I stretched and yawned. Smiling I turned on my left side to hug my wife Bailey. She was gone. As my blurry vision cleared I realized that we were not in our home. But in the Apartment I shared with Brian and Leigh.

Slowly I got up and walked down the white carpeted steps. The carpet felt cool under my feet and really soft. As I neared the kitchen I saw Brian.

"Hey Brian where is Bailey? Did she take the kids out or something." I asked sitting down for a glass of milk. I wasn't really a coffee person.

Brian looked at me with a disoriented look on his face. "Who?" he asked.

I chuckled, good old Brian always playing his practical jokes. "Brian, stop fooling you know my wife Bailey."

Brian laughed and sat down across from me. "Your not married Nick."

I was shocked what was he talking about, he had been there for my wedding. "Yes... I am" I looked at my left hand. Nothing, no ring was there. I began to panic. "Brian, how old am I?" I asked frantically.

Brian looked confused as he sat and sipped at his steaming coffee. "You're almost 20 years old."

I closed my eyes. "It was all a dream? But it was so real." There was no Bailey Samson. No concert where I met her. Nothing, nada, zip, zero. Quietly I got up.

"I'm going for a jog okay Brian..."

Brian looked up from the newspaper. "Are you okay Kaos?"

I smiled meekly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I walked back up to my room. But I wasn't fine. I couldn't believe it was all a dream. How could it all be a dream? It felt so real. I decided that a jog would help clear my mind. As I neared the door, I had a
thought.

If I wasn't married to Bailey that meant I was still engaged to Clarissa. My heart dropped.

Clarissa was beautiful, smart, and everything I could have wanted but didn't.. I felt like she was going to pull me down. Take me out of the field that I loved. I felt like she was going to throw me into a life that I didn't want.

Quietly I walked to the door.

My morning jog lasted longer than normal. Probably because I had to go to Clarissa's to call off the wedding. She didn't seem to mind all that much. She was cheating on me behind my back with a guy named John Luke from France.. It wouldn't last long.

I smiled I was feeling a little better as I rounded the corner and ran into the driveway of Brian's apartment. I ran right into AJ's orange Jeep. It would have been pretty funny seeing me run into a jeep. But at the time I wasn't to thrilled. Confused I walked into the house.

"Hey why is AJ here..." I called. I walked into the living room to see my friends gathered around.

There was a very pretty girl sitting next to AJ. "Hi." I said, my breath was taken away from me with her beauty.

She had dark brown eyes like fudge and pretty blonde hair. I smiled it was naturally blonde and looked so soft. She had on an orange tank top with white baggy pants. Her hair was in a bunch of
tiny braids. "Hello."

I looked at AJ who smiled mischievously at me. "Nick, meet my cousin Jewel"

I was taken aback by this girl in my living room. "Nice to meet you." I whispered.

"Likewise."

Jewel, I thought. What a perfectly suitable name for her, She was like a jewel among rocks that surrounded her.

"Nick I was hoping you'd show Jewel around a little bit. I asked Howie, but he was a little bit upset
about his sister, and I asked Kevin, but he was leaving for his honeymoon, I asked Brian, but his wife is pregnant and they are going up to Kentucky to visit the family for a while. And me well Mom and I have a week to Spain planned out."

I smiled. "I'd love too."

Jewel smiled at me. "I'll play you in basketball, I noticed your hoop out there." She pointed towards the driveway.

I nodded. "Okay." I followed her outside grabbing the basketball off the steps.

I had just arrived in Florida to visit my cousin and Aunt. My mother had made me come. I have always hated visiting my cousin Alex and my Aunt Kelly. They always just drop me off on one of their friends, because they are always off doing mother and son things.

So it wasn't a big shock to me when Alex said they were going to Spain. I just smiled and nodded and got into his orange jeep to look for a place to stay. The first two people we visited were nice enough, but the one had just gone through a death in the family and the other was going on his honeymoon. The third we visited was very nice and would have taken me in for the week. But his wife was pregnant, they wanted to go visit their families in Kentucky. They did say they would stay and show me around.

We were in their living room discussing the plans when a tall blonde man walked into the house almost tripping over the basketball I had set on the stairs. "Hey why is AJ here..." he called walking into the living room. I was stunned to see what a handsome man this was. "Hi." He said with nervousness in his voice.

"Hello" I hoped I didn't seem to wild for him, I was in my brightest orange shirt and white baggy pants and my hair was in all braids.

"Nick, meet my cousin Jewel" I couldn't even say my own name, and I was grateful that my cousin did it for me. I smiled and took a glance at Alex. He had a playful smile on his face. I'm not even sure what was said next.

"Nick I was hoping you'd show Jewel around a little bit. I asked Howie, but he was a little bit upset about his sister, and I asked Kevin, but he was leaving for his honeymoon, I asked Brian, but his wife is pregnant and they are going up to Kentucky to visit the family for a while. And me well Mom and I have a week to Spain planned out."

"I'd love too." I smiled, I would be spending almost two weeks with this guy before I went home to good old Pennsylvania.

"I'll play you in basketball, I noticed your hoop out there." I tried not to sound stupid.

But to my wonder this Nick character smiled and led me out side.

Jewel and I were playing a little one on one. I knew that the guys inside were peaking outside and watching us. I didn't care, I spun the basket ball on my finger, just teasing with her a little.

"Ready for some one on one." I laughed and began to dribble the ball. She crouched low and watched me as I went for a lay up. But as I got closer to it I realized that I was without a ball. I looked around surprised and seen her toss the ball for a good three pointer. She smiled.

"Oh I'm ready." I chuckled. This girl was like a Dream.. She was beautiful, outgoing, did I mention beautiful?

She jumped for a lay up; her shirt went up a little exposing some of her waist. My breath almost stopped, there on her left side was a small tattoo of a dolphin.

"You okay? You getting tired of getting beat by a girl." She tossed the ball at me. Suddenly I didn't feel like shooting anymore.

"Want to go for a walk?" I asked tossing the ball aside.

"Sure." I decided to take her down by the beach.

As we walked silently through the sand I couldn't help but have the feeling she was everything I had dreamed about. I took her hand in mine and pulled her closer so she was facing me. I kind of laughed as I neared her lips. I didn't understand why I was doing this, I just was.

Finally we connected. As I pulled away I asked her a question. "Is this... are you a dream?"

She smiled. "I don't know, I thought you were."

I kissed her again.

>>>>>

.