Chapter 15

I have noticed lately that the new cashier-Cassandra (she's the type where she wants you to call by her full name), has had her eye on me.  Every day when I'd come in to get some new equiptment to sell, I'd see her looking at me.  I'm the type of guy who needs barely any clues at all to get it: 'yeah, that girl likes me.'  We've already gone through that I'm no normal guy, so hopefully this comes to no surprise to you.  I do have issues igniting a convo with girls, but it doesn't mean I don't notice.

So, one day after work, as I was heading to go home, she comes up to me.

"So-erm...Alex.  Alex, how was your day today?  Mine was good except when one lady brought in coffee and a dog-I could've sworn she was insane.  Then she spilled her coffee on a guitar and the dog peed on it.  She said it was because she thought it smelled good-aparently he loves coffee.  And then I had to get Mr. Simmons over-cause she wasn't listening.  She wouldn't pay for it.  I don't know exactly what happened-then she left."  She blushed big.  She is so nervous talking to me, aparently-babbling and everything.  "And you?"

"Oh, it was only okay, that is until you walked over here.  You are a burst of sunshine."

Yes, Marshall and Jeff have been trying to teach me to pick up women.  But I never really get a 'chance' to talk to any (that's just my excuse for being too nervous to confront anyone), so I'd say that their skills are being wasted.  But, being the girl pick-uppers that they are, wouldn't hear it.  Their best friend will get one sooner or later.  More like later-or at least that's what I've been thinking.

But now-now I have an excuse.  It's the confrontation that matters, right?  And-since I don't have to do that and I know that she likes me-I'm good.  And yet that also makes it more complicated.  Now I can't mess up.  Oh dear llama.

The difference of me between Marshall and Jeff, though (along with many other things), is that my pick up line didn't sound nearly as good and confident as the way they say it, so I just looked at the floor.  Not blushing-because I'm not that nervous.  It's just Cassandra-it's just Cassandra.

Yeah, yeah.  That's right.  It's just Cassandra.  I'm cool, this is cool.  I'm all good.

Though I felt like a dork, she did light up like sunshine.  Then she blurted out: "Wannagotoaconcertwithmetonight?"  Yeah, she said it really fast her words almost collided together.

Oh my llama!  A girl just asked me out.  A girl just asked me out!  And she's not a psychopath or anorexic!

Oh, the joys of being me. For now. Marshall and Jeff say that girls never ask the guys out!  They can be so old fashioned sometimes.  But only with girls, really....Sexist.

"Yeah, sure that sounds great."

"Cool-pick me up at seven.  You'll have to drive an hour to get to it.  Don't worry, I'll have the directions!"

"Alright, see you then."

Alex, you just landed a date.  Your first official date!

When I got home, I started to embarrass myself from my giddiness.  I must've been staring at myself for hours in the mirror, repeating to myself "now, who da man?  You da man."

Not to mention, I did a bunch of freaky hand gestures and poses to myself.  I was a circuis show with no crowd (and thank llama for that!).

Marshall let me wear his jacket for our date since he thought that I should dress up, but not too much.

"First dates are when the girl is staring at you, and checking you out.  You need to look your best-but you don't want to look like you're trying too hard.  Just put this on and some jeans."

So I did.

Later, I arrived at her house precisely at seven (I'm just cool like dat).

It was a humble northwood-ish cabin house.  Naturally, I went with my job's frame of mind.

What does that mean, then, according to this house, what Cassandra's personality is?

The first thing that came to mind was the obvious: she is an outdoor-sy type person.

Hmm, could be true.

Maybe she also likes the cold, since it's freezing in the northwoods, but really only someone like me would think of that.  There's no way I could really tell anyway-cause it's July!

But, chances are this stereotype is wrong.  Only in my own little strange mind do these stereotypes ever prove to exist.  It's just that there's always one person that it is true for.  I just can't help but to think about it!  It's in my own, messed up nature.  My strange, strange nature.

