Chapter 5

After I finished reading the dream dictionary entry, I went home, expecting Marshall and Jeff to be playing Man Slaughter II.  But, I was wrong.  Really wrong.  Seriously, what was I thinking?  They were with their girls all day, aparently.  Marshall and Stella were snuggling on the couch, watching some chick flick.  Marshall always wants to make the girl happy, just as Jeff does.  If I was blind, I would swear they were siamese twins or something.

Marshall barely turns his head to me, "Oh, hey Alex!  You're finally back."

"Um-yeah.  Could we talk for a minute?"

I figured he could sacrifice a few minutes to talk with me.  It's not like he's really watching the movie or something.

"Babe, I'm gonna talk to Alex a little bit, kay?"

"Yeah, that's fine.  I'll just finish the rest of the movie."

"So how is it going with Stella?  It seems you guys are really hittin it off!"

"Yeah, we are.  We've really had a nice time!"

"Tell me about her."

"Um-I don't know...I was too busy staring at her to understand half the words she was saying.  Man, girls can really talk!"

I did agree with him in a way, but I too like to talk.  Of course, what girls say usually make sense, but I often don't.  I'm such a ranter.

"I understand Marshall.  You'll get over her good looks and hear her.  You know you'll have to know what she says, or she'll quiz ya later."  How am I even one to talk?  I've never had a girlfriend or anything, but I do know things.  My grandpa Joel has already told me a lot about girls, he used to be a lady's man, but hasn't for years.  So, pretty much he knows all about girls.  I guess he hopes that I'll get a girlfriend, but obviously I don't have one yet.  I want one too, grandpa.

"Yeah...Hey, you mind if Stella stays over tonight?  And-I'm sorry that Marina wasn't there...I guess she was sick.  I'm sorry that we just left you alone like that...It was insensitive of me.  I was just...hypnotized."

Stella came struttin in, right on time.

"The movies over.  Oh, it was so romantic, Marshall."

She gave him the eyes.

"What's this about being hypnotized?"

"Oh-just how you hypnotized me this morning so I'd leave Alex all alone."

Stella ignored the "Alex all alone" part, "Oh, that's so sweet, Marshie!"

Stella took her arms and wrapped them around Marshall.

"Hey-if you ever need some advice about girls, I'm here for you, man."

"But-Grandpa Joel already told me everything I need to know.  Trust me."

"Oh please, Alex!  If he told you everything, you'd already have a girl.  It just takes a little charms and good looks, and you're good to go.  You're half there."

Then Stella whispered something in his ear.  Something about how he's the full package, with the charms and the looks.

"Um-yeah, that's the problem.  I don't know how."

"Yup.  So seriously, Alex, if you need anything, I'm here ready to listen."

At least as much as Marshall always listens, anyway.

Stella was still hanging onto Marshall.  It's disgusting.  It's barely been a few days, and she's already clingy.  I would like to say that this will make Marshall break up with her, that he doesn't like clingy girls and he wants a life outside a girlfriend, but that isn't him.  He always wants to be with them all the time if he has a girl, and he is totally faithful.  The problem is, at least what I think the proble is, he sucks all the juice out of their relationship early.  It's like a fruit tree.  They're in the beginning of their relationship so the were a sappling a few days ago.  And what he's getting now with this full on relationship business-now they're a small little tree with a few little pieces of fruit.  They're quickly taking away all the little fruit that's there.  In relationships, you should start slowly in the beginning, so you have enough fruit for later.  In more mature relationships, you can afford to go overboard with picking, since there's much more fruit and it can grow back.  So, Marshall is always picking the fruit much too fast!  And of course, this is true for Jeff too.  They should learn to keep girls, not to just get them.  Did that analogy even make sense?  That's what I'm talking about.  I can't speak those words out loud, since no one talks that way.  But I would, if only someone would get me.

"I'm going to bed, Marshall.  And-good night Stella...See you guys in the morning."

It was a little awkward with Stella there.  She didn't even say a word to me.  So she's the clingy-'I only talk to my boyfriend, not my boyfriend's friends' kind of girl. Great.

I walked past Jeff's room, and the door was open.  He and Trisha were there, staring at each other, holding each other.  I didn't mean to spy, but how could I help it?  It was as if they were breathing after making out.  As long as no one's woo hooing, I'm good.  Gosh, I hope they won't.  That would be so awkward if Trisha and Jeff, and Stella and Marshall were doing that all night.  I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink, and I'd have nightmares when I would finally be able to sleep.  I haven't even kissed a girl-much less woo hoo with one.  Could I possibly be more lame?

I tried my best not to stare at them another second and leave.  I wish I could be in as much love as my friends were.  Will I ever get there?  It seems unlikely.

When I got in my room, I got a phone call.  At 10:00 at night.  There's only one person who would call me that late.

"Hey Alex, this is Mr. Simmons.  I would like to inform you that I have a meeting slotted for 9:00 tomorrow.  I am sorry to get to you so late, I've forgotten."

It's just like him to forget that he had a meeting scheduled.  He is so disorganized, but still it's nice that he lets all of his employees know what's going on, and even get our opinions.

I wasn't exactly happy, though. "Oh, thanks for the heads up, Mr. Simmons...I'll be there..."

I turned off my phone, and went to bed.

I opened my eyes, barely.  I could barely make out anything in front of me, but I saw that I was in my bedroom, as a person should be when they wake up.  But I could barely open my eyes.  It was as if a force wouldn't let me open my eyes.  They felt sticky, like a watery sugar was keeping them closed.

