The Tales of a Daydreamer

I walked into my house, and Jada and Rian were sitting on my couch.

"Umm, hi..." I muttered, dropping my bag to the floor. "Did you move in while I was gone or something? You can't have my room if you did."

Rian laughed, setting her pencil down on the coffee table and running a hand through her flaming red hair. "Relax, doll. I just figured that since I was doing your homework, I could do it in your house if I wanted." Her hazel eyes followed me across the living room.

Jada flashed me a grin and ran a hand down her dark skinned arm. "And I'm here to help." She gave me a thumbs up and leaned back on the red leather couch.

"Thank you, captain obvious," I muttered, walking through the doorless entryway to my kitchen. "Thirsty, anyone?" I called over my shoulder. "Or, since you're in such a helpful mood, care to help me sweep and mop?"

Rian and Jada, like the lost puppies they often resembled, followed me into the kitchen. Rian cleared her throat. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not that nice."

Jada laughed and scrambled up the counter to perch on the surface. "You don't have to state what's already known." Her dark brown eyes danced as she dodged Rian's swat at her face.

I laughed. "Just thought I'd try..." I murmered, walking to my sink. I opened the drawer under it, and grabbed the Fabuloso. I glanced at the childproof lid and laughed. "You know what I've never understood?"

Jada glanced up from her new seat on the countertop. "What's that?"

"Why do they put the safety things on this stuff? I mean, it's not like kids are gonna have it, and it's not gonna keep out the suicidal adults."

"Or teenagers..." Jada muttered.

I laughed, setting it down on the counter. "Umm, okay... Do you have something you would like to talk about, love?"

She shook her head, flipping out her long, light brown hair, and flashed us a white smile. "No. Not particularly." She laughed. "I was just merely making an... observation. Yeah."

"Umm..." Rian muttered. "Yeah. I'm thinking you need help, love."

She shot Rian a glare. "Don't say that. Don't say that. I've had it up to here." She held her hand up to her chin, and in a flash, she had the Fabuloso in hand, top off. "Okay, fine," she said through gritted teeth. "You want to know why I said it? Here's why." She held the bottle up to her lips with a suggestive grin.

I instantly stepped forward, but as I got closer, she tipped the bottle just a little more. "Jada..." I muttered warningly.

"Oh, what are you gonna do? Unless you want to be the cause of my death, I do suggest you step back." Her free hand rested on her hip, daring me to move. I could tell she was serious. What are you supposed to do with teenagers attempting to off themselves with kitchen cleaner?? How does that even work?

Rian froze, eyes wide, on the other side of the kitchen.

"Jada... Jade, don't do this. You've got so much going for you..." I reached for the bottle, and she tipped it more. "Jada, no! You're such a smart girl, you have so much in your future." And that stuff can't taste very good...

I kept that last thought to myself. There were times when my playful sarcasm was okay; right now, I didn't think it would help this psychotic teenager who was a bit too concerned with inward cleanliness.

She rolled her dark eyes. "Oh, gimme a break." The bottle tipped a bit further, and the green liquid brushed against her closed lips.

"Jada! Put it down!"

All I could do was watch it horror as she began to tip the bottle farther back. How on earth was I going to explain this to my parents...?

________________________________________________________

"Lohgan, who is Jada?"

My eyes fluttered open, and I screeched and fell off my couch. Ryland's gaze followed me, though he was no longer an inch from my face. He crawled closer, and I gasped and jumped up. "Space, please!"

"Lohgan, what the-," He reached forward, and I dodged his grasp. I fell backwards onto the couch and scrambled into the corner.

"It's just that the last time you were here you tried to-,"

"Tried to what, steal an answer to a math problem from you? Lohgan, we were doing homework." He laughed disbelievingly as I dodged his grasp again and darted to the other side of the couch.

"No, after that, you tried-,"

"Lohgan, there was no time after that," he said, trying to calm me. He scooted closer. "Lohgan...?"

I squeaked, crawling over him. He turned toward me, and I tried to back up, toppling off the couch. I jumped up, taking a step back with my hands up. "Then maybe it was-,"

"Lohgan!" He hurdled the couch and grabbed my shoulders before I could react. I squirmed, but his grip was firm. "Lohgan, calm down!" I shook my head, trying to break his grasp. "Lohgan, what is up with you!?"

Suddenly, I remembered that what I was thinking of had been a dream. I could feel my cheeks go bright red as I went limp. "I... I don't know. Nothing, I guess..."

"Are you okay now? Can I let go without you freaking out?" His eyes searched my face, and they were filled with concern.

I nodded.

He sighed and laughed, releasing my shoulders and guiding me lightly around the couch. He sat next to me. "For a second there, it was like you thought..." He blinked, glanced at me, and shook his head. "Nevermind. You know what? Just nevermind." He laughed. "But who the heck is Jada?"

I blinked twice. "Huh?"

He cocked his head in puzzlement. "You were the one talking to her. Well, in your dream you were... You were all 'Jada, no. You're such a smart girl, you have so much in your future. Jada, put it down!'"

I looked at him blankly. I had a blurry image in my head, of a cockily smiling black girl, but that's all I could remember of my dream. "I... I don't know. I can't remember."

He shook his head. "Man, you've been acting weird lately. I mean, I know your dreams can be realistic, but it's like, lately, you don't even know if what you're remembering is dream, or reality."

And therein lies the problem.