Dreaming of Alten

Chapter 11. Alten in Real Life

We're pretty much done with our history project when Mom calls to see where I am. "I'm still at Alten's," I say, without thinking, and the second I say it, I wonder if she's going to ask me who Alten is, but obviously she doesn't.

"Okay," she says. "Just make sure you get back in time for dinner. And remember to thank his mom for sending us those tiny dessert things from Korea."

"His parents aren't here, Mom."

"Oh, yes, of course. They're in Mexico this week."

I wonder how it is that Mom seems to be on such good terms with Alten's mom, but of course she would be. This is my perfect fantasy come to life, and I would never consider it perfect to have our parents hate each other.

"Was that your mom?" asks Alten, after I hang up.

"Yeah, she's just checking up on me and making sure I'll be back in time for dinner. She also said to thank your mom for sending us tiny dessert things from Korea, which is just so insane on so many levels, that I can't even begin to explain how insane it is."

Alten runs his fingers gently down my arm. "Why don't you just relax and enjoy it?" he says. "Overthinking it just makes it worse. Just go with the flow. Pretend this is a dream."

"That's really good advice, but impossible for me to actually do."

He grins at me. "Come on. I'll drive you home."

~

Dad's just getting home when we pull up to the driveway. "Hey!" he calls, opening my door and giving me a one-armed hug. "How was your day, honey?"

"Great. How was yours?"

"Not as great. Hi, Alten. How are you doing? How's school? Your parents back from Mexico yet?"

Dad seems really pleased to see Alten, which surprises me a little bit. I had sort of imagined that Dad would be kind of wary of someone who was my first real boyfriend, but maybe in this reality all that is in the past and this is the part where they start getting along.

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" says Dad, walking up to the front door and unlocking it. "You're more than welcome."

"I'd love to," says Alten, as though this is a daily occurrence for him.

Dad yells to Mom that we're home and that Alten is staying for dinner, and Alten automatically goes to the dining room and starts getting the stuff to set the table. He does it so naturally that suddenly I feel a bit scared at how much he knows about me and my life, all of the little things that he doesn't even need to think about.

Mom serves up the food and we start eating. My parents talk to Alten like he's someone they've known since he was a kid. They seem to know more things about Alten's life and background than I do, and it's obvious from the things they say that they're really good friends with his parents.

I like how comfortable Alten is with my parents, and I like how comfortable they are with him. Even better, I like the relationship that seems to exist between our families.

It's strange, really, how bringing Alten to life has made things better for everyone. Lily, Tyler, my parents. It makes me wonder if maybe Alten being real isn't what made everything better. Maybe everyone had their own perfect fantasies, and when I pulled Alten into my reality, I just also happened to pull everyone else's fantasies through with him.

~

Alten leaves shortly after dinner.

I go up to my room, and the first thing I check is my closet. Just as I expected, there's a new dress hanging inside, a beautifully breathtaking dress of pale green, the kind of thing I would wear when meeting Alten in my dreams. I can see myself buying this. I can imagine the rush I would have felt at seeing it in a shop window. It's the perfect dress for the dance. I can't wait to see Alten's face when he sees me in it.