Chapter Five- Dreaming of You

Dustin fell asleep that night, his heart heavy and his mind sluggish. He kept thinking of Katie and how pretty she was and how perfect it would be if she was his girlfriend… then he would remember that she didn't like him in that way and he would fall into a hole of sadness once again. It was quite depressing, really.

He crawled into bed and tossed and turned before finally… he was out like a light. His sleep was not a peaceful one. His brain was still working at top speed and he began to dream a dream that was so real he began to believe it was…

"Morning, Dustin," Katie said, sitting down beside me. "How did you sleep?"

"Oh, yeah, I slept well," Dustin replied, blushing as he gave Katie a small smile.

She grinned at him as she took out a pencil. "So did you study for that test we have today?" she asked as she started to sharpen her pencil point.

"What test?" Dustin asked looking bewildered.

Katie looked surprised. "You didn't study for the test? It's worth 40 of your grade, you know. You should start cramming right now."

"Okay."

Dustin pulled out his books and started to study rapidly, cramming information into his head, trying to remember it all. Katie was watching him, looking amused. She reached over and pulled Dustin's textbook into her hands.

"Want me to help you study?" she asked.

Dustin gaped at her. "Huh?"

"Help you study," she said, speaking slowly. She laughed. "You know, you help me and I help you." She flipped to a page in the textbook and starting reading out loud.

"You have a nice voice," Dustin blurted out before he could stop himself.

Katie looked at him, her blue eyes sparkling. Her cheeks were slightly pink. "Um… thanks, Dustin. Yours too?"

Now it was Dustin's turn for his cheeks to turn pink. He pressed his hand against his face and quickly turned away from her, scolding himself for not watching what he said. Just then, the teacher came in, looking frazzled.

"Class!" she cried. "Get a move on! They're coming to attack! Everyone…SAVE YOURSELVES!"

Everyone got up and ran out of the classroom, screaming. Dustin felt confused. What was coming to attack?

"Dustin, come on!" Katie cried, grabbing Dustin's arm and running out of the classroom. He still didn't know why everyone was so panicky, but he was just glad to be near Katie.

Suddenly everything went black. Dustin felt as if he had just run into a brick wall. He looked around, but couldn't see anything.

"Katie?" he called hesitantly. "Katie…?"

"Dustin…"

Dustin turned around, only to be greeted by more darkness. "Katie?"

"Dustin…"

Then, suddenly, it was as if someone had pulled the light switch on. Dustin shielded his eyes when the sudden light spread over him. That's when he saw it. It was Elvis. Except this Elvis was… huge. 50 feet tall at least!

"Oh my…"

Elvis was eating people, snapping his jaws viciously. Several students were trying to hold him back, but one flick of his paw and they went flying. One of the people trying to control him was Quinn Pensky, Zoey's friend.

"Quinn!" Dustin yelled. "Quinn! What happened?"

"My potion that makes things bigger!" Quinn cried. "I tested it on Elvis and… well, I think I may have give it some adjustments…"

Dustin was shocked. The dog wailed loudly and Dustin screamed and started to run for cover when he heard a shriek. He turned to see Elvis going straight for Katie.

"Katie!" Dustin cried. "RUN!"

Katie was running madly now. Then she fell, landing right on her face. Dustin gaped at her and then he ran.

The dog was coming closer now. He knelt down to sniff Katie who was trembling so much she couldn't stand. Dustin was running to her… C'mon, feet go faster! He commanded himself. Elvis was about to pick Katie up in his teeth when Dustin jumped on to his huge nose, sending his head flying to the left.

"Run, Katie, RUN!" Dustin yelled.

Katie scrambled to her feet and ran away from the dog as Elvis turned to glare at Dustin. He felt scared… Then suddenly… The scene changed.

He was in the hospital. Lying on a bed with a blanket over his face. He grunted and pushed it down to see Katie sitting by him, crying.

"Katie?" Dustin said, sounding confused. "What happened?"

"Dustin?" Katie whispered, looking closely into his face. " You're… you're alive?"

"If I wasn't alive, would I be talking?" Dustin said, grinning slightly.

"Oh my…" Katie started to cry harder. "The doctors said you were… you were done for… and then I was… so… worried and…"

"Katie," Dustin said. "Don't worry. I'm still here…"

Katie nodded, tears running down her face. Then she leaned down toward Dustin… closer and closer and…

"DUSTIN!"

"Huh? What?" Dustin fell off his bed, landing on the floor with a loud crash. He groaned and rubbed his back where he fell.

"You started talking in your sleep," Dustin's roommate, Tim, said. "So I thought I'd wake you up."

"Oh," Dustin said. "What did I say?"

"Something about mayonnaise I think," Tim said. "Well, c'mon, it's 7:30. Get a move on."

Dustin got up off the floor and left the room with his toothbrush. Mayonnaise?

On his way to the bathroom, he ran into Katie. She looked tired, but when she saw Dustin her eyes lit up.

"Hi, Dustin!" she said eagerly. "Are you going to brush your teeth?" she asked, noticing his toothbrush. When he nodded, she smiled. "Me too."

"I'm out of the hospital," Dustin blurted out.

Katie frowned. "Huh?"

Dustin felt his cheeks turn pink. It was a dream, he reminded himself. Just a dream. "Oh nothing, I'll see you later." He bustled away from her.

"Dustin…?" Katie said, feeling sad that he had left in such a hurry. She sighed and made her way to the bathroom, spirits low.

Dustin splashed his face with water once he was at the sink. "I'm so stupid," he grumbled. "It was just a dream. Katie doesn't like you and she never will. I bet she thinks I'm stupid too. She was probably glad to see me leave…"

In the girls' bathroom, Katie was brushing her teeth while staring at her reflection in the mirror. I wonder why he left so fast, she thought. Maybe my hair is so messed up he didn't want to be seen with me? She examined herself closely in the mirror and gasped. Her hair was a mess- it was sticking up in fifty different directions. She groaned inwardly as she grabbed a hairbrush.