In My Dreams (First Tracks Book 2) (11 page)

Avery

I wonder what Jasmine said to Nash to change his mind so
drastically? It didn’t make any sense that he could have such a big change of
heart so suddenly. I thought about texting and asking but decided to talk to
her in person—we were planning to get together with Kris later so maybe we
could talk about everything.

I had another class to go to, and I tried to keep all the
trains of thought from zipping around my head. Today already felt complicated.
I kept thinking about what I’d say to Kristina when we finally talked, and now
I had questions for Jazz… and then I kept thinking about Nash. I really hoped
we could be friends.

If only Marcus were in my head to help me sort it all out.

I accidentally laughed out loud and got annoyed stares from
everyone in the room. Hope they enjoyed seeing my red face. Apparently I didn’t
need Marcus in my head to embarrass the hell out of myself after all.

A few hours later, I rushed home and found Jazz sitting on
the couch and drawing on her leg with jagua. Kris couldn’t come for another hour
so this gave me the perfect opportunity to talk to Jazz about the other things.

“Hey,” I said, pausing to check out her artwork. Her laptop
sat on the coffee table with a photo of a tree in bloom with pink blossoms. The
version on her leg had a more spindly tree going up her calf with a few flowers
and a swirly vine growing up the tree. “That’s so pretty. The detail is
amazing.”

“Thanks… So I talked to Nash today.” Jazz kept her focus on
her leg—I liked watching her work too. She held a small bottle full of the blue
ink to draw with.  

“I did gather that.” I went to the kitchen and grabbed a
glass of water before sitting down on the couch with her. I was careful to sit
a cushion over and not make the couch move while she drew. She’s explained that
if you smear that ink it stains that way.

“You don’t mind?”

“No! He texted, and he’s not mad at me anymore. What
happened? What on earth did you say to him?”

“It wasn’t so much what I said.” She glanced over so quickly
I almost missed it. “It’s hard to explain…” When she looked up, I realized this
was hard for her. She didn’t want to tell me about it. But why not? I poured my
heart out to her before when I thought I’d lost Marcus. So, why?

Did she like him? Did he like her? Jazz and Nash?

I waited in case she would explain, but she got super
focused on her artwork, almost like I wasn’t there. I sat back and sipped my
water, puzzled and trying not to jump all over her with questions.

They’re the last two people I would have put together, or
guessed that they’d ever connect. She looks nothing like me, so it made me
wonder which one of us was Nash’s type. (Does that matter? I remind myself.)

It never occurred to me before, but their personalities were
similar. Two reserved introverts who take logic to a whole new level, kinda
like two Spocks. That made me laugh inwardly before returning to this strange
new reality.

“We had this connection today,” was all she finally said.
For Jazz, that was a lot. She hasn’t always been too revealing with her inner
thoughts and feelings.

“So you talked and clicked? That’s cool.” So they had some
kind of connection.

A jolt ran through me, like when you hear bad news but it
takes a few seconds for the reality to hit you. Only, this wasn’t bad news,
just strange news...

“Jazz, what kind of connection?”

She glanced up, but not long enough for me to read her
expression.

“I don’t know. I mean, you know how it is when you talk to
someone and it’s like you’ve been friends for a long time already?” She
shrugged and went back to drawing.

“So that’s why he believes my story now, because you two
just talked?”

“Yeah, maybe he got a new perspective.” Jazz looked off
toward the front window. It opened to the street but you couldn’t see much from
where we were sitting. I had so many questions, but how could I ask something
so she’d open up?

Tap, tap.

Jazz and I both jumped, then laughed.

“Come in!” she called out. The door opened and Kris stepped
in timidly, wearing a really cute long shirt and leggings. She dropped her bag
on the floor by the door, still our messy girl. Her hair was in full on curly
mode today and pulled back in a loose ponytail.

Jazz sat up and started picking up her jagua supplies. I
scooted to the edge of the couch, searching for words. I decided to start with
the thing I’ve been needing to tell her all this time.

“Kris, I didn’t try to steal Kyle from you, or even kiss
him. I don’t know what that was back there at the coast.”