When I rang the door and she strolled out, I didn't see the "hot librarian" anymore (that's what I always think of her as.  Her glasses, and her clothes...just remind me of a librarian.  But she has such nice hair and makeup, and the clothes just work for her-hot librarian).  She looked hot in her little red dress.
But I could tell that she was nervous to tears-bless her.   We are alike in our shyness, yet not at the same time.  I'm both and neither...

Anyway...

"Hey handsome!  Let's get going.  We don't want to be late."

Ah, the librarian speaks again- the 'we need to be on time and I don't want us to be late even if you're perfectly on time' situation.

"Yes, of course.  Let's go."

While we were driving, she was fiddling with the maps she brought.  I really should just get around to asking mom and dad-or uncle Otto (the best uncle ever) to buy me a GPS since I'm too poor to buy one for myself.  But for now, I'm stuck with old fashioned maps.  Annoying maps.  She was having issues using it, and I was starting to "panic myself up".  So, we basically had no time to small talk.  It was all her fumbling with the map and telling me which way to go, figuring out how long that would be, and me just concentrating on the road.  I have no idea where this concert was going to be taking place or anything.  I don't know, it was some random town that I've only heard of.

It was pretty obvious where it was when we neared the concert.  There were spotlights shooting up in the sky, and there were big tv screens, and it was just beautiful.  I'm not really the type to go to concerts-and I didn't think that Cassandra was (what type of a hot librarian goes to concerts?).  It was also a little weird that she invited me the day of to go to a concert.  Aparently she just had tickets sitting around.

Oh, she was probably just nervous and bought them a while ago, and just got up the nerves to ask me. OR MAYBE...maybe her best friend died and she decided 'hey, why not go with that cute guy from work?'

There goes me, jumping to conclusions.  But only in my head.  I was sure it was the first one.

When we got there, there was a good number of people.

Normally, small talk is just a 'meh-ish' kind of thing for me, but we actually could go right on to the 'real talk'-if that applies.  Because we're at a rock band...and I knew nothing about it.  I'm not really a music person.  Sure I listen to the radio now and then, but I'm not "music savvy."

"So, who is playing tonight?"

"They're called Victory to the Downtrodden.  They're a really cool band."

"I never thought that you were into rock music..."

...Because you always have reminded me of a hot librarian.  The type of chick that sits at home reading a good romance on a Saturday night.

"Well, underneath this shy girl exterior is a girl with an edge.  But it's not like I'm obsessed with them.  They're just one of the bands I listen to."

Soon, the whole band came out.  They really were a rock band.  I could tell because I would never wear the clothes the guys wore, and I never see girls in the outifts that the girls wore.

The music blared so loud, I wished I brought earplugs.  The tune was exhilerating, but the lyrics were strange.

"This is one of my favorite songs of theirs!  It's called "Eaten by the Devil.""  Somehow, hot librian had a very loud voice that I could hear over the blaring music.  Granted she was right beside me screaming in my ear, but still.

"There are many people in this world

that get eaten by the devil

those are the weak

but the strong are the ones that overcome

the weak

the weak just get smooshed to the edge of life-

of society

And we are the strong we are the strong!..."

The lyrics were hard, the lyrics were strange.  But somehow the hard bass (that echoed the whole place, I swear it), drew me in.

I took a closer look at the bass player and guitar player as Cassandra told me about them.

"The bass player's name is Viper.  You may not think so by the name, but he's a sweetie!  He always seems so-so mature in interviews.  And the guitarist is named Fushcia Fusion.  She is okay.  She always says the wrong things when she's interviewed.  I don't think what she says is always appropriate, but maybe that's just me."

Then I looked at the keyboard player and drummer.

"The keyboard player's name is Razor.  She throws really cool parties-at least that's what I heard.  But she's a total slut!  I don't really like her.  And the drummer's name is Trenton.  Everyone always calls him that because he hates his real name which is Bob.  Ha!  He has anger issues though.  So he really is fit for the drums, am I right?"

"So what's with the tatoos on their chests?  Do they all have that?"

"Oh!  Yeah, they all do.  It's the band's symbol.  Cool huh?

