Read Dreamers (The Dreamers Series) for Free Online

living—harmoniously among death.
    ***
    Our peaceful walk home is interrupted by a sudden onset of torrential rain.
    We race up three flights of stairs to reach the front door of the apartment. She opens the door quickly, as our teeth chatter in the freezing wind. A murky mixture of dirt and water drenches the foyer as our shoes drip.
    “Damn, we’re making a mess,” I comment, well aware of Heather’s OCD.
    “Lose the shoes, and your clothes. I’ll bring your robe.”
    Heather holds her jeans at knee level as she kicks her shoes out the front door. She disappears to her room first, quickly changing into dry clothes, then to my room, returning quickly with a towel and my fluffy, pink robe.
    “Turn around.”
    She obliges, but not without a smart remark. “It’s not as if I haven’t seen it’ before. It’s been what—a few hours?”
    The memory returns, prompting me to face what I hadn’t quite wanted to know before now.
    “Exactly how much did you see?” I ask cautiously.
    “Let’s just say that the list would be much shorter if you asked what I didn’t see.” She laughs.
    I wrap my robe around me, shielding myself from any further mishaps. I’m mortified, and not the only one feeling the awkwardness. As she always does, Heather stares at the floor to avoid eye contact, smirking.
    “You wanna have some hot chocolate and get comfy on the couch?” she asks, changing the subject.
    “Do we have marshmallows? If I had known just how much of me you saw, I would have demanded a lot more than extra feta on my salad. You owe me big time. Marshmallows and…I will let you know what else I want later.”
    “Hey now, it’s my eyes who had to endure the sight of you. Not that it’s a bad thing, but I think I’m way more embarrassed than you. But to answer your question, yes, we have marshmallows. Be right back, princess. Hot chocolate with extra marshmallows coming right up.” Her bright red thermal shirt fades into the darkness as she inches closer to the kitchen.
    The living room is cozy, and probably ranking as my second favorite room of the apartment. I turn the gas fireplace on, instantly defrosting my stiff limbs, as I lay on the rug in front of the flame. An addictive aroma of chocolate and spearmint fill the room, creating a delicious combo of Heather and cocoa. The fire crackles creating a warm lullaby. My eyes become blurry, again affected by the lack of sleep. Before I know it, I am once again coaxed into an alluring slumber.
    ***
    Heather plops on the rug right next to me, holding two mugs of steaming goodness. “Warming up, babe?” she asks genuinely.
    “I am. This is so nice. You have no idea how happy I am just sitting here with you.”
    “I guess that makes us both lucky then.” She smirks.
    A million thoughts crowd my mind into sheer claustrophobia.
    “Heather, I feel kinda—different.”
    “How so?” She carefully sips her steaming chocolate treat.
    “I had a daydream about you earlier.”
    “So what? I’ve been having daydreams about you since middle school.”
    “It’s weird for me though. I’ve never really thought of you like that—until now.”
    “Maybe it’s because I’m just irresistible.” She smirks. “Nah, weird stuff happens when you move in together. Stop overthinking it so much.”
    “I know it’s crazy, but since I moved in there is some strange force in the air here; it’s pushing me towards you. I don’t understand it, but I like the way it feels.”
    “Why don’t we just give it a try then, and see if you feel anything?” Her eyes darken, as she begins changing again, like in my daydream earlier.
    “Give what a try?”
    An arrogant smile curses her lips, as she whispers her demands in my ear. “Kiss me—hard.” She bites my earlobe, so hard I wonder if she drew blood. “Do it.” She grabs my shirt forcefully, pulling our faces a mere breath apart.
    This is the Heather that is drawing me in—she’s so different. She’s confident, dominant