Fantastical: Book 1: The Mirror (Chapter Three)

Jess started as a tray of food slammed onto the table in front of her. She glared up as her friend slid into the seat across from her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Morning, sleepy head. Or should I say 'afternoon'."

"Not funny, Lyssa," Jess growled.

"Yes it is," Alyssa retorted. "Why are you so tired all of the sudden. You fell asleep in Mr. Hampton's class, too. You're lucky he's such a pussy cat or you would've been written up."

Jess grimaced. "Yeah, I know. I just didn't get much sleep last night."

She picked up her fork and played with the food on her tray. Today's lunch was salisbury steak with mash potatoes and gravy. Normally, it would've been gone by now. Jess' mother usually made her lunch, and even though she was a pretty good cook, sometimes her food was interesting. Only yesterday she had made Jess and Tad some kind of spicy macaroni and cheese. They'd had to use a gallon of water each to soothing their burning mouths. It was good, but strange.

Right now, though, she wasn't really feeling all that hungry.

"Did it happen again?"

Jess looked up and nodded. Lyssa nearly exploded.

"You need to tell your parents! These dreams of yours are getting really creepy. That's what, three times now? Come on, Jess, even you have got to admit, there's either something wrong with your head, or something weird is going on."

"Keep it down!" Jess hissed, looking around quickly before turning back to Lyssa. "I'm really starting to regret telling you anything. And you know why I can't tell them."

"'Because there's enough stress on my parent's as it is,'"Lyssa said in a pretty good impression of Jess. "Listen, your parents need to know. I don't care what problems they have with each other right now. You're their kid! They'll do something to help."

Jess only shook her head and turned back to playing with her food. Lyssa threw up her hands in disgust and pulled her own tray closer, grumbling to herself. Jess was feeling slightly guilty. Her friend was only trying to help her, but she didn't know anything that was going on at home right now. To tell her parents would only add to their worries and that was something Jess knew that she couldn't do. She'd kept Tad as protected as she could but she was sure that even he knew exactly what was going on between their parents.

It had started out a few weeks ago, with Lara making a small remark about their old lives. Since Jess and Tad knew practically nothing about their parents lives before their marriage, neither of them knew exactly what it meant, but whatever it was stopped their father in his tracks. He'd literally frozen for a few seconds before stalking from the room, Lara trailing behind. That same night, they'd gotten into a huge argument and things hadn't calmed down since. Now every time they were in the same room, there was tension in the air. If Jess and Tad were there also, they kept their argument to themselves, but as soon as she and her little brother left, the argument would start off again. Jess wasn't sure what she was more frightened of: the arguments themselves, or the fact that it could lead to worse things, like divorce. That was why she couldn't tell them anything about the nightmares. That was also why Lyssa wouldn't understand.

To Jess, Alyssa lived the perfect life. She was not only very pretty, with strawberry blonde hair, sharp gray eyes, and beautifully tanned skin, but everybody liked her. She was even on good terms with her family and that was saying something. Lyssa lived on a farm with three brothers and two sisters, an aunt and an uncle (both which were unmarried and on her mother's side of the family), her parents and one set of grandparents. With that much people around, one would think they would always be fighting, but it was, in fact, quite the opposite. Though the Crawley household always seemed so crowded, there was a sense of closeness there that Jess envied. They were the kind of family that Jess desperately wanted her family to be like. Not crowded (she didn't think she could live with more Tad's) but close.

The friends sat in silence for a few moments, Lyssa chewing stolidly on her meat, Jess only playing with her food. Finally Jess sighed and looked up. To her surprise, Lyssa spoke first.

"Look," she said. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on with your mom and dad. I shouldn't butt in where I don't belong."

Jess quickly shook her head, embarrassed. "You don't have to apologize. I know you were just looking out for me. And maybe you're right. Maybe I should tell them."

Lyssa gave her a sly grin. "You really think so?"

Jess glared. "No." But then she smiled. Lyssa was incourigible.

Alyssa giggled and then swiftly changed the subject. For a while they talked, the subjects ranging from complaints about the amount of homework the teachers gave them even though school was done in less than two weeks to shopping for prom dresses, which was also in less than two weeks. As the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, Jess and Lyssa rose to turn in their trays, still talking.

"Are we still going to the prom together?" she asked and Lyssa nodded.

"I haven't made any plans and me and my mom aren't leaving for Aunt Madeline's place until a week after school gets out, so yeah. At least until some guy asks me to go with him."

Jess giggled. For a long time, both she and Lyssa had wished that they would catch some guy's eye, but as the highschool years progressed, and no one approached, their wish became a happy fantasy and they joked about it every chance they got.

They said nothing more as they walked out the doors, following the flow of students.

"Well, see you after school, I guess," Lyssa said.

She made as if to push through the crowd when Jess had a sudden bright idea. She grabbed Lyssa's arm.

"Hey, wait. Do you think your parents would let you sleep over tonight?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah I guess," Lyssa said, peering at Jess curiously. "Are you sure you want me to, though? I mean, with your parents fighting and all..."

Jess shrugged. "They're pretty good at keeping up with appearances. Besides, they love you and I don't think they'd say no. You might even lighten up the mood."

As she said it, Jess felt a pang of jealousy as she realized what she was saying was true. She didn't like the idea that her friend might be able to do more to make the atmosphere in her home lighter than she could. But she couldn't condemn her friend for that, and besides, she liked that it might be better at home. Lyssa smiled pensively at her and nodded.

"Sure, if you think it's okay. I'll call my parents and ask. We have sixth period together. I'll tell you if they say yes, then. But why this sudden sleep over?" she asked.

"Well, my dad is picking up me and Tad and then we're going to the Square to pick up a few grooceries for supper tonight. There's that little store that just opened up a few months ago. I haven't gone yet, but I've heard it sells some cute dresses."

Understanding dawned in Lyssa's eyes. "Cute prom dresses?" she asked.

Jess grinned. "Yeah, and since the bakery mom works at is in the Square, then we don't have to hurry. My dad can drop us off and my mom can pick us up."

"That's a great idea!" Lyssa said excitedly.

The crowd around them thinned and they finally realized that they were running out of time. They exchanged quick goodbyes, Lyssa proclaiming her excitement, and then seperated, heading for their lockers. Jess found that she couldn't wait for school to end. Even though the day had started out as bad, it was swiftly turning into the best day ever. As long as her parents held their peace, it would continue to be so. She hoped they could.