"The singer, Zeus Thunder was the one that started it.  Before they even started the band, he got that as his tatoo, and when he started the band, they all decided that that would be their logo!  It's totally brilliant."

"Yeah, that's cool!  You don't see bands doing that everyday."

"No you do not."

The songs throughout the concert were all similar in nature.  The words devil, fire, hell, the end of the world were all phrases and words used heavily.  By the end of it, I was really sick of "Victory to the Downtrodden."  No way was I going to go to a concert for them again.  It's not that it was bad, but I guess hard rock just really isn't my thing.

While leaving, there was less fiddling with the map (thank god), but more talk of the band.  She kept going on and on about everything there was to know about them.  Um, yeah, she isn't a casul listener like she implied.  She is an obsessed wannabe.

Maybe she isn't such a librarian as I thought...

But really, who ever lives up to stereotypes anyway?

When I arrived at her house, I thought I would just have to walk her to the door like a good guy is supposed to.  But, lucky for me, I was spared from having to do that.

When we arrived at her house, she hopped out.  "Bye Alex!  Thanks for the ride.  This was fun.  I have to go to sleep.  I am so tired!"

So is she a party animal or is she not?

She is obsessed with a rock band, speaking about them nonstop. Yes.

Is shy at times (yet still blabs awkwardly at other times), is afraid of not being prompt, has an early bed time (as far as coming home from concerts go with a guy dropping her off at home).  No.

Well, real life is full of contradictions.

I figured I might as well go to bed too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was with a girl, and she was beautiful.  She was skinny, but not so skinny, with gorgeous light brown hair, with a nice girly outfit without overdoing it.  I wasn't really looking at her face, but her lips were lucious.

We started staring at a painting.  Aparently we were in an art mueseum.

"Alex, if you're not careful you're going to become like those lit trees in the background.  You gotta do something with your life.  Be like a deer and run away from it all."

Then we were looking at another painting.  Confidence rolled up in my veins, and I put my arm around her, and she put hers around me.  I just felt like concentrating on the warmth I felt from holding her, and I listened to her in a daze.

"I'm so glad you never got into sports, Alex.  Sports are so cliche."

Then we were staring at a painting of a beautiful yet chilling woman.

"Does this woman remind you of anyone, Alex?"

And of course it did.  Marina-or whatever her name was.  Her skin was a similar color, but not quite so pale.  I then felt the same way I did seeing that painting as when I saw her like a vampire for the first time.  Such chills, such chills it made me freezing.  But the girl wrapped me up in her arms.  I felt warm where ever she was touching.

"There there, Alex, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you feel that way."

But then I freaked out when I looked in the mirror.  I was a girl-and the girl was no longer a girl...but a guy.  But what was even creepier was that I found him....I found him attractive.  But then I looked at myself and I was attracted to my female version.

Just look at my volumptious cleavage!

But staring at me and him creeped me out.  Especially my being attracted to him. No, no.  I am perfectly straight!  I am not gay, I do not find him attractive!

But the more I tried to convince myself of that, the more I looked.  And the more I looked the more I was attracted to him.  Even creepier-I wanted to kiss him.

But then it all became so confusing for me-and I woke up.

Most disturbing dream ever.

Upon waking, I realized that the lady that turned into a guy...his clothes looked exactly like Viper's did.

But I didn't find him attractive.  At least not in a gayish sense, right?

I just brushed off that thought.  It was a dream, playing tricks on me.  I can't truly think for myself in dreams, so of course my self consious was making me think that.  It was just a dream, truly random dream.

But really, it wasn't so random.  Another fling with a girl, and it didn't work out.  If this happens again, I'm going to just blow up!  Is it so much to ask to find a girl that I'm compatible with?  If only...

If only..

Chapter 14

I appreciate all the comments I got last chapter guys, keep em coming!  I still can't reply to them, so let me do this here...

@vampire comment- I'm glad that you guys weren't expecting her to be a vampire!

I use the club crymson body skin for the guys, peggy body skins for the girls, and Ephemera default faces.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter :).

