Sweeter Dreams

Chapter One

"Are you even listening to me? God, what has you so distracted?"

My best friend slaps the cafeteria table with her hand, reminding me of loud thunder on a stormy summer night. Immediately snapping out of my day dream, the baby carrot I've been nibbling on for the past 4 minutes slips from my fingers, rolling across the rectangular tables and onto the blue spotted, dusty white floors.

I cough, and quickly glance around the lunch room filled with your average teenagers, thankful that her small outburst has gone unnoticed.

Facing forward, I stand and dust imaginary crumbs from my purple checkered blouse and faded blue skinnies. Facing Isobel, I stare deeply into her pale green eyes, and suddenly I'm swept away. I blank completely, images an undecipherable blur for what feels like minutes, but in reality is only a minimum of 6 seconds. Used to the recent random blanks, I ignore it completely, blinking for the first time in what feels like ages.

"Well excuse you. You made me drop my carrot." My tune whispers from my body in a snarky tone.

"Lyla, that's beside the point! You really weren't listening? I said, Ray asked me out! Ray! Me! Date! I can't believe this! Like, ohmigod!" Isobel screeches in her southern twang. Taking a deep, calming breath she continues. "Phew. Okay Isobel, breathe, you can do it girl. Just breathe. Wait. Wait. Nope, here it comes again! Eeeeeek!"

That's not the worst part. Isobel then continues to do a little dance, her arms in the air, and her hips swinging from side to side. I smile to myself. Isobel has liked Ray Evans since the beginning of eleventh grade.

"Izzy, people are staring!" I laugh, grabbing her wrists and tugging them down. Without letting go, I wrap her arms around me, and mine around her. "I'm happy for you. You've waited a whole year, looks like it's finally paid off. When's the big day? I can help you get ready!"

Pulling out of my grasp, Iz stands back, and looks me in the eyes with her head tilted to the side, mouth slightly open. Didn't last long.

"You're the bestest best friend in the whole world!" she exclaims, bouncing on the balls of her feet, her shiny brown ringlets bouncing along with her. Walking the few steps back to the table, she grabs our dirty trays, dumps them in a rusty blue trash can, and continues to lead me to class. "The date's on Friday, and today's.. What's today? Wednesday. So two days from now! You available?"

"Always available when it comes to my best friend.!" I respond eagerly, sending a smile her way.

"That's great! I wonder where he's taking me, oh he's just so cute and funny and sweet and..."

A new lesson in Spanish and a Gym class later, I'm walking home. In the rain. It's just like me to forget my umbrella. Luckily, I live only two blocks from Hillford High School; unluckily, a car speeds by. Right through a puddle, splashing me soaked with grainy water. Frustrated, I pick up my pace and I'm home. Or what some people would call a dump. I stand before a small, standard brick building, bricks fading of color, rooms for rent signs washed out. But for me, it's all I need.

 Splashing in a few puddles on my way to the red front door, I run my left hand through my soaked, lavender hair while struggling to snatch my key from my stubborn jean pocket. It's not so easy when you have a heavy black back pack filled with text books slipping off your shoulder. Especially when the water weighs it down.

Exceeding the simple, yet difficult task I quickly unlock the door and and grip the golden oval nob.

Before I can push forward, I'm pulled forward with such force I'm pulled into the house, but I'm no longer on my feet. Nope. Instead, I'm laying face first on the dirty wooden floor in the entryway, groaning as a familiar, barking laugh chops it's way to my ears.

"Adam." I groan, as I make no move to get up from where I lay. "You're such a jerk."

"Oh, but baby you still love me! What's not to like?" He grabs me by my upper arms and hauls me up to a standing position. The sudden movement makes my head swim, and I'm swaying on my feet.

Focusing myself, I zero in on his chocolaty brown eyes. I stare for a moment, expecting to be sucked into a blank, only to look like a complete idiot when it doesn't happen. Sparing a moment of confusion, I decide to blow it off. Things have been extraordinarily weird lately, and I'm not going to act upon it now. It's probably just some hormonal phase. Maybe it happens to everyone.

I cough, like I always do when things get awkward.

"Maybe if you weren't such of an arrogant narcissist, there'd actually be something to like."

"Aw c'mon baby, don't be that way! Let me take you to dinner." He drawls, trailing his fingers down my arm. "I think you've made me wait long enough, yeah?"

"You're a pig." is the last thing I say before slapping his hands away and trudging towards my room. His footsteps trail not far behind, so I quicken my pace, through the kitchen and down the only hallway in the house to the second door on the left. I barely make it in time to slam the door in his face.

Surrounded by walls the color of my hair, I plop into my decent desk chair and open my laptop. Pulling up my web browser, I make my way to Facebook and sign in, ignoring notifications and immediately clicking on my family photo album. I do this everyday. It's pointless, reminding myself of this painful past. I quickly scroll through pictures of my parents and I,  along with me and Grandpa with his chocolate lab Scruffy.

Death is a nasty man. He'll take people away from you without a second glance. It's like eating an insanely delicious meal, and before you know it, you look at your plate and ask, "Where'd all my food go?" without realizing you ate it all. My family was there one second, and in the next, they're gone, leaving me with a nice amount of money and only memories I can cherish. Nothing to relive.

I rent my room in this house. Adam and I, along with an old married couple occupy the space. I decided to spend as little money as possible, so I can afford to go to college. Or at least a cosmetology school. This was easily affordable.

My parents died 3 months ago, just after my 18th birthday.

My grandpa joined them shortly after.

Adam calls for me from the front foyer, "Yo Lyla, someone's here asking for you!'

Or so I thought.