Caught In A Dream

Chapter Fourteen

It's Monday morning. I despise Mondays. They were bad enough when they were the first day back to school after a weekend. But now, I have to meet with Dr. Norman on Mondays too. I spend the morning sulking until we pull up to the high school. I walk blindly up the sidewalk to the front doors, not really paying attention to my surroundings.

I've been caught in my dreams since I woke up this morning. I'm trying to grasp onto the memory from last night after I woke up. Well, Riley woke up. I still don't understand what happened. Was Riley in my head, in my body?

I smack into a broad figure. The familiar scent of spring rain washes over my senses. I didn't even need to glance up to know it was Kory.

"Hey Ash, you okay. You seem out of it," Kory asks me.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking about something," I say and smile up at him. "I had a great time Friday night! Are you bursting with excitement since the team won on Saturday?"

His back straightens and his flashes me a cocky smile, "You know I was. You and the squad were cheering us on. I didn't catch you after the game though. I was looking for you."

"Ah, yeah. I'm sorry about that. I wanted to congratulate you, but the game ended later than I thought it would. I promised my mom I would be home by ten," I lie to him. I would not tell him that I thought I saw Riley in the bleachers. He doesn't even know who Riley is. I don't even know who she is.

He smiles at me, clearly undisturbed by my fib. The bell rings. He looks at the door, then turns back to me, "I need to ask you something during study hall. Save me a seat?" With a quick wink, he turns and leaves for class.

I rush into school and take off for homeroom. The first three periods pass by so fast. I drag my feet while walking to fourth period. Gym class is terrible. I don't have a single friend in the class, so participating is really my only option.

I push open the gym doors and feel as though I walked through an invisible barrier. My hands begin to sweat and my heart pounds loudly within my chest. I scan the gymnasium until my eyes meet Jordan's. He nods to me. I take a moment to debate whether I should go over and talk to him.

After a few moments, I decided that I want to talk to him. I wave back to him, before walking in his direction.

I greet him next to the bleachers, "Hey Jordan, how have you been doing?"

He appears taken aback, "I'm doing pretty well. I thought you didn't want to be seen talking to me? You mentioned that, but then you kind of ignored me at the party Friday."

I look down at my feet, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was on a date with Kory and I don't want him to know any of that stuff about me."

He uses two fingers to lift my face towards him and holds me there. His eyes piercing. When he looks at me this way, I feel like he can see through me. He lets go of me and runs his hand through his hair. Returning his eyes to mine he says, "Don't apologize Ashlynn. You have nothing to be sorry for."

His words send a chill down my back, "I know, I just, I want to be friends. I think that the two of us may have some things in common."

A small laugh escapes from his throat, "Why, because we both see a shrink?"

"Shhhhhh," I hush him, "Partly because of that, but I also think you may be able to understand me. Maybe, I can even understand you."

He shoots me a cocky smile, "Honey, my shrinks don't even understand me." He places his pointer finger on his chin, pretending he's deep in thought. He continues, "But, maybe you're different. Let's give it a try."