Her eyes misted over and she nodded. “I know.”

She sat in the big chair, her old sparkle completely gone
from her big brown eyes. Jazz carried her things back to her room.

“Where are you staying?” I asked. “And is Dawn gone too? I
haven’t seen her.”

“Dawn’s still here,” Jazz called, coming back down the
hallway, “but I think you’re right. She’s been avoiding the house. Kris, tell
her where you’re staying.”

Kris barely got the name out before Jazz continued talking
as she flopped back on the couch. “Don’t you think we should just put that
whole thing behind us?” She looked between Kris and me. “Why let some stupid
guy ruin our friendship? Kyle was an ass from the beginning, and now you both
know it.”

Wow. Now Jazz decided to talk.

Kristina’s shaky breathing echoed across the room, and
hearing that propelled me to my feet.

“I’m sorry, Ave.” She stretched her arms out and I grabbed
her in a hug.

“I’m sorry too.”

“You shouldn’t be,” she said, choked up. “I did steal Kyle,
and then I stayed with him even though I slowly figured out what a jerk he’d
been to you. I should have dumped his ass.”

I squeezed into the chair with her and laid my head on her
shoulder.

“I have something to tell you guys about him actually.” I
picked at a fray on my jeans. “I ran into Kyle a while back, and he apologized.
He was really sorry.”

Jazz scoffed. Kris stiffened next to me.

“He thinks that makes it all better?” Jazz shook her head,
leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.

“It’s more complicated than that.” I pulled in a breath and
asked Kris, “Do you know about Marcus?”

“Huh?” Kris asked.

“Wait,” Jazz said. “What does Marcus have to do with Kyle?”

I glanced between my friends and realized I was confusing
the heck out of them.

“Well, nothing. But Kyle had these dreams, and I think they
were similar to what happened between Marcus and me.”

Jazz flopped back on the couch, her brow furrowed in
thought. My mind lit up suddenly too—whatever was going on with her might be
something similar. I couldn’t even make a guess about what it was, but I was
starting to think it was related to all this other strange stuff going on.

“I’m lost.” Kristina moved so she could see my face. How
much did she know?

“Okay, let me start from the beginning about Marcus and me,
and then I’ll explain about Kyle.” So I went back to that trip when I crashed
on the snowboard, then waking up with Marcus in my head, trying to act normal…

Amazingly, Kristina listened with a curious expression
instead of giving Jazz a look like,
is she crazy?
The room darkened
while I talked because the sun was setting outside. It felt cozy sitting in the
chair with Kris, keeping each other warm. Jazz lit her big apple scented candle
that set in the middle of the coffee table.

I finally got to the part about Kyle stopping me to apologize,
although that word felt too small for what occurred between us that day.

“Kyle said he had dreams where he was me, and he experienced
what he put me through.” I stopped there due to a random thought. Marcus had
originally learned about Kyle and that night through a dream too. In that
dream, he’d been with me and experienced all of it, but I couldn’t see or hear
him. That felt so very long ago, but I couldn’t help but remember how Marcus
wanted to protect me, and how he comforted me.

“And you believe him?” Jazz asked, her eyes narrowed, but
her tone sounded off, like a little afraid instead of angry. I strained to see
her expression better but the candlelight from below threw a strange shadow on
her face. Why did she doubt? I’m pretty sure she believed my story.

“Yeah, after what happened to me, I have to believe me. He
acted really genuine and really sorry. I’ve never seen him like that. Jazz, he
was completely changed.”

“But!” She pointed a finger at Kristina. “That does not mean
you can take him back.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Kris said flatly. “We’re over. You
can’t go back after certain things.”

We were quiet after that. She couldn’t mean that about the
three of us… It didn’t apply to our friendships. We couldn’t let it.

A few minutes later, Kris said thoughtfully, her voice
sounding far away like she was thinking, “I wonder if that’s why he’s been
texting me.” She glanced over at Jazz. “I’ve been ignoring him. I don’t know if
I want to talk to him, but…”

“But maybe you want some closure?” I asked. Jazz didn’t add
anything so I did. “You don’t have to do anything but listen if he wanted to
apologize or talk. If might help.”