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I woke up, and I noticed my reflection in a giant mirror.  Then, out of the corner of the eye, I saw other me standing, looking at nothing particular.  Well, he certainly wasn't staring at me.

I got up to observe the strange mirror.

Why don't I remember putting in a mirror?

Huh.  I couldn't come up with an answer.

Ah, well, Marshall or Jeff must have done it without my noticing

Yeah, right.

When I looked in the mirror, I noticed that I gained some weight and I was lacking muscle.

Oh great, I should really start to excercise more with Jeff and Marshall...no way do I want to look like THIS.

I touched my belly in disgust.

I blinked.

Then I opened my eyes, and I realized that I gained even more weight than I realized.  I didn't even want to look at myself.

OH NO!  I didn't realize it was so bad.  Gah, I don't even like salad...but salad I will have to eat!  And, oh, maybe I should do something more than speed walk on a treadmill. Run it?

I shivered at that thought.  Running and me are like Marshall and Jeff not having girlfriends.

Then I saw other me coming through the mirror.  His foot looked quite eery from the mirror's reflection.  Not to mention it was strange simply to see him walking through walls-well, a mirror.  Close enough.

"No, no, no, Alex.  You are fine."

"Um, what?"

I still get the chills when I see my other self.

"You are still dreaming, Alex.  This is a false awakening.  You see yourself in the mirror, Alex? You're not really fat in real life.  That's you, right?"

"Um...well, yeah..."

"Yes.  Well that image to you is what I am to you.  We appear to be exactly the same.  But there is one very important difference."

My eyes widened.  So, now I'm still in another dream and other me is trying to philosophisize about my reflection in a dang mirror!

"The difference is I am real, unlike that reflection of yourself, I am real, I am not just some character in a dream, Alex.  But, I am a reflection of you.

I was racking my brain trying to understand, but if I tried too hard everything started to go black.  I couldn't.  I had to keep hold of the dream.

"It's ok, Alex.  Just think about it when you wake up. And whatever you do, DON'T forget about this conversation."

Note to self: remember what he said throughout the rest of this dream.

Then I heard his thought: 'good. This is important.'

Then, I started to walk away. 'I' dissolved into myself and walked out of the room.  In passing, I noticed laundry on the floor.

Really, Suzy is a crappy butler.  When is she ever going to do the washing?

Outside my bedroom, I saw a plate.  Not just any plate either.  Green fumes were coming off the plate, and it smelled like dead fish.

And, why do we need Suzy exactly?  She fails at her job.  Oh right-um...

Then I noticed the tortoise block stand.  We never took it out-a few years ago, when we recently moved in, Marshall and Jeff tried to babysit to get us some extra money.  They failed miserably.  They aren't really kid people, or at least they were too young and irresponsible.  The parents told us that the kids really like blocks, so we bought them.  And that's because they made a mess around the house.  But, they just used the blocks to throw them at Jeff and Marshall.  It was pretty funny since I wasn't apart of it.

I went downstairs and I decided to do what Lucid Girl has done before.  But of course I adapt it to me with girls: I told myself that when I walked downstairs, a bunch of pretty girls would be there.

Lucid Girl is just a girl of my dreams, so it doesn't really matter, right?  I just want the sensation of kissing again.  Nothing personal.

To my utter happiness, there were four girls when I arrived downstairs.  I looked at them.  One was muscular (in a creepy way), showing off that 'beautious stomach' and strange outfit.  No thank you. Another was fit for a day in the jungle with odd orange colored hair.  Ew, no.

I looked at the girl directly in front of me.  She was hard to miss.  She had some gorgeous waves and bright red lips.

But when I studied her nose from the side, it was really hideous.  For some reason a bird came to mind.

But then I saw a girl I missed.  She was really pretty with a normal look to her.  But I didn't really care that much. In fact, it was like I only noticed her appearance from the corner of my eye.  I just wanted to kiss her, that's all.

I wasted no time.  I planted one on her without letting her say no.  It's my dream.  She'll do what I want her to!  I didn't even care that the other girls were still there.  Why should I be self consious in my own dream?

