chapter two

"So what happened to you again, Still Stephanie?" Kira asked. She is my second best friend and also the only one who hasn't left me and Ruby ever since the accident.

She's wearing a crop top and jeans Shorts showing off her dark and sexy complexion. And her light brown hair braided back totally makes her face more lighter and beautiful. And totally not like ours.

She's a very intelligent girl as well and also one of those nerds wearing big rimmed glasses.

She's very affectionate with us but lately these days if feel something is off. 

"Yeah, it's Stephanie," I answered.

"I wonder when all this will stop?" Ruby exclaimed.

"I don't."

Kira sighed.

"So who's the guy that brought you here?" Ruby winked at me.

I sat up, I looked from Kira to Ruby. "He's my dream boy," I answered.

"Awwwww, you'll be so cute with him."

"I doubt that, if he gets in contact with Stephanie, then he's polluted and we won't be able to be together. That's if everyone wants to be with a shit like me."

"Okay, that's enough!" Kira shouted and stood up from where she previously sat." "I've taken more than I can handle from the both of you. You both are ruining your lives being this way and it's not helping me being in your company. Am sorry guys." She walked out of the room, while we watched her. I knew this would happen.

"Well, it finally happened. I knew she wouldn't last long"

"But she's right you know." Ruby shrug.

"Yeah but this won't help at all. Now I'll have a plus nightmare of my friend dumping me in my sickbed." I joked but we both know it's true.

"Hey speaking about nightmares, I got a text this morning from a dream agency."  She whispered.

"Really? I got one too. Or should I say six?"

"Yeah six. So will you go?"

"Go where?"

"Dream agency, they are inviting us to go over to their agency for a once in five years contest."

"Really, I didn't read mine."

"Well? Get your phone and read it."

I did as she instructed.

Dear miss Karen Hicks,

        We are aware that you've been getting series of nightmares about your late father, Henry Hicks, and it gets worse every night. We can help you with this invitation.

       Your continuous nightmares are explainable because you have been a regular consumer of the nightmare department for nine months now but that's not the reason for this invitation.

       We, the sweet dreams department, are inviting you to come over to the dream agency to be able to participate in a once in five years contest to get a better dream in the sweet dreams department for the night.

           We hope you trust us and accept our invitation.

            SWEET DREAMS DEPARTMENT

                                       DREAM AGENCY.

After reading the first message, I glanced at Ruby who's reading it as well. I opened the other message.

Dear miss Karen Hicks,

         Yo! It's us again! Dream agency. You must be having lots of doubts after reading the invitation and you must be asking, 'is this some kind of a business?'

       Why wouldn't you ask? (Especially when boring staff wrote it and sent it to you). After all, you haven't come across such an agency or heard of it before. But let me assure you that this is no scam or prank by your nemesis Stephanie.

      I'll let you in on a little secret, WE ARE TIRED OF YOU.

     Yes, we are, says the nightmare department and we would want you to have a better dream in the sweet dreams department tonight! Yes, tonight which means there's a limited amount of time so please click accept so we'll see you soon.

                        NIGHTMARE DEPARTMENT

                          DREAM AGENCY.

"Okay, this message is creepy," I announced.

"It's oblivious this is some sort of a joke but how come they know me so well and knew about Mr. Axe?" Ruby agreed.

"What! They knew him?" Mr. Axe is Ruby's most dreadful nightmare. She believes on the day of the accident, Mr. Axe came and took her. He always carries an ax so we have him the name, Mr. Axe.

"Yeah and I've only told you about him."

"Lemme see." She brought out her phone opened the message then gave it to me. I glanced through and it supports what she told me.

"This is strange."

"Really really really strange." Then a thought came to my head. "Why don't we track them through their number. We'll see who's pulling our legs."

"Don't bother, I've thought of it before. There's no number."

"What!" I checked to confirm it and again, she was right. "How did they message us with no number?!" If this was in the night, I would be shaking already but this isn't the night but afternoon and bad things don't happen in the afternoon right? Do they?

"What should we do?"

"Ignore it."

Crigggggggggg, the school bell rang for lunch.

"Come on, our brownies are waiting for us. We'll decide what we'll do with the dream agency later." I breathe out to release the tension already forming inside me.

*****

I went back to my locker and got the brownies. I can already taste them.

On our way to the cafeteria, I saw Landon and Stephanie by the hallway. By Stephanie's pink locker. She's very rebellious and the school can't even do anything.

Only God knows what they're talking about but I care to know. That Landon is a jerk from the start and being with Stephanie means if I go anywhere near him, I'd face more embarrassment.

Well, Stephanie wasn't in her usual flirty self while they were talking and he's a hot guy so I can't help but ask myself 'what could they be talking about.'

But it isn't my business and I don't have the guts to ask so I'd just walked straight to the cafeteria with my best and only friend, Ruby.

We bought some orange juice then sat at our table, at the end of the cafeteria. It's a blue table and blue chairs. The school got issues with blue.

Ruby's brother, Seth's brownies are a lot so eating them with orange juice will satisfy us. And besides, we don't eat much. I divided it.

"So what do you think the guy was talking about that made Stephanie's face look like that?" Ruby asked when we settled down. Ruby is a gossip no matter what happens. "It's clear what he said upset her." She's right. Stephanie was frowning.

