In Her Dreams

Maggie-

“I’m going to fucking kill you. Jake, I swear…” I knew that voice. I knew that tone. “I swear Jake… what if…”

Opening my eyes proved to be harder feat than I had thought. My head was throbbing and I could feel the beginning of a huge headache. I needed my music. I needed Dylan.

I mumbled something incoherent -–I was going for ‘Dylan’ but it didn’t go so well-- and whoever was talking stopped and I felt a hand on my face. It was warmer than me. I smiled at the warmth.

“Maggie?” It was the same voice as before only now I could tell who it was. I nodded my head a little though the hand was holding me back. I tried opening my eyes to make sure it was who I thought it was.

When they finally did open I couldn’t figure out where I was. The next step was remembering why my head hurts so much.

“Maggie… I’m sorry –-I’m stupid and…” I knew that voice too, though I hadn’t known it as long as my brother’s, not even close. It was Jacob.

“She probably doesn’t remember, dude.” I knew that voice too; I hadn’t heard it in forever.

“Zack?” I asked my mouth barely moving enough to form my words. “What are you doing… here?” I licked my lips a bit before trying to sit up. Dylan helped me a bit so I could see where I was. I was in the back office at the video store, where Dylan worked.

“Idiot over here brought you over to my house…” That was all I needed to hear and I could tell he wouldn’t have said more anyway.

“Why…?” I stopped and shook my head and went to hold it. Dylan interfered though and pushed my head back against the wall.

“Yeah, good question.” Dylan said before turning to Jake, whose dirty blonde hair was in his eyes. I never noticed how pretty of a blue his eyes were. “What the Hell did you do…” Jake’s head flew up.

“I didn’t touch her!” He yelled before looking down to the ground.
“Yeah… uhm… Dill… take it easy on the kid, it wasn’t really all his fault.” Zack said. How did he know Jacob anyway?

“No! It is my fault… it’s just… I didn’t touch her.” Jacob murmured still looking towards the ground. Without notice his eyes shifted to mine. “I couldn’t ever hurt her, even if I thought I wanted too.” He said it so low that I swear I was the only one who could hear it. My head started spinning with questions. How much had I missed?

The last thing I remember was walking towards the buss and Jack coming up behind me. He started saying something…

“How is it your fault then?” Dylan asked still visibly infuriated and frustrated. My brother had never really liked having to play guessing games.

“I heard some idiots saying shit about her and I didn’t think before… before doing what I did.”

People were talking about me? How had I missed that? Why can’t they leave me alone? They’d already ruined my life enough.

I used to actually enjoy school, I used to have friends. Now both sides of my life suck and I can’t really do much about it.
“So Jocky Jack decides to take it out on her instead of on Jake here.” Zack cut in and finished, leaving no doubt about what had happened. I could see the apprehension in Dylan’s face, but I was still as clueless as ever.

“You’re off the hook this time.” He muttered in Jacob’s direction before turning back towards me. “You don’t even know what we’re talking about do you?” He said more than asked in a monotonous voice.

“Not a clue.” I mumbled closing my eyes and moving my head so the part that hurt wasn’t sitting directly on the wall. I could hear a few sighs, but didn’t open my eyes to see where they had come from. I needed music.

“How much do you remember?” Zack asked.

“I remember… walking towards the buss and I remember Jack stopping me. I can’t remember what he had to say and I can’t remember… well anything past that point.” I opened my eyes slightly to steal a glance at Zack who was leaning towards Jacob.

“I don’t know how to make you remember… but it ended with your head and a wall…” He paused looking at me. “If that helped at all…” I heard Zack snicker, but I could only shake my head.

No one said anything for a while and I relaxed a bit more lying back down on the small sofa, letting my legs hang over the edge. My head was turned so if I opened my eyes I would see the different threads that made up the sofa and I had on arm curved so it held my head up from the arm.

“Does it hurt real bad?” Zack asked close to my face. He really needed to go back to English class.

“Not too bad… why?” I kept my eyes closed.

“’Cause you’re makin’ Jake feel real guilty.” He said. I could hear the smile in his voice. Zack can never keep a straight face; I swear that at his own mother’s funeral he’d be laughing at something funny she had said forever ago. Maybe he just didn’t like feeling sad.

“Oh… I don’t mean to…” I said quietly opening my eyes to get a glance at his face.

“No, please, I’m enjoyin’ this too much.” I rolled my eyes before closing them again and trying to fall asleep. At least then I wouldn’t be missing my music nor would I feel my head throb with pain.

Jacob-

She looked dead. I could barely stand to sit there and watch her, but I knew I owed it to her and probably to Dylan too. All of this was my fault and I knew it.

I stayed with her while Dylan went to work some more. Pest stayed in the corner and every now and then he would laugh.

There are a few things you should know about Pest. One, he’s a drop-out… he would be in the grade above me. Two, he’s practically insane –at least that’s what we say, just among friends. So the laughing didn’t bother me too much, he was usually doing it anyway.

“Jake?” I hadn’t even noticed the door opening. I knew that voice, but it was one I didn’t want to hear.

“What are you doing here mom?” I asked quietly after I turned to face her. Pest was a stone now; this was even more unexpected to him than it was to me.

I remember what I was going to talk to him about now.

“I was getting a movie, one we could watch later when you got home.” She said then I watched as her eyes scanned the room. “Why don’t you introduce me?” She whispered hastily.

“Oh… mom this is Pe-Zack and the one sleeping is Maggie.” I said still looking at her. Who let her back here anyway? She squeezed my shoulder. “Ugh… he already knows you mom.” I rolled my eyes trying to shoot an apologetic look at Pest. I could feel her eyes burning into me.

My mother, the proper woman; does everything behind people’s backs and is practiced enough not to get caught.

Pest struggled to smile as my mom left ‘accidentally’ hitting me with her over-sized purse.

I rolled my eyes shutting the door lightly behind her. I looked back at Pest who was still sitting in awe. Mom forgot to say sorry.

I laughed out loud.