She twisted up her mouth as she thought it over. I’d be
curious later on if she did talk to him.

“What about Dawn?” I asked. “Maybe we should have invited
her here to talk too.”

“First, Kris, are you coming home?” Jazz asked. I turned my
head to look at Kris.

She was watching me too and said, “If you’ll have me back.”

“Of course. Friends forever.”

“Thank god!” Jazz said, jumping up. “I’ve had enough drama
lately! Maybe we can get back to regularly scheduled life.” She trotted off
down the hallway.

Kris tilted her head, brows scrunched in thought, and slowly
asked, “Is it just me, or is something a little off about Jazz, like
something’s going on with her?”

I answered with, “And it might involve Nash.”

Her head jerked my way and her mouth dropped open.
“Seriously? And hold on, you’re okay with that?”

I held a finger over my mouth because I didn’t want Jazz to
hear us talking about her. Kris and I both wore unbelieving expressions.

“I’m okay with it…but she’s not. There’s something strange
going on.”

Kris’s eyes went wide, catching the flickering candlelight.

“You know,” she said, one corner of her mouth coming up in a
smile, “they’re both so secretive and serious.”

I thought about the homework Jazz had collected for me from Nash:
organized and color coded. She probably got high just flipping through it.

I tried not to giggle. “Isn’t it funny that she’s so
artistic but so neat and tidy?”

“But Nash? What’s going on there?”

I had to think for a minute and finally gave a little shake
of my head. “They started talking when she got homework for me. At least, I
think that’s how it started. And she’s been holding something back when we talk
about it.” I stopped there, realizing I was gossiping. We’re all close friends
(again!) but it was still Jasmine’s business, and she liked to keep a tight lid
on her life.

Kris knew that too. She leaned her head back, thinking, but
didn’t ask anymore. Then she closed her eyes on a sigh. “I’m so glad we worked
things out. It’s been hell without you.”

I lifted my arm over her head to pull her in closer, and we
both said, “Friends forever!”

“About fucking time!” Jazz yelled from down the hall. “Haven’t
you two heard of hoes before bros?”

Kris burst out with a hard and fast laugh that sounded so
funny I cracked up. Tonight might get a little crazy…and we needed it!

Jasmine

I left Kris and Ave laughing their heads off in the living room
to go to the bathroom and then my room because I’d left my phone on my desk. It
blinked and I stopped with my hand over it, wondering if Nash had texted.

Nope. Corbin did.
Hey girl.

Corbin, popping up again. Did he even have any idea what it
did to me when he texted? He was probably sitting there with his friends when
he shot off the text. Or maybe he was with another girl and trying to line
something up for later.

That’s what I picture, him not giving a damn and just
wanting another girl for the night, and yet I haven’t been able to shake my
feelings for him. I’ll stop everything and lose my breath because he sent a
fucking text.

I never answered his last one. That was something. It’d been
the first time I ever ignored anything from him. I usually answered within
minutes. But life had gone all strange on me, and Nash came into the picture.
Maybe I had finally broken free from Corbin. Well, maybe that was the one good
thing coming out of this freaky Nash situation.

There were a few times before when I deleted Corbin’s picture
so it didn’t show up with his texts, but I always added it back on. This time I
opened his contact and hovered my thumb over the delete button.

I couldn’t let this go on any longer. It hurt too much. I
don’t mean anything to Corbin except a good time once in a while—once in a
great while now.

I held my breath and pushed
Delete
.

My phone popped up with, “Are you sure you want to delete
this contact?”

Yes, I’m fucking sure.

It hurt and felt good at the same time.

I turned the phone off and set it back on my desk, then just
stood there in a daze. Sometimes life felt like a cannonball had shot through
my chest and left a big, burning hole. It felt better when I spent time with
Corbin at first, but now he was a part of that pain.

But why? Why was I stuck on him, and why did I hurt like
this?

I rubbed my face and fixed my hair into a tighter bun, then
got some art supplies out.

I ended up drawing Nash.

Fuck.