Beautiful Lies (14 page)

“It’s ok.”

“Paige, about the dreams.”

“Yes?”

“I need you to forget about them.”

“I told you that I can’t do that. Don’t you think that I’ve tried?”

“You need to try harder.”

“Will you forget them...the dreams that you’ve had of me?”

“No...I can’t.”

“Then how can I?”

“Because it’s not the same...”

“What’s the difference?”

He doesn’t answer.

“I’ve spent a year getting to know you in these dreams and that might sound completely crazy but I don’t care. Now that I know that you’re real...there’s no way that I can just forget them.”

“You have to.”He begs.

“I
feel
too much.”

“What?” He almost sounds angry.

“The dreams feel real, Taylor. My feelings in them are
real.
”

He hesitates for a moment and looks at me as though he can’t believe what I have just said. I don’t blame him, I sound crazy.

“Well they’re not and the person that you’re dreaming of is not me. It’s just some fantasy, so I suggest that you stop getting caught up in something that isn’t
real.”

“And what about your dreams? Are they just make believe, too? Are you telling me that you feel nothing?”

“You need to stop this, you’re being ridiculous, Marie!”

“Who?”

“What?” He looks shocked.

“You called me Marie. Is that...is she your girlfriend?” I ask sadly.

“I can’t do this,” he mumbles to himself. “Look, what I feel is different...my dreams aren’t like yours.” He says completely dismissing my question.

“Then what are they like?”

He takes a step closer to me until we are a few inches apart. I think that he is trying to intimidate me but it’s not working. I can see something behind his eyes that tells me that he is wearing a mask.

“Your face haunts me...every night. I want my dreams to stop...I feel nothing for you.”

I search his eyes. I need to see if he is lying but I don’t know.

“You feel nothing?” I whisper.

“
Nothing.”
He says it with such force that I feel the stab directly in my heart. My eyes start to swell and I desperately try not to cry.

“Ok,” I whisper, slowly nodding my head.

“Good. I don’t want to see you again...stay away from me, Paige. I mean it.” Then he turns and walks away, leaving me feeling alone and unwanted.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

PAIGE’S STORY

“I
know that I haven’t made an appointment but it’s an emergency.” I say for the third time since I arrived here.

“Well, I’m sorry but you cannot just barge in like this. You have to book an appointment like everybody else.”

“I only have a couple of questions and then I will be gone...please,” I beg her. She looks at me sympathetically.

“Take a seat and I will see what I can do,” she says as she rises to her feet and disappears.

“Thank you,” I call after her.

I take a seat on one of the brown leather chairs in the