I asked you to take me to your place?"
He nods. "Yeah."
"Were you going to?"
"A guy doesn't pass up an invitation like that from a girl like you. But then your boyfriend showed up. Talk about a disappointing end to an evening." He looks around, leans forward and lowers his voice. "Look, Jillian, I'm sorry you got in trouble with your boyfriend, but I never would have let it happen if you hadn't said you were unattached. I don't want you to think of me as one of those guys who breaks up relationships."
"I don't. And I want to thank you for the way you handled it. That was quick thinking on your part. It would have ended up much worse."
"Well, I understand how he feels, and I'd feel the same way. He obviously cares for you a great deal. Lucky bastard."
"Actually, I'm the lucky one."
"So how are things with your boyfriend? He looked pretty angry."
I shrug. "He's hurt, but he's tough. He'll get over it."
"Good. Not sure I will."
"Excuse me?"
He leans forward and locks eyes with me. "Jillian, I know we were only kissing for a minute or two, but what I felt with you is something I've never felt before."
Jake and I are riding to The Summit on this Saturday morning. Mom's backed up on her clients, so she isn't tagging along. Sebastien only wanted to see the two of us since we're the ones who have been affected. Roxanne and Ryan are patiently waiting at home, both of whom hoping for something that will explain why the people they love suddenly seem interested in others. But them being left behind is fine since I wanted a chance to talk with Jake and bring him into the loop. While I know I've been affected, he doesn't think anything is different.
"Trust me, Jake, you've changed."
"I changed last year, remember? In a good way."
"I know. But you're doing stuff you wouldn't normally do. And I've been meaning to talk to you about it since Roxanne hasn't."
He turns to me as I drive and keep my eyes on the road. "What's up with Rox?"
I exhale deeply, knowing she didn't want me to talk about it, but I can't let this go on. It's hurting her too much. "Jake, you've been talking about another woman when you're out with her."
"No I haven't. I would never do that."
"You've been doing it. You just don't realize it."
"Well, then, who am I talking about?"
"Your teacher, Ms. Cruise."
"That's different, Jillian. I was just talking about a teacher I like, that's all."
"Yeah, but the way it comes out, it sounds like you're interested in her. Romantically."
"That's ridiculous. Cruise is old enough to be my mother. And I love Roxanne."
"I know you do, and she knows you do. But your teacher has seriously screwed with your mind." I can tell he doesn't believe me, so I decide to tell him about seeing him in a reading. "Okay, you have to pinky swear with me that you will not tell Roxanne what I'm about to tell you."
His face tightens. "What?"
"Pinky swear." I stick out my pinky.
He shakes it with his. "Yeah, sure. So what's the big secret?"
"I saw you in my crystal ball the other night."
"You did a reading for Roxanne?"
"No, Jake. It was a reading for someone else who is a student at our college, but you were in it. You were kissing Ms. Cruise. And it looked like you were going to go a lot further."
We're both propped up on a couple of hospital beds with electrodes attached to our heads. Jake is noticeably upset about what's been going on with Cruise, especially after talking with Sebastien about her. After two hours of testing, I'm ready for answers.
But when Sebastien walks in with a worried look, I know I'm not getting the answers I want.
"You can remove the wires now," he says. Jake and I quickly pull the sticky connectors from our foreheads.
"So, what's the verdict?' I ask.
Sebastien looks down at a printout. "Both of you have been affected in the same way."
"How so?" asks Jake.
"Your brain waves have been altered."
My eyes widen. "Altered?"
"The patterns have changed slightly. In the Delta waves."
"The subconscious ones," says Jake. "The ones her father wanted to access in her."
"Correct," says Sebastien. "Jake, I know you would like to drop this class, but if we are to study this situation we need you to remain close."
"I understand," he says. "Not sure Roxanne will, though."
"And Jillian, I need you to monitor her class, but only using your alter ego. Remember, she cannot access your brain waves when you are a projection. We will need to compare what Jake takes from the class to what she is actually saying."
"Okay. So…what does this mean?" I ask. "Can we be, you know, fixed?"
Sebastien looks at the floor. "I'm told it's like a virus in your brain waves. Right now we have no idea how to deal with it, but at least we have isolated the problems."
"So how do I know when I'm dreaming and when I'm not?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question. You will simply have to be very careful."
"If it's a virus, like the computer virus we gave to Jillian's father, will we get sick?" asks Jake.
"It's not physical, it's mental," says Sebastien. "But when you take that into account with the things you both have been experiencing, it serves to confirm our suspicions."
"And those suspicions would be?" I ask.
"That the dream weaver exists."
It's a beautiful fall day, late in the afternoon, temperatures in the seventies and low humidity. The leaves will be changing soon, the maples bringing color to my favorite month, October, which is just around the corner. It's a perfect day for a walk to clear my head, which currently has all sorts of problems bouncing around like bingo balls. When I shove one concern to the back burner, another moves to the front.
The streets are surprisingly quiet, the only sounds coming from the dribbling of a basketball at a nearby court. I look ahead and see there's only one guy shooting hoops. Maybe I'll join him. I've got a pretty decent jump shot and I could use some exercise.
The guy has his back to me, but he's shirtless and what I can see is impressive. His well-defined shoulder muscles twitch with every shot.