The kiss made me dizzy.  It was really tingly.  Unfortuanatly, I couldn't hold onto the dream any longer.  But I loved the sensation of butterflies in my stomach.

When I woke up, I was just glad to be at a normal weight.

Maybe I should go to the gym more often again...

That dream with Marina really was creepy, thank gosh Lucid Girl could save me.

Ah, Lucid Girl.

And, even in my lucid dreams this morning, other me insisted on being there and lecturing me. 

I have a very creative mind, that's for sure! 

And for some reason, I even believed him in my dreams.

Pch, goes to show just how irrational you can be in dreams, even in ones that are lucid.

I decided to call the only person I knew who I could talk to that takes me seriously.

"Hey, grandpa this is Alex.  Could you guys please stop by my house soon?  It's sort of important."

I wanted to somehow 'convieniently talk' about that girl Marina.  Like, I would go alone to some public place and they would watch me while hiding or something.  Marina isn't that smart, is she?  Surely she would grab the bait!  Then I would scream at her again, and leave and I could follow her home again.  Or maybe I could just chance it and stalk her house with them?  Then they could see how strange she is, and, I don't know, help me somehow? 

I am not sure why, but I felt like I could trust them.

"Yes, that would be lovely Alex.  But I'll have to get approved first."

Stupid nursing home and its rules.

"Are you okay Alex, you sound a bit-"

"Yeah, I"m fine.  Hope to see you soon!  Bye grandpa."

"Okay-see you later Alex."

I really want to wait to tell both of them what's wrong, and it would be impossible to believe over the phone. 'Hey grandpa?  Yeah I called to tell you that there is this vampire lady named Marina-or at least that's what she calls herself- that is stalking me.  She always 'surprisinly bumps into me' when I'm alone in public.  Then, she gets me to like her only when I see her.  But then when she tries to kiss me, I somehow am able to back away.' Yeah, they would believe that. Besides.  I didn't feel like talking about it really...I'll do it when I have to.

I went downstairs and sat on a barstool.  It was really weird to have Suzy cooking for us.  I was able to wake up somewhat later, since I knew I wouldn't have to be in charge.  Of anything.

"I am making you boys some mac 'n' cheese!"

Yes, actually it was 11:00.  It's been a tiring night.

"I was thinking we could go swimming after I'm done with the rest of what's around the house.  I just have to dust Marshall's room, and we can go."

I don't even care that Suzy crossed her employee bounds.  We all like her a lot, and she knows it.

We all sit in silence thinking of her suggestion, not knowing what to say.  If we agree, could that give her more oppurtunities to goof off and not work, or demand a raise or something?

While she gives me the last bowl, Marshall decides to speak for all of us.

"Yeah, that would be great fun, great idea Suzy!  Besides, Marshall and I broke up with our girlfriends last night."

Why am I not surprised?

"Yeah, what happened?"

"Eh, we just got bored of them.  They were getting too clingy."

"Yeah, we're so over them.  Now it's time to let a couple of new lucky ladies some time with us-for their own happiness."

We this, we that.

I'm surprised THEY aren't identical twins, or whatever other me and I are..

Oh, but silly me.  That's just from my dreams...

Marshall, I told you so.  You should've waited to milk out the relationship!  That goes for you too Jeff. You guys COULD have chilled in the beginning to make that fruit tree so you could take more of its sweet fruit, but no.  No one listens to Alex.

When we were done changing an hour later and at the pool, Marshall and Jeff veered away from us.

"See you guys later."

He winked at me.

"We've got our eyes on something."

Of course.  Newly broken up, and they're already after their next girls.  But, at least they never cheat.  They just forget all about the girls they dump, and go on to new ones.

And yet, Marina will stil be on my back.

Though plan 'not going alone anywhere in public' still stood, who knows when I'll break from that promise?

I looked at Suzy, and Suzy looked at me. 

Jeff senses the chemistry between us.  He didn't only want to leave to see those girls, but to leave us aone.

Win win.

