Chapter 1:
Dreams

'What a strange dream. . .'

I woke up Monday morning with a pounding headache. I'd had a dream. It was about Kevin, and Adam. And strangely. . .Ramsey too. I hardly remembered details about the dance the night before. It had all been too overwhelming. But my dream--that pieced together clearly.

I'd been dancing with Ramsey when Adam and Kevin entered the room. They were walking. Both of them. They came over to me and invited me for a spin in Adam's new car. I accepted, leaving Ramsey dancing by himself.

We piled into Adam's car and began driving--Kevin at the wheel, of course. We were driving fast and reckless. And we were flying high until we sped right through a stoplight. . .

I remembered an intense pain in my legs. And then nothing.

I woke up.

"What a strange dream," I said, to myself. I swung my legs out of bed and stood up. My back cracked a few times as I groggily made my way over to the mirror. I groaned at my reflection. "Bed head. . ."

I checked the clock on my wall. It was too late to take a shower. Instead, I pulled my dark brown hair back into a loose bun. After stuffing on a khaki bucket hat on top, a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, I made her way downstairs.

A stranger was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Dreams are interesting," said the stranger, "Joan."

So it wasn't a stranger. It was God. "Hiya, God. Nice to see you. Could you, like, give me some warning next time? I mean, you almost put me into a state of cardiac arrest. . ." I grumbled.

God smiled. "Hmm."

"So, um. . . Where's my family?" I asked, sensing the strange quiet.

"Oh, they've all gone about their business." God's eyes twinkled. "It's Saturday, Joan. Remember?"

I smiled. "How could I forget?"

"Hmm."

"Um, God. . .that comment you made. About dreams. Did you, like, get into my dreams last night? Or what was that thing about? 'Cause to tell you the truth, it freaked me out," I said.

"Yes, well, dreams are interesting," repeated God. "And, no, I cannot 'mess' with your dreams, in case you're wondering. Dreams are private."

"If they're private, then how come you know what I dreamed?"

God ignored my comment, continuing on, "Dreams are like prophecies. They tell what's going to happen to you. Tell me, Joan, what happened in your dream last night."

I told him the entire story.

"Hmm." God smiled. "And what are the important parts?"

I thought for a moment. Then, "Kevin walked. Adam forgave me. We got in a car accident."

God nodded. "You're getting it."

"So. . .Kevin's going to walk? And Adam's going to forgive me? And. . .and. . .we're going to get in a car accident? The three of us?" I opened up the cabinet and removed the box of Cap'n Crunch.

"Now, I didn't say that." God smiled wider. "All I said was that dreams were like prophecies. What you choose to do with the message is, well, totally up to you."

I clenched my fists in frustration. "Why can't you just TELL me in advance?"

God sighed. "Here's your task: You need to read this book." He handed me a copy of a book titled DREAMS. It looked long. Five-hundred pages at least.

"Um, any alternatives?"

"Yeah," said God. "Go outside. . .right about. . .now."

I ran outside and came face to face with Adam Rove.

"Jane," said Adam. "I wanted to say hey, yo."

I stared. "Um, Adam?"

"Yo?"

"The, uh, 'dude' thing was working better."

"Sure, Jane, dude."

I smiled. "Do you want to. . .come inside. . .?"