In Your Dreams (In Your Dreams #1)

Chapter 3

At a loss for a response that seems quippy enough, I silently accept his invitation, sitting down on the cracked cushion and leaning against his hoodie. "Is that in your way?" he asks.

"No. I'm fine," I insist, but he sits up and tries to reach over to the chair anyway. He can't extend far enough, so I sit up and grab the hoodie to hand to him. Kieran balls up the sweatshirt and holds it against him like a stuffed animal as he lies down on his side, facing me.

"I have narcolepsy. I don't know if you know what that is."

"It's a sleep disorder, right?" I ask, recalling something I must have read once. "Like, you fall asleep at random times?"

"Exactly. Had it as long as I can remember."

"So that's what happened this morning." I'm almost overcome with relief that I didn't do something to "break" him, as Cassie so eloquently said.

"Yeah. I was actually awake when you hit me, but I couldn't move."

"Sorry." When you hit me...God, I'm so embarrassed.

"No-it's okay," he insists. "I probably would've done the same thing in your position. By the time they got me out in the hall, I could move again. The paralysis thing doesn't happen to me a lot-only in really extreme circumstances. I guess my brain decided to go all out this morning, first day of school and all."

"Well, I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks. And, look-I'm sorry you had to see that. Kayla kind of filled me on everything. Must've been pretty scary for you not knowing what was going on."

"Don't worry about it," I tell him, because what else are you supposed to say to someone with what I'm assuming is an incurable disorder?

"No, really, I should've warned you." He shakes his head against the pillow. "I mean, my parents told me all the teachers knew, but...well, it's not exactly what you want to open with when you're trying to meet new people. 'Hi, I'm Kieran, and I'm probably going to pass out on you without warning, but don't worry-it's all good.'"

"You know," I start, cracking a smile so he'll hopefully read my idea as the joke I'm intending it to be, "if you get the information to Mrs. Gillette before 1:30, they'll make an announcement to the whole school at the end of the day. Might save you some trouble."

His grin reemerges. "You have an amazing sense of humor, Zip McKee. I figured you'd be pissed as hell over this."

"Nothing to be pissed about," I say. "I was worried. That's why I'm here."

He won't stop grinning, and I feel my face burn on admitting I was concerned. Pretending to be interested in something on the side of my vinyl snow boot gives me an excuse to avoid his eyes.

"So, I didn't get the chance to ask you your real name before I went face down on your desk," he says as I continue my preoccupation with some imaginary whatever on my boot.

"Zara. Zara Elizabeth McKee," I tell him, sitting up and taking advantage of the rare opportunity to use my full name.

"Wow. That's really beautiful."

Dude, you're killing me, I think, as my face grows hot once again. "Thanks," I say out loud, looking down and fiddling with the end of my ponytail since he's probably going to wonder what's wrong with me if I keep messing with my boot. After a few seconds, my cheeks cool to their normal temperature and I'm confident enough to raise my eyes, but when I do, damned if he isn't still giving me The Grin. It's like the boy never stops.

"Seriously, though-if you call me 'Zara,' I'll kill you," I warn, trying to see if I can wipe the grin off his face with an empty threat. "I mean it. Teachers call me 'Zara,' and that's how I introduce myself to people when I go visit my dad, but that's pretty much it."