Chapter 5

"So you're saying.. that there's this guy who shows up in your sleep and he basically knows what's going on in the real world but you're only able to see and talk to him in your dreams?"

I try to give Mason a convincing look but I know he'll never believe. He bursts into laughter leaving me in complete disbelief.

"You should put that in school paper babe, who knows you might go viral."

"Haha, amusing" I throw a potato fry at Gabe. I lean at the windows revealing skyscrapers beyond the school's vicinity. "You're not helping. I swear it was real."

"You're probably just hallucinating. You never had dreams ever since."

Mason's right. My personal doctor slash psychiatrist and best friend since day 1 of weekly sessions and breathing exercises told me it would be impossible to have dreams for the next fifty years of my life. The only way to have one is when I'm probably reincarnated as a Pomeranian.

"Or maybe it is true Penny." Gabe cuts in with his voice filled with mockery. I chew a few more fries with my left hand's fingers tapping the table. A mannerism I only show when in extreme confusion, frustration and curiosity.

"Are you worrying about something." Mason asks, eyeing my hand.

"I'm okay."

"Maybe it's the dance."

"The dance?? No way!" He doesn't seem convinced. And who wouldn't? I sound too defensive.

"The dance is just a time where people love attention by dancing even if they suck at it and it's for those who wanted a last chance to date before graduation. Clearly it's not for people who appreciates their own company and 2000s' movies."

Gabe drops a fry from his mouth, staring blank behind me. "You mean people like the hot issue?" I turn to see his view.

Three girls in the same Dr. Martins and skinny black jeans walk through the cafeteria like some runway show. Jenny Thompson, Eli Gray, and the ringleader, Martha Bonavich. If Sharpey Evans and Regina George had a child, Martha would be the perfect daughter. Flaunting their Versace tops under their boyfriends' varsity coats, you can tell they're cheerleaders and the number one talk all over campus. Excluding my gang. We don't find them interesting or intimidating. Just rich. I return to my meal as they walk towards our table.

"Hey Gavin." Of course, Martha speaks first. And Mason is the only one she'll be talking to.

"Hi Martha. And he's Gabriel." He points to Gabe. "I'm Mason." Gabe and I snort. We're trying so hard not to make her a laughing stock as Martha clears her throat. I can sense she's looking at me now. I focus on my food.

"Anyone taking you to the dance Penny?" Jenny and Eli laughs softly. Martha speaks in a very flirty, mocking sweet voice. The kind that anyone can be irritated and jealous at the same time. I feel neither.

"I don't like going to dances. They're boring."

"And how would you know that? You've never been to one." Giggles from her pack grow louder while Eli whispers 'two'. That's probably the count for Martha's uppercut of rubbish. I stay composed but Gabe looks like he's about to become a real man.

"Are you done?" Mason speaks without looking at Martha. And that completely shocked her. Checkmate.

"I just came here to tell you if you need a partner, I'm avai-"

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Martha can see me smirk while licking ranch on my finger, Gabe's waving her goodbye.

"Rude." Martha and the girls walk away, their boots create a tapping echo in the entire room. No one usually comes here this early. Except for the three of us.

"Thank-"

"You are aware that Gabe and I won't be by your side forever?" I feel his disappointment for my cowardice more than how sorry he feels for Martha's actions. "You're gonna have to learn defending yourself. We don't have much spare time to protect you."

"You'll do the trick for me. Besides..." I hold my palms up. "I need to keep my palms clean." Mason licks a droplet of ranch on my thumb.

"Mason!"

"You missed a spot." We fill the empty cafeteria with more chuckles.

