:Dreamscape:

:Dreamscape: Part 17

+Seventeenth Dream -Fire and Lightning+

Three days later, I get released from the hospital, the doctors finally satisfied that the electrical burn I got has healed over well enough. The first thing I do is head to Kayla's house and ring the doorbell. A tall, older version of her answers the door.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Smith," I say politely.

Mrs. Smith smiles but looks concerned. "Honey, I heard you got hospitalized," she says. "You have a scar, right here."

She points to the side of my face that Kayla had slapped. "Goodness, what happened?"

"I do?" I touch where she pointed, feeling around my cheek for different skin. My fingers slide over a smooth patch of skin right above my jawbone. I trace the lightning bolt pattern. No...I want to tell her that her daughter's the reason, but that's not right.

"It was an accident," I reply. "Remember when my car blew up? A few shards of glass were hiding in my rose bushes so when I went to look for dead leaves-" I point to my new scar.

"Are you sure, honey?" I can tell she doesn't believe me. "That looks like a burn scar."

I laugh, feeling horrible. "How could I burn my face? This is Jason, by the way."

"I don't know," she decides. "And hello, Jason. Well, come in, and by the way, dear, it's nine in the morning."

I stop short. "Oh my gosh, Mrs. Smith, I had no idea!" I apologize, shocked. Is my sense of time that skewed? "I am so sorry to bother you-"

"No, no," Mrs. Smith waves her hand dismissively. "We're early birds, this family. Please, come in."

I sigh and follow her in, Jason close behind.

"Kayla's still asleep, but she'll be up soon," she continues, heading to the kitchen. "Hot cocoa?"

"Yes, please," I answer. "Two."

"Coming right up!"

Jason and I stand around in the dining room, him looking around at the Oriental design, me thinking about all the fun Kayla and I had in this room. All the sleepovers, parties, and trips to places together... We were like sisters.

But now who is there to trust besides Jason? If I can't even trust my closest friend? What about him? I glance over to him, watching his amber eyes as they take in the beauty of the decor. He has this habit of brushing his chestnut hair out of his eyes when he's anxious or impatient. He crosses his arms often, too, and bites his lower lip when he doesn't want to talk. I realize I've studied him quite a lot to notice these minor details.

"Here you are," Mrs. Smith returns with four mugs of cocoa. "So," she says, inviting us to sit at her dark wood table. "I told Kayla she has guests. She says she'll be down in a minute."

"Thank you," I say politely, sitting down. Jason sits next to me, staying close. I sense he's uncomfortable in this house.

"She's Storm," Jason whispers into my ear. I frown.

"What?" I whisper back.

"Lightning and Snow," he replies quietly. "Kayla."

"What's that supposed to mean?" It sounds dangerous.

"It means that she's got control of lightning and snow in this world."

"Oh, shit."

Mrs. Smith was watching us quietly. "So," she says cheerily. "What was all that?"

She's plenty used to whispered chatter in her house. She looks nothing short of amused.

"Idle gossip Jason here felt was important," I say brightly.

"I see," Kayla's mom says playfully. "What about?"

"People are talking about Hayley and I dating," Jason answers. I gape at him. Say WHAT?!

I'm about to punch him when I realize Jason just gave a viable excuse for his being close to me all the time.

He still should have talked to me about it first.

"You finally have a boyfriend?" Mrs. Smith laughs. "Took you quite awhile. Is he worth anything?" She winks and Jason laughs genuinely.

"Oh, he's good for now," I say loftily. "It's only a matter of time, though."

"What the hell, Mom." Kayla stands in the doorway, eyes wide and fists clenched. "Why are you here?!"

"I came to say hello," I say smoothly, glaring. Instantly I feel a wave of dislike. I don't know why she has to be my enemy. Why did she do that? Is she bent on hating me? as she just pretending to be my friend? Waiting for the first chance she got to kill me? Did she know I was a Dreamer and she just didn't tell me? Is that it?

"Goodbye," she snaps, turning on her heel to leave.

"Kayla Marie Smith, you come right back here," Mrs. Smith orders, switching from cool-mom mode to evil-mom-from-hell mode. "Right now. Move."

Kayla scowls and sits slowly next to her. "I'm tired," she growls. "I want to go back to bed."

"I see you two are fighting," Mrs. Smith observes. "Tell me what's going on."

"Nothing," I say quickly. "I just wanted to..."And I reach over and smack Kayla as hard as I can. She shrieks in pain and fury and leaps to her feet, tackling me over the table. I pull back my fist and punch her as hard as I can as she claws my arm.

Jason jumps back in alarm as we hit the ground, attacking each other furiously.

"Girls!" Mrs. Smith sounds shocked. "What are you doing?!"

I remember myself and kick Kayla away, shamed. "Sorry, Mrs. Smith," I mumble, returning to my seat. Blood smears my shirt and jacket, most of it from the clawmarks she gave me. Kayla growls to herself, gets to her feet, and returns to her mom's side. Jason puts a hand on my stinging shoulder.

"I just wanted to know why she didn't tell me," I say. Kayla knows what I'm talking about and narrows her eyes, her lip swelling.

"I don't want anything to do with you anymore," she snaps, crossing her arms.

"Jesus! What'd I do?!" I say angrily, getting to my feet with my arms on my hips. "It's like we're best friends, then I'm a Dreamer, then I meet Jason, then you're one, too, and then you try to kill me! What the hell happened?! If you knew, why didn't you try to make a Truce with me?!"

Jason told me yesterday what happened when two Dreamers make a Truce. Basically, we get our Dreamcatchers and stay in the same room for a night. By protecting each other's dreams, we've made a Truce until the end of the hunt for Milepost - meaning, when we all die.

"Because I didn't know!" She yells, "and you didn't tell me!"

"Guess who told me?! Not you!" I yell back. My fists clench as she cracks her knuckles again. Jason gets to his feet, saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, ladies! Let's all just - um, sit down, okay-? And - and stop getting ready to kill each other-"

Kayla continues yelling at the top of her voice, with Mrs. Smith trying to yell louder to shut her up, and it's all just pissing me off more and more so I throw a punch that she dodges.

Almost.

My hand grazes her cheek and she screams in pain, doubling over with her hand on her face. Her reaction startles me so much that I drop my hands and stare at her.

The side of her face I brushed is raw and red, swollen and burnt all at the same time. She continues crying and holding her face. I stare in shock and as I watch, water drips from her hairline and the burn turns dark. She collapses, weeping and whimpering.

"Oh, my God, Hayley," Jason says in a low voice. "Fire and Water. Hayley, you're Fire and Water."