Dreaming in Reality
Chapter 9
Tylor did stay for dinner. Afterwards, we went to the living room to play some video games. Tylor was totally the best at any video game, even if he'd never heard of it before. You give him a controller, tell him what to do, and he's off beating everyone.
"Oh hey! I just remembered something!" I said, though I didn't look at Tylor, my gaze was directed at the T.V. screen.
"Good for you!" Tylor said, in the same manner. I laughed.
"Yeah, I know! But, when we were on the phone, before I told you about Avian and stuff, you said that you'd called because you'd heard something weird. What was that?"
Tylor paused the game, something he never did. This must have been really weird.
"So you didn't hear? At school, we got a new student," Tylor explained.
"Um… that's great, but it's not weird," I said, confused.
"No, that's not all. She came from Norway! She's Norwegian!"
At this Tylor and I burst out laughing. For some reason, Norwegian was just a hilarious word!
"Wow, that's… uh… cool!" I said, as I gained my ability to breathe back a little.
"Yeah… wonder what she'll be like?" Tylor marveled. When he said that, I couldn't help it. I let out a little fox-whistle.
"Oh shut-up! I didn't mean it like that!" Tylor laughed and pushed me over. While I was distracted, he started the game up again, and started to get ahead of me.
"Hey! That's not fair!"
"Is by my rules!"
Tylor and I played video games for a long time. At around five or six, his mom called and told him to come home. So we said good-bye and he left.
After that, I went directly to my room. I still couldn't face Shawn after what I'd said to him back in the hospital that morning. Though I knew I'd have to sometime, no matter how rude I'd been. I'll do it at dinner, I thought.
In the mean time, about two hours, I decided to listen to music. I went over to my stereo and picked out my favorite CD. Inserting it in the stereo, I hit Play, and went over to lay on my bed. I closed my eyes, taking in every word of the songs. This was my version of 'meditating', as my friends called it. Anyway, it helped get my mind off things. I'd listened to the CD twice, and then I heard Shawn's voice coming in very faintly over the music.
"Kiera! Dinner!" He yelled.
I got up and turned the stereo off. Then I opened my door and walked into the dining room. Shawn had prepared meatloaf, with mashed-potatoes and gravy, and green beans. It was one of my favorite meals.
We sat down in silence. So Shawn obviously still remembered my rude comment back in the hospital.
"Listen, Shawn," I began. He looked up at me. I couldn't read his expression, "I'm sorry about what I said at the hospital. I know I shouldn't have… I really don't know what set me off."
He forked up some meatloaf, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly. Had it offended him that much?
"Do you know why I took that to so much offence?" He asked finally, after he'd swallowed.
"Yes," I answered him. He looked at me expectantly, "I know you're not over-protective, you just worry about me, 'cause I'm all you've got."
"Exactly. Ever since Mom and Dad died…" he looked at his plate, "I just don't want to lose you, too."
"I know. But you won't, I can look after myself, you know," I told him.
"I know, I know…" Then the friendly sarcasm I knew returned to his face, "You could get through anything with that thick skull of yours!"
"Hey!" I said.
Dinner went on as such. We joked and talked. I was glad he'd forgiven me for my rude behavior, I couldn't imagine life without Shawn at all.
After dinner, we went into the living room and watched a movie. But I couldn't concentrate. My thoughts were still on the white fox I'd met in my dreams. Why wouldn't Avian come back to me? And most importantly, what was the terrible thing that was going to happen that I apparently had no control over? What could be that bad?
When the movie was over, Shawn was asleep in his chair. I decided to leave him; he'd soon wake up and go to his own room. So, with my thoughts still buzzing around in my head, I got up and turned the TV off.
As soon as I was in my room, I walked over to my stereo. I turned it on, but turned the volume down so I could barely hear it. This helped me sleep on weekend nights. Then, I walked over to my dresser and picked out some sweats to sleep in. Once dressed, I turned my lights off and crawled under my covers. All this time my mind still swarming with thoughts of Avian. I didn't understand why it was so important to me, though.
You know, it could be that you're the only one in this world that knows there are other worlds, a voice inside my head said sarcastically.
It took a bit of time, but gradually I began to fall asleep. But this time, it wasn't undisturbed.