I was able to make out a body, though.  In my room stood a man.  I couldn't make out his head at all, I just knew that there was someone in my room.  He just stood there, not looking at me, or anything.  Or maybe he was looking at me-maybe he was staring at me, ready to pounce at any minute.  I can picture it now!  I still was having trouble opening up my eyes, they wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried.  I couldn't move a muscle.  I wanted to get up and run out of my room, but my muscles wouldn't give.

Then, I opened my eyes again and there stood another man.  I could barely see what he was doing, but I could make out his hand very well.  His hand was cupped, and he was slowly walking toward me.  I became panic-striken.

What does this man want from me?  Who are these people?  Does he want to stab me-will a knife appear in his hand once he reaches me?  How did they even get in here?

With all my might, I tried to move my muscles, to slip out on the left side of the bed.  Then I would jump out of the window.  I don't care if I break it and bleed, that would be better than this.  But no, my muscles wouldn't let me.

I closed my eyes, and opened them again.  Once more, the scene changed.  The man was coming closer, and my nerves rose.  But I also noticed a little boy.  This boy seemed to have great power, but I wasn't quite sure what it was.  Something was strange about him, though.  I closed my eyes again.

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Then, I woke up.

What a strange dream.  I can't believe I just couldn't open my eyes at all!"

I got up, and went downstairs.  I looked at the clock, and it was 10:00.  Maybe Marshall and Jeff are up, but probably not.

I went down the stairs, and there were Jeff and Marshall.  But Trisha was there too.  I almost forgot that she was here!  Stella was no where in sight, though.

"Good morning sleepy head!  I can't believe it's 10:00 and you haven't even been up yet!  We've been up since 5:00."

That's when I remembered, they often love to get up to have an early breakfast.

"What, do you guys want breakfast or something?  Well, I'm sorry I woke up so late.  My bad."

"Oh no, it's ok, Alex.  We've just been waiting to share some news with you."

I was pretty confused.  It's only been a night since I've seen them, and they already have news?

"Oh yeah...what kind of news?"

"Dude!  Alex!  It's about Stella.  We woo hooed up a storm last night.  And so did Tasha and Jeff!  Stella is pregnant, and she's at the hospital getting an ultra sound.  Isn't it great?  I'm gonna be a father, and I'm going to take no responsibilty for it what so ever!  Awesome, huh?"

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Then I woke up for real. Huh.  It was only just a dream.  Thank GOSH.

Naturally, I hopped on my laptop to look up a few things.

I looked up 'eyes', and I skimmed the few paragraphs.  The last paragraph was relevant to my dream

To dream that you cannot open your eyes, indicates that there is a waking situation that you are just plain refusing to see or acknowledge. Alternatively, your inability to open your eyes may be physiological in reason. When we sleep, our eyes are closed (no kidding). So in dreaming that you are trying to open your eyes, your mind may actually be telling you to really open your eyes to the point where you actually wake up.

What is it that I'm failing to see?  Is that even true for me?  Surely I know exactly what I want.  And what I know is, I haven't found it yet.  I just wish I could, but I haven't yet.  And wow, I've never thought about that before!  Duh I couldn't open my eyes because it had to do with my sleeping, so it transferred to the dream world!  So I guess that also goes along with my not being able to wake up.

Then I looked at my watch, oh crap!  8:45.  I better be getting to the meeting.  Oh joy...

I put on my best clothes, ready to face what was about to occur.  Though Mr. Simmons isn't formal, he still insists that we dress nice when we have our meetings.  I think it's because he wants to be taken seriously.

When I arrived, no one was there.  Mr. Simmons was just sitting down.  He acknowledged me without looking, "Hello, Alex.  Good morning."

"Um-where is everyone?"

"That's not important.  Come, sit."

So, I sat.  What is going on?

He looked nice in his fancy suit, and yet he didn't shave.  How contradictory.  But so Mr. Simmons.  He hates to shave really close.  I think he still uses an old fashioned knife.

"I called you an hour early to the meeting.  I wanted to talk.  You've seemed so down lately, so I thought this would be the perfect time to converse.  What's been bothering you?"

Well, this is nice.  Mr. Simmons has always looked out for me.  He is like a fatherly figure for when I don't want to speak with my dad.  My dad...is kind of hard to talk to.  He's nothing like me.  But if anything, Mr. Simmons is closer in personality than he is.  He gets me better, though my dad tried his hardest to understand me too.

"Well-you're right.  Something has been bothering me..."

There was a long pause.

"And, what is that?"

"Well, I guess it's everything.  My life is a consistent line, always horizontal."

He gave that face that says 'come on, don't get all Alex on me, I want to help you, not listen to your strange analogies'.

"How so?"

As long as I sound normal, he is always a great listener.

"Well, I feel like my life needs some pizazz.  Some spice, and I'm not quite sure what that is."

I convieniently left out the wanting a girl part, that would be weird to talk to him about.

"Well, this is what I'll tell you.  Sometimes, you're blind to what's right under your nose."

And I knew exactly what he meant.

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Ooo! Mysterious!  Do you guys think you knew what Mr. Simmons is saying?  Do you think Alex knows what it is that could be the answer?  Please, comment and guess.  I won't tell you if you're right though, but I'll applaud you in the next chapter if you were right, though ^_^.