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was.”
    “Because of Tamara?”
    “You know he’s been hanging out with her?” I rocked back onto my heels.
    “He’s not hanging out with her.”
    “Then what would you call it?” The words came out harsher than I meant them to, but that was the effects of Caleb.
    “More like, she’s hanging around him.”
    “I don’t see him telling her to go away.”
    Ressler shrugged. “I can’t answer that. That’s a conversation you’ll need to have with him.
    “I don’t want a conversation with him about it. He can do what he wants.”
    Ressler looked at me up through his thick lashes. “We both know that’s not true.” I turned away and wrapped my hands around my glass of milk. The cool breeze rustled through the shedding trees that surrounded my house, blowing the orange and brown leaves across the lawn. “He’s going to leave, Ressler. And he’s not coming back. What he does now, until then, is none of my business.” It was true, but somewhere along the line, my heart had failed to get the memo.
     
    ***
    I opened my eyes. My curtains were open, and rain crashed down angrily against my bedroom window. I knew I was being watched. The sensation was so overbearing that it had woken me up. I knew there was someone in the room, but I still managed to suck in a sharp breath of surprise when I saw the figure sitting at my window seat. It was all black, outlined in silver from the full moon outside. I wanted to close my eyes but they were frozen wide open. I couldn’t look away. The figure rose to full height, and I scrambled backwards out of bed, grabbing my quilt for protection. I didn’t know what kind of protection, I just needed to put something between me and whoever was in my room.
    “It’s just me,” The figure said in a hushed tone. I instantly recognized the voice.
    “Caleb?
    “Yes.”
    “What- I mean, how did you get in here?” I shook my head in bewilderment.
    “You’re dreaming,” he said.
    “Dreaming?” I was confused. “How can this be a dream? I’m awake.”
    “Ressler’s downstairs. Scream if you want, he won’t hear you.”
    I wasn’t going to do it at first, but I wouldn’t put it past Caleb to be manipulating the truth again. I opened my mouth and screamed at the top of my lungs. Caleb winced at my shrill voice. I stood and listened.
    Nothing. Ressler couldn’t hear me.
    “Told you. You’re wearing my t-shirt,” he said, nodding down at the baseball tee I had on and nothing else apart from my underwear. It was long enough to cover everything, but I pulled the quilt up over me anyway.
    “Why am I dreaming about you?” I could see him clearer now that my eyes had time to adjust to the darkness. He was wearing the same white t-shirt, rolled up to his shoulders and dark grey sweat pants. His white high tops glowed like snow under the moonlight.
    I could just see the beginnings of a smile pull at the corner of his mouth. It was all confidence and arrogance. It was all Caleb.
    “The heart wants what the heart wants.” He walked over to my bed, slowly, and I took a step backwards, banging my lower back on the dressing table.
    His smile widened. He reminded me of a wolf. A wolf out to get its prey. “You’re scared of me now?”
    “No. I just don’t know what’s going on here. You say I’m dreaming but this is too real. You’re really here.”
    “You’re dreaming, trust me. Do you think I would really be here otherwise?”
    “I guess not,” I said.
    He came over, stopping in front of me, and tugged the quilt out of my hands and threw it back on the bed.
    “I like you wearing my clothes,” he said. “Suit’s you.”
    I felt the heat creep up onto my cheeks. He moved closer, pressing me up against the dressing table. The wood dug deeper into my skin and I winced with pain. Caleb slid his arm in-between me and the furniture and pulled me up against him. There was so many things I wanted to say to him, but no words were there. My mind was empty, and my heart was