In my Dreams by Courtney Barnes (each kindness read aloud .txt) 📖

Present day

Three years later, and the memory of that night still disturbs me. It wasn’t something I chose to think about, but ever since Ryan emailed me last week, it’s been on my mind. I read the sentence I had scribbled on my notebook for my English essay again. It didn’t make any sense, so I decided to give up.

Throwing my pen onto my open book, I lay down on my bed to stare up at the dirt splotch on my ceiling. It was left by a ball I had thrown up a year ago. I knew I should wash it off, but I sometimes found myself staring up at it, and seeing shapes in the dust. Once, after studying for a difficult exam in biology the shape of a happy face appeared. It made me feel better about the test. But now, I lay staring at it obsessing over a memory. After all this time, I hated that I could still get upset about the snotty girl who chopped off my hair just because I was friends with Ryan Crenshaw, a boy she considered hers.

Why couldn’t I let it go? I never returned to that school anyway, and he moved back to New York where his family was from. I didn’t want to go there in the first place. Why would I? Everyone knew that students from Hadley Academy didn’t accept regular folk like me. If you weren’t a member of the country club, you weren’t worthy. The only reason I went was because my mom was a teacher there, and she bribed me with a car when I turned sixteen, so of course I caved, it was a car. But I was right; nobody accepted me, well except for Ryan, and because he was my friend despite the problems it caused, meant even more to me.

For some reason, the upper class families who could trace their families back to the original settlers of Brownridge considered them selves above the rest of us. To them, anyone who didn’t have an inheritance or an executive position in a multimillion dollar company wasn’t worth their time.

Even the town itself was separated so that we didn’t really mix all that much. In the center, was the business district, which consisted of a mall, a multiplex and a variety of businesses and restaurants. Outside of the business district was where the public schools were located. Residential subdivisions were placed throughout the town. Rock Lake wrapped around the town and flowed into the river that led to River Park.

The north side was where the rich people lived, Lakeview Drive held a number of mansions that overlooked the lake. It’s also where the marina and country club were located. My old school was just a few streets away. So I was stuck mingling with people that never wanted me around.

I stared up the dirt blotch, restless and irritated with my thoughts. If it wasn’t for Ryan’s email I wouldn’t be obsessing about the past. I had a good life now, with friends, a hobby and a great school.

So in order to get this nonsense out of my head, I jumped off my bed and sat down at my computer desk. Opening my email, I scrolled down to the one labeled ryanc19, under the subject column said ‘how are you?’ I stared at the tiny letters for a few seconds, sucked in a deep breath and read his message again: Hey Sarah, I’m sorry it’s been so long since I emailed you. I’ve been busy with my girlfriend Jenna. Remember I told you about her, the girl I knew from public school? Anyway, how are things going with you? Have you seen Stephanie lately? If you do, tell her that I said hi. LOL. I’m so glad I don’t have to see her heavily made up face anymore.

I hope you got a chance to get back at her for what she did to you. I always felt bad for what happened, even though you insisted it wasn’t my fault.

I’m sorry that I moved away without making it up to you, but maybe someday I can. If I’m ever back in Brownridge, I’d love to take you out. Anyway, hope to hear from you soon. Ryan.

Clicking the reply button, I started my message. Telling him about the time I saw Stephanie near the beach, my hair was still short, but styled in a cute spiky bob. My friends and I were enjoying a day of sun. Her mouth popped open in shock, and I described the look on her face in detail to him. Derrick, who knew about what had happened, draped his arm around me and whispered in my ear as though we were a couple. Of course we weren’t, he was my best friend, but she didn’t have to know that. A few of his friends were also there, dressed in only swimsuits, showing off they’re tanned muscular bodies.

To her, I was surrounded by three hunky guys all vying for my attention. So I wasn’t surprised that she stared at me coldly, shooting daggers in my direction. I just smiled and waved at her. Making her so angry, her face turned red. She stomped off the beach with her puppets following her. I also told him that I would love to see him if he ever came back.

