R.E.M. or Rapid Eye Movement - rapidly shifting, continuous movements of the eyes beneath closed lids during the stage of sleep characterized by dreaming. Why am I telling you this? She haunts my thoughts, my dreams. I consider myself normal. I'm Spencer Carlin, a 17 year old girl, who's now in the 11th grade. Don't let the name fool you, I'm very girly. I get wonderful grades, I'm the good girl, the Catholic girl, the cheerleader with the perfect jock boyfriend. I am, and I quote, "So sweet that you'd get a tooth ache from just looking at her." or, at least that's what I've heard. I'm not kidding. My parents friends are actually jealous that their kids aren't like me. I know it probably sounds like I'm either bragging or exaggerating, I swear I'm not. Totally wish I was though. I hate it.

By now I guess you're thinking, "Well if she hates being so perfect, why doesn't she change?" I'm actually not sure why. It's become so routine for me, it's like it's hardwired into my brain. I'm use to it, and once you're in a routine, it's hard to get out of it. You're afraid to change, afraid to be the opposite of what people expect of you. Or at least, I am…. because then there would be the constant staring and judging, people looking down at you, shaking their heads and asking themselves "What happened to her? She use to be such a lovely girl. I would never have expected this from her." So you stick to what you're use to, for fear of change and what change brings.

I have two brothers, Clay, who's pretty much a genius. He's at a college in New York studying biochemistry. He's twenty-two and a great brother, my parents adopted him when he was ten. Then there's Glen. He's pretty much your average older brother. He's nineteen and in military college in Georgia. My mom is a receptionist at a dentist office and my dad is a chief. He lives in the kitchen, if you ever want to find him, go there.

So, back to the topic at hand. I've been having these dreams. At first they were innocent little dreams. Then they became…sexual. I know what you're thinking "You're having sex dreams about a girl? What a freak!" or, at least that's what people would say if they knew. But honestly, it's not what you think. I'm straight…I think…I hope. But I mean hey, you'd have sex dreams about her too if you saw her, she's hot. Like really, really hot! But not only that, she's beautiful and…mysterious, which only adds to her hotness factor. Like if I didn't have a boyfriend, and I was into girls (which I'm so not!) I'd take a shot at her. But I've never actually looked at a girl in "that way" before. That is, until she showed up. This all started only about a month ago, almost two weeks after school started, so it was like, early September…

I had arrived late, I have no idea what happened, I'm usually on time, everyday. I even wore sunglasses that day because my eyes were still really puffy from sleeping. I really wasn't my best that morning. So I was rushing into school when I collided into someone.

"Oomph!" I said as we collided and fell to the ground.

Books and papers flew everywhere. I sat there dumbfounded, sunglasses hanging halfway off my face. I set my glasses atop my head then stood and rubbed my sore arm.

"Ow." I winced, then looked over to see an auburn haired girl, rubbing her sore head.

Until now, I totally thought love at first sight was a myth. You know like in the movies when you see your 'true love' for the first time then that dreamy music plays and everything is in slow motion. Well, that is so real, minus the music of course. This is when I should have known, but remember, this is past tense. I was a little…naïve.

"Ouch…" She whined, bringing me out of my trance.

"Oh my gosh! I. am. SO sorry." I said, rushing over to help her.

I looked at her, her eyes still closed as she rubbed her forehead. I noticed her colorful bracelets. She looked like a rock star, heavy eyeliner, a black and red plaid mini skirt with a chain looped around the side, a tight fit gray graphic t-shirt, suspenders, and red high-top chucks. Her hair was pulled into a curly faux hawk, her red bangs hanging above her eye.

"Here, let me see."

She moved her hand away, her eyes still closed. I lightly brushed her red bangs away and grazed the pad of my thumb ever so lightly over the red spot forming on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open revealing deep chocolate orbs that could hypnotize anyone. My eyes shifted from her forehead to her eyes and I was being sucked in.

"I'm sorry." I almost whispered, never pulling my eyes from hers.

"It's fine. I guess that's what I get for starting the school year late." She said with a small smile. "I'm just lost, roaming around trying to find my class." She said, her eyes still drawing me in.

"So you're new? Of course you are, stupid question. Sorry, blonde moment." I say, finally breaking our gaze and feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

Why? A girl's never made me blush before. At least…not in that way. The way that's accompanied by butterflies in my stomach. She chuckled, and my eyes were drawn back to hers making me smile.

"What's going on here?"

We both turned our heads to see the hall monitor standing halfway down the hall away from us. I hurried to stand.

"Oh, we were just-" He cut me off.

"Spencer, what are you doing? You're never late." He asked surprised. The beautiful girl stood and began helping me pick up my books.

