Reverie.

Chapter 15

The journey that day took us to the edge of the desert. As soon as the dragons landed, Breck was at my side, helping me down off MeekShadow and helping me unpack my bags. I heard MeekShadow guffaw in the back of my mind, but I pushed it away as I smiled my thanks at Breck. I was figuratively walking on air as I set up my tent.

Chelsea sat on her cot and laughed at me as I grabbed a pillow and twirled around with in inside our spacious tent. Breck was amazing. I hugged the pillow to my chest. He was handsome, kind, sweet, and romantic. Truthfully, I was probably still reeling from his unexpected kiss that morning. I threw my pillow on my bed and grabbed Chelsea's hands and we swung around the room giggling. I had just told her what had transpired that morning.

"Stop," Chelsea finally gasped, holding her side. "Who are you and what have you done to Asha?" she wheezed, teasingly. My merry burst of laughter was interrupted by a knock coming from the entrance of our tent. 

Composing ourselves, we hustled to the door. Outside stood Shea, one of the two adult chaperones with us on our trek. Clearing her throat, she asked to come in. I opened the door wider, admitting her into our slightly mussed quarters.

"Tomorrow we enter the desert." It was a statement not a question so we didn't bother to reply. "Do you know how far it is? " She questioned. It was then I decided that I wasn't a big fan of Shea. She treated us like we were stupid, immature teenagers that had no idea what we were doing. Her voice seemed accusing and it grated on my nerves. She probably heard my laughter as she knocked, and drew her assumptions from that.

"122 miles," I proclaimed, glad to have studied the maps so diligently so I could prove her wrong. Her eyes flitted to me and I internally smirked at the annoyance I saw flit threw her gaze.

"Correct," she admitted, "But do you know of the danger that lies there-in?" Me and Chelsea exchanged glances. I seethed at the pleasure in her gaze as she realized that we didn't know. "There are dangerous tribes of desert-dwellers who live in the desert and don't respond well to people moving through their territory uninvited. I've come to ask you what you want to do about it?"

"Well," I started, "In the morning we are planning to collect water from the nearby river and have some dragons carry them across the desert. As for the tribes, we can send a scout before us to watch for these desert-dwellers. If possible, we could have the scout meet them and secure safe passage for the rest of us. If we don't see any, it will be all the better for us." Chelsea nodded beside me, agreeing with my ideas. I could almost see Shea's top lip curl in disgust.

"It's your quest," she finally muttered and walked swiftly out of the tent. I was astounded by her rudeness and wondered why she hated us so much. Chelsea, seeming to read my mind again, leaned toward me and whispered, as if Shea was waiting outside the tent with her ear pressed up against it, listening to our conversation.

"She's jealous because her quest failed when she went on hers. Everyone was killed but her, her dragon, my uncle, and his dragon. Her best friend and brother died during an attack. I think it was actually in this desert that it happened."

I shuddered. What if that happened to our quest? Could I be responsible for the death of everyone I was over? Breck? Chelsea? I shrugged away those depressing thoughts and prepared for bed.

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I kept debating to myself what I should tell Natylie. Was I really serious with Breck? I couldn't say that I didn't have feelings for Matthew either. I mean, he was the guy of my dreams. I had liked him since elementary school. I finally had a shot with the guy I had always dreamed about, the guy I had always liked. A few weeks ago, I would've killed to be in the position I was in now, with a chance to date the guy I had always wanted. So what was holding me back?

It was one person - Breck. But it was so much deeper than that. It was Breck - sweet, romantic, handsome Breck. He had similar interests as me, for goodness sake - we lived in the same two worlds! He knew something about me that nobody could even come close to guessing. He knew who I was in the other world - the dashing, daring, dangerous me that wouldn't hesitate to wink at a hot guy I saw in a crowd. I was nothing like that here.

I tried to avoid the subject as I joked with Natylie and Maddie as we walked down the hall, but I caught Natylie throwing side glances at me. I didn't realize why until I saw Matthew saunter toward us. I tried not to notice how he had eyes only for me.

"Where you guys headed?" He asked, still staring at me.

"Uh, third period," Maddie shot back.

"Oh," he blinked a few times, looking at Maddie, then back at me. He smiled at his own stupid question, I hoped. "Well, duh." I smiled back at him, praying that I wasn't doing anything I would regret later.

"Me and some of the guys are going out tomorrow night, to the movies. Do you guys want to come with us? It's going to be a large group, but it should be tons of fun. Afterwards we are going out to eat. " Again he had eyes only for me, and it was making me uncomfortable.

"Yeah!" Natylie flashed one of her winning smiles, but it was lost on Matthew. "I'd love it." Then she turned to look at me and Maddie. "Maddie? Asha? How 'bout it?"

"Yeah. I'm game." Maddie said, not looking up from her phone. Natylie's gaze turned to me and I suddenly felt a like I was facing Shea again. I glint of warning stood in her eyes. Not to warn me away from him, but to warn me not to lead him on or hurt him. I realize then why Natylie was so worried about how I treated Matthew; he was like a brother to her.

"Sure." I shrugged. "I have nothing else to do." Actually I did, my other world awaited, but I lived in this world just as much as I did in that one. This one deserved my attention too. I saw Matthew's countenance brighten as I gave my answer. He nodded at us and turned to go but stopped and addressed Natylie and Maddie.

"Don't worry," he winked, " the new guy? Bred, or what ever his name is --"

"Beck." Maddy cut in, looking up from her phone, a hungry hoping look in her eyes.

"Yeah, Breck, he's coming too." He turned and walked away and my stomach clenched.