Chapter 6.
After Sarah brought Toby home, she got a phone call from her friend Sandra. Sandra had asked her to come over. She had been neglecting her friendships since she went to college. Although she did call them every once in a while, she never visited even though they had offered her more than enough times to go over, watch movies, even act some of them out because they knew that she loved acting. She would often refuse saying she was busy with family things. It's time to spend some time with her. You haven't seen in almost a year! Her subconscious yelled at her. She almost said no, but then she decided against it.
"Sure Sandra, I'll be over in a couple of minutes."
Sandra squealed into the phone. "Great! We're having pizza! See you soon." Then she hung up. Because Sandra lived on the other side of town, Sarah had to turn around in her beat up Chevy truck. It only took fifteen minutes to get to her place. She hadn't been here in so long. I wonder if she changed the place around? Sarah thought to herself. Sandra was one of the lucky few people Sarah knew that got their own place straight out of high school. Sarah got out of the car and walked up to the door.
When she got to the door, Sandra opened it and threw her arms around Sarah's neck then pulled back and looked at her. "Ohmigod! I've missed you much! You haven't changed though. You still look like the old you!" She still talks forever. Sarah just nodded and smiled. "Come inside and meet my new friend. I met him a couple of days ago. He's so sweet, not to mention extremely handsome!" Sarah's eyes opened wide with mock excitement.
"Where did you meet him?"
Sandra narrowed her eyes in thought, opened her mouth then closed it and looked at Sarah. "I actually don't remember. That's weird. Anyways, he's really nice. Come on in! The pizza's getting cold." Sandra ushered Sarah in. "He's upstairs using the phone for a minute."
Sarah nodded. "What's his name?"
"Jay. Just wait till you meet him Sarah. You'll think he's perfect for me!" Sandra said as she ran out to the kitchen then ran back with the pizza. "He'll be down in a couple of minutes. I can't believe it's been so long since we've seen each other. How have things been? Are you still trying to act and stuff? Have a seat."
"Life's just fine." Sarah sat down on Sandra's plaid couch and looked at all the pictures on the wall. She was even surprised to see some of them together as children and teenagers. She took a piece of pizza and bit into it then looked at Sandra. "Yea, I'm still trying to act. It's just taking a little longer than usual."
Sandra placed a hand on Sarah's knee, "Keep it up, I know you'll make it. You were the most talented in drama club. Everyone said so!"
"Thanks. That means a lot. I'm going to try my best."
"Ah, the guest of honor has arrived I presume." Sarah turned around and saw Jareth standing there. She jumped up and swallowed. She almost called out his name, but was interrupted by Sandra.
She jumped up and walked over to Jareth and introduced him to Sarah. "Yep, this is Sarah! My very best friend in the whole world, even though we stopped hanging out when she went to college." Jareth tsked at Sarah.
"That's not very nice to do to your best friend. Now is it Sarah?"
She shook her head. "Sandra, I'm sorry, but I was always busy. I never meant to not hang out with you."
Sandra walked over to Sarah. "I know, and I understand. It's not that big a deal. Jay is just giving you a hard time, just like I was." She started giggling. Then in an instant she stopped. "I forgot! The brownies are in the oven. I better go get them before they burn!"
"Do you want any help?" Sarah asked her.
"No, stay here and talk to Jay. Get to know each other." The look she gave Sarah clearly said 'Get to know him for me.'
Sandra walked out of the room and Jareth walked over to Sarah. "Look, I don't know what you're up to, but you need to leave my friend alone." She hissed through her teeth.
Jareth rolled his eyes. "You my darling, need to pick one. I either leave Tobias alone, or I leave Sandra alone. Choose. If you choose Tobias, he shall have no more dreams, and maybe that version of the dream won't come true, but another one will." He paused then shrugged. "If you choose Sandra, then I shall leave her alone and you will have Karen to deal with because young Tobias will be having nightmares every night. Do you understand?"
Sarah turned her head away from her. "Do you understand me?" He raised his voice a little.
She looked back at him. "Yes, I do understand." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I just don't understand why you can't leave the people I love alone."
He chuckled. "Come now, we've already discussed this."
"No, we didn't. We didn't discuss anything. Except for you "loving" me and blah blah blah."
He put his face in hers. "I do love you, and I will have you at any costs." He looked into the kitchen where Sandra was trying to pry the brownies from the pan. "So make your choice now."