"I know." I said disappointed, brushing some hair behind my ear.

"And what's your excuse?" He asked looking to the girl. She points to herself in a questioning manner and the hall monitor nods.

"I'm new, I don't know where I'm going." She said bluntly and a small chuckle escaped me. She looked at me, a slight smirk on her face. The hall monitor looked at us cautiously.

"Ok Spencer, take this. Don't tell anyone I let you off the hook." He handed me a hall pass.

"But what about…" I pointed to the girl.

"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of…" He looked at her.

"Ashley." She said to the hall monitor. "Ashley Davies." She repeated coolly, turning her head to look at me.

"Yeah…" He said. I just stood there, being sucked into her gaze again. "Well hurry up and get to class!" He shouted and I snapped back to reality.

"Right, ok." I said to him quickly. "Bye." I said to her. She just waved to me and gave me a shy smile as I walked away.

I successfully arrived to class and the teacher didn't even bother to question why I was late. There are a few perks to being the good girl. I took my seat and listened to the teacher go on about the work.

I started to zone out and doodle on my notebook, which is so unlike me. As I doodled Ashley popped into my head. The intensity of her chocolate eyes and how her skin felt beneath my fingers. I didn't pay much attention to it to what these thoughts meant, or why I was having them. I was pulled from my thoughts when the class door swung open and she walked in.

Coincidence? That's what I chalked it up to. But thinking back on this, I like to think of it as fate. Cheesy, I know. But back to my story.

She showed the teacher her schedule then took a seat across the class, my eyes following her as she found her seat.

I was unaware of my staring, but I realize it when her gaze connected with mine. She smiled and waved at me. I smiled and waved back. She looked away, but I didn't. Why couldn't I seem to pry my eyes away?

"Ms. Carlin?" The teacher, Mrs. Rouder, shouted, bringing me out of my trance.

"Yes?" I said surprised, finally looking away from the girl that held my attention.

"Ms. Carlin, I hope you don't make this an everyday thing, this arriving late and not paying attention in my class."

"Sorry Mrs. Rouder." I glanced over at Ashley and saw her looking down at her paper, a light smirk on her face. What's that all about?

"Now, the question was…"

Class went on. I answered the question without any problems. I unconsciously stole glances from Ashley, and tried to pay attention in class.

At lunch I sat with the cheer squad as I usually did. I was talking to Madison when I saw Ashley again, out the corner of my eye. I continued talking, but I let my eyes wander to the table where she sat, and as if she was on cue, she looked up and smirked. My heart pumped faster and I looked away, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Are you going to finish what you were saying?" Madison asked annoyed. I had forgotten I was talking to her.

"Uh…yeah." I shook off the feeling and continued the conversation.

From then on it happened like clockwork. I would go to class for the sole purpose of getting to look at her. I would sit in the same spot everyday at lunch so we could have our little glances. She gave me certain feelings that I never questioned. I don't know why I didn't have any insight to what this was leading to because I am naïve little Spencer. We had only spoken once, and it was the day we met. I never thought twice about it until one night. I was asleep. My first dream about her…like I said, it was all innocent at first.

I was at the park. On one side there was a swing set and a slide and a merry-go-round, but right next to the park there was this huge field of beautiful white daises. I don't know why, but the park was empty, it was really nice out, but I was the only one there. I was on a swing, I had been there for a while, swinging slowly.

After a while with sun began to shine really, really bright. It felt good and I just got this warm happy feeling inside, but the sun was so bright I had to I shield my eyes with my hand. I then saw a figure emerging from the bright light. As the figure got closer, I began to realize the person looked familiar, but I couldn't see the face clearly. It had to be a girl though…I just felt it. She walked closer, but the sun was blocking her face.

"Is this swing taken?" The girl asked.

"I'm saving it for someone." I said as I continued shielding my eyes and squinting up at her, still trying to figure out who it was.

"Who?" She asked

"My boyfriend…" I say unhappily, averting my eyes.

"Oh…" she said sadly and turned to walk away.

"Wait!" I said, quickly grabbing her hand. As soon as I took her hand in mine, the warm happy feeling grew. She turned to me, and I finally saw her face. It was her…it was-

"Ashley?" She smiled at me and laced her fingers through mine. I smiled back, biting my bottom lip.

I didn't tell her, but she felt it, she felt that I wanted her to take the swing, so she did.

We just sat there, swinging, holding hands, never speaking with words…

"SPENCER!"

We both turned our heads quickly to the voice, to see him. Aiden, my boyfriend.

Ashley quickly gets up, never letting my hand go. We look at each other, then take off running.

"SPENCER!" He screamed as we ran through the field of daises only looking at each other as we left him far behind.

Then I woke up with a start, panting, to the sound of my blaring alarm.