We both walked over to this cute little glider.  She crossed her legs and arms, and I put my arms awkwardly on my legs.  Seeing her practically naked was making me feel a little dizzy.

Not a sign of cellulose...at all.

Again, I was glad that I wasn't super fat like in my dream.

I just gotta keep up with it, that's all.  Note to self: go to the gym later.

I realized that not only was I nervous, but so was Suzy.  I caught her glancing at my abs.

Clearly, she liked me.  It was now or never.

I started to put my arm around her and our lips almost met, but I convulsivly pulled away against my will.

You don't REALLY like her.  Don't do this to her.

My brain was having a thought that was not really mine.

Just like with Marina, I left her.  After that thought passed through my head, I didn't have the same feelings for her.  But, I wasn't really repulsed like I was with Marina.  Then, she was just my butler.

"Sorry, I can't..."

Suzy looked away, and I heard a small little sob, but I just couldn't do it.  I didn't mean to make her sad, but I just... couldn't.

Then I wondered: why do I really like her? We didn't really have that much in common.  Besides being nice, there was nothing.  She seemed like a completly normal person.

And besides, I just can't do this to her.

And why was it that Lucid Girl popped into my head?

NO.  I can't have feelings for her-she's not really real...She's what I want in a girl.  My brain made her up!

Then I realized why I liked Suzy.  She reminded me of Lucid Girl so faintly-and that's just because I don't really know that many girls, I guess.  She had her blonde hair color-but that's where all similarities stopped.

Lucid Girl had curves where Suzy was stick flat.

I glanced back at her, how could I have liked HER figure?

I realized for the first time that she was as skinny as a stick.  And not in a good way.  I tried to remember a time I saw her eating, but I couldn't.

Oh llama, is she anorexic?

This girl is messed up.  But not in the way I'm messed up-my self esteem is fine.  I just want someone that gets me, that's all.  I don't feel like I can truly open myself up to her, and I need a girl like that.  I just haven't found her yet.

Chapter 13

After work one day, I went to the park.  It was such a long day, and I decided it would be nice to people watch.  Sometimes it's nice to see just how other people are.  It makes me truly see how weird I am, but also I see the even stranger.  Crowds are a strange thing, if a few families in a park could be considered a crowd.

Then to my complete surprise, Marina turned up half an hour later.  She's been really bugging me.  I am alone in a public place, and eventually, she shows up.  When will I learn and just go places with Marshall and Jeff? 

I answered my own question. Because I'm not quite like them.  I like alone time, to sort through my thoughts.

But, I don't think that when Marina is in the vicinity.

Her spell washed over me, and when she got closer, I patted the seat next to me.  She smiled and quickly sat beside me.  Losing no time, I put my arm over her shoulder. She felt really cold.

"Um-are you okay, Marina?  You feel really cold."

I rubbed my arm up and down hers.

"Oh-um...yeah.  I'm-cold, yeah.  I'm cold."

With a combination of her strange response, and becoming more aware of how her body felt, I jumped a little.  It just didn't seem normal.  The sensation of her body was...not just cold, but something else that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

I got off the bench.  Somehow I managed to break away from her spell, probably with the help of my doubting thoughts.  It's all starting to make sense, with her skin and her power over me, but I just don't know quite what I figured out.

"Marina, just get out of my life already.  Stop...doing whatever it is that you're doing."

Marina looked guilty, she looked back and forth, but I didn't see any perspiration.  "I don't know what you're talking about!"  She may have denyed what I said, but she still ran.  Lightning fast-faster than any olympic runner could run.

She hopped in her car, and I waited a minute.  I had to know where she lives, but I couldn't let her know I was following her.  I gave her a thirty second head start, and ran as fast as I could to my car. 

When I got near her house but not close enough to where she could see me, I parked and ran.  I could just see where her car went.

When I made it to her front door, I dared look at her.  I saw Marina, but she vanished with this thick greenish yellow fog.  In her place stood a very creepy woman.  This lady started to mop up the fog that condensed on the floor.

What kind of fog condences on the floor?

