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

sleep soon. “Yes I do.”

I heard a little squeal on the other end. “Thank you for butting in.”

“My pleasure, I’m hanging up now, I’ll see you tomorrow”

Even though, I was very tired, I didn’t sleep well. I tossed and turned so much; I woke to find my blanket and sheet on the floor. I was curled up in a fetal position trying to keep warm. I don’t know if I had a dream or not, but when I woke up, I could only remember a face…Logan’s.
Ch.4 Lucas

he rest of the week kind of dragged, nothing too exciting happened. Well, after my talk with Emma, she seemed to flirt more with Derrick, and now he actually noticed, even returned the attention. I thought I might feel like a third wheel, but I was really enjoying myself watching them. And it felt good knowing that I had a hand in making my friends both happy by giving them the push the obviously needed.

The dreams of Logan continued to haunt me. It was a little unnerving dreaming of someone I didn’t particularly like. Thursday night I had a disturbing one about the two of us walking hand in hand, down a dark street. I sensed a presence behind us, when I turned around, I glimpsed a hooded figure. With a blink, he was gone. I woke feeling tired and restless.

Friday night I had to work at the concession stand, which I hated. Usually by the time, I got home, I smelled like popcorn. Most people love the smell, but when you’re around it for hours, it stays with you. It gets stuck in your nose and replaces all other scents. And the constant sound of corn popping could get annoying after a while. I was in a bad mood all around, and my lack of sleep the night before certainly didn’t help.

I was taking money from a customer when I saw Logan Tate standing in my line, it only added to my mood. As he moved closer to the front, I noticed he seemed different. His hair was a little longer but in a cute way. He was dressed a little more casual, wearing a long sleeve gray T-shirt and jeans. I thought he looked better, more approachable. I was pretty sure this change wouldn’t improve his attitude though.

“Hi,” he said as he stepped to the front of the line. “I didn’t know you worked here.” His voice even sounded better.

“Yup. What can I get you?” I was still annoyed with him about the pizza incident.

“Two large popcorns, and two large cokes.”

I nodded, and turned around to fill his order.

“Lucas!” someone yelled, “we’ll meet you in the theater.”

We both glanced in the direction the voice came from, and there stood Kyle and Andy.

I was so surprised that I almost shouted. “You’re Lucas?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, who did you think you were talking to?”

Still in shock, I answered him. “You’re brother.”

His expression turned from confusion to anger. “Sorry to disappoint you!” he growled.

“I’m not disappointed,” I blurted, which caused my cheeks to heat up.

He raised his eyebrows and gave me a cocky grin.

“I didn’t mean that…I just meant…here’s your popcorn!” I practically threw it at him before spinning around to get his drinks.

“Why did you think I was Logan?” he asked with a slight chuckle. He seemed to be enjoying my embarrassment.

“Um…you’re not wearing glasses.” I placed his drinks on the counter and told him the total.

“I only wear them at school.” He paid for his food, and moved over, so the next person could order.

While I filled it, I turned my head to look at him. “Don’t you need them to see?”

“I usually wear my contacts, but when Logan started acting like a jerk, I got tired of girls slapping me in the face.” I laughed. “You think that’s funny?”

“Yes I do. Did he get slapped too?”

“Yeah, but now that I wear my glasses, and dress differently, he gets the brunt of it.”

I laughed again, placing a lid on the cup I had just filled. “Good, he deserves it.”

He stood in silence, leaning on the counter absently tapping his fingers on the wooden top, while I filled orders. He didn’t seem to want to leave.

“Is that why you don’t talk to anybody, because you’re afraid to get slapped?” I asked him, after handing a customer their order.

He looked thoughtful a moment. “I used to get blamed a lot for the way Logan acted, so it’s easier to stick with my own friends.”

I felt a sorry for him, and since I had no customers at the moment, I strolled over to him. “It must be hard, having him for a brother.”

“It’s not so bad, he doesn’t act like that at home.” He glanced at me, our eyes locked. We were standing on opposite sides of the counter, leaning towards each other.

“Excuse me, could we get some help here? The service here really sucks.” Lucas and I jumped back guiltily.

I looked over to where Emma and Derrick were grinning wickedly. They were standing in front of my cash register waiting to be served. I was so wrapped up in our conversation; I didn’t even hear them approach.

Lucas cleared his throat. “Uh Sarah, I better get in there with the popcorn before Andy starts to gnaw on the seats.” He waved as he walked away, juggling all the food, he had an armload. I hoped he didn’t drop any of it.

When I glanced back at my friends, they were still staring at me. “What?”

Emma spoke first. “What were you talking to Lucas about?”

“How did you know it was him? I thought he was Logan,” I said, wandering back over to stand in front of her.

“Well he does look like Logan without his glasses, but I doubt you’d be staring into his eyes.”

I felt my face go hot again. “I was not.”

Derrick laughed at my expression. “Oh yes you were.”

“Order something or go away,” I said, only half kidding.

They placed their order, still grinning at me. I poured their drinks and filled their popcorn in silence, listening to their banter. When I was finished, I shoved their drinks at them, nearly sloshing coke on Derrick's black denim jacket.

“Are you going to tell me what you guys were talking about or not?” Emma asked me, after she took a sip of coke from of her straw.

“No I’m not, I’m working. Now go enjoy your movie.” I waved them away. They laughed as they headed into the theater.

Since my shift was over in an hour, I wouldn’t see my friends come out, a fact that I was relieved about. I knew Emma wasn’t finished grilling me about Lucas.

At home, I watched a movie with my parents, a romantic comedy starring Mandy Moore. I guessed it was my mom’s pick, or we’d be watching a war movie. My dad was really into them.

Alex was at a friend’s house, so it was just the three of us. I was lying on the soft blue suede couch with my feet on my mom’s legs. My dad was sitting on the black leather La-Z-Boy on the other end of the couch. Both the couch and the chair faced the big-screen TV my dad got for Christmas.

The movie was good, but when it finished, I headed up to bed, where I replayed my conversation with Lucas. He wasn’t what I expected. From afar, he seems aloof and antisocial. But the more I talk to him; I’m beginning to think that he’s not really like that. And after our conversation tonight, I realized something else. It wasn’t Logan I’ve been dreaming about. It was Lucas.

Ch.5 Shopping

I started my homework the next morning, so I'd have the rest of the weekend free. After that was done, I wanted to relax before I had to go to work for my one to seven shift.

My mom opened my door, as I was finishing up my algebra. “Hey, how about a girl’s day today, shopping, lunch, maybe a manicure?”

It was extremely tempting, but of course, I couldn’t. “Sorry mom, I have to work at one o’clock, remember?”

“Oh that’s right. Well we’ve got time for a little shopping, and an early lunch. What do you say?”

Why not? “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”

In the car, driving to the mall, my mom asked, “So what’s new at school?”

I smiled. “You’d know, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d know how your grades are, but not about your friends, or boyfriends,” she said with a laugh as she stopped at a red light.

I groaned. “Great, just what I want to talk to my mother about, boys.” A horn honked, we both glanced in front of us to see that the light had turned green.

“Oops,” she said as she pulled away. “Come on, I’m old, I need to live vicariously through you. You have to give me something.”

Her whining amused me, so I gave her what she wanted. “Fine, but you’ll be disappointed with my love life. But I think