In Her Dreams

Maggie-

I was listening to one of my favorite songs (The Anthem) as I walked down the street from the buss stop to my small house. My room was in the basement so trying to avoid the omnipresent bickering upstairs I just went through the cellar door. I could hear some one stomping to the door and then it slamming shut.

My dad. He was probably going out to drink. At least I could sleep tonight I thought trying to look on the bright side.

My name's Magdolyn (Maggie to the few people who actually talk to me) Summers, I like being invisible and I'm good at it. I have dark red hair that is parted and cut in a way that makes my bangs constantly slide in front of my face, but I like it that way and only my mother seemed to care. I had bright blue-green eyes that most people thought were weird and I had light freckles that dotted their way over the bridge of my nose. I have a brother named Dylan and he was what I could call a friend, but wasn't one in a literal sense. He has my hair, but has emerald green eyes and no freckles. I envy that. My mother and father are, amazingly, still together; they're fighting usually keeps me up at night. My father likes to drink and I'd just rather not go into detail.

So let me tell you about my day. Everyone ignored me. I got an A on my Math test and I had to humiliate myself in front of the class with what my vocal teacher proudly says is, 'The voice of the future.' Or some other nonsense like that. On the buss ride home I sat alone looking out the window like always and I got off at the buss stop like always. Sounds boring right? Well, believe me I'd rather it stayed this way.

I sat on my bed listening to my iPod, only singing along once, doing my homework. I had a pile of it too. I looked at the clock after what seemed like hours to find that it had only been one and a half. It was only 5:15.

I heard the front door slam shut again and just figured it was Dylan going out to look for me because I hadn’t yet made an appearance upstairs yet. So I slowly wedged open the cellar door, but no one was there. I puzzled on it for only moments before my door opened. I spun around to face my angry father.

I could tell that my eyes were widening. He wasn’t angry, he was furious. I slowly closed the cellar door behind my back.

“Magdolyn!? What have you done!?” I looked at him with a confused look on my face. I had no idea what he was talking about. I decided it would be best if I answered.

“Uhm…dad. I don’t know what you’re talk…”

“Where’s all your beautiful hair, my daughter?” He cut me off and pretended he hadn’t heard me. Maybe he really hadn’t.

He was delusional. I hadn’t cut my hair for a while now, maybe he had found some drugs. Or maybe he was just really drunk. Either way, he needed to get upstairs before someone noticed he was down here.

I walked up to him my hands held up in surrender. I put my arm around his shoulder and took a step forward, trying to get him to move with me.

When he didn’t move I only said, “Come on…up the stairs dad.” He turned shrugging my arm off his shoulder and looked me strait in the eyes.

“Doesn’t my daughter love me?” He asked actually saddened this time. He must really be out of it. He never says something like that with that kind of meaning --that kind of emotion-- behind it.

“I love you dad, but you really have to go upstairs.” When he shrugged my arm off again I reassured him I was going up too. I helped him all the way up to the second floor, where his room was, and sat at the end of the bed listening to him talk until he finally passed out.

I smiled glad he was finally asleep, but knew in the morning he would be an entirely different being. I sighed and made my way slowly down the steps to the basement. In the kitchen I stole a glance at the clock and noticed it was seven already.

I quickly got down the stairs locked the door and pulled on the covers plugging my iPod into my ears before turning off the lamp.

I woke up to someone slamming on the door and the window close to the ceiling told me it wasn’t even close to time to get up. I turned off my iPod and went over to see who it was.

I slowly unlocked it and opened it a crack. It was only Dylan so I opened it the rest of the way. I gave him a half smile and closed the door behind him.

“What happened to dad?” I had to think fast now. I was good at that.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s up in his room muttering something about worth…uh…he’s talking in his sleep and it’s starting to freak mom out.” I flinched back at the mention of my worthlessness.

“Uhmm…sorry can’t help you.” I fed him another fake half smile.

“Okay then…were you asleep?”

“Yeah?” Why would it matter if I was asleep or not? He seemed to read my mind.

“Well, it’s only nine.” I nodded. I watched him leave then close the door behind himself. I quickly got up and locked the door when I was sure he was out of hearing distance. Going back to my music I fell asleep almost as if I was willing for the next day to come.

Jacob-

I was sitting in my favorite seat on the buss it was where the wheel today had been weird. There this girl that sang during Choir. She had a pretty voice, but I could barely hear her. Almost like she was hiding.

I smiled to myself as we pulled up to my buss stop. I got off last and went to go home. As usual it was empty so I just went up to my room. I did my homework quickly and then skipped down the ‘grand staircase’. My parents were proud of this house. I wasn’t... it just made me look rich and snobby.

One thing I always wondered was: How can you be proud of a house? And how can you even appreciate it if your never there?

I ran that thought through my mind a few times on my way to the kitchen. All the servants were on ‘holiday’ and I didn’t have a problem with it. My parents did. I laughed to myself about how people could get.

When I was younger I had vowed never to become that way with my best friend and neighbor, Aidyn. I planned to stick to that plan too. Then my hair was a bright blonde, it's darkened over the years. I had had bright blue eyes, they've gotten darker too.

I guess you could call me popular, but I blame my parents. I turn down a cheerleader about once a week, the funny thing is that I go to a small school and there are only about ten of them.

I silently made a bowl of cereal and went to eat it at the table before going upstairs to watch some TV.

Later that night, before going to bed she came back to my mind. I didn’t even know her name! I sighed as I reached over for the bed side table and grabbed a remote. I hit the play button and turned up the volume to 10.

Time of Dying by Three Days Grace came blasting through the speakers. Then it was Nobody’s Listening by Linkin Park.

I fell asleep around halfway through it. I dreamt about a girl who seemed alone. I didn’t know who she was and she just kept walking away from me. I called to her, but she pretended she couldn’t hear me. I ran to catch up with her and grabbed her arm. It had a few scars on it and she only pulled it away from me. I could only stand there and stare as she walked away faster now. Humming something, it sounded so pretty.

I woke up with a start to the sound of my alarm clock. I quietly laughed to myself it was just a dream.

I told myself I was going to pay attention today, no matter what.