"I don't know Ruby."

"Okay. What about our message problem."

"Nothing about it. It might be some Illuminati."

"True, but I'll take the risk."

"What!" Is she really that sick of her life right now? Well, actually I am.

"And I agree with her." I looked up to see Sean standing there, about to sit. "We should take risks and I too will accept." He sat down. You're welcome even though you weren't invited. His face is so gorgeous with his perfect white teeth and his muscular body.

"You got a message too?" Ruby exclaimed. I too was curious but staring at him is much better than being nosy.

"Yes and I'd already accepted."

"Why?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I'd googled the agency and it's totally govt. Approved. You can even sue the agency." He answered.

"Wait you mean they are the ones responsible for my continuous nightmares?" I asked. Why would the government approve such an agency? It's terrible.

"Not all but the nightmare department." He Defended.

"Still. Why will the government agree to such a company?"

"Do they make money out of it?" Ruby asked.

"How do they get into our heads?"

"Ah...." he wanted to answer but I cut him short.

"They should be stopped."

"Why don't they just give us all nice dreams?"

"Waooo, slow down girls. One question at a time, the dude is frozen." Landon appeared behind him. He smirked at us and then shake Sean.  He looks so cute but he's a jerk. His jet black hair is so neat and shiny but it still needs more combing.

"Who is he?"

"My cousin, why?" Sean answered.

"Well, your cousin is a jerk. An ass." I retorted.

"Karen am sorry. I didn't mean it that way." He apologized.

"Then which way did you mean it?"

"What happened?" Sean interrupted.

"Yeah what happened? You didn't tell me anything." Ruby asked.

"What happened is..." He was about to explain when the bell ranged.

Crigggggggggg!

"Already?" Ruby groaned.

"That's the fire alarm." I turned to Landon even though I was still talking to Ruby. "Let's go shall we."

I dragged her out while she take the brownies along. "No peace to even eat a simple brownie."

As we went, I could see both Landon and Sean exchange puzzled looks.

*****

We got home really late as classes didn't resume on time after the alarm. Trust my school, they'll make sure every time we wasted while waiting for the firefighters, will be returned.

"What happened? I heard there was a fire." My mom asked immediately I got in. Am sure the principal had informed her and the rest of the student's parents. She was waiting for me, hands crossed, by her favorite chair opposite the TV.

She had already changed into her nightgown. A violet-colored one.

"It was nothing. Just a little out-of-control smoke in the lab, nobody was hurt."

"Oh thank God."

"Okay."

"Where are you going? Won't you eat first?"

"Okay but I want to go upstairs."

"Sure it's in the kitchen, go get it or I'll get it for you?"

"No, I'll get it."

I went to the kitchen and got the food then went straight to my room.

It's a lemon-styled room. My bed, wardrobe, walls, everywhere are colored with lemon. When I was younger, I've been obsessed with the color lemon. I made sure everything I own has lemon. I was even tagged as the QUEEN of LEMON.

I still love the color but not as before.

Am starving. I sat on my bed and munched on the food. It tastes really good but am sure it's because am really hungry.

After which, I can think straight and the first thing I thought of is about the dream agency.

They are the ones responsible for my nightmares?

I googled them. I remembered Sean's words.

Why don't I Google them too since their number is not traceable?

I got my laptop and searched for a dream agency and it was true.

It's really is a legal agency, but secret.

The information about the agency is limited.

There's a story about the agency.

Dream agency is a trusted organization formed by an adventurer, Mya (surname unknown)

She went missing for many years than when she returned, she didn't age.

She developed a company very peculiar from the rest. The building and its staff were all very peculiar as skyscrapers had not been invented in the middle ages.

Then, war broke and many had traumatic experiences so she offered them to have a good night's dream which they accepted but with a condition. They don't think.

She made beautiful dreams for everyone and they all paid her handsomely and the dream agency spread far and wide.

Every country has its branch but then people became too nosy and suspicious. The government asked her to reveal the true nature of her agency but she refused.

The government threatened to take away the agency and from that moment on, the dream agency disappeared and was never to be seen again.

Later, the skyscraper was invented but it was the original design of Mya. Mysteriously, everyone forgot about the dream agency and moved on, accepting whatever dream they had for the night but from my observation and research from a trustworthy resource, dream agency still exists and gives teenagers the chance to contest and have a better dream for a night. Though when they wake up, it all feels like a dream I know that dream agency still exists.

Miles Hathaway.

I also found some old pictures though it wasn't clear, am sure there are three women there.

My phone vibrated and a message from Ruby came.

Hi girl.

Hi. Texted back.

She replied a few seconds after. So how's it going?

Ok.

                                                  Did you accept?

The dream agency? No. Have you?

                                                                 Yeah.

I googled them.

                                           I did too. Hahaha.

Do you really think they're real?

                                  Nope, but we'll find out.

Okay then.

                                               Good luck.

Good night.

I went straight to the dream agency's message and clicked accept.

Another message popped up.

Thank you for your trust and for acceptance, we assure you quality vision. Why don't you come over now?

Just read the rule and sleep.

........

I skipped the rule, it's boring.

I went straight to bed and sooner than later, I was fast asleep.