No Thanks, Mate [Completed]

Chapter Thirty-two (:the end:)

Chapter 32

I did have a dream.  I really should stop wishing for a dreamless sleep, because I never get it.  However, unlike last time this dream was good.

I was sitting on a chair in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a blanket, and a man’s arms.  I was about ten years older, and had little kids running around me, laughing, screaming “mommy, mommy.”

One little girl in a pink shirt that reminded me of Jessica came over and hugged me.  “Mommy, I love you.  I love you, too, Daddy.”

A familiar voice replied, “Isabella, I love you, too.”

“You’re my little princess,” I continued.

“I love you guys.”  She climbed up onto our laps and gave us both kisses on our cheeks.

“Kyle, can you put the kids to bed tonight?  I just want to sit here a while longer.”

“Okay, dear.”  And with that, he kissed me quickly on the lips and stood up and carried Isabella and the two boys up the stairs behind us to their rooms.  I sat at the fireplace a few more minutes until Kyle came over and picked me up bridal style, carrying me up to our room.  He was about to kiss me when I woke up.

“Lainey.  I heard you’re fine, so I rushed over.”  At first, I thought it was Kyle, but then my brain started working and I realized who it really was.

“Caleb.  Hi.”

“Hi yourself.”  I saw genuine worry in his face as he pulled me into a bear hug.  “Oh God, you scared the crap out of me!”

I hugged him back for a moment, but then I remembered the dream and pulled away.

“Caleb.  I want you to know that this past week has been great.”

I hated myself for what I was about to do.  “But I feel like something’s missing.  I’m so sorry, but I want to be just friends.”

He looked really upset, but just upset.  No anger, no pain, no insane psycho attack on a park bench.

“I understand.  Yeah, I would like to be friends.”

I smiled and sat up, hugging him one last time before asking for the doctor.  Caleb went and got him, and I gave the man a genuine smile.

“What time is it?”

“Um, it’s,” he looked at his watch.  “Two in the morning.  How are you feeling?”

“Really good.  Much better.  Can I get up and walk around?”

“Um, yes.  Your friend, Katie, stopped by again with a change of clothes.  They should be right next to your bed on the table.”  I looked over, and sure enough there was a bag with a pink t-shirt sticking out of the top.

I stood up when the doctor left and changed quickly.  Then I walked out of the room, asking the lady behind the counter where the cafeteria was.  I followed the instructions she gave me and got some mashed potatoes and sat down.

“What the Hell happened last night?”

I looked up to see Gina standing in front of me, sitting down at my table.

“Gina, do you remember it?”

“That creepy blond girl, April?  How could I not?  She had a chokehold on me!”

I took a deep breath, preparing to tell her what happened.

“That girl was a vampire.  That’s how she was so strong.  My brother was, too.”  I continued to tell this girl the story of my life it seemed, and she frowned when I was done.