Daydreams for the lonely

Always- pg

The past few nights I've been having nightmares. I've been sleeping in class because I'm to afraid to go asleep at night alone. At least In class I know there's people around me, when I'm alone at night, anything can get me.

These nights are one of the nights I'm having trouble falling asleep, I'm currently texting mason about my failed attempts at going to sleep. He told me I could call him, so here I am at 12:46am, calling mason, on a school night.

"How long do you want to be on this call?" I asked him while yawning. He laughs, "I don't think we will need to be on it much longer since you already sound like you're falling asleep." I roll my eyes even though he can't see me. "No seriously though, does my voice put you to sleep that easy? Damn." I laugh, "Dont worry it's not you, I'm just really tired since each nightmare feels so real. With most of them I know it's a dream, but a part of me gets scared I won't wake up from it."

"Damn... that's dark." He says. "Yeah I know." I hear him hmm for a second then he speaks again, "then how do you sleep so easily in your classes if you get nightmares?"
"Well I'm surrounded by people before I fall asleep and my dreams aren't bad at all, I think it's because my body knows I'm safe in a way and nothing can get me." I hear him sigh over the phone. "What?" I ask.

"Well I guess that means I'll have to stay on the phone with you til you fall asleep so you feel safe." I start laughing. "What makes you think I feel safe with you?" He scoffs over the phone, "you don't feel safe with me, fine then I'll end the call." Panic sets in rather quickly, "Wait no don't!" I say fast. "Mhmmm that's what I thought." I roll my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes." He says. Somehow he always knows them I'm rolling my eyes or making a face at him. It's weird.

" well close your eyes and get to sleeping." He says. "I can't sleep, I know you'll hang up so my body is already preparing for the nightmare."
"Sleep, you're tired,I'll be here when you wake up In the morning i swear." I eye my phone suspiciously, debating on what could, the worst is I have a nightmare regardless, the best is I don't have one. "Fine." I say coming to my conclusion.

I get under my covers and put the phone right next to my head. "Tell me a story?" I ask. "Really? A story, I'm already staying up late for you?" He says while laughing. "Fine you're right." I say not even trying to fight back.
I hear him grow quiet for a few seconds.

"Once upon time there lived a peasant," he starts and I giggle, he shushes me and then goes back to his story, "she lived in a village with her parents and ferret."
"her ferret?" I ask. "Yes a ferret, now let me continue," he clears his throat, "she was in love with a prince, and he liked her, yet he was fit to marry another. One day they snuck out together. Scandalous sluts I know."

As the story progresses I start falling asleep and I think he can tell by my lack of commentary. "Mason why do you like hanging out with me? I have nothing to offer you. I'm plain jane." He stops telling his story. He sighs, "you're cool." He says. "Oh" I say with barely any emotion in my word. "how close are you to sleep?" He asks.

I yawn while saying,"I'm pretty delusional right now so pretty soon like 3 minutes."
"That's good, you'll be okay." Hes says. I let out a dry laugh "I'll probably have a nightmare still." "Nope nope nope, I'm going to protect you you won't." He says in a serious voice. "You can't protect me in my dreams." I say. He scoffs , " I can sure as hell try. And remember if you wake up I'll still be here." I roll my eyes, "sure you will."

" I promise I won't leave you. I swear, just trust me." I mumble out yeah as I drift to sleep.

...

When I wake up I look out the window and see it's still dark. I say masons name not even opening my eyes to see if the call has been disconnected or not. I then hear a low groan and a very raspy voice mason says, "you're okay,you're safe, I'm still here".

"How do I know this isn't another one of my dreams?" I ask him. "You are still dreaming, I'm just a figment of the dream." Not knowing if this a dream or not I say, "well if this is a dream, I want you to know I like you, a lot, In a more than friend type of way, In a i dont mind your morning breath in the morning type of like. If this a dream that's great, but if not I'm totally screwed, either way I'm going back to sleep. Be here when I wake up?"

He laughs again, "always."