I am counting down the seconds until the bell rings, Three, Two, One, and Brrring! I immediately grab my stuff off my desk and walk out of the classroom hoping to avoid a certain person, unfortunately I wasn't fast enough, I made a mental note to improve my time on escape from the end of 6th hour. I hear my name being called and attempt to ignore his voice. He walks up to me at my locker and taps me on the shoulder, this time I know I can't ignore him. I turn and say hello.
"What was wrong with you today in 6th hour?" he asks me with that stupid caring voice of his.
"I just fell asleep, you know me, and had a bad dream," I inform him hoping he won't see through my lie. With my luck he does.
"Come on I know you and you never sleep in Reading, it's your favorite subject," he asks beginning to get suspicious.
"I," I begin luckily I'm saved by the late bell, "I'll tell you later, after school maybe." I then turn to jog briskly to my next class, thankful for the bell.
"Where were you?" My Science teacher scolds me.
"My locker was jammed" I lied. Little did I know the moment I was using that excuse so was Josh.
I am handed a yellow slip, I groan, that's the third this week, my Dad is gonna kill me! My teacher, , motions for me to sit down in an empty seat.
"Today's lesson is about…." Mr. Wenzel begins. But, I'm too busy thinking my own personal thoughts to catch what I read about last night in Mr. Wenzel's speech. He couldn't just take the bait and go along with me sleeping in class! Now I'll have to tell him or lie and lose another good friend. He is part of my future, and he is my best friend, you've told him other important, super personal stuff. I hate reasoning with myself! I have always told him other things; I think he can be trusted. I do need some help getting through this part and he might be able to help. I will tell him.
That night I called him at home hoping his family didn't mind. I told him everything.
Then out of the blue he asks, "Want to go out with me?"
"Sure" I reply thinking I have nothing to lose.
That night I ponder if telling him was a good idea. I still think it was a good idea, I just hope that he can be trusted as much as I seem to think.
The next day in study hall I had a dream where Josh was in it. I didn't know what to do and how that could be possible because it certainly wasn't me who dreamed him in.
I was trying to save my grandpa from death of cancer and Josh had the cure in his hand…..
"Josh! Give it to me, give me the cure! Please let me save him let me have a great grandpa for my kids! Please!!!!!" I begged in tears. He wouldn't give it to me, I listened to my grandfather's heart beat slowing down and finally stopping. Then all at once he disappeared and I woke up.
I glance up after I pull myself together and find Josh on the floor next to my desk. He stands up shakily and gives me the saddest most disturbing glance I've ever seen.
"What's wrong?" I ask as I begin to feel the overpowering vibe from him, it feels like a sadness and sympathy vibe.
"Don't you know already?" he replies angrily.
Whoa! Josh calm down, please. You're gonna knock me out. I don't know, I can only feel your emotions not what caused them," I reply begging for him to calm down and reduce the pressure on my head that was increasing by the second. If he didn't calm down in about twenty seconds he was gonna knock me out. Unfortunately, he was too pissed off and didn't calm down.
Suddenly, I am on the floor, knocked out because of his over powering emotion. The next thing I know I am waking up with a ton of people over me. Josh's head swims into in my vision.
"Maggie, are you okay? I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I was trying, I thought you were lying, I'll explain everything later." He apologizes
"Josh," I reply weakly.
"Yes?" He replies.
"Shut up and get me outta here, I'm fine. I just need some food, and a bottle of water," I tell him rather harshly.
But, Deanne you have been out for two days, I have been here all the time. I finally left and they say you woke up after I left, I rushed back and here I am, trying to control my emotion."
"Josh, get outta here and get me out! ASAP. You're gonna knock me out again. I'm fine, and if they keep testing me they're gonna find out!"
Josh leaves and it gets better the farther he gets. A few hours later I am released out of the hospital after taking a blood test to see if I was okay.
That night he calls me and asks me to meet him at the park where he will explain everything. I go to the park and there he is, immediately I am hit by a wave of emotion I can't name.
"Calm down or you'll knock me out." I warn him.
He does and the explaining begins.
"I may be minding my own business and then I come in close contact with someone who is sleeping and suddenly I'm in their dream. I can't control it, can't leave, can't do anything, I just have to wait for them to wake up. That's how I got into the dream about your grandfather, I wanted to help but I couldn't, I had no control. I am sorry for the suffering you had to endure." He tells me apologetically.
"Wow, about time we are being honest with each other, I mean we have been best friends since first grade and look at us now look at us ten years later, telling each other our deepest, most personal secrets." I reply with awe and gusto.
"Who'd have thought we'd turn out like this?" Josh exclaims.
"I know, by the way, calm down," I warn him.
"Okay, sorry," he apologizes for the millionth time.
"Now, you're not the only person that pulls my trigger," I begin.
"Who else?" he asks.
"You, Michael Baker, Sebastian Simpson, anyone with a hangover, or someone with major emotions can get me knocked really easy." I tell him cautiously.
"Wow! What can I do to help you?" he asks.
"You can help by warning me by being observant, controlling yourself and covering for me." I tell him.
"I have to go, I'll try the best I can, and I'll see you tomorrow." He says with love and compassion in his voice.
I turn to go and head towards my house, my head buzzing with all of this new information. What if Josh and I aren't the only, the only one with surreal powers, there must be others like us……