After we ate lunch I went to Chey. We met outside in the cool, yet comfortable air. I made my plan over lunch.
"Did you make the team?"
I put on my saddest, most disappointed expression. "Well... I guess I was just too good..."
"I'm so sorry, Case!" She cut me off, jumping to the conclusion like I hoped she would.
"... To not be on the team!" She gasped and punched me on the arm. Then we fangirled just a little, probably looking like idiots.
"Ours is next week. What if I don't make the team?"
"Then I guess you'll just be a disappointment and a loser and ,of course, you could never talk to me again." I raised my hands in an 'I surrender' position because the glare she was giving me was a little intimidating. "I was just kidding. You act like you won't make it." I'm probably too over-confident, but hey, that is perfectly okay for me.
"Does the Gryffindor tower have study rooms?"
"No... Why?"
"The Slytherin's dungeon does."
"You're going to sneak me in. What time?"
"Of course I will. Tomorrow?"
"Sure."
I turned and left nonchalantly to continue in my plans, relax. I got to my room and found absolutely nobody in there. I walked over to my bed and fell into it.
My brain decided that, instead of sleep, I need imagination and songs stuck in my head. Then, one thought fought it's way to the front.
Sheep. I should count sheep. That will definitely work. So that's what I was going to do. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four. Five sheep, six sheep, seven sheep more. I don't know the whole song, so I'm just gonna count. Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen...
I fell asleep counting sheep. I knew I was asleep because the sheep turned into something out of The Exorcist. Or maybe the Shining. "Come play with us! We could be a new coat for you! Or, better yet, you could be a new coat for us! We'll saw off your skin and wear it forever!"
That was extremely scary. So I did the only logical thing to do in a dream; I ran. I knew I was in a dream and I tried to wake myself up, but I couldn't. I ran into an invisible wall. The edge of my dream, or maybe just my skull.
I snapped out of the dream thoughts and tried to figure out an idea. Coming up blank, I bashed as hard as I could against the wall. I could feel the sheep coming up behind me. That's when I broke through.
I sat up, in my bed once more. I was dripping sweat and still alone. I looked at the time on my old watch I got for one of my birthdays. It was Six o'clock, if I left now I could make it to dinner not very late. How did that dream take up so much time?
On the way there, I ran into Al. For the first time, not literally. "Hello. Why aren't you at dinner yet?"
"I was just studying. And why aren't you at dinner."
"I fell asleep. Can I ask you a really something? It's really important."
He stopped hesitantly "Uhm... I guess."
"You know Chey?" He nodded and relax just a little bit. "She was worried about not making the quidditch team earlier. Could you reassure her. I know she'd make it, but I don't know if she does."
"Oh... Okay... Yeah."
That was odd. Why would he do that? What else would I have- oh. The room got hot. I knew it wasn't just me blushing because it wasn't centered around my face.
I turned to Al. "Is it hot in here to you?" Then I fainted. Everything just went black and my knees buckled. That's all I remember.
This dream was different. I actually thought it would be a normal one for once, then, of course, is when it changed.
I was at a circus. The kind you see in movies, with the big red tent and the smaller tents around it. Doing what anybody in this situation would do, I walked in.
The ringleader was perched on a tall crows nest-like platform. The show going on at the bottom looked like something tons of people would come to see, but there was only one other person, who was sitting in the stands.
"Come, sit, I've saved you some popcorn!"
I turned and looked behind me. There was nobody there, so I assumed that... Whoever it was, was talking to me.
I walked slowly over. I was suspicious, which is a normal feeling for me considering how paranoid I am. "Thank you." My words were slow and hesitant.
"Yes, anyway, you will call me Cate. This will be brief, but informative. You are safe at your school, but you might not be when you leave. We can't send anyone to get you as I am the only one that can contact you here. Do not be afraid of the dreams you're having. They can help you. Goodbye."
She vanished. I was sure that I would wake up soon, so I sat and watched the show. Elephants doing a balancing act, Clowns doing magic tricks, Acrobats walking the tightrope high above the ringleader, who never left from his perch.
Someone tapped on my shoulder. I jumped and swung on them, just barely missing. It was just a clown. "Oh! I am so sorry."
"That's okay, ma'am," he had the same slow southern drawl that I'm used to People here talk really fast. "I prolly' shouldn't of snook up on you. You're needed in tent three for the V.I.P. treatment."
Since when did circuses have V.I.P.? I might just ask.
I followed him back to one of the tents. A defining truth of my life, the kind that only happens in lifetime movies and criminal minds, happened. He pulled a knife on me.
"Oh, FUCK!" No time to watch my language now. My leg raised to heights unknown and I kicked him with my heel, it nicely fit into the space just under his ribcage, hitting his solar plexus. He doubled over and one of those disembodied voices called me.
I woke up, in the infirmary, dripping sweat, clutching the sheets in a death grip. "Casey are you okay, or are you dying? You were thrashing around like you belong in an insane asylum."
"I do and I'm fine."
"Good! I swear if you ever scare me like that again I will kill you myself!" I completely and totally expected it. I would have done the same. A sly grin replaced the previously worried, yet relived expression. "Oh and by the way, Al is here."
I barely held back a groan. Fainting isn't one of those things you tend to imagine doing in front of someone you like. "Really?"
"Yep. Hey Al, she's not dead!" I'm not sure why, but some small part of me didn't know she could be so cruel.
"Cheyenne!" It came out as more of a gasp so the full effect was missing.
"Love you too!" And oh so coincidentally she remembered something that she had to do. Just as Al got over. "You know, I haven't finished my homework yet. Better go do that. See you later Case."
Awkward silence. More awkward silence. And, finally, awkward silence.
"Uh... I'm sorry."
"What?! What are you sorry for? I'm the one that fainted out in the middle of everywhere. I'm sorry."
"No, really, I am sorry. If I hadn't of stopped you..."
"Stop apologizing! You're making me feel bad. It's not in a Slytherin's nature to be nice and sorry and crap."
"Well maybe I'm different. You're best friend is 'nice and crap'. Maybe I am too." The sentence started angry and ended softly. It made me feel all of the feels.
"You so... Ugh! We do I even li-" I slapped a hand over my mouth before it could think of any other wise things to say.
"You what?" I shook my head, keeping my hand over my mouth. "Are you okay..." I nodded in the same way. "Would you like me to escort you to lunch?" I shrugged, then nodded. It's not as good when you have a hand over your mouth.
I checked out with madame Holly and we made our way to the great Hall. "I know what you were going to say."
"Of course you do." I tried to hold back I sigh, but failed.
"I won't talk about it to anyone. Not even you if you don't want me to."
"Okay. Thanks." We went our separate ways as we got into the great Hall. I sat next to Kate and Hope like I always did.
"We have a lot to talk about. Spill."