Chapter 30: Before the Storm.

Monday.

Day 16.

Issa.

When my dream started, I almost didn't catch on at first that it really was a dream at all.

They were getting much more realistic with each one that happened. The atmosphere in this one felt much different this time, like I shouldn't be where I was, even though it was merely my own room. Ignoring the odd feeling I was getting, I sit up to get ready for the day only to see Lectra was already awake and beating me to it. She had her head in our closet rummaging desperately through clothes trying to find an outfit, though she was already dressed up nicely.

I get up with a tired yawn, although I felt wide awake and truthfully not even a tiny bit tired. Lectra finally notices me awake and twirls around to greet me.

"Issa! Finally, you've been asleep all afternoon! I told you you'd fall asleep if you came back with me." Surprisingly I had no idea what she meant. Then just like the other dream with Lizzy, I was speaking without my permission.

"Yes I know, I should have stayed and studied some more with Blake. I'm awake now." What I really wanted to say was 'It's already after noon?' but couldn't. I guess it was stupid to think the dreams would only take place straight away in the morning.

"Well you better get ready, it's almost 5."

"Fine. Give me that lingerie you call a swimsuit then." Lectra digs into the closet and throws me a black swimsuit that didn't look familiar at all. I don't hesitate to start putting it on.

I put it on at last and look at myself. The black two piece laced top squished my boobs together in a very flattering position, making them look larger and perkier. The bottom half was the same black color with lace around the edges, so you could almost see everything.

I couldn't for the life of me understand why I okayed this swimsuit.

"Mwa! Beautiful as always." She chef kisses in my direction at my appearance but I just ignore it. Lectra then goes back to throwing clothes around like a mad man.

"What are even looking for? You look great already." She once more spins around to give me a very vexed look.

"Yeah, I know I look great-I'm looking for your outfit, not mine you dork." I should have guessed it. She would never let me pick out my own outfit for an event, because apparently my style was 'too basic'. I study her outfit finally and automatically knew we weren't keeping it low-key tonight. Great.

"Gotcha. So what am I wearing then?" It only takes Lectra another few seconds to take out a sheer see-through shirt with a short tight skirt and throw them my way. I don't hesitate to put it on again, I knew it was a cute match. Plus I annoyingly still didn't have any say in what I was doing.

My swimsuit top was perfectly visible through the shirt I had on, and the mini skirt paired it amazingly. I had to admit, Lectra knew how to style clothes.

"Oh girl-even I want to pounce on you right now. You like it right?" Lectra looks to me for an answer, but I don't say anything. Involuntarily, my dream self walked over to the mirror again to scan my outfit once more. It was definitely something that would turn heads, maybe not the kind of attention I would like, or want for what was happening tonight with the Boss.

"Well? You can tell me, I won't be offended." I give her a glare that said 'sure' and continue eyeing myself. I didn't want to have to face telling Lectra that I wasn't very comfortable wearing it, and I was getting more and more attached to it the longer I stared, so I simply nodded an okay. I open my mouth to tell her I loved it when I was suddenly feeling funny, then all at once Lectra was gone and I was no longer inside my room.

The best way to describe it was that I was being lifted up into the air and was flying effortlessly straight through the walls like a ghost at high speeds. Even thought what was happening to me was definitely bizarre, I wasn't scared at all, I only felt calm and free.

Everything I passed looked like blurred out objects and lines with how fast I was going. It didn't last long at all, because next thing I knew, I was outside the school in the courtyard, standing next to the pool. The calm and happy feeling I was soaking in was immediately gone again the second I arrived.

I sigh and decide to look around. It was clearly much further into the day now, like I had just time traveled. Weird, even for me.

I finally was set down from my unreal floating experience and instantly began walking. I wasn't sure where I was actually going to, but I didn't hesitate to go there anyway. My feet were carrying me over to a familiar man standing underneath a large tree far away from everyone else, wearing a black suit and a creepy mask covering everything important of his facial features.

I knew instantly this man was the Boss, and I was approaching him to ask for permission to stream.

I wasn't really here doing any of this, it was just a dream, but dread was running through my mind like it was never going to leave me. I didn't want to talk to the man who took advantage of me then brought me here to work for him against my will. I couldn't talk to him even if I tried. I hated him.

I've almost made myself over to him when his eyes find me. I stop in my tracks, almost turning around and retreating out of fear. I get a better look at him finally and am struck with confusion as well as dread at what I see. His eyes were glowing an eery red, like he was straight out of a cartoon.

It would have been alot more weird if I didn't know this was just my dream.

I can't see his smile happen as I observe him, the mask covered it, but I could sense it by the way he watched me that he was smirking at the sight of me. It was all I needed to give me the strength to continue my mission. I quickly began strutting over to him confidently as he only stared me down more now the closer I got.