So for some reason, this extremely dangerous woman is making me have a relationship with her.

But why?

It made me truly shiver that she was able to control my feelings and my actions when I'm around her, all to romance her.

For a second she looked up from her mopping.  Lucky for me she was looking at some random spot at the wall, or I'd be dead meat.  Or worse.  I could never guess what she could do to me!

Of all the things she could do to me, why the supposedly 'nice' interactions of romance?

My inclination was right.  Marina-or whoever she is, has to be demented.  Her motives are all wrong.  And if they weren't, then she was insane as well as the obvious of her being evil in some way.

Her eyes sneered at that random speck.  If I were that speck, I would've dissolved away.  She had off colored skin, but it wasn't a sickly gray...just...off in color.  Her eyes glowed, and they were a peircing, terrifying red.  Her hair was white with purple streaks in it.

It was obvious what she was.

A vampire.

A vampire that can control minds and shapeshift.  Nice!  I don't even want to find out what else she can do.

I ran away from her house so fast.  There was no way I could go back there.  Absolutely no way.  I can't let myself romance Marina again-or maybe I just should never be alone anywhere public again.

Fine.  If I have to I'll give up my way of life for my safety.  And sanity.  I have to fight it.  I must be strong!

I went straight to my car and went just a little too much over the speed limit.  I just wanted to go home and into bed, and snuggle up in my covers.

But I got home, and there was Suzy.

"Oh, hello Alex.  Let me go put this washing in the machine and we can talk."

We're pretty much on a friends basis right now.  And I like that.  For now.

"Sorry if that took a little long.  How are you, Alex?  You don't look so good.  Do you want to talk about it?"

Not typically what a butler would ask you.  But Suzy isn't a typical butler.

"Oh, thanks Suzy.  But I'm ok.  Really, thanks.  And-I'm actually really tired.  I want to go to bed now, we can talk tomorrow."

"Ok Alex, if you really don't want to tell me.  Good night."

It's not like I could really tell Suzy that there is this girl, Marina, who tries whenever she can to romance me when I'm alone and she makes me do it, and she miracuously finds me.  Then, I get in an argument with her and follow her to her house and discover that she's a vampire. A vampire.

Pcch, yeah she's going to believe that.  When great grandpa thinks I'll get a girl then she would!

Well, in your face grandpa.  I'm getting there.  Kinda...Kinda? Oh gosh, I hope so...

I quickly scurried to bed.  I just longed to have the blankets around me, and to feel the softness of my bed and pillow.

My tingly feeling subsided when I got into bed.  I tucked the blankets around me tightly, and pulled them up all the way to my nose and over my ears.

Gosh, It's like I'm five again.

Not many people have to go through this everyday.

Before I fell asleep, a very crucial thought wiped over me.

But...supposedly Marina is missing.  Her friends Stella and Trista....

I was too sleepy to let those thoughts settle too much.  I fell asleep in a heartbeat.

I was in a small tan room, full of cracks and imperfections.  And there was Marina, walking toward me.  Her radiance and presence seemed to light up the depressingly, small room.

Her eyes sparkled, she looked at me and smiled.  I practically melted to the floor.  She was just so beautiful.

But then I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, there was that disgusting creature.  That...that...I didn't even let myself think what it was.  Gone was her loving look, the sparkle in her eye.  She didn't even look at me, but looked at a spot on the wall as if it were more interesting than me.

Then, without warning, she pinned me down and loomed over my throat.  She was going to do something to my neck, and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it.

I just lay there helplessly, I was so frightened I couldn't scream out, and I also wasn't able to move my face muscles.  I was just that scared!

I didn't utter a sound, and neither did creepy vampire lady, but still.  Lucid girl came to my resue.

She just stood there.  She didn't touch us or anything, but somehow she still moved her off me without difficulty.  She pinned her to the floor with nothing, without touching her.  Though nothing bound her there, she couldn't move.  And in an instant, I was standing without even remembering getting up.

"Wo, you just saved me.  Thank you so-"

"Oh, it's ok.  I'm so happy I could be here in time to save you, Alex."

