The Dream Machine

Seven

"This your place?" Frederick asked me as he pulled his minivan up to my mailbox.

"Yep," I replied, "this is the one." I stepped out of the car and breathed in the air. It was like just waking up from a deep sleep which it had been for me. 

"Listen," he croaked, "tonight, I'll meet you right back here. And remember, don't tell anyone." With that said, Frederick drove away, leaving me to deal with my sister.

I walked into the house and Bridget, my sister, ran up to me. "Good evening, Sandler. I've made dinner."

This was the first time since the Macaroni Incident of '09, that Bridget had cooked for the family. Of course, however, it would only be me tasting her "masterpiece" while she watched. "What monstrosity awaits me in the kitchen? And, aren't you worried that I was out so late?"

"Why would I be worried?" she questioned, "You sent me a text saying that you and George were gonna study 'til 5:30. It's 5:30."

Oh my gosh, Frederick really could use his powers. This was too bizarre, "Oh yeah, I texted you right before lunch, so I wasn't thinking straight, but thanks for understanding."

"Oh, I understand fine. Studying with your friends is an important part of the 8th grade experience. In fact, once you get into high school, it gets harder to spend time with them. Cherish the time you have now."

"Thanks, so what is for dinner?" I choked, hardly holding in the fact that I had just tricked my sister for the first time in my entire life. 

She quickly responded, "Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Since '09, I've been trying to dumb it down for myself."

"Good thinking," I declared, setting my backpack down at the doorway. We walked into the kitchen. I soon smelled the sweet aroma of store-bought soup. She quickly coaxed me to the table as she set the plate of hot, tomato soup and the plate with a sizzling grilled cheese onto the table. We soon attacked our food, leaving an awkward silence between the two of us, knowing that there was another set of of two that should be with us.

"Do you think Mom and Dad think about us? I mean, we literally never see them anymore." Bridget said, letting the mood of the room change from happiness to despair. 

I set my sandwich down, "I bet that they think about us all the time. Their job could get stressful, what with them being late-night insurance support team members."

"Yeah," Bridget sighed and pushed her chair out from the table, "I'm gonna go work on my homework." she left without saying a word. I wondered if this what how my life was gonna be until I graduated from high school. Eating dinners with only a despairing teenager as a companion. 

I don't know what Bridget's deal is. She always brings up Mom and Dad. As if, if she doesn't, they'll cease to exist. 

My feet find the familiar carpet that is my bedroom and I jump onto my bed, sighing from the exhaustion of today. I can do practically anything while I'm asleep. That information shakes me to my core, knowing that I'm capable of anything as long as I'm unconscious. How is this even possible? It outlooks every form of science, according to George. But then again, they are dreams. Are they even supposed to make sense? 

I grab my phone and start dialing Lizzie's number. My fingers find the green button and I lift the speaker to my ear. I get 3 rings before I hear Lizzie's chirpy, alto voice. The voice that I had fallen in love with. The voice that couldn't be mine, not yet.

"Hello?" she peeped, "What do you need?"

Before I could stop myself, I spluttered, "Have you ever loved someone so much that you just couldn't believe it? That your affection for them is so great that it can't be contained? You want to be their soul mate, but you can't find the right words to make that happen? Because so many times, I couldn't, but now, it seems like I have. And, Lizzie, I love..." my breathing stopped. My voice was muted; I wasn't able to speak. 

"What are you saying, Sandler? she choked, nervously awaiting my answer. I wanted to scream that it was her! It was her who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with! It was her who I thought of every night when I banged my head on my pillow, and every morning I welcomed a new day! It was her! But, I couldn't say that.

"I love Jennifer." I breathed. Jennifer was also a girl I'd known from Mrs. Dinglebin's second grade class. I had nothing against the girl. She had cute, short brown hair, like Fault in Our Stars' Shailene Woodley. We just never became friends, but Lizzie didn't know that. She was now convinced that I was desparately in love with her. 

"That's cool," she replied, "I could totally see you two together. When you think about it, you guys would make a cute couple."

"I know." I croaked, "It's been on my mind since sixth grade."

"Well, that's awesome, but I gotta finish studying. I heard the History test is gonna be super hard tomorrow."

"Okay, see you tomorrow." 

"Bye."

"Bye," my voice proclaimed. I had made a major mistake. Something that I would have to pay for in days to come, but then a thought occured to me. Why not make Jennifer my girfriend? It couldn't make matters much worse. Yeah, why not do that? 

Tomorrow, during school, I'm gonna ask Jennifer Arenburg out on a date.