Sarah didn't say anything, she just looked at him defiantly. "If you don't decide, I'll bother them both. But, I do believe I faintly heard you say before you left the bathroom last night say 'Ugh, you didn't say if you would stop bothering Toby!' Do I have that right?"
He heard me? He heard me and he just let me walk away without an answer! She screamed at herself. "Yes. You have that right." She spit at him. She was fuming now. What was she supposed to do?
"I believe you have a decision to make. And you only have ten seconds to make it. Tick tock Sarah. The clock is winding down."
She looked at Sandra and thought of Toby. How could she do this? How could she make this choice? She looked back at him and closed her eyes. "Fine. I've made my decision."
He opened his eyes wide and stared at her in wonder. "That fast? I thought it would have been a fight with you. Especially with the spirit in your blood."
"Don't mock me Jareth. This is a hard decision for me, but it had to be made." She took one more look at Sandra and exhaled. "I choose for you to leave Toby alone."
"Interesting. I thought you would have chosen Sandra."
Sarah shook her head. "Sandra's an adult, she can handle herself and nightmares don't scare her like the ones you give Toby."
"I certainly didn't mean to frighten young Tobias, I meant to get through to you. You should have known that princess."
She glared into his eyes. "Well, you scared him."
Jareth smiled. "I'm sorry Princess. I'll send him a cute dream tonight of you. Will that make up for everything?"
"Not at all!"
He shrugged and walked away to the table near the couch. "I'll do it anyways. Just because I can." He turned back towards Sarah. "Though, I am glad you chose Tobias to be the one to be left alone. I rather like Sandra. She's entertaining. Don't you think?"
Sarah scowled at him. "I'd rather you leave them both alone!"
He shrugged and closed his eyes. "That's not going to happen. You made a decision. Now you must abide by it." Then he opened his eyes. "Unless you want them both to have to have the dreams. Which, let me reassure you, can be done precious."
Sarah uncrossed her arms and looked at Jareth defeated for the minute. She hated feeling defeated, especially against him. "No, no not Toby. Just leave him alone."
"As you wish my dear."
She looked in at Sandra who was taking way too long to get back into the room with the brownies. She couldn't see her anymore. She looked back at Jareth. It couldn't possibly take this long to go get brownies! "Where's the book? I want it back Jareth! It is mine after all!"
She felt good being back to herself and not feeling so defeated. Jareth looked at her with a smirk, "I believe I told you that I would give it back when and to who I felt like it. Do you not remember that?"
She sighed. "I do remember. Do you remember that the book is my property? Now where is the book?"
"What book?" Sandra asked when she walked back into the room with the tray full of brownies.
Sarah and Jareth both jerked their heads in her direction. "Ah, Sandra, so good of you to join us. Sarah and I got into a discussion about Pride and Prejudice. She wanted to borrow it." He looked at Sarah. "Didn't you Sarah?"
She snapped her head back towards Jareth. "Ye- Yea, that's what we were talking about." She narrowed her eyes at him. What are you up to Goblin king? She looked at Sandra. "Sandra, I'm sorry, I really have to leave now. I have a huge test to study for. I'll call you tomorrow. Please be care-"
"Sarah, may I speak to alone for a minute in the kitchen?"
She turned her head back to Jareth. "We can talk right here. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front Sandra."
He shook his head. "No, it cannot actually. I must talk to you alone. It's of the utmost importance." He looked at Sandra. "You don't mind do you?"
She shook her head violently back and forth as she blushed an smiled. "Not at all."
Jareth grabbed Sarah's hand and dragged her into the kitchen. "Sarah, let me tell you right now that if you tell anyone anything about me there will be dire consequences. Do you understand me?"
"You don't scare me. After all, You have no power over-"
"I wouldn't say that if I were you." He growled.
"Why not? It worked before, it will work again."
"Not here it won't. If you remember, that only works when I take a child away from someone. I haven't taken a child away from anyone. Here, I may not have power over you, but I do have power over the weather, your dreams, and the elements. Don't test me Sarah. Don't push me to far. You will see how truly cruel I can be." He hissed at her.
She was shocked. "What are you talking about?"
He laughed. "I may not have power over you, but I have power over pretty much everything else around you. Don't test me. I will make your friends life very unpleasant."
Sarah turned around and stalked off with Jareth laughing behind her. She walked up to Sandra and hugged her goodbye.