Then it hit me.  This is a dream.  Lucid girl saved me.  This is when reading up on lucid dreams comes in handy: she is my dream sign.  She's been in my dreams numerous times, so now I will know I'm dreaming whenever I see her.

Unfortuanatly.

"I know this is a dream!  Thanks for helping me become lucid.  And...how did you do that exactly?..."

She stepped a little bit closer to me then was necessary, "I'm so glad I helped you become lucid!  And I did that using what I call my 'magic hands'.  I simply move my hands to make them do a job without touching anything."

"That's awesome!  You should show me how."

"Not now, another time.  Come with me."

She took my hand, and we went out of that little, depressing room.  Her hand was little and soft.  I could feel the sensation!

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see.  Come.  Follow me, Alex."

She flew off the ground in a swimming pose.  I followed her and tried out her new style of flying.  Unfortuanatly, she was a little higher then me.  I tried to get higher, but I kept stumbling.  I could tell I would soon fall.  Lucid Girl sensed it, "Alex, don't think about falling.  Think about rising.  You are a feather-you are in control.  This is my dream after all."

There she goes again, calling my dream her dream. 

Well, she is a dream character and apart of my mind, so therefore she is thinking in terms of me me.

I rose just before I was going to crash into some crates.

"Come on Alex.  Take my hand and we will go somewhere else.  We are going to teleport, there is no way we want to stay her in this damp and dreary place of my dream."

My, my, my.

I noticed some fog appearing in front of us.  I caught her hand at the last second.  Then, I heard a whip of wind, and soon everything went black.

We arrived at a beautiful tropical island, and we immediatly let go of each other's hands when we arrived, admiring its beauty.

But then I heard a voice behind us, "you didn't think you'd lose me that easily, did you?"

I whirled around and I was shocked to see it was other me, just like the other me I saw in the reflection of the water in a previous dream.

I don't know why, but I was a little freaked out.  Lucky for me me, Lucid Girl was on my side, but other me had no one.  Maybe it's because it's not natural to see another you except in a mirror?

So it wasn't just wind that I heard right before we teleported.  Other me followed us here.

But how could he have-I didn't see him before...

"I will answer your question."

'Me' can read my MIND?!

"Yes I can read your mind.  Why don't you try to read mine?"

I tried really hard to do what he suggested.  I concentrated, staring at his skull, and telling myself I believe, this is a dream and anything is possible.

Then I heard something come from a tiny corner of my mind.  That's the way, Alex.

I did it!  I read his mind!

Since he now knew that I could read his mind, he thought what he would have told me, 'Alex, I am you.  One in the same.  Well, close enough anyway.  So close, in fact that we can trade views.  But you're always in control, in first person.'

So that's why I switched to third person when I was kissing Lucid Girl in that one dream-

'Yes, that's right Alex.  But don't be jealous-I am practically you.  Oh, and there is just one other thing.  I would like to give you a message.  Marina is more dangerous than she seems.

My brain really started to hurt when I tried to sort through that last statement about Marina-a dream is no place to think deeply.

Other me disappeared, as if he went back to being in third person, of me.  As if he were my shadow.

"Wow, that was totally strange-"

I'm sure she couldn't fully track the conversation, since we were mostly talking telepathically, but certainly seeing two of the same people isn't a common occurence.

"Yeah.  But-let's just not talk about it.  You and I are here.  Now."

I reached out and held her, sucking in her warmth, feeling her every curve.  And dang was there a lot of curve to feel, all around.  Even her back was curvy.

But she wasn't getting into it-her arms were limp while she was staring into the distance.

There was something she was not telling me.

*To be continued*

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I have one thing to say, actually.  I have not revealed the two major surprises I was talking about yet!  There is still more of that to come :).

Oh, and just so you guys know, I've been TRYING to comment.  But for some reason it won't let me log in, and when I post anonymous, it never goes through, wanting me to log in again.  It doesn't ever say that I'm logged in at the top, so if anyone knows how to fix this please let me know.