"Issabelle. It's lovely to see you. I've missed you." I was utterly disgusted by his words but was much too distracted by his voice to care. The Boss sounded all jarbled up and robotic, like he had a mouthful of water and couldn't breathe.

He must see the concerned look on my face because he tilted his head and was quickly clarifying, softer this time yet still unnatural sounding;

"Don't be scared. I only wish to talk. I'm glad you came out here, away from the rest of them." This time as he spoke his voice was still terrible, but it changed again, like I wasn't aloud any certain voice for him, even if it was obviously fake to begin with. I had so many things I wanted to say to him right then, I almost didn't know where to begin, so I lamely ask;

"W-Why?" The Boss let's out a hideous laugh that makes me feel sick instantly, then he states, again with another uncertain voice;

"The same reason I have this mask on. You don't need to know who I am darling. None of them do." I hated the way he was speaking to me like we were acquainted with eachother. I knew I needed to keep my anger to a minimum though if I wanted to get his permission, so I kept calm.

"So why is it you're coming to see me? Or better yet-how is it you know who I am? Was it Cam?" His tone had quickly changed to obvious anger and curiosity. There was a terrible glint in his already shining eyes that told me to be careful about what I said next. The meer mention of Cam put me off the edge again, and I could feel myself growing more anxious. I could feel everything going downhill then.

"He thought-I mean, I thought if I came to talk to you about my animating-" 

"Cam spoke to you about me?" It was hard to tell exactly how he was feeling from his hidden facial expressions, but the tone in his voice gave it all away and told me flat out that he was pissed. This was not going well.

"Only because I figured it out! I won't say anything to anyone, I just want to change what I'm doing here. I want to stream-" I was babbling like a psycho trying to get him to settle down but it was clear he was no longer happy to see me, only like I was a burden.

"You-come here looking like that for everyone to see, like a slut, then you tell me you know who I am, that Cam gave my identity away, and you still have the nerve to ask if you can-stream?" I look down at my clothes, remembering I was wearing the very showy outfit Lectra had picked out for me, which he evidently wasn't a fan of. Still feeling faint even though it was only a dream, I can feel my anxious word vomit coming up.

"No! I don't know exactly who you are, just that you're Cam's Boss! I promise I won't tell any-" I'm stopped mid-sentence by the Boss waking closer up to me slowly, not saying a word as he did. I don't move out of fear, knowing what was about to happen, that he was surely going to hurt me. The dream wasn't real, but the way my heart was pounding made me believe for a moment that it could be.

It wasn't until the Boss finally approached me that I was almost convinced it was actually real. The motion was so swift I almost didn't know what was happening for a couple seconds. The Boss was wrapping his very large hand around my neck and shoving me against the huge tree we were next to. The pressure of my head hitting the tree was almost enough to distract me from the pain of him squeezing a death grip around my neck, but it wasn't enough.

"I know you won't tell anyone. I just want to send a message to Cam. Teach him a lesson." It was getting harder for me to breathe at this point. I could feel my eyes watering, not from crying out of fear, but from not being able to close my eyes anymore. I try then to mumble anything to get him to release his grip but words fail me, I only manage a squeak.

"Please don't think I want to do this to you Issabelle. It hurts me to see you in pain." I wanted to scream back at him so badly, but I couldn't. A weakness was settling in my knees as I stared into his bright red eyes, unable to even struggle anymore. In a second my eyes were rolling back, and in that same second there was a quick release of my neck, letting up just slightly. It was all I needed to finally get my words out.

"Please don't k-kill me-" Like my voice had just broken a dam inside him, his eyes were flickering and then he was letting loose my neck completely, making me fall hard against the grassy floor. I'm gasping for air like it was my first when I make eye contact again with him. His evil eyes didn't look pleased like I expected, just-sad. I catch my breath finally and the melancholy look was gone in a flash.

"I wasn't planning on killing you, I couldn't do that to you. Like I said-just teaching Cam a lesson. I'm displeased our meeting had to end this way. I hope we can try again some other time." As he spoke to me this time I noticed he was typing away on his phone like nothing had just happened. Like I wasn't still laying on the ground ready to pass out any minute.

"You may go back to your room in a moment. First we need to finish our lesson to Cam." The Boss finally snapped up from his phone to peer over across the yard, over towards the pool. By this point, the strain of my neck was so painful I could only lay motionless along the ground, unable to see what it was he was watching now. 

"Ah, finally. Here he comes." I see the Boss wave at the mysterious person, then they were speaking, giving away who it was.

"What did you need-" Cam's voice cuts out suddenly as he becomes closer to us, then the footsteps picked up once again and were now moving faster and closer to me. When I finally see Cam crouched down in front of me, all I see on his face is horror.

