The Night School [GxG] [First Draft Edition]

Chapter Twenty-Seven : Beautiful Nightmares

For her I stayed forever.

...

I opened my eyes to darkness. Lonely darkness and a cold sweat. My pillow was dotted with dark splotches, icy trails veined cheeks. Why the hell was I crying?

Slowly my dream came back to me. I almost wish it hadn't.

The funny thing about dreams is that there is always a trigger to them. This one was my envy of Marley and Micha.

The thought of them together like I had been with the girl in my dream was sad. Just sad. It hurt. And it was beautiful at the same time. Like my dream.

It isn't hard to remember the girl. Hazel. Hazel Grace. How funny. We could be half a romance. Half of a book by John Green. Half a tragedy that I never bothered to finish. Hilarious, Fate. Well played. We could be the fault missing our stars.

I think up the weirdest analogies, don't I?

Back to the dream.

It hurt.

And I hated that.

How was it so easy for me to believe Hazel and I were in love? Strike one. That she was even capable of happiness or affection? Strike two. That I would ever have children with her?! Strike three and it's out of the freaking park! But it was nice... I liked to feel her close and it might sound perverted, but I loved being able to touch her. It's weird.

When I was a kid I had this theory that I was the only real person and everyone else was just like robots. They talk and react but don't think like I do. I guess that's kinda why I like being able to feel her. It lets me know she is real.

Ugh.

I really didn't like that stupid dream because I really, really loved it. I'm not supposed to like Hazel being near me. I shouldn't like Hazel kissing me. I definitely should have woken up when I thought having kids with her was even a possibility! No kids for me, thank you. I'll just hang around the Marley Juniors and the Veggie-Birds when they're potty trained and have some depth to them.

I looked at the clock. About one. And I went to sleep at midnight. This is gonna be a long night.

I decided to call Marley because I felt like it. Robyn has no cognitive abilities before two coffees and nine a.m. Cael is... He just groans and hangs up on me. Marley will at least pretend to listen.

"Grace?" She picked up after six rings. "Someone better have died"

"Love you too. I just need someone to talk to" I lay back and started playing on the ceiling with my laser pointer.

"Call Cael. I am on my period off. Haha... I am a genius" she laughed groggily at her own joke.

"It's about Hazel" I tried. Maybe she'd go for the chance to laugh at me?

"Unless you're referring to a hazelnut chocolate bar you should bother someone who cares" she groaned.

"I'll lay off the P.D.A. thing"

"Done. Pull strings and do stuff so I can bring my girlfriend with me this week. I am so gonna enjoy Hazel's face when she figures out I'm not dating you" The sleepy brunette giggled.

"Baby... Who are you talking to?" Micha's voice filled the line. She sounded tired but definitely more alert than my sleep-drunk friend.

"I'm bringing you to school with me this week" Marley jeered. "We're gonna piss of Grace's girl-fiend"

"Marley, baby, go back to sleep" Micha chuckled "whatever Grace called you about, I am sure I can handle it"

"Like you have to tell me twice. Night, Gracie" she yawned and went quiet.

"She probably won't even remember this tomorrow. Just make up a story and have fun with it" I breathed. "Anyway..."

"If you don't want to talk to me about whatever, it's cool. Sorry I told her to go to sleep, I guess" she mused.

"I had a weird dream. It's not like it's a huge secret. I just feel like talking... I can't sleep" true that there was no sleep to be found after that disturbance.

"Alright. What kind of weird dream?" The girl snorted with amusement.

"Hazel"

"Figured it was either that or related to Marley and I" she chuckled "what happened?"

"There were like three scenes... The first was... Cuddling" I blushed like crazy.

"'Cuddling' or 'cuddling'" she laughed quietly.

"The not sexual kind" I mirrored her tone. "And I sort of really liked it"

"Sort of?"

"Alright, I loved it. Don't you dare tell Marley. She only keeps quiet when I tell her myself during a private conversation. Otherwise it's the talk of the week" I rolled my eyes at her laughter.

"No problem. It's not like enjoying it was a bad thing. You like her. You like the idea of her showing something in return"

"Makes sense. But then there were kids involved"

"You want a long term commitment out of her"

"And then there was this scene from my old house... The two kids were running around... She was chasing them... And... There were L-words shared" I moved the phone to the other side of my bed like it could see me. Micha laughed.

"Grace that is the cutest Hazel related thing I have ever heard. If you can do that I will pay you back for all those darts I didn't miss" she sounded a mix of amused, friendly, and piteous. "I'm guessing those kids were male and female, probably you and your brother as children. they probably shared a feature with Hazel. The one you think defines her. She was probably mid twenties, too young to be a mother, but it's a dream, right?"

"You're good at this"

"It's easy. Your old house is where you were cared for. Nothing was wrong. Your parents were ways around, or more so than they are now; Hazel was chasing the memories of you at a better time, and you saw her in them. And it was probably in the freedom season, spring" I felt tears welling in my eyes at those memories. All true. Sawyer and I have always been best friends, and back then it was just game after game and I loved it. Our parents would play with us in the field outside and nothing bad could happen. Why in gods name did I let Hazel into my special place?

"Why was she there?" I bit my lip, fearing the answer.

"That's your doing. Right now she is the person you wish to be there. In a perfect world, right now, you want that" she sounded more sympathetic now.

"Thanks for talking with me" I sniveled a little. Smooth, Grace.

"Do yourself a favor and talk to her. Preferably before she gets too confused. I guess I will be at your school tomorrow. See you then" she hung up.

**This is way deeper than anticipated... and longer too... oh well ;) what do we think? Btdubs the memories Grace was referring to in this chapter are only slightly altered from my own. I actually cried while writing this. Yeah true story. I have a heart.

...And am I the only one who thinks that dream Hazel is freaking adorable? I need to hug her. XD okay I'ma shut up before I scare you people away.