Free In My Dreams (First Tracks Book 2) by Kristen James
Authors: Kristen James
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the edge of the clearing, and a mountain beckoned before me.
My core temp came up from the excitement. Pure, so pure.
Such a singleness—it was just what I needed. I became aware of the board shhhing
over the snow, and I suddenly loved that sound with a terrifying intensity.
Overflowing with gratitude, I yelled out, my jubilant voice
filling the meadow and slopes and gullies.
I turned my body and took a new direction, gliding over a
rolling section that felt like waves under me.
The slopes!
Marcus?
He filled my soul, his joy matching mine.
How’d we get here, babe?
I don’t know! I just know it feels great!
I know, right!! Let’s hit this!
With a whoop, we moved together, flying toward a hill,
anticipation of the jump practically lifting us before the takeoff. We flew off
the top.
It wasn’t anything fancy. No flips. No 180. No board
grabbing.
The beauty of the ride just froze us in a silent flight out
over the powder, feeling the cold wind on our skin. That’s what alive feels like. We landed, knees soft, and glided down.
My thoughts swirled, wondering how Marcus felt out here,
with…reality back there. I felt his mind react, turn toward that thought, and
then shove it away.
Who cares about that now?
I didn’t. Not when I can have this.
Wow, deep powder out here today.
I pulled in a super deep breath, wanting to capture as much
as I could from here. I’d need it later.
We took the downhill, swinging around the few trees and
enjoying it silently. Just being here. Just being.
A sharp incline came up and we took it fast. Probably too
fast. It didn’t matter. We soared higher than possible, flying, laughing in the
face of life.
I expected a complete yard sale but we just fell into the
snow and rolled. That’s when I became aware we were both there—it wasn’t just
his voice and being filling my head. We were both lying in the snow. His
laughter filled the air, full and sure, one of those laughs that pause life. We
ended up side by side on our backs, my arm over his.
I rolled my head to look at him—this was so different to see
his face, the sky reflected in his eyes, the white of his teeth as he smiled.
What is this, I wondered, and he lifted his eyebrows in
answer.
Just us. We’re different.
I laughed.
I love you, babe.
Marcus…
Light filtered in.
I was waking up in bed, alone. I felt around under the
covers, half expecting Marcus to still be with me. He wasn’t, of course.
I’ve been free falling. When his life was in danger, nothing
else mattered. But then he went back to his body, and out of my head, and I
think I lost my way.
Marcus has dreams and a career. He’s going to fight like
hell to get strong again and go after more competitions and medals. I know he
can do it.
I need to remember my dreams and my life, and get back up
and fix all of this. I don’t know if I can catch up on my school work and pass,
or if I can fix things with my friends, but I’m not going to lay around and cry
about it anymore.
Chapter Ten
Marcus
Whoa.
I grinned at the ceiling in the mostly dark room, still
filled with warmth. With Avery. That was mind blowing. Freeing. So crazy.
Holy shit, I needed that—a few minute out on the slopes, a
few minutes with the woman I love. A life line, that’s what that was.
I’d been spiraling down into… depression? Was that
depression? It was new to me, this thing that sucked the life and energy and
drive out of me. Being stuck here, like this, was killing me.
Not anymore… not after that and feeling so close to Avery
again. The dream didn’t make any sense, but neither did the rest of my life.
Like, how did I end up in this hospital bed? How did I end up in Avery’s head?
Why Avery? Why me?
That was the most mysterious part. Why would a guy like me
end up with her? Did fate have some crazy ass sense of humor? I can still
remember those first few days in her head and how timid she seemed. If I would
have been some
the edge of the clearing, and a mountain beckoned before me.
My core temp came up from the excitement. Pure, so pure.
Such a singleness—it was just what I needed. I became aware of the board shhhing
over the snow, and I suddenly loved that sound with a terrifying intensity.
Overflowing with gratitude, I yelled out, my jubilant voice
filling the meadow and slopes and gullies.
I turned my body and took a new direction, gliding over a
rolling section that felt like waves under me.
The slopes!
Marcus?
He filled my soul, his joy matching mine.
How’d we get here, babe?
I don’t know! I just know it feels great!
I know, right!! Let’s hit this!
With a whoop, we moved together, flying toward a hill,
anticipation of the jump practically lifting us before the takeoff. We flew off
the top.
It wasn’t anything fancy. No flips. No 180. No board
grabbing.
The beauty of the ride just froze us in a silent flight out
over the powder, feeling the cold wind on our skin. That’s what alive feels like. We landed, knees soft, and glided down.
My thoughts swirled, wondering how Marcus felt out here,
with…reality back there. I felt his mind react, turn toward that thought, and
then shove it away.
Who cares about that now?
I didn’t. Not when I can have this.
Wow, deep powder out here today.
I pulled in a super deep breath, wanting to capture as much
as I could from here. I’d need it later.
We took the downhill, swinging around the few trees and
enjoying it silently. Just being here. Just being.
A sharp incline came up and we took it fast. Probably too
fast. It didn’t matter. We soared higher than possible, flying, laughing in the
face of life.
I expected a complete yard sale but we just fell into the
snow and rolled. That’s when I became aware we were both there—it wasn’t just
his voice and being filling my head. We were both lying in the snow. His
laughter filled the air, full and sure, one of those laughs that pause life. We
ended up side by side on our backs, my arm over his.
I rolled my head to look at him—this was so different to see
his face, the sky reflected in his eyes, the white of his teeth as he smiled.
What is this, I wondered, and he lifted his eyebrows in
answer.
Just us. We’re different.
I laughed.
I love you, babe.
Marcus…
Light filtered in.
I was waking up in bed, alone. I felt around under the
covers, half expecting Marcus to still be with me. He wasn’t, of course.
I’ve been free falling. When his life was in danger, nothing
else mattered. But then he went back to his body, and out of my head, and I
think I lost my way.
Marcus has dreams and a career. He’s going to fight like
hell to get strong again and go after more competitions and medals. I know he
can do it.
I need to remember my dreams and my life, and get back up
and fix all of this. I don’t know if I can catch up on my school work and pass,
or if I can fix things with my friends, but I’m not going to lay around and cry
about it anymore.
Chapter Ten
Marcus
Whoa.
I grinned at the ceiling in the mostly dark room, still
filled with warmth. With Avery. That was mind blowing. Freeing. So crazy.
Holy shit, I needed that—a few minute out on the slopes, a
few minutes with the woman I love. A life line, that’s what that was.
I’d been spiraling down into… depression? Was that
depression? It was new to me, this thing that sucked the life and energy and
drive out of me. Being stuck here, like this, was killing me.
Not anymore… not after that and feeling so close to Avery
again. The dream didn’t make any sense, but neither did the rest of my life.
Like, how did I end up in this hospital bed? How did I end up in Avery’s head?
Why Avery? Why me?
That was the most mysterious part. Why would a guy like me
end up with her? Did fate have some crazy ass sense of humor? I can still
remember those first few days in her head and how timid she seemed. If I would
have been some