The Dreamer, J.M.Hurley [english novels for beginners txt] 📗

. Then, as Kyle slammed the door, I forgot about Zane, about the kiss, and about my last words. I left it all outside, and linked my arm through my boyfriends as we started off down the hall together.


Chapter 32

We made it halfway down the hallway before Kyle pulled me aside and pushed me back, against the wall. My mind flashed back the memory of Zane, he’d done the exact same thing right after our first date. No! No more comparing Kyle to Zane! Kyle is your boyfriend and Zane is a friend.

I silently reprimanded myself as Kyle’s lips turned up in a smile.

“You’re doing it again,” he said brushing my wet hair out of my face.

“Doing what?” I asked. Comparing you to Zane?

I thought nervously, How does he know I do that?

“You’re thinking real hard about something. I can tell, and I think I know what it is,” he said and I shifter uncomfortably, letting my body press up against the hard stone of the wall.
“You do?” He smiled at me, making my stomach churn with guilt.

“Of course I do. You feel guilty about kissing Zane, but no worries Summer. I think I know how you can make it up to me,” he said and I gave him a confused look.

“How?” I asked and his smile widened.

“By saying yes.”

I sighed, beginning to feel annoyed with him, “But I already did say yes!” I protested as he finally released his strong hold on my arms.

“I’m not talking about the dance Summer,” he replied, ignoring my look of annoyance as I took a step away from the wall and wrung my hair out.

“Then what are you talking about Kyle?” I asked with a sigh, I was really getting tired of all of these games.

“I would like you to meet my parents,” he answered and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

“Y-your parents? As in your family? When?” I asked turning to face him. He reached up and took hold of my hands, intertwining his fingers with mine before he answered me.

“Well, my parents are my family, I have no siblings, and yes they said that they would be delighted if you would come have dinner with us. We were thinking on this tomorrow.” He finished and I felt my jaw drop.

“Tomorrow? They want to meet me? What happens if they don’t like me? What happens if-”

“Oh Summer, relax!” he said giving me a quick peck on my forehead. “They’re going to love you just as much as I do. In fact, I’ve already got us permission from the office to leave campus, so now all that’s standing in the way is your answer,” he finished his statement by giving me a sly smile that made me let out a nervous giggle.

“Of course I’ll meet them!” I said giggling as Kyle picked me up and spun me around.

We both laughed as he tripped over the uneven floor and we were both sent tumbling onto the ground. Sprawled out on the soft, carpeted entrance hall we must have looked incredibly foolish, but at that moment, I didn’t care. Kyle got up and brushed his pants off then offered me his hand. I took it graciously and laughed joyfully as he pulled me up off the floor and into his warm, loving embrace.

“I’m glad you said yes…again,” Kyle whispered as I clung tighter to him.

“I’m glad you asked…again,” I replied and gave his lips a soft kiss before untangling myself from him.
“I should head back to my room before Sierra gets worried, I kind of left her in a hurry,” I said and gave Kyle one last hug before we set off in separate directions.

I made if halfway to my dorm before I registered the fact that I was still wearing Zane’s jacket. I sighed, maybe I can give to Lance, and the he can deliver it for me.

I thought glumly as I again regretted whispering ‘I love you’ to Zane. I shouldn’t have done that. All that did was make things more complicated.

I gave my forehead a light slap as I replayed the evenings highlights in my mind. Zane kissing me, me falling, them fighting, me mouthing words, and Kyle’s invite. It’d all happened so fast that most of it was a blur.

Click! I heard a loud stomp from somewhere near by, ignoring it, I kept on walking. Click! There it is again!

I thought as I looked around for the person behind the noise, but found nothing and kept walking.

“Oh for the love of Christ would you turn around!” called an annoyed voice from behind me. I whipped around, not sure how I’d missed whoever it was and then I saw her. Stephanie stood by the wall, her expression tired and sad. She was wearing her pink, lace and silk pajamas and her hair was slicked back into a high pony. My eyebrows shot up at the sight of her.

“Sleep walking are we?” I checked my watch, “It isn’t even 8:00 yet, why are you in your pajamas?”

As normal, she plastered on a superior glare and stood up straighter before she answered me, “I just got finished with my massage and thought I’d relax!” she said pointedly and I let out a sigh.