The view of Terrell shifts from a warm luminescence of yellow to a cozy saturation of cold Gray. And the perfect way to appreciate the full worth of this humble village is to match it with The 1975. Mason and Gabe are both asleep and I'm between these sleepyheads. I've always loved this moment when we're all doing nothing and never realise how short the day was until we're actually on our way home. Gabe and Mason have contrasting energies but they both form a synergy that I love. The bus halts and Gabe automatically awakes to leave. He throws a flying kiss and I catch it only to slap it at Mason's cheek. He doesn't flinch. The road to Mason's street gives off a nostalgic effect on me. The shadows of the palm trees command me to shut my eyes. This is a first for not wanting sleep because if I do, I'll see Tokyo again. I battle with languor but before I knew I'd never stand a chance, my eyes have completely shut and I know I've fell into a dream. I could still hear Be My Mistake playing. If I want this to end, I might as well figure something out from this phenomena. I decide to count down.

"Three...two...one..."

"You're good at coping with this." Tokyo's here. He's real. Not technically but he does exists, in my dreams. His voice sounds more familiar. I open my eyes and blink a few times and there he is, sitting at the exact same spot he sat on the bus this morning, in my dream.

"How am I doing this?"

"Easy on the questions Penny. Is that how you start with a new acquaintance?"

"I already know who you are. And obviously, you know who I am."

"True." Tokyo's eyes fall unto Mason. I almost forgot. The only thing unreal in my dreams is the new kid. Everything stays the same.

"We're not a thi-"

"Your best friends. Mason and Gabe." He looks up to me and I avoid him.

"I guess you know everything about me. Now tell me why am I able to do this?"

"The only person who can answer that is yourself Penny. This is your dream. But unlike everybody else who dreams frequently and has the knack in manipulating it, you're quite new to this so you'll be having a hard time controlling whatever happens during your sleep ." I don't want to believe Tokyo but all of this makes sense.

"I can finally dream."

"And not just normally have a vision. Your dreams can show you what happens for the rest of the day."

"So I can predict the future? Am I some lost project of NASA?" I blurt almost waking Mason.

"Keep it down. We don't want to make Prince Charming awake. You're not a lost project from NASA and you only have a small amount of accuracy to predict the future because you forget 95% shortly after you wake up."

I sigh heavily. "And I thought this was special."

"This is special. Wasn't it your dream to actually dream?" I try to hold a laugh with his comical redundancy.

"How will I make this stop?" I see upset painted in Tokyo's facade.

"That I can't answer. I'm sorry." I sigh more heavily which made Mason twitch and awake from his rest. I shouldn't have done that. He rubs his eyelids and noticed Tokyo right away.

"New kid?"

"Hi Mason." Tokyo flashes a decent smile. He shouldn't have called him on first name basis. Now he'll wonder why Tokyo knows him. Before he could speak, I grab the headphones to slightly budge him.

"We just talked a little bit."

Both of them look at me, puzzled. Tokyo sits properly facing forward.

"Is he bothering you?" Gabe whispers.

"No. He's fine." The bus stopped at the front porch of Gabe's partially chapped-paint brown fence. I missed hanging out here eating Lay's and playing Nintendo with him as Gabe tries on his mother heels.

"Text me when he's too much." He stands and taps my knee and gives Tokyo one last look. Tokyo doesn't seem intimidated.

"He's a keeper." Tokyo speaks up. So loud that even the bus driver could hear him. Mason knows how to control his temper, so he doesn't mind and continues to walk out. As soon as he was out, I grab Tokyo in the arm

"What the heck??" I stand and move close to this prick.

"What did I do?"

"He would've punched you in the face if you went too far. He hates talking to strangers."

"You look so defensive Penny. And you seem to know your best friend very well." He moves closer, again. "Is there something you're hiding?"

"What?"

"Penny?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Penny...Penny..." My audio and vision fades rapidly. Like a quick blackout. And as my senses retrieve, I'm back at my seat and Mason is tapping me on the shoulder.

"I'm going off." I feel a little dizzy that I couldn't speak. I look at where Tokyo sat. Of course he's not here. I give Mason a nod.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just a little sleepy." I tap him on his knee signalling for his departure. He stands up and looks back at me.

"I'm fine." That'll do the trick. Mason smiles and heads down the bus leaving me in complete vexation. As the bus' door closes I head to the front chair and settled.

"Hey, can you do me favour?" I ask the driver as he looks at me demented.

"Can you wake me up when we're at my house?"