FALL (DIMENSION Series #1)

CHAPTER 13

It had been so unexpected to see Derek that it felt like I might be dreaming.

     There were times when I'd questioned my perception of things. Like when I'd seen him—or the apparition of him—during my fall. Who knew what was real anymore? I was so obsessed with him that it seemed possible that I might somehow insert his dreamlike image into my daily reality.

     But I knew for sure that this was real. The rest of my body confirmed what my eyes had seen. My heart was hammering in my chest, my legs were still too weak to lift me from my chair. And my hands were trembling slightly.

      The reality of Derek at my house was wonderful, but I needed more. I needed to see him up close. Close enough to peer into his eyes.

     I was still baffled by his presence here. Why had he come over? We didn't really know each other well. And it wasn't like I'd invited him over. But I thought I already knew the answer to that question. Derek Nash was a cool person. He didn't need an invitation. He didn't do things in a conventional way. He did things his own way.

     Sitting at my desk, I listened closely to what might be happening downstairs. Was that the front door opening? Was Derek actually stepping into our house? This was something I'd often imagined—dreamed about, really—but never actually expected to happen.

     I became aware of the pain in my shoulder. I tried to block it out by staring at the tree outside my window. I stared at it until its leaves turned into a yellow blur. In contrast to the blurred leaves, things were crystallizing in my mind. I could see now that Derek had been with me since our last conversation. Even though he hadn't physically been present, he'd been present in my mind.

     He'd been with me in the forest as I'd skirted across the fallen leaves—around the trees and in and out of patches of shadows and sun. He'd been with me during my fall. Even after I'd crashed into the pile of leaves—and so confused that I'd thought myself entangled in a giant spider web—I'd thought of him. I'd felt his presence in my hospital room and he'd been with me during the car ride home. And now he was actually in our house, probably talking to my mother.

     I balled my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palms. It was all I could do not to open my bedroom door and hobble down the stairs. Of course I wanted to go to him. It seemed I should make this effort—seeing as he had made the effort to come to my house. But it was more than that. It was like I was being pulled to him by some kind of external force. I had to go to him. I couldn't stop myself. But the problem was my mother. She'd be alarmed if I came across as too eager, I had to play it somewhat cool.

     So, I remained sitting at my desk, staring at the trees. Waiting and wondering. Things were taking longer than expected. I couldn't imagine what kind of conversation Derek had gotten into with my mother. And I didn't really want to. I didn't think my mother would like him. She'd see him for the cool kid he was. And she'd see him as trouble, too.

     I started fidgeting with things on my desk. I stacked up my notebooks and clumped together my pens into a neat pile. I was looking for things to do. Trying to distract myself. But I couldn't stop the thoughts from crashing through my brain. What if he hadn't come to our house to see me? What if he'd come here for some other reason? What if my mother had found some reason not to invite him in? Many questions were boiling up inside me. It was all getting to be too much.

     Finally, there was a knock at my door.

     "Come in," I said, realizing too late that I hadn't brushed my hair or checked my appearance in any way. This was what happened whenever Derek Nash entered my realm, I forgot myself and focused on him. Now I'd be facing him with messy hair. Thankfully I'd changed into clean clothes at the hospital. But my jeans and gray sweatshirt didn't exactly make for a spectacular outfit.