Dreamers

Chapter 2

Ally’s POV

 

            On the way home from school, I decide a workout would do me good. I drop Mimi off, change into shorts and a t-shirt, and head to the gym. When I get there, I grab my headphones and plug them into my phone before stepping onto the treadmill. One Direction pounds in my ears as I run run run. When I finish my run, I reverse my steps back to the car and home. By the time I get home, it’s 5:10. I grab my backpack from the backseat and head inside and upstairs to my room.

 

            I drop my backpack on the floor and then head straight into the shower I share with Mimi.

 

            I take a long, luxurious shower, letting my body soak up the warm water. After I wash my hair and shave my legs, I return to my room with my hair in a towel. I put on a pair of yoga pants and a crewneck sweatshirt that says “PHS” for Portland High School, where I go to school.

 

            I comb out my long hair and let it hang on my back to air dry while I get started on my homework.

 

            I go downstairs when Mom calls me for dinner and even stay to clean up and put away the dishes. Then I scurry back upstairs. I briefly pop into Mimi’s room to give her one of the chocolate chip cookies Mom just took out of the oven. I shove the one I brought for myself into my mouth and then returned to my desk.

 

            I emailed Mr. Albert the essay, though I doubt he’ll accept it. I look over my physics notes from today and decide I might, finally, start to understand a little bit. I power through my calculus homework, and, pleased with myself, finish all of my homework by 11pm.

 

            I smile to myself. This is the earliest I’ve been able to get to sleep in a couple weeks now. I change into pajamas and plug my phone in before making sure to set my alarm.

 

            I open the door to my room a crack and whisper “good night” to the rest of my family, in a sudden change of mood.

 

            No one replies, but I shrug it off. I run across my room and launch myself into bed, cuddling into the blankets. I flick off the light and close my eyes. I fall asleep almost immediately.

 

            I start to dream.

 

            In my dream, I’m standing at the front of the whole school while all the teachers and students are yelling at me and asking me confusing physics questions and calculus questions. Questions that I know I know the answers to, but just can’t process what they’re saying fast enough. I’m saying the answer to the previous question for everything they ask me. The yelling gets louder and louder, and then Cole Wilfred steps up in front of me and gets in my face, shouting about some physics question.

 

            I shudder awake and blink at my ceiling.

 

            I turn over and close my eyes again, casting all thoughts of physics, calculus, Cole Wilfred, and school in general out of my head.

 

            The next dream is just as strange.