The Dreamer Trilogy: Book One

Chapter 19

The elevator dings, and the white doors slide open silently. There are a couple other people there, one of them I recognize from the main living space. Callista2 and I step out on either side of the elevator out of courtesy as the people inside exit. I hear two of them whispering as they walk out. Something about The Room. Their voices were muffled so I didn’t catch everything they were saying. “After you” Callista2 says, breaking me out of my trance. She waves her arm toward the door, as if I were a king entering a throne room. “Thanks” I reply softly and step inside. She smiles at me and walks in as well. I push the “2” button and we descend to the Amateur Level once again. I check my watch. 7:30. We only took about twenty minutes checking this out, we could still go back to our apartment and I can show her that there is, in fact, vents on the ceiling. “Hey, we still have a half hour until class starts, how about I prove you wrong?” I say, smirking. “Psh. You wish” She replies, flipping her hair to one side and I can tell she’s holding back a grin. We arrive at the second floor and step outside. As we walk down the hallway to our apartment, I see Chris3 at the end, walking towards us with a shy smile. “Hey” I say to him as he approaches. “Hi” He replies, his cheeks getting red. Callista2 speaks up. “Hi, I’m Callista2. And you are?” She says, reaching her hand out to him. “Chris3” He states, sounding unsure if that was even the correct answer. He shakes her hand but I can tell he was embarrassed. “Well I should be getting to class so...I’ll talk to you guys later?” He says, asking with hopeful eyes. “Definitely, see you in Physical Workout” I say, patting him on the shoulder. “Yeah...sure” He replies, before scurrying off down the hallway from which we came, his blonde hair flowing behind him. “Who was that?” She asks me, giggling. “Chris3. He was the first person I met when I moved to the Amateur Level. We both got here the same day, and it just so happened that we lived across from each other.” I answer. “He’s cute with his little nerd glasses” She giggles more. I get a little jealous, but try not to let it show. “Yeah...I guess” I say, sounding nonchalant. She looks at me and then turns, walking toward the apartment. I follow, and she enters first. “Now, please show me these mysterious vents you dragged me out to see” She says, looking back and smiling at me as she walks to the couch. “My pleasure” I say, sitting down next to her and grabbing the remote from the table. I click the power button and the screen flickers on. I scroll through the channels until I find the one of the hallway. “See?” I say, standing up and walking over to the television. “The vents are right here” I continue, and then making an invisible circle with my finger around the vents. Callista2 squints her eyes, and then leans back. “You were right” She says, shrugging her shoulders and then folding her arms. “Thank you!” I shout, my voice booming throughout the apartment. She laughs and I sit down beside her. I pull out my watch again and see that it is 7:40, almost time to get to class.