Broken Dreams

Chapter 14

It had been a couple of weeks since she had dinner with her family. So much was said during that encounter but what April said about pretence just kept on ringing in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that statement gave her. She hadn't been able to go home because school and work were literally kicking her butt. Since then, she'd taken quite the number of tests and she was due for payment of some bills so, she worked quite the number of shifts. It had been such a feat to meet up with Michael. They, however, spoke on the phone frequently. This weekend she was through with a bunch of quizzes so she planned to decompress and she intended on doing that in her brother's house because she truly missed him and April. It was a Friday afternoon, she had no more classes for the day and she was going to take the bus home and pack up the necessities and hitch another bus ride home since her sorry excuse of a car had given up on her two days ago hours before one of the most important tests of her life.
She had just stepped outside the building basking in the warmth of the sun when her phone dinged signalling the arrival of a text message.
"Don't move. You look otherworldly in the light. Let me get a pic"
She smiled and looked out to spot him and he waved her over in the parking lot. He was sitting on the hood of his car looking all yum.
She ran to him and he gathered her in a passionate embrace.
"Hey, I wasn't expecting you"
"I know. It was supposed to be a surprise"
"Well, I liked it a lot"
'So, what brings you by?"
"I was thinking since we haven't seen each other in a while then we should go out and celebrate the end of a stressful couple of weeks"
"Oh, I love the sound of that. What do you want to do?"
"I was hoping you'd pick the activity since it's for your enjoyment"
"Well then let's go dancing!"
"I cannot dance to save my life, babe"
"Neither can I but I don't let that stop me. Come on, it would be fun"
"Alright, let's do that then"
She jumped excitedly.
"Let me text my brother real quick. I was supposed to spend the weekend with him and my sister-in-law"
"Alright"
She texted Jason and April who were sorely disappointed with the change in plans because they'd missed her.
"Aaaw, they are so sad that I can't make it"
"You can still see them tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah. Let me tell them I am still coming but not today"
She informed them and they told her to have a fun night and they can't wait to hang with her the next day.
"All done! Now, I'm all yours"
"Ooh I like the sound of that," he says as he grabs her by the waist.
Stopping in front of her apartment building, "I'll be back later so we can have fun" he said
"Alright cool. I can pack my stuff for my brother's place and maybe have a power nap before I get ready"
"Babe, you don't know how to power nap"
"What? Says who? I can power nap. Text me when you come"
"Says me but okay"
"Catch you later babe", she said pecking his lips
"Bye"
She had spent the next couple of hours setting her apartment straight and getting her things ready for the weekend at her brother's place. She was exhausted and she could really do with a power nap. She quickly grabbed what she wanted to wear tonight and laid it up on a chair in her bedroom. She then threw herself on her bed for a power nap.
She was sprawled across her bed deep in sleep. Her phone had been buzzing for an hour but she was too deep in dreamland to notice. It'd been an hour past her meeting time with Michael and he was worried. She wasn't answering the door and neither was she answering her phone. He stood out there knocking and calling till one of her neighbours got sick of the noise and came out.
"Hey, man, I'm Josh. Can I help you?"
"Yeah actually. Have you seen Jane? I'm Michael"
"No, I haven't. Is there a problem? Michael huh" he answered giving him a once-over smirking
"Kind of. I dropped her off earlier so she can get ready for our date later but I haven't been able to reach her since"
"She probably knocked out. She was supposed to finish her exams today. Let me get my key to open it up for you"
"You have a key to her apartment?"
"Yeah, we exchanged keys a while back"
"Wow, and I'm dating her and I don't have a key? What kind of relationship do they have?
Josh came back a few minutes with the key and open up the door and lo and behold, Jane was totally knocked out on her bed.
I don't think you guys are going for that date of yours. She looks really exhausted. Why don't you go and I'll let her know when she wakes up?" Josh suggested.
Michael was taken aback by the suggestion but he could hardly do anything at this point so he took one last glance at her and then left her apartment with Josh who locked it after they exited and proceeded to his own place.
He sat in his car thinking about the events for a while and drove off.
It was almost midnight when Jane finally woke up. She sat up with a jolt and checked her phone. She had a ton of missed calls and messages, mostly from Michael.
She called him but he didn't answer so she texted to apologise for missing their date. She was starving but then she knew she had nothing to eat because she hadn't planned on being home this evening. She took a quick shower and went over to Josh's place. He absolutely loved to cook and she loved to eat so she knew she'd be fine.
She texted him that she's coming over for food and he said she should come right over.
She went next door and after he'd served her some food, he excused himself to shower.
She was halfway through with her meal when Michael texted that he was at her door. She got up to meet him.
When she emerged out of Josh's instead of hers, his eyes widened. Just before he could get a word out, Josh came out looking like someone who had just stepped out of the shower.

P.S: Thanks for reading!