Chapter 2

I'm standing in front of the pub's bouncer with my lungs literally in my hands, my ears ring from how frenetically my heart is pounding inside my ribcage and I feel like I've been running for ages but the truth is that a few streets away from the theater my view faded and now I'm here in the pub's entrance. Killian is waving at me from the door and the bouncer gives me a strange look but lets me pass.

Time moves weirdly after I enter the pub, there is background music and people on the dance floor, the illumination is less than ideal and I find myself in a state of constant fast-forward and sudden stops. Something that feels very close to anxiety settles down in my body and I feel exactly like I do when there is something I'm eager to do but scares the hell out of me.

One moment I'm holding a beer-drinking contest with David at the table and the next I'm dancing with Killian on the dance floor, he looks like he wants to kiss me and I debate internally if I should let him know that I'm more into girls but the image fades away and I'm back at the table and David is now having another drinking contest this time with Robin and everyone is laughing because they are spilling half their beers on the table to win. There is only one constant in all these images: the time fast forwards when I'm not looking at my watch and then stops when I take a peek and see midnight is not that far.

I'm in the pub's bathroom looking at my reflection in the mirror and I try to convince myself that nothing of the things I think I heard, saw, or felt in the theater is real, but there is a nagging thought in the back of my head and that is precisely the reason why my watch doesn't seem to be able to get past midnight—, What if it is?

I decide that this is one of those mysteries you can't just leave unsolved unless you want to end up secluded in a mental institution for the rest of your life because not knowing drove you insane. And anyway, what's the worse that can happen? That instead of Regina Mills I find the tech guy in charge of the holographic matrix and have to make a bolt for the nearest exit—, wouldn't be the first or the last time I had to run from a potentially dangerous situation.

I look at my reflection again and try to concentrate on what would I like to wear if I was going to meet Regina Mills in the flesh, for a fraction of a second a variety of kinky outfits flash before my eyelids and I push the thought aside not wanting to end up dressing only in leather straps and lingerie in the middle of a public bathroom and instead my body is now perfectly wrapped in my favorite pair of tight jeans, a thin red sweater and a black leather jacket on top. I check my makeup in the mirror, it's not much, I'm not used to wearing heavy makeup, but I do love a good cat eyeliner. When I'm finished with that I look at my watch for the last time and see that I have to run if I want to get there in time, so I text Killian to let him know I have to go and leave the pub.

The theater entrance is only illuminated by the ticket booth light and it's probably closing for the night soon. I look to where the hologram was situated earlier that night and it's gone, the matrix projector remains but it's turned off now. I'm tempted to turn around and flee, but then I spot a shadow right in front of me.

The woman is perfectly covered in the shadows, leaning against the external wall of the theater where the light from the booth can't reach her. You wouldn't see her unless you were looking for her, hidden in plain sight. My heart skips a beat. I squint to take a better look at her still from afar and when I do my heartbeat speeds up. She's wearing a dark trench coat and a pair of shades, but I know it's her, I would recognize her anywhere. Regina takes a puff of the cigarette in her hand looking to the starry sky and this allows me to get closer without her noticing. My hands feel sweaty and I think I'm going to faint.

"The trench coat and the glasses are not fooling anyone", I say. My voice sounds strange in my ears, but I try to remain calm as I stick my hands in the front pockets of my jeans.

"Jesus! Can't you announce your presence with your heels ticking on the asphalt like a normal person?" She asks after I make her jump in place, startled by my sudden proximity, I look at her cigarette dropping to the floor in slow motion, "you would be surprised how little perceptive people are while dreaming", she adds before I can think of anything to say.

"I'm not wearing heels and I'm also dreaming and I can tell it's you", I reply and she looks at me with a smile, "Also I know for a fact that you don't smoke", I state for no reason.

"But is it a fact only because it's written in some internet Wiki?" She retorts and I feel my cheeks flush some shade of pink, she looks amused.

"So you do smoke?"

"No, I don't in fact, but I do what I want in my dreams since it doesn't affect the body, and that is a real fact that sometimes is a shame, don't you think?"

"If dreaming affected the body wouldn't all of us be dead eventually?" I ask her, just to keep her line of thoughts.

"Yes, but imagine the sex!" She exclaims with an animal-like smile, winking at me and all I can do is blush.

"Anyhow, I'm here... Like you requested", I say and that leaves me with a sensation of dutifulness as if I was here to please her every desire and I realize I wouldn't mind.

"I can tell dear, but are you ready?"

"For what?" I ask both excited and scared.

"Why, to have the night of your life of course!"

"You think so highly of yourself", I point out.

"And you don't do the same?" She arches her eyebrows, waiting for my answer.

