've been out for a while.

"Cat!" A nervous voice exclaimed from behind. I turned around, seeing a disgruntled Faith standing with her hands poised on her hips, a puzzled tilt to her head, "What the hell happened?" She demanded directly.

"What?" I asked quietly, even though I heard her as clear as day. I just didn't really want to confide my most recent dream to her at the moment.

Jake began to stir, groaning as his hazel eyes were revealed groggily. He reached a hand up to his head, then stood up. My eyes met his, then we both quickly glanced at something other than each other, which was the parking space line for me. My heart was beating a startlingly pace. I know it's childish to feel awkward around Jake when it was only a dream, but I do. I can't even look at Jake.

Kate woke up a few minutes before James, both looking around with the same hazed glint in their eyes as Jake had. We all must have been graced with a visit from Hypnos, previously and preferably known as the Starbucks guy. I couldn't help but feel curious about what everyone else had experienced, and who it involved.

Kate stared at the building before us, then inquired, "What happened to Starbucks?"

Faith answered, her voice very much concerned, "I don't know, you guys all passed out and then it just disappeared. What happened?" She asked asked again with urgency, "Did they put something in your drinks?"

"You mean you didn't have the dream things?" I wondered aloud. James shifted his weight, slightly turning away from us.

Faith shook her head, "No. What do you mean?"

I dipped my head, finding my dirty boots far more endearing than explaining our current situation to Faith. I don't think I'll ever confess what had happened in my dream, to anyone. I still can't believe what it revealed, or didn't, because that will never happen. Jake's refusal to even acknowledge that I'm standing only a couple feet away from him is evidence enough.