When Fiction Becomes Reality

Chapter 2: Superheroes and Tutoring

"What do you guys want for dinner," Dad asks. "I could fire up the grill and we could have steak.."

'Ice cream sandwiches!" Jeremy yells, immediately suggesting his favorite food as of late. 

"It's Cat's choice. She did make honor roll. What do you want sweetheart," Dad says turning around and looking at me.  

Those few seconds were all it took. When he turned his eyes back to the road there was another car driving in front of us. Dad put on the breaks Jeremy squealing, me trying to protect him. 

"Miss VINACHELLI!" my English teacher shouts. I jolt out of my seat, suddenly aware that class has ended and I am the last one in the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt your sleep but I believe that it is time for your next class," he says a smug almost smile on his face.  Mr. Bones has hated me ever since last year when I proved him wrong in front of the principal and made him the laughing stock of the entire staff because he didn't know how to spell infectious. 

"Excuse me, Mr. Bones. Your dully monotone voice must have made me drift off during you fascinating and infectious retelling of Wuthering Heights, sir," I say with a sneer and my signature posh British accent that pisses Mr. Bones off to no end. That sentence may have not made sense, but it pissed him off enough whenever I reminded him of his failure. While he tries to come up with a response, face turning bright red, I grab my book and my bag, walking to the door, turning around to say, "And scene," with a bow. 

Next is one of two classes worth taking in this dump hole. Professional Drama. I have found a lot of solace in the theatre, being not me for an extended period of time. All of a sudden my vision goes black and I tense up.

"Guess who," a deep slow voice says and I instantly relax.

"Is it my favorite superhero ever?" 

"It is indeed," Peter says and with a flourish, removes his  hands and takes my book from me before i can protest. Peter Parker, yes that is his real name, is my best guy friend. His parents are huge comic book people. Even though I try to not think of how I met Peter, the memories flash through my mind. A hospital bed, Jeremy lain in it. Being told my father was never going to see my birthday. Running and hiding in a supply closet sobbing. Peter hearing me cry and opening the closet. Holding me so I wouldn't have to face the world alone. We have been inseparable ever since.

Peter's voice pulled me back to the present. "You look like crap, Kitten. Another dream last night," Peter asked. He was the only one I told about my dreams and only because he made me because I slept through auditions for Romeo and Juliet.

I nod. "This time it was James. And Ash frightened me this morning about it. I killed a demon last night and her dad found the body near the hospital this morning." 

"I thought that James disposed of them," Peter asks, looking as puzzled as Randy had in the car this morning. He hands me my book back and in the back of mind it registers that I'm reading a Dark Worlds novel, where James and his demon fighting cohorts have fun adventures in Phoenix.

"My alarm woke me up before the dream ended. I just don't get it. Its starting to happen more frequently. First, i thought it was just coincidence. The fire at the bank, the collapsed shed in my backyard. But then Ash tells me Mr. Barrett found the body and I just..." Worried to finish the sentence I clam up. Peter, noticing before I stop speaking, wraps his lanky yet muscular frame around me. I hug him back, the familiar smell of his laundry soap calming me. 

When he pulls away his eyes searching my expression, he says "You need to sleep. Do you need anything, because you know I give a killer massage," Peter says with a mischievous grin.