Chapter 4: Strange Dream

After finishing the meal, I leaned back in my chair, feeling more satisfied than I had in weeks. Jake started stacking the empty plates, and before I could even offer, he glanced at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on," he said, nodding toward the sink. "We're both cleaning up. Fair share."

I blinked, a little surprised but not opposed. "Alright, sure."

We carried the dishes to the sink, and Jake handed me a sponge while he rinsed the plates. It felt oddly domestic, the sound of running water and clinking dishes filling the quiet kitchen.

"You're surprisingly organized for someone who just got here," I said, scrubbing one of the plates.

Jake smirked, not looking up as he rinsed a bowl. "What can I say? I like keeping things neat. You might learn a thing or two from me."

I rolled my eyes, but a small laugh escaped me. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure I'll be a perfect housemate in no time."

"You better be," he teased, handing me another plate to dry.

It didn't take long to finish up, and once the kitchen was spotless again, Jake stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Well, that's done. I think I'm ready to crash now."

"Same," I replied, stifling a yawn. The long day was finally catching up to me.

We both headed upstairs, the hallway quiet except for the soft creak of the floorboards beneath our feet. At the top of the stairs, Jake paused, glancing back at me.

"Thanks for not kicking me out earlier," he said with a grin, his dimples showing again.

I smirked, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, well, you earned your stay with that dinner. Don't get used to it, though."

Jake chuckled, shaking his head as he walked toward his room. "Goodnight, Aiden."

"Goodnight," I called back, heading into my own room.

As I collapsed onto my bed, the events of the day played over in my mind. From the shock of finding Jake in my house to his unexpectedly warm personality, it had been a whirlwind. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Maybe this wasn't going to be as weird as I thought.

With that, I closed my eyes, exhaustion pulling me into sleep.

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The next morning, before waking up, I found myself in the middle of a strange yet oddly comforting dream.

I was lying in bed, sunlight streaming through the window, the room bathed in a golden glow. As I blinked awake in the dream, I turned my head and saw Jake sitting beside me on the bed, watching me with a soft smile on his face. His brown eyes sparkled with warmth, and his dimples were as prominent as ever, making him look impossibly gentle.

"Good morning," he said in a low, soothing voice, his tone filled with a kind of familiarity that made my heart skip.

For some reason, it didn't feel strange. It felt... right. I smiled back at him, the kind of smile I didn't usually show anyone.

Jake reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, but it wasn't uncomfortable... it was the opposite. It felt safe, reassuring.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked, my voice soft, almost teasing.

"Because I like looking at you," Jake replied, his smile deepening, dimples carving into his cheeks.

The air between us felt charged, as if the world outside the room didn't exist. He leaned in closer, his face mere inches from mine. My heart raced, and I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.

I didn't pull away. I didn't want to.

But just as his lips were about to meet mine, everything shattered.

I woke up with a start, my eyes snapping open as I bolted upright in bed. My heart was pounding in my chest, beating so fast it felt like it might burst.

"What the hell?" I whispered to myself, running a hand through my hair as I tried to steady my breathing.

The dream replayed in my mind, every detail vivid... the warmth of Jake's smile, the way he looked at me, the way I felt so... drawn to him.

"What was that?" I muttered again, shaking my head as if to clear the lingering image of Jake's face from my thoughts.

I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the rapid thud of my heartbeat. Why did I have a dream like that? Jake had only just moved in yesterday, and I didn't even know him that well yet.

"Get it together, Aiden," I told myself, though the words felt hollow. No matter how much I tried to brush it off, the dream lingered, and with it, an unsettling mix of confusion and something I couldn't quite name.

I went down stairs after calming myself down, still groggy and trying to shake off the remnants of that dream. My heart hadn't quite settled, and the images of Jake's smile and the way he leaned in lingered stubbornly in my mind.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed Jake in the living room, sitting casually on the couch with a mug in hand. He was scrolling through his phone, looking relaxed in a plain black T-shirt and gray sweatpants. The sight of him felt eerily familiar, and my stomach did a weird flip.

Hearing my footsteps, Jake looked up and turned to me, his dimples showing as he greeted me. "Good morning, Aiden."

I froze for a moment, his voice pulling me back into the memory of the dream. My cheeks instantly felt like they were on fire, and I could only hope he didn't notice.

"Uh, morning," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze as I moved toward the kitchen.

But Jake wasn't one to miss details, it seemed. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he leaned forward, studying me. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, setting his mug down on the table. "Your face is kind of red. Are you feeling sick?"

The concern in his voice made it worse. I felt my face heating even more, and I quickly turned away, pretending to grab a glass of water to avoid his eyes. "I'm fine," I said quickly, though my voice cracked slightly, betraying me.

"You sure?" Jake pressed, standing up from the couch and taking a step closer. "You look a little flustered."

"I'm fine," I repeated, my tone a little sharper than I intended. I cleared my throat, trying to compose myself. "Probably just… the heat."

Jake raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the window. "It's not hot, though. It's actually kind of cold this morning."

I internally groaned, realizing how lame my excuse sounded. "Well, maybe I'm just… tired," I muttered, keeping my back to him as I sipped my water.

There was a brief silence, and I could feel Jake's gaze lingering on me, like he was trying to figure out what was really going on.

"Well, if you say so," he finally said, though his tone sounded skeptical. "But if you're not feeling well, let me know, alright?"

"Yeah, sure," I replied, my voice softer this time.

As he returned to the couch, I let out a quiet sigh of relief, my grip on the glass tightening. I couldn't believe I was getting this worked up over a dream. I needed to get a grip before Jake started thinking I was losing my mind.

I hurried upstairs to shake off the awkwardness, closing the bathroom door behind me with a deep breath. Splashing cold water on my face, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

"Get it together, Aiden," I muttered under my breath. "It was just a dream. No big deal."

But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, the vividness of it lingered in my mind. Shaking my head, I focused on getting ready for school.

I went through my usual routine: shower, brush teeth, fix my hair, throw on my uniform. By the time I was finished, I was feeling a bit more like myself. Grabbing my bag, I headed downstairs, determined to move past the strange morning.

The house was oddly quiet as I walked through the living room. Jake was no longer on the couch, and there was no sign of him in the kitchen either.

"Jake?" I called out, glancing around.

No response.

I figured he must have gone out for a morning walk or something. Shrugging it off, I grabbed my keys from the counter and headed for the door.

As I stepped outside, the crisp morning air greeted me, and I took a deep breath, trying to clear my thoughts. Whatever weird tension had taken over my morning, I told myself it was over.

For now.