"Issa? What the hell did you do to her?" I was surprised to hear Cam's voice sounding close to tears as he gets up in the Boss' face, appearing ready to fight. It was then that Cam was struck across the face hard and efficiently, landing him on the ground next to me cradling his cheek. The mournful expression was soon after gone and replaced with hatred.

"This is for telling your little friend here about me-" The Boss begins moving away from me and Cam on the ground, then he quickly comes to a halt, turning back to us suddenly.

"And don't defy me again Cam. We wouldn't want George to get an even worse fate than this." Without another glance he was strolling away from us, leaving us alone. It didn't take much longer for Cam to jolt up to check on me, still lying lifeless.

"Jesus your neck! What did that bastard do-?" Trying to answer him, I open my mouth only to have small pants come out. Cam puts a hand behind my head softly then begins shaking his head ferociously as he explains;

"No, no, don't speak! I'll take care of you, don't worry!" Cam was then grabbing around my waste and picking me up in his arms. It was astonishing how real this whole experience felt, like I had actually just been strangled in real life too. The pain I was feeling felt worse than anything I had ever went through-ever. And I sure as hell never wanted to go through it again.

Cam and I got to our destination maybe a little too fast, and I just assumed it was my dreams way of speeding up time once more for me, which was ironically thoughtful considering the circumstances. Cam doesn't just take me to my room like I expected, but to his instead. He walks inside and sets me on his bed, then he stands there watching me, clearly lost on what to do. I wanted to say something to him, to relax him, to tell him that this was just my dream and it wasn't really happening, but nothing came out.

I was surprised Cam even really cared about what was happening to me, but I just mostly assumed it was for Georges sake. Cam takes a few more seconds to look me over with worried eyes, then without warning, he was throwing his hands up over her head and pacing around. That wasn't what surprised me the most, it was the fact that he was crying that really got me.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you Issa. I shouldn't have said yes to George. I knew it was crazy!" I didn't think I could be more surprised by him until he sped up to me and placed a hand on mine, then he was leaning down to my level and gently resting his forehead against mine. I only resist for a moment, then when I hear his sobs I give in and let him touch me.

"I'll be fine C-Cam." I hear the words leave my mouth but I don't feel them happen. Cam doesn't move from his spot on my forehead when he speaks through his tears;

"I know that. But-George cares about you, so-so do I. And-" With a shakey breath he regains his composure as he adds;

"And I think I-" Just like Lizzy had disappeared into her weird mist form, so did Cam, leaving me wide awake in my room and out of the dream, wondering what the hell it was he wanted to tell me. I can finally move and instantly feel for my neck. I wasn't in any sort of pain whatsoever, besides my breathing feeling strangely heavy. I just wanted to scream at how annoying my dreams worked, when suddenly I hear a noise.

"Good you're awake!" In the dark lit room I can't help but jump at the sound of Lectras voice as I was deep in thought. I swivel to see her already up and plucking her eyebrows on her bed, with a tiny flashlight as her source of lighting.

"Well I am now-Lectra, why not just turn on the main light?" She stops eyeing herself in the mirror she was holding and suddenly becomes serious looking.

"I didn't want to wake you up. You know-you talk in your sleep. Was it another vision?" I don't see any point in lying so I simply nod her way.

"What was it about this time?" How was I supposed to explain that I had tried to ask for permission to stream from the Boss, that she has no idea even exists. That he had ended up strangling me to the point of being immobilized. Then Cam came to my rescue, seeming to care about me. Only when he went to tell me something important, he faded away like last time.

I knew the only way to find out what it was he wanted to say is to simply repeat the day again, but that meant I would need to get punished by the Boss-again. Was it worth it to go through all of that again, only this time for real? Did I care enough about Cam to actually want to find out what he said? Of course I did, I just wasn't sure it was worth it.

"Issa? Are you still dreaming or something?" 

"No, just zoned out. The dream was-interesting to say the least." I couldn't tell Lectra about the Boss, I didn't want to risk her getting the same treatment I had gotten, or worse, so I settled telling it like I didn't know who did it to me.

•••

The whole time I was explaining to Lectra what had occurred in my crazy ass dream, all I could think about was how much Cam seemed to care about me. The dream must have been some sort of warning to avoid it even happening, but my curiosity was eating me away and all I wanted to do was go back just for a few more moments to find out what it was he was saying. 

I couldn't do that though, I had to change the outcome somehow, however that would be, no matter how bad I wanted to know the truth about Cam. I still needed to talk to the Boss about streaming either way, I just had to figure out a better way to do it, without screwing up.

The last thing on my mind before me and Lectra finally went to breakfast was; How the hell was I supposed to do that?