Chapter 6

"Three...two...one." I slowly open my eyes and Tokyo's physique forms from a blur.

"Welcome back." He offers me a hand.

"We need to get off the bus. You're home." I look outside the window and I see the front porch and Mr. Clavinsky taking his dog for a walk. I stand up leaving Tokyo.

"You forgot your bag." He says. Stupid! I grab it from him but he's quick as a predator.

"Tokyo, please. I don't like this."

"Don't like what?"

"This whole dreaming and waking, it's too confusing. I don't think it was right for me to start dreaming. I'd rather have Insomnia for the rest of my life." Tokyo opens his mouth but I don't to hear another word from him.

"I know, it wasn't your choice to show up in my dreams. But it's okay, it's not your fault." I want Tokyo to feel how sorry I am. For making him suffer for my despair of sleep. I feel sorry for my weak body and sorry to my friends for acting so weird. I just want it to stop. I want to be normal, again.

"I know Penny but-"

"Oh you don't have a place to crash? That's okay. My mom's away so you can sleep at our couch. Just please help me. I don't want to dream anymore. I don't want to sleep anymore!"

"Hey!" Now who have the nerve to scream at me when I'm being sincere for the first time.

"What??" I shout back, wrong move. It's the bus driver with a grumpy guise. I look back at Tokyo.

"I tried to tell you." Brilliant. Now I look ten times more stupid. I grab my hand from his hand and head to the porch, Tokyo follows from behind. We both sit down at the brown bench as we look at the bus roaring ahead north, leaving both he and I silent, tired.

"He's actually kind." I look at Tokyo.

"The bus driver. I get to talk to him when I was hiding. He said he's never had a talk with a teenager for so long."

"His son died from suicide. That kid was good."

"No wonder he likes me." I smile and look at the view of Jonsell. It's not that dark yet, but the sun setting creates a dusky vibe in every roof of the homes.

"Do you really want to stop this?" I look back at Tokyo. "I don't know much about this whole dreaming thing but I'll help you in any way I can.

"Really?" I scoot to his side.

"I can't promise you anything yet but we can try."

"Thank you. I'll do my very best to end this."

"So... can I still sleep in for tonight?" Shoot! I forgot I offered him a place for the evening but I'm left with no choice.

"Come inside."

"You can eat this?" I place a bowl of mac and cheese on Tokyo's table mat while turning my phone silent with another hand.

"I'm not a ghost Penny, you get hungry in your dreams too."

"So it's like living the day before actually going through it.'

"Precisely."

"But all of what's happening in my dream doesn't happen n the world."

"Not until you open your eyes."

I scoop a spoonful of my food and shove it to my mouth. All of the waking and sleeping made me loose some spirit. I feel like I could eat the whole pot, including the pot.

"So what do we do?" I mumble through my chewing.

"Well. We can't find a solution to a problem if we're not sure with what's wrong. We're gonna have to learn about this 'dream'." I take a shot of my orange juice and slam my cup on the counter top. Unintentional.

"So I'm just gonna have to keep dreaming?"

"If you learn the triggers and the cause of your dreams, then you'll learn how to conrol it. Now if you finally know how to control and manipulate your dreams, then it'll be easier for you to make it stop." Tokyo may look like a typical bad boy that likes to mind his own world with rock music but he's making the situation work. He's my only hope.

"Where do we start?" Tokyo clears the counter top and places his elbows over.

"When you were waking up, what was happening?" I rest my elbows on the table as well. Now we look like reflections of each others' mirrors.

"You were annoying me." Tokyo scoffs.

"I'm serious. Everytime I got sucked back to reality, you were always the last person I was talking with."

"Do you remember what we were talking about?"

"Help me out here!"

"I am! Remember this is your dream, you're basically the mastermind of whatever's happening even right now so you should better know. It's probably hidden in your conscious mind. Try to remember." I press my thumb and index finger on my temple, my eyes closed trying to remember every dream I had before this. The first dream was the first time I met Tokyo. I was in the bus and it was morning. My second dream happened in Chemistry class, but it ended in the Cafeteria. Mason and Gabe were still in their classes. Maybe that's how I can end every dream, when both Gabe and Mason are not around. But that's not right, because on my third dream Gabe met Tokyo and they were able to talk to each other... on the bus! The bus is the place that I always end up waking up. But that's still not right, because on my second dream, I woke up at Chemistry class. This hard to analyze, too hard to figure out since I've only had my fourth dream and it's happening right now.

"Think harder."

"I'm trying!" I squeeze my eyes shut even more, who knows I might figure something out of my painful eyelids. I think I did. I open my eyes and look at Tokyo, debating whether I should tell him about what I've thought or not.

"Well?" He motions with his head stuck out to the left.

"Well... whenever I'm about to end my dream..." I look at him, hoping he get's my point. He doesn't, even the slightest bit. Here goes nothing.

"Follow me." I grab his arm and lead him to my home's green couch.

"Do you remember what you were trying to do to me whenever I end my dream?" Tokyo looks devastatingly confused.

"I don't." I release the loudest sigh.

"Corner me. On the couch. Close the distance. Just do something that'll make me feel scared or violated."

"You want me to harrass you?"

"No! You're not gonna hurt me. Or try to think you will."

"What?"

"Just do it." Tokyo nods his head and with his two strong hands, he pushes me down the couch.

"Not good enough. You have to close our gap." I stand and grap his hands.

"Push harder, and act scary." Tokyo nods his head and pushes me harder than his first try. All I can feel is my shoulders getting sore but I'm not sleepy.

"It's not working." Tokyo says, with an apologetic tone.

"It's okay." I stand on my knees and tap him on the shoulder. "Whenever my dreams were about to end, you would suddenly walk towards me or corner me in a little space. I thought it would work but I guess it won't cause it was always unexpected and we're obviously planning this so-" My body crashes on the couch once again but now it's different. I look up at Tokyo and his face is too close, his eyes are piercing. It was the look he have me on the bus and at the cafeteria.

"Tokyo-" my hands are trapped by his long fingers gripping strongly unto my wrist. My upper body doesn't have enough strength to budge him. He continues to eye me.

"What're you doing?" I yell at him.

"Don't move." He slowly draws his face to mine closer and closer. I can hear him breathe, I can smell menthol from his cologne. One more inch and not my nose but another part of my face will hit the same spot on his. I shut my eyes. Waiting for a touch or for Tokyo to speak up again but instead, I hear a familiar voice. I open my eyes and look through the windows. Mr. Clavinsky is petting his dog.

"Thanks for waking me up. And... I never got to tell you but, your son was a great kid." I grab my bag and quickly got off the bus. When I turn, I see the bus driver wiping away some tears using his red hanky and started the engines of the four wheeled yellow rectangular vehicle. Heading north.