2

It had been a week since I'd had the strange dream. For some reason I couldn't get it out of my head! There was always this strange tickle in the back of my brain, never quite letting me forget it. It was like when you know that you've forgotten something, but you can't remember what you are forgetting. Only this was about a hundred fifty-seven times worse. Very annoying.

I glared at my math paper, trying for the umpteenth time to focus on my work. I was fine for about two minutes. Then My thoughts decided that they didn't like math, and began to float away to the land of unicorns and fairies. AGAIN.

It was just a silly dream! I thought to myself.

Yes, but it seemed so Real!  Myself responded.

DUH! Fairies aren't real! Neither are Unicorns! Especially not ones named Jazzy-Marie!

Still... you have to wonder...

I don't wonder anymore! Not since -- I stopped, suppressing the painful memory.

Still...

I groaned and smacked my head onto my desk. This Dream was driving me insane! Now I was having arguments with myself!

"Cricket? Do you need help?" asked my teacher, Mr. Fleckenstein.

"No sir." I replied, my head still planted firmly on the desktop. Today was not a good day.

"Well, if you actually look at the assignment, it might be a tad easier," said a boy behind me.

A few of the kids around us giggled. My face flushed red with anger as I turned to face him. I intended to give him a death glare, but was startled into speech by the unfamiliar face.

"Who are you and How long have you been sitting there!?" I asked, shocked I hadn't noticed him before.

He wasn't the type you could easily overlook either. He was slumped down in his chair, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled down over his face. His hair was black, and just long enough to cover his eyes. The first time I Actually saw his eyes was when he looked up to glare at me. They were a bright blue.

I didn't like him one bit.

"My name is Shadow and i've been sitting here for the past three days. Where have you been?" he answered sarcastically? 

More people laughed this time. I turned back to my homework, humiliated. 

"Oh-No." I whispered when I saw my paper.

Today was most definently not a good day. 

I had drawn a picture of a unicorn on my math worksheet. And a name was written at the bottom.

Jasymuri

 Then I felt the paper pulled out from under my arm. 

Oh Crumbs. I said in my head as I looked up at Mr. Fleckenstein.

Today was probably the worst day of my life.

Well, at least it can't get any worse.

"Class, It seems that Cricket has much more important things on her mind than her work." Mr. Fleckenstein said as he held up my artwork. Perhaps a few minutes after class will help sort out her priorities. 

I'd spoken too soon.

*CRASH!!*

I jumped and whirled around the noise behind me. the desk right behind me was toppled onto its side, and shadow was sprawled underneath it. he was staring at Mr. Fleckenstein in shock. no... not Mr. Fleckenstein, he was staring at my--

Why is he looking at the picture like that!? I thought.

instantly, almost as if he could read my mind, his attention snapped to me. and he glared, as if I had done something unforgivable. 

The bell rang. everyone began to file out the door and go to lunch. most of the kids looked at me sympathetically, but some made horsey noises as they passed my desk. shadow righted his desk, gathered his stuff off the floor, and left with the others, all the while glaring at me.

What's with him? I thought after he left. I decided that thinking about it would just make my brain hurt more. I already had enough problems, he didn't have to be one of them unless I chose for him to be. 

reasured, I turned to my paper and tried yet again to finish my homework.

Reviews

[Cheri T.]

I really like the switch from the fantasy world to the real world and the fact that I am now wondering if it IS all just a dream, or if the world presented in the prologue is actually real. I was surprised, which certainly keeps me interested. I don't know if this matters, but I was visualizing Cricket as a boy up until the line "Class, It seems that Cricket has much more important things on her mind than her work." It only caused me a moments hesitation and I corrected my mental picture. The chapter definitely provides a hook which makes the reader, or at least THIS reader, want to continue.

[Cora Lennox]

I like the internal head conversations...I can relate. XD