“So I only have 2 questions,” I said giving her a sarcastic glance, “1.) Which boy did you con into giving you a massage now? And 2.) What are you doing in the hallway?” She twirled the end of her pony tail nervously before answering.

“Would you just forgive and forget already?” she yelled, surprising me. “I mean, come on! I’m sorry that Zane lied, and go ahead and stay mad at him, but don’t drag me into this! I’m not

the one who lied to you!” she insisted stomping over to look me in the eyes. “You know I don’t apologize a lot…” she said her voice trailing off as she looked down at her feet. I crossed my arms and waited for her to continue.

“Look, do I really have to say it?” she said and I shot her a glance.

“Say what? You’re sorry?” I asked innocently and she gave me a disgusted glance.

“Of course not! I have nothing to apologize for!”

“Nothing to apologize for? You have absolutely-”

“Don’t you get it!” she yelled, cutting me off mid sentence. “I have no one

! I don’t have caring parents, I don’t have a brother cares if I even exists, I don’t have any relationship, yet alone a good one. Most of all, I don’t have any friends! I’m sorry! Okay? I’m sorry!” she yelled in fury and without a second glance she ran to the end of the hall, flung her door open, and slammed it shut behind her. I stood there for a moment, did that really just happen?

I asked myself as I forced my feet to walk forward. Who would guess that Stephanie actually has a heart?

I thought as I stumbled my way back to my room.

When I got to my dorm room I flung open the door, then after shutting it behind me, I dragged myself onto my bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I had no intentions of actually sleeping, but it felt good to just lie there and do nothing. After only a few minutes of nothing I heard my phone vibrate from my computer desk and turned over to look at it, contemplating whether I should get up to answer it. Sierra rounded the corner from our bathroom and glanced over at my phone.

“You want me to get that?” she asked as she ran a comb through her short, choppy brown hair.

“Yeah, thanks,” I replied as she scooped my phone up and tossed it to me.

“Hello?” I said hearing how tired my voice sounded and heard a rustling on the other line.

“Hi sweetheart,” My fathers low baritone voice rang through the receiver.

“Oh hi daddy!” I said instantly glad to hear from my family. “What’s up?” I asked casually and heard him clear his throat, something he only does when he’s nervous. “Is everything alright, dad?” I asked willing him with all of my might to assure me that everything was fine.

“Uh, no honey, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you,” he said and I heard the sadness emitting from his voice.

“Daddy? What’s wrong, Daddy?” I asked, sounding like the small child my father could always bring out in me.

“Your mother and I have done a lot of thinking about this…and we want you to understand that this has nothing to do with you…Honey, your mother and I are splitting up.” He finished and his words made the tears spring back up in my eyes.

“What! But you and mommy are happy together! You’ve always been happy together!” I cried as my father tried to console me.

“I know, I know, and I’m sorry that you have to hear it like this, but we just aren’t happy anymore.” The way he said it made me stop sobbing and sit up straighter.

“This wasn’t a mutual decision, was it? This is mom’s choice! She’s the one who’s ‘not happy’ anymore!” I said and I heard my father let out a defeated sigh.

“Yes, your mother is the one who brought about this but you’re not to blame her. Things like this happen, and honey, can you really blame her? We hardly see each other anymore, with my constant working and her travels; it’s obvious to see that we’ve drifted.”

My sadness turned to anger. “How could she does this to us?!” I screamed as unwelcome tears slid down my face.

“Summer listen I-”

“I gotta go,” I said then hung and threw my phone a the floor. It bounced one then lay still on the carpet.

I looked up from my bed and saw Sierra’s concerned look. She walked over and cautiously picked up my phone, as if she were afraid I would throw something again.

After she had it in her hand, she set it back down onto my desk then pulled herself up to sit with me on my bed.

“If you wanna talk-”

“Yes, I need to talk,” I replied and without waiting for a response I started into what happened after I’d left her and for the first time since I had my first dream, I didn’t lie. I told her everything, leaving nothing out, and for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I had a friend.


Chapter 33

After I finished re-telling my complicated evening to Sierra she let out a tired sigh. “I can’t believe you go together with Kyle and didn’t tell me!” she said in mock shock, putting a hand to her chest and giving me a fake-out raged look.

I smiled, “Is that really the most shocking part of that whole story?”

“Well…no I guess not,” she said and reached forward to give my arm a quick pinch.