"I kiss the floor you step on, but that's beside the point", I simply reply, and her laughter echoes in the empty street.

"How about we have dinner first and then we see what you can kiss at dessert time?" She offers, extending her hand in my direction and I hesitate a second before I grab it, mostly because I'm afraid she's going to disappear.

Her hand feels warm to the touch and I feel like I'm on cloud nine walking beside her, which wouldn't be entirely inaccurate as we are both asleep.

...

I look at her through my eyelashes, my chin leaning on my tangled hands and both my elbows resting over the table, she stares back at me for a few seconds.

"What?" She asks after a while of our staring contest.

"Why me?" I reply, "out of all the people in that crowded street, why picking me to show how real you are?"

"I suppose it was because out of all the fans and people that came to take a picture with me you were the most polite," she says and I feel my head tilting slightly to the side as I try to understand what she means, I remember the few people I saw interact with her earlier and then it hits me how they were kissing her hologram on the lips and hugging and touching it quite inappropriately, at first, I found it repulsive that they were doing that in public, even if it was just a very realistic hologram on the street, "and one of the only ones I wouldn't mind who weren't polite at all", my eyes widen when she says this and my cheeks flush a little, but I keep staring at her.

"Could you feel any of that?", The question leaves my lips before I can stop myself, and my eyes open wide.

"Only if I wanted to... I also was able to see you in the queue, in case you were wondering. Imagine my disappointment when the only interesting fan waiting in line to grope my haptic hologram barely brushes my hand," Regina says and I desperately look for something to change the subject. Was the brunette really implying that back there she was actively waiting for me to grope her?

"Why bring me to this place then? The food, the old people, the beds..." I ask her, dragging the last word trying not to think about the implied meaning of it because all the situation seems so surreal and I really want to change subjects.

I probably forgot to mention the place Regina Mills took me to. Its name or what was stated in the sign at the entrance was "Slumber Party diner and breakfast" and let me tell you... It says it all in the name. The place is like any other restaurant in the city, classy and expensive, but the detail that told it apart from any other restaurant is, of course, that beside every table there is a queen-size bed perfectly decorated with a pristine white duvet. The contrast of the black pair of pajamas lying on every bed is deliciously disturbing too and let's not forget that we are the only people here that aren't past their seventies, except for the waitresses.

"The food is because I'm hungry, I've been posing as a hologram all day long, although we know this will not fill my stomach in the real world, and it's empty because I had to rush my sleep hour to meet you," She explains, bopping my nose with the tip of her index finger, "the old people... well, I can't control who comes to this restaurant, can I? And I can't complain either since none of them know who I am or they are respectful enough to don't let me know they know. And the beds, well, I figured it would be a dream come true for any of my fans to get to have a sleepover with me one night," she adds, stopping to take a sip from her wine cup for a little longer than it should take her, "let's say I'm a sucker for dreams come true, especially if I have anything to do with it."

I stop staring at her for a moment while I look around the room the people around us, mostly old people, eat their meals quietly. Some of them are already in their pajamas and lying on their corresponding beds, cuddling the person they were having dinner with. I had heard of restaurants where you could eat in bed, but never something like this. A restaurant where you could eat and sleep surrounded by a million strangers.

"All these people are probably alone in the world," Regina tells me while I scan the room, "they come here to meet with strangers because they have no one else, some times they meet someone special and they no longer have to get in a bed and sleep all alone."

"You sound like you come here a lot", I tell her, looking back into her impossibly dark eyes.

"I like it here," she simply says, "however, if you don't like it, we can simply eat and leave."

"Oh, don't get me wrong I would love to spend the night with you Regina, it's been all I dream about since I saw you for the first time in a movie. I will enjoy it to its fullest, after all, you are the definition of my sexuality, like every fan of yours ever said, but let me tell you a secret," I say, leaning in over the table, she does the same, "If a bunch of strangers is going to be watching and listening while I enjoy myself making my dream come true, that is entirely up to you, I wouldn't mind causing a few heart attacks around here, but I'm not entirely sure if everything I have planned for our slumber party is entirely accepted in the restaurant policies, it certainly doesn't look like that kind of place," I click my tongue and lean back against my chair once I'm finished blurting all that out in a whisper, to relish in the view of her shocked expression and flushed cheeks.

"We are leaving, alright?" She lets out quickly, digging her hand in her purse, and after a moment she places a bill on the table and gets up from her chair.

"I thought you were hungry," I laugh as she offers a hand for me to grab and pulls me out of my chair.

"Shut up Blondie", she glares at me and starts dragging me around the maze of beds and tables that is this place.

AN/: I'm in love with the weirdness of this story so for now, you can expect quick updates and a crazy plot.