Those Nightmares Gone

Chapter 5

Danny's POV

School was cancelled today because of a blizzard. I usually liked school, and I was a straight-A student because I knew this year was all I had left of the academic world. With my recent mood swings, I was happy to take the Friday off, but Devin and I brought school home by working on our science project.

It was his genius idea to find out if chewing gum helped with the speed and quality of work. We mutually agreed to be partners, but I didn’t expect his incredible lack of ambition. I printed a set of random algebra questions and organized tables on ruled paper.

"Are you done yet?" he repeated for the fifth time.

"Why don't you practice with the timer while I deal with the hard stuff?"

"Sure, sweetheart.”

I swore I was on the verge of choking him, he and his ridiculous idiosyncrasies. He even had this nasty habit of constantly poking me – all he needed was something pointy and a part of my body.

"I’m done. Get the gum," I said. Devin shot to his feet and retrieved it from the coffee table. At least he was obedient.

"What if I suck at math?" he said.

"Well, if you do terribly bad both with and without chewing gum, we can conclude that boys are just dumb."

He put a palm on his heart and scoffed. "That hurt, Prinplup." I’d celebrate if it really did.

On our first trial without chewing gum, I took five minutes to complete my worksheet and Devin took ten minutes. I got 10/10 and Devin got 6/10.

"Were you slacking off even on the sample test?" I asked in awe looking at the scores.

He shrugged. "I'm bored. Let’s go outside." Stay focused, Devin.

I pulled out two pieces of gum. Devin started the timer and we started the second sheet chewing gum. I took three minutes and he took nine minutes. I got 10/10 again, and he got 9/10.

"One observation can be that chewing gum during work indoors improves speed and accuracy, more with male teenagers," I said, filling the scores in the tables.

"This is such a small sample,” Devin argued. “I hardly doubt anything is accurate." Oh, so now he decided to get all involved and input his insight?

"Who suggested the idea?" I said, collecting the papers and heading for the stairs.

"Can we just go outside?" he whined, following me.

"There's a reason why school's cancelled." He stepped ahead and blocked me. “Wha –” He took the papers from my hands, put them on the coffee table, and dragged me to the front door.

"I want to skate. Show me where the ice rink is," he said.

"There’s GPS for that," I told him. Devin took our jackets from the closet and stretched mine out. I sighed and took it.

Outside on the lawn in the knee-high snow, I stood still clueless as to why I was letting Devin drag me around. The snow-blowers had cleared the streets, Devin was waiting for me in his car, but I didn’t budge.

Devin rolled down his window. "Do you need an invitation to get in?" he called. Would he need an invitation to leave me alone? "Jeez, just get your ass in here."

I prowled through the snow, opened the car door, and shot him look. "What did I say about using bad words?”

He pulled me inside and I scowled, pulling away. "It’s not your bedroom, and no matter what you do, you can’t filter my mouth."

The irritably put on my seatbelt. The negative energy around me dissipated when Devin drove off and we joined the main street. The snow was piled high on sidewalks that weren’t shovelled and salt layered the asphalt roads. I didn’t recall ever casually driving like this. I didn’t take my eyes off the windshield until we parked at a Tim Horton’s.

"Why are we here? Didn’t you want to go to an ice rink?" I asked confounded.

"I’m craving hot chocolate," he said, wearing a cheeky grin. My energy must’ve fallen to my toes because I didn’t object as I accompanied him to order drinks.

There were people seated inside with hefty jackets and mufflers, drinking hot beverages to warm their bodies from the blizzard. My eyes skipped over each face and landed on a group of boys at a table in the corner. Max. My heart skipped a beat. Did Devin know about this?

"Devin, let's go," I said, my voice brittle.

"What?" Devin looked at me from the line. "We didn't get our hot chocolate—oh." He spotted Max. Max’s head slightly turned and I stiffened. Don’t see me. Don’t notice me.

Devin’s hand wrapped around my wrist and he took me outside. He told me to wait, disappeared inside, and returned with two cups of hot chocolate.

"Sorry, I didn't know he'd be there," he said. Right. It was just an unlucky coincidence.

We were back on the road and I was in a cold trance. I sipped my hot chocolate and slowly dissected its taste to distract my muddled brain.

"Hello, Prinplup?" Devin broke the silence. "Are you dead or alive?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "You still need to show me the way." I stared at the warm Tim Horton’s cup in my hands.

"Fine," I said. "Since you kindly bought me this drink." He chuckled. I shouldn’t get too friendly with this guy. Yet, anyway.

The skating rink was a wide circle of glistening ice with a handy rail around it. Talented skaters whizzed by, couple skaters made slow romantic rounds, and benches seated little kids putting on their skates and older couples watching the view.

