A Dragonfly's Dream

Chapter IV- That old perfume

DREAM JOURNAL

That old perfume

We were joking around. That old, gentle feeling was there. I was doing something when he suddenly cracked a joke. He was playing it cool, trying to start a conversation.

He was a funny, casual guy. Not at all romantic nor well equipped with flowery words.

That gentle feeling permeated the air like a sweet perfume --- through us, around us

.....

It was early in the evening. The halls of Svelle were silent but well lighted. Charise and I sat on the stairs, wearing our high school uniforms. I didn't have a ride that day so I had to hitch with her. Unfortunately, her dad said he would be quite late. So there we were, in our green and gold checkered skirts, talking as we waited.

"It's like reading a novel or magazine article." She said, after I just showed her my diary entries and the poem I wrote.

"Thanks, Charee. You really like my writing style?"

"Yes, I love the way you craft your words. It makes a person want to listen more."

"That's a nice thing to say, but then again you're my best friend, so you're obviously biased." To be honest, deep down, I knew that I was a good writer. Maybe it was just my love for drama and all that. But me and words, we got a long pretty well.

"Why don't you give it to him? Maybe he'll fall in love." Charise suggested, half joking.

I shook my head and disagreed frantically. "Oh, you know I can't ever do that!"

She smiled and looked at me curiously. "Did he look at you again today?"

"Yes, as usual. You know it happens every day now. I know it's crazy, but my days are no longer complete without our 'staring contests'."

I paused, and took a deep breath. I tried not to think of his eyes, but it was useless. He was all I thought about. Day in and day out. I thought about him. I wrote about him. He was in my head and I couldn't stop myself even if I tried. "I wonder if he will ever talk to me. I can see it in his eyes that he likes me. But he never says anything!"

"Maybe he's just not that kind of person. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you talk to him first?"

"Oh, Charee, I don't have the guts! What if he tries to make fun of me again?" The thought of approaching James first was just absurd. It was too risky. "I wouldn't know what to say to him!"

Charise had this look of disappointment on her face. "Well, it's just such a shame. All these love letters, poems---and he'll never know."

I thought about the poem I just wrote about him...

"I shall love him in my dreams."

............

I woke up on the sofa. Gail's mother was looking at me worriedly. I touched my head. "Did I just faint?" I remembered the darned St. Benedict's pendant weighing so heavily on me. Man, that was such a weird experience!

I heard the sound of Gail's voice. "Thank God, you're awake! I was so worried about you!"

"What did you feel when I put the medallion on you?" asked Gail's mother.

"Well, I felt like the pendant was hot and heavy on my head, and then I felt dizzy, and that was the last thing I remembered!" I answered, still a bit confused. I didn't tell Gail's mom that I had just yet another dream about my "high school crush".