In Your Dreams

Chapter 3: The past

           

Casey and I are walking back to Zeus rez, our pace not quite as fast as Casey's speech, which is moving about a mile a minute.

"Why did you rush us out of there? I didn't even get to finish my bagel! This is a crucial time for bonding and having fun before we start classes—ugh, classes! But what was I saying? Oh yeah, we didn't even get to stick around to meet Chris' best friend! Speaking of Chris, he seems like a nice guy. Actually, what am I saying, you already know him. So how do you two know each other?"

I haven't been able to stop thinking about Chris since I met him. Or, since back at the bistro, seeing as we've met before. I mean, wait, we haven't met before. I don't know him. So why do I feel like I do?

"Casey, why did you say Chris and I met during frosh week?"

"Because you both knew each other's names already."

So I'm not crazy. Chris did say my name without anyone mentioning it first. Or maybe Rachel or Brian mentioned it to let him know I was coming to meet them. Or maybe Casey said my name earlier at the table and forgot.

But that didn't explain how I knew his name.

"I didn't meet Chris during frosh week."

"Oh. Then where?"

I sneak a look at Casey. "I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure?"

Zeus rez looms before us, large and white and welcoming. "I honestly can't remember."

Casey's eyebrows knit together. "You know him but don't know how you know him?"

"Yeah." I cringe. Even I'm wondering how it makes any sense.

I hold open the door to the lobby and we breeze past the worn-out couches flanked by junk-filled vending machines. Casey heads for the stairwell, knowing all too well the exercise helps me stay in shape for swimming.

Casey holds open the door to the stairs and we start climbing to the fourth floor. "You don't even know if you met him once or multiple times?"

My mind is drawing a blank. "I have no idea."

Finally we reach the fourth floor. We stop outside our room a few doors down and Casey unlocks the door, revealing two double beds, two dressers, a desk and a closet. I dump my bag on my bed, which Casey must have cleaned because the sheets are pulled neatly over the sides.

Casey shuts the door and folds her arms. "So you know Chris but you have no idea who he is or how you met him?"

"Exactly."

Casey's eyebrows travel up her forehead. "Seriously? So when you said, 'Chris,' his name just...popped into your head?"

I take a deep breath. "Yeah."

"Uh, that makes no sense."

I collapse onto my bed and close my eyes. "Tell me about it." Goose bumps trail up my arms like water across a towel after a swimming session and Chris' face pops into my head. The red-brown hair, the brown eyes that feel so familiar...

I push to a sitting position. "Okay, let's go about this logically."

Casey points at her watch. "Would you look at that, only ten seconds before you jumped into detective mode. That's got to be some kind of record for you."

"Haha, very funny." I can't help but smile—Casey has a way of lightening up even the most serious of situations.

I start pacing and Casey claims my spot on the bed. "Okay, so I didn't meet Chris during frosh week."