Free Dreamers (The Dreamers Series) by Brooklin Skye Page A

feel Mia watching me. I refrain from eye contact, worried she will use her Mommy powers to unlock my secrets.
    Conversation is minimal as we cram our hungry mouths with every type of pizza fathomable. Once the boys finish, Mia sends them to the arcade as promised. She is ready to begin her inquisition.
    “What’s up with you? You’re in another world.” She nibbles a tiny sliver of apple dessert pizza.
    I hesitate slightly before answering as I contemplate which is a better topic: a ghost, or my first lesbian experience on the horizon. “I have a….date.”
    “For real? Who is he? I’m so excited!” She squirms impatiently.
    I try to hide the dilemma from my face. “Um, well. It’s actually not a... It’s actually…She…”
    “Heather?” Her eyebrow lifts as her sensors begin to alarm.
    “Yes.” I wait for a reaction, but the air remains silent for a long period. I wiggle in my seat, I can’t wait anymore, and the suspense is killing me. “Mia, say something!”
    “Sydney, don’t take this the wrong way,” she begins.
    “Oh god, here we go.” I shake my head, waiting for it.
    “Why would you lead her on like that? Do you even know if you’re gay?”
    “I’m not gay, Mia,” I whisper so people can’t hear. “But, I do like her—I think.”
    “You think?” She scowls disapprovingly. “You need to KNOW, don’t you think? Heather’s a sweetie, I don’t want her to get hurt.”
    “I’m attracted to her. That means something, right?”
    “It does, I suppose.” She pauses. “But keep in mind that she’s had a thing for you since middle school. This isn’t a MAYBE for her. Be careful of her feelings, Sydney, she’s your best friend.”
    “Why does everyone think she is hopelessly in love with me? She has never said that, or even tried anything with me—ever.”
    “You’re so modest. You might just be the only person in the world that can’t see it. She loves you Syd, there is no doubt about that.”
    I shake my head in disagreement, and lighten the severity of the moment. “Mia, it’s dinner, not marriage. Relax.”
    “She just seems like the type to get attached easily, that’s all.” She quiets. “I hope it goes well for you, honey, I really do. I just don’t want poor Heather’s heart crushed.”
    “I’m not going to let that happen, don’t worry. Now enough about that. How are things with you?”
    She shrugs. “Good, same as always. It’s only been a couple of days since you’ve left. Not much has changed.”
    “It feels like a lifetime ago.” I chew my inner lip.
    “Something is wrong with you, Syd. What is it?” She looks concerned.
    I can’t overload her with the biggest issue of them all—Dominick. As much as I hate it, I have to lie. “I haven’t got a ton of sleep since I moved in. It’s no big deal, I’m just tired.”
    “Try to take a nice bath before bed, and chamomile tea, it’ll help. I think everyone has touchy sleep in a new place, its normal.”
    I laugh as I know that there is nothing normal about my situation. I have a man haunting my dreams, and he’s trying to convince me to serve him up my best friend on a silver platter. This is about as far from normal as I can possibly imagine. Thinking about it does bring up an idea, however. Dominick is around Mia’s age, and from Lawrenceville. Maybe Mia will know something.
    “Mia, did you ever know a guy in high school by the name Dominick Manning?” I ask casually.
    “Yeah, of course I did. He wasn’t in my crowd though. He was kind of a freak. Why?”
    “I was just wondering. I…uh—met him in class.”
    “Well it’s not the same Dominick then. The Dominick I went to school with went missing a couple of years back. The police never took it too seriously. He had a troubled past and a history of mental problems as long as the Pacific. Like I told you, he was a freak. Everyone assumed he just took off and finally offed himself.”
    The sadness of Mia’s words hit me—hard. I