In Love with the Prince (of Darkness, That Is)

"So what should we do today?" Gemini asked, jumping onto the couch beside Dreama. "I say we go Christmas shopping. We've left it late this year. Only four weeks left."

"Sounds like fun. What are you going to get me?"

"Who says I'm getting you anything?"

"Cow."

"Bitch."

"Moron."

"Oh, go for the ego, why don't you?"

They both laughed, and after they fell silent, Gemini reached over and hugged her best friend.

"That was random."

"I've missed you."

"Well it's just you and me, today, tonight, and tomorrow."

"Good. Get your purse, let's go into the city and go to the real mall."

They spent the day together, laughing and looking for presents for the people they knew. Once Becky, Meredith, Gemini's family, and Dreama's brothers were taken care of, the girls found their way into a little coffee shop outside the mall.

"So, of all people, Craig and I had a heart-to-heart this morning."

Gemini was as shocked as Dreama had expected her to be, and she listened with her jaw open slightly as Dreama described the conversation she'd had with her brother.

"He's pretty insightful for a janitor."

"Yeah. Do you think he's right, though? Are my fears completely unfounded?"

"I don't know. I mean, I've barely met the guy. But he's nuts if he doesn't trust you; you've never told a secret as long as I've known you."

Dreama knew that this was true. "But Taylor doesn't know that."

"Then you have to find a way to show him. How do you get someone to trust you, or find out if they already do?"

"Keep a secret for them? But that's the thing--if there is something there, he isn't telling me, or even hinting at it."

"Well obviously he's been hinting at it, or you wouldn't think he was keeping something from you. Why do you think that, anyway?"

Dreama shrugged. "Everything that you were saying the other week, about his house, and how he never really wants to do anything but stay at his house, and he's always sneaking me past his parents, and he doesn't want to meet Craig and Nathan, and doesn't want me to meet his family.... But it's more than that--it's just a feeling I get when I'm around him, like there's something physically in the room with us."

"Why don't you just ask him about it?"

"How? 'Hi, honey, have a nice day at work? Oh, hey, by the way, got any deep dark secrets you're keeping from me?' " Dreama rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that would go over well."

"You call him honey?" Gemini laughed.

"Yes," Dreama replied primly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, it's cute. You just sound so... married."

Dreama stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"Oh, that's mature."

*~*~*

Dreama lifted her sunglasses and pushed open the door to Stacks, a record store downtown.

She'd never been in the store before, though she'd passed by it many times. There were records piled floor to ceiling, from wall-to-wall.

"Can I help you find something?" a voice asked from behind Dreama. She turned.

"Actually, it's more that you can help me find someone. I'm looking for Taylor."

"Good for you."

"Well is he here?"

"Um, I just started working here, but I don't even know who you're talking about. There is definitely no one that works here by that name."

"Are you sure?"

"We have a total of three employees. I'm pretty sure."

"Oh." Dreama offered a false smile. "Well, I got the information for a friend-of-a-friend. It's no big deal. Thanks for your help, anyway."

The girl nodded, and Dreama fled the store, heading for the bus stop. What a waste of a trip that had been.