“So?” Lynn repeated.

I cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?” I asked.

Evie sat up as well. “So, what’s going on with you and Isaac?” she asked, clarifying Lynnie’s question.

I shrugged my shoulders uncomfortably. “I don’t know,” I told them. “We’re . . . I guess . . . I don’t know - friends.”

“Friends?” Evie asked suspiciously. “Is that all?”

I shrugged again. “Yeah. Friends. I mean, what do you want me to say? We’re madly and passionately in love? Right!” I said quietly, rolling my eyes at her. “Get real.”

Even in the dark, I could tell that Evie had rolled her eyes back. “Well, excuse us. You two just spend about twenty-four/seven with each other and me and Lynn were wondering how far your relationship had gone -”

“What are you implying?” I insisted, incredulous.

“Ooh, five-cent word of the day,” Lynnie quipped.

I ignored her comment, momentarily wondering why she couldn’t be as quiet around me as she was around strangers. “What do you think Ike and I have done? We’ve known each other - what - a whole two days?”

Eve held her hands up. “Don’t get so defensive! Jeez. I mean, we’re not implying anything, Jaye-Jae. What, got a guilty consciousness?”

I shook my head, chuckling to myself. “That’s ‘conscience’, dear. And no.”

Evie squared her lip off. “Leave me alone! It’s too late!” she sobbed in her best whining, feel-sorry-for-me voice.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s okay, Evie. Being brain dead once in a while can be a good rest.” I yawned. “An speaking of rest . . .” I stood up from the bed and moved toward the top bunk. “I’m going to sleep.”

“Fine, be that way,” Lynnie said sarcastically, climbing onto the bottom bunk.

I sighed. “Look, I’m tired,” I told her. “Besides, how would you two like it if I asked about you two and Tay and Zac?”

“We don’t have anything to hide,” Evie said simply. “I mean, we don’t sneak off with them and -”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” I warned.

Eve and Lynnie giggled from their bunks.

“Sweet, innocent, little us?” Lynn demanded, still giggling. “Would we say anything bad?”

I leaned over the side of my bunk to look at my little sister. “Is that a trick question?” I asked, serious. Lynnie just continued to giggle. I rolled my eyes. “You’re on crack, you know that, right?” Again, Lynn just grinned.

The world tilted and whirled below me.

I was dreaming again, I knew it. However, fear still clutched my throat and made me shake.

My feet were dangling. I was fully aware that there was nothing under me. My hands clutched something rough and hard; something that dug into my wrists and cut off my circulation.

Look up, I thought wildly. I’ll know what I’m up against if I just look up.

Slowly, I managed to bring my eyes toward whatever my support was. I could almost see it . . .

My eyes flew open. Immediately, I looked toward the noise which had woken me. Isaac looked up at me sheepishly and grinned. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you up,” he said quietly.

Breathing heavily, I shook my head at him. “Don’t worry about it,” I said. Unconsciously, I looked down at the trundle bed on the floor. Evie was still asleep, her blond hair feathered out over her pillow. I looked back at Ike.

“You had that dream again, didn’t you?” he asked, concerned.

I shushed him, pointing down at Evie. Quickly, I climbed down out of my bunk and joined him at the wall by the door. “Yeah, it was that dream again,” I whispered. I raised my eyes and looked up into his. “It’s starting to scare me, Ike,” I confided, almost inaudibly.

Isaac took one of my hands in his. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” he said quietly.

I rolled my eyes and squeezed his hand. “You don’t believe that,” I told him knowingly.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right. I don’t,” he agreed. “I’m just trying to make you feel better.”

I managed to smile at him. “Thank you,” I whispered. “It’s not working, but thank you.”

Isaac smiled as well. He then leaned over and brought his lips to mine. I kissed him back for a moment before pushing away. “What’s wrong,” he asked, brown eyes looking down into mine.

I turned away and pointed at the trundle bed. “I don’t want to wake her,” I whispered.

He nodded. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll just grab something to wear and I’ll be out of here, okay?”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Quietly, he made his way to his dresser and pulled out clothes for the day. On his way out the door, he paused to kiss my forehead.

I closed the door as soon as Isaac walked out of it. Quickly, I got myself dressed, being sure not to wake Evie. I was successful. When I was finished dressing, I gave one more glance at Eve before walking out the door.

chapter eighteen
back to the index