Day 3

"Shelly, are you alright?" Dad says. "You don't seem as happy today."

She looks a little startled at the sudden intrusion of her thoughts. "Oh, yes, I'm fine," she smiles, and takes a quick glance at me, as if there was something I owe her.

"That's good. Anyway, we have a little change of plans. Aunt Jessica's really sick now, so your mother has already gone to visit her, and won't be back till Sunday night. My company also called me in this morning, and I have to depart for the trip tonight. Just call us if you need anything, all right?"

"Okay, dad," I said. I caught Shelly staring at me again. After all that happened I think I'm getting better at reading her thoughts - this looks like a concealed "are you hearing this?"

I am hearing this. I'll need to have a little change of plans myself. Today is Friday, so that leaves us with three days. Three days, Shelly and I, alone together in our house.

At college, Ellie seems more vocal than usual. At one point, I ask her, "so, what have you been doing lately?"

"Oh, the usual. Painting, writing songs, reading, masturbating."

I am a little shocked by that. Ellie had always been honest and upfront and just unconventional, but this was something new. She's looking to see my reaction, which are raised eyebrows and an amused half-laugh because I loved her honesty, but then I remember my plan.

"Ew, why would you say that?" I say.

Maybe she thinks I was going to take it in good humor, or maybe even tempt me to help. So the unexpected hostility sends her embarrassed and blushing, a heavy reminder that this is all real life, and what she wants she can only find in her dreams. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, sorry," she stumbles.

Then later she catches me staring at Emily at lunch, eating with Mark and their group of friends. "You really like her?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"But she already has a boyfriend."

I turn back to Ellie and smile. "Feelings are feelings."

Ellie starts biting her lip, and her gaze hides nothing. "Aren't you jealous?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm really jealous. Sometimes, I want to tie her up and bring her home."

I continue staring at Emily, and hope that Ellie gets what I mean.

When I reach home, Shelly is there, just in time to say goodbye to Dad for the weekend. After he leaves, I retreat to my room and the house certainly feels quieter, even though it doesn't sound so.

I wait for Shelly to walk into my room, but she doesn't. I'm a little disappointed. But no matter. Soon it's time to sleep.

-- Shelly's POV --

It's all just a dream. Just two nights of the most exhilarating moments with John, and no more. Poof. Gone. Vanished. Fun while it lasted. Why did I think it would happen every day? Why did I start having so many fantasies? Then the house is ours for three days. So full of opportunity, yet nothing will come of it. What a waste.

I think all this as I fall asleep. Please, world and universe and fate, give me a sign. Let this happen again.

I'm suddenly in a familiar place. It's a living room, the floor is made of wood, the cool spring wind is flowing through the windows, there's a huge decorative martin on the wall. I remember this! It's Uncle Barry's place. He used to look after us when we were kids. Huge nostalgia trip.

And John is there. Sitting on the grass by the lake, literally just a few steps away from the doorsteps. We used to swim in there. It's weird, I have never seen his grown up body here before. He's in his swimming boxers, and I realize I'm in my one-piece swimsuit.

"Uncle Barry?" I call out.

"He's not here!" I hear John yell.

So it's just us, except for the neighbors, who are too far away to see anything anyway. The universe is giving me another chance. We're going to do it, right in the water. I feel my nipples harden and my stomach flutter with excitement.

"Hey, want to go for a swim?" I say, slipping my hand on John's shoulder, and wading into the water. It's cool, just the right temperature.

"Sure," he says. I submerge myself, and turn to look at him as he approaches the water. Not just any look, the look.

But the world is suddenly spinning and I feel like I'm going to collapse at any moment. Without thinking, I'm making my way toward the shore, each step more and more laborious as the will in my legs start fading away.

"Shelly? What's wrong?" I hear John say, and I collapse on the grass. My eyes are open, but it's all blurry. My mind is clear now, but I can't move a muscle.

"Shit, shit!" John says, and I feel him turning me onto my back, with his hands on my shoulders. "Wait here!" he says.