I should’ve told Devin I didn’t know how to skate before he rented two pairs. I wore them uncertainly. Devin was already on the ice, but I clung tightly onto the rail.

"You don’t know how to skate?" Devin called when he noticed. I let go of the rail and wobbled on my skates, pushing them incrementally onto the ice. Devin grinned in amuse and skated circles around me.

"Show off," I mumbled. I didn’t like the fishy glint in his eyes.

He stopped in front of me. "I’ll help you."

"No thanks –"

He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the centre of the rink. I gasped and clutched his arms like my life was on the line. I immediately slid down. My butt would’ve crashed onto the ice if Devin hadn’t caught me.

"Are you hanging in there, Danny?" he joked.

"Very funny," I muttered, pulling myself up. He wrapped a secure arm around my waist and guided me with his other hand.

Before I knew it, we were slowly moving across the ice. I attempted to move my legs in sync with his, and after some slips, I caught the hang of it. An old couple on a bench smiled at us and whispered to each other.

I didn’t know why, but I blushed. It must be because of the cold. Or my horrible skating skills. Either way, I sort of enjoyed the new experience.

"Are you having fun?" Devin asked, his breath hitting my cheek. Despite wanting to scornfully comeback, I took a moment to truly think about his question. Was I having fun? His waiting, somewhat curious eyes made my stomach flip. I shook my head.

"I think we should go back," I said. When he pursed his lips, I absently stared at the ice.

Devin hesitated before nodding, almost to himself, and we returned to the railing. He carried our skates back to the rental, and somewhere on our ride back home, I had to say the words nagging in my head.

"Devin."

"Hm?"

"Thank you." My expression was honest. He cast me a sidelong glance, probably surprised to see me show any vulnerability towards him. "I had fun."

Late that night, we resumed working on our science project. Devin received a call, so he left briefly, and I laid on my bed and closed my eyes. I could still feel the cold afternoon sunlight on the slippery ice, Devin’s arms balancing me, my smooth-sailing skates, the winter air.

I was slipping into a lucid dream.

-

"Aw, look! My baby girl is finally learning," my dad cooed. I was attempting to skate on the ice back at our wonderful old home a few kilometers from Toronto. I was in the middle of the ice, giggling as my dad was there to catch me if I fell.

"Daddy, I'm falling!" I squeaked. He laughed, his wonderful laugh making me feel warm and fuzzy in inside. He was the best person in the world, and he was my only world.

"Don't worry, my baby girl, I'm here." The snow started falling. It melted on my cheeks as my dad whispered wonderful things in my ear. I was his princess, his star, his life.

I hugged him tight. "Daddy, I love you."

Then it rang, his terrible phone. I knew numbers from 1-100, and I knew it was the ninth time his cell rang that perfect evening. He smiled at the name that appeared on his phone. The snow started falling harder and harder, as he inched farther and farther away.

"Daddy, don't leave me," I called.

"I'll be back, Danny. I'll be back," he said. The snow fell harder, and I was slipping on the ice, no one to hold me if I fell.

"Daddy! Please don't go!" I shouted. "Please don't go away from me!"

"I'll be back, Danny. I'll be back soon," he said, his kind smile turning sinister.

"No, you won't, daddy! Please!" I cried and fell on the ice. I could barely see him through the blizzard.

"You're right. I'll never be back." His cold voice echoed in my head. "I'll never be back."

"No, daddy!"

"I'll never be back."

-

"No!" I woke up screaming, my heart thudding rapidly. Devin crouched over from his looking at me with his worried eyes. All the project supplies were put away and it was already 3:00 at night. What?

"Danny, are you okay?" he said. I sat up, shivering violently. "Are you okay?"

"N-n-n-n-no," I stuttered. I took a deep breath, trying come back to reality. "I mean, yes. S-s-sorry. Sorry I woke you up. Did I fall asleep? I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you. And you don't seem okay." I shuddered, and he scooted over and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Go back to your side," I said, my voice cracking. He rubbed my back reassuringly and I comforting warmth passed through our close bodies. "I said go back to your s-s-side." I certainly didn’t want to lose his warmth. My stupid mouth.

He gently pulled me towards his chest. "You're out of your mind, so it doesn’t count." My eyes stung with tears, either because of his obstinate hold or securing words. You're out of your mind. I was out of my mind. The afterimages were still running through my head.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," I croaked.

"That doesn't matter, but Danny?"

A tear squeezed from my eye. "I thought they wouldn't come."

"What do you mean ‘they’?" he said quietly.

"My n-nightmares."