After I sent the email, I signed off. Feeling better and less restless, I decided to return to my homework.

The sound of the phone ringing interrupted a very confusing Chemistry problem. I threw my pen down again and answered the phone. “Hello.”

“Hey, what are you doing tonight? Do you want to go to a movie?” Emma asked on the other end of the phone.

“Sure, but you know I hate going there when I’m not working.”

“I know, but I’m bored and what else is there to do around here, on a Friday night?” she whined.

I laughed. It was true, if you didn’t drink and party like some of the people we went to school with. There wasn’t a lot to do. It was either, go to the movies or hank out at River Park and watch a bunch of guys skateboard on the large ramp someone built a few years ago. I’ve been down there a few times. It usually consisted of a bunch of teenagers standing around drinking beer watching as the skate boarders went up and down the ramp. It was like watching a tennis match. If you’d had a few beers, you could get a little dizzy after a few hours of your head swaying side to side.

“Fine, come pick me up. I’ve had enough homework for one night.” I put my books away after we said goodbye, and went downstairs to wait for her.

“What’s Derrick doing tonight, or did you call him?” I asked Emma once I was inside her white Ford Tempo.

She shook her head, her red curls danced along her t-shirt clad shoulders. “I didn’t call him, I felt like a girl’s night tonight.”

As she drove, she tapped her finger on the steering wheel to beat of the music playing on the radio. I glanced out my window, watching the lights from the store fronts on Main Street.

It didn’t take long to get to the multiplex, and after she parked in the crowded lot, we climbed out and followed an older couple inside.

We were in line for tickets, when Emma leaned in and whispered. “Look, there’s a bunch of kids from school. Is that Laura Johnson with one of the Tate brothers? Turn around, I want to see your face,” she whispered to someone across the room.

I followed her gaze to see what she was looking at, just as a group of kids from school were walking into a theater. I didn’t notice anyone specifically.

“Damn, I didn’t see who she was with.” She looked disappointed.

“Why do you care?”

“You know how nosy I am, I need to know what’s going on at school just in case someone asks me,” she said as though the answer was obvious.

We paid for our tickets and moved to the concession stand. “Do you want popcorn?” she asked walking toward the line.

“Not really, do you?”

“Yes. With this smell how can you resist?” She stood behind a man with two kids that looked about eight. The popcorn smell was overwhelming as it wafted through the air. Most people couldn’t resist buying it once they smelled it. But that’s exactly why I could resist, the smell.

“I’m just going to have some peanut M&M’s.” I glanced at Emma and saw her stick her tongue out at the boys in front of us. I elbowed her.

“What? They started it,” she whispered.

I rolled my eyes. How old was she, ten? They were kids, why stoop to their level, besides they were cute. They even matched; both of them had brown hair hidden under Sponge Bob ball caps, wearing the same baby blue t-shirts and torn jeans.

They looked at me and grinned, twin dimples poking out from their freckles, and then, just as Emma had said, they stuck their tongues out at us.

They’re father had paid for their popcorn and was walking away. They followed him, but just as they reached the end of the counter, the boys turned back around, and did it one last time. Before I realized what I was doing, I stuck my tongue out at them.

Emma noticed and smiled.

“What? They started it,” I heard myself say.

The movie was good, and afterward I went back to her house for a sleepover. We often had them on weekends.

We both had the next day free, so we decided to take a road trip. Our town was too small for a day spa, but there was one in Langton. The only problem was that it was an hour away. The drive went by fast, with kids from school to talk about, and my new CD I wanted Emma to hear, the time past quickly.

Once we arrived, we parked in the lot near the spa, then made our way across the busy street.

Even though a bell chimed alerting our entry, the woman at the front desk never looked up from her nails. She was filing them and talking on the phone.

We stood in front of her for several seconds waiting patiently.

“So what are you wearing tonight?” she asked into the receiver.

Emma started to giggle, and then a hiss of air escaped her mouth as I dug my elbow into