In Your Dreams

Chapter 23: Remember

The next morning I offer to walk Casey to her psychology class so we can plan which movies we want to watch over the weekend. After she enters the classroom and I return Brian's wave, I excitedly head for the glittering glass science building, which is ablaze with sunshine bursting in from every direction. It's not until I get to the top of the stairs and see Chris waiting outside our biology room that an incredible realization comes rushing at me and I remember our breakthrough from last night.

"Chris!"

We shoot each other a quick smile, not able to say anything with so many people milling around us. The sunlight that washes everything in bright white feels like a perfect match for my mood right now.

When I make it to Chris' side, the classroom door opens and the previous class spills out. And then, like salmon swimming upstream—which, coincidentally, happens around this time of year—Chris and I are swept into the room in the current of our fellow students.

"Same seats as last time?" Chris proposes, catching my nod before he squeezes into the crowd and leads both of us to the fourth row. We slide into our seats and before we can say anything about last night, Professor Kowalski sails in, abruptly starting the lecture.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" His stark white lab coat and quirky question-mark-studded tie do nothing to take the emphasis off the burn on his cheek. "I have a riddle for you: Spartan. Red Prince. Granny Smith. Does anyone want to continue?" His smile competes with the brightness spilling in through the ribbon of window in the classroom door behind him. "Hint: It's not a list of people you'd invite to a duel—although, if it were, my vote would be on Granny."

Everyone laughs.

Someone in the front right corner raises his hand.

The professor nods. "Greg, go ahead."

"Gala."

Another student raises her hand.

"Beata," the professor notes.

I don't think I'm the only one who's surprised. When the professor stayed back on Tuesday to talk to us, he must have been getting to know us and memorizing our names.

"McIntosh."

Professor Kowalski smiles. "I think you guys know what we're talking about. So." He opens his arms invitingly. "What are we talking about?"

My favourite fruit! I raise my hand.

The professor looks in my general direction and then his gaze lands on me. "Jessie."

I smile. "Apples!"

Professor Kowalski pauses. "Correct!" He pulls on his tie and starts pacing, turning towards the room at large. "Yesterday I went to the grocery store to buy some apples. The stickers on the apples said they were from Chile."

Someone bursts out laughing. "Sorry."

Professor Kowalski waves kindly. "No, Ariana, I think you get my point exactly. I was as perplexed as you are! It's not uncommon to see produce from other countries, but apples? We're Canadian! We grow our own apples! Why do we need to get them from Chile?"

"Because," the professor continues, "we had a warm winter this year. According to CBC, a warm February and March gave way to early apple blossoms, eighty-eight per cent of which were killed by an April frost." He shrugs. "That means that this September, we have very few autumn apples to look forward to."

I squirm, disappointed. Apples are my favourite fruit. I used to love picking them with Bella and Tyler when they were younger.

"The planet's that fragile?" someone wonders out loud. "I mean, I know about ecosystems and stuff, but I thought maybe humans would have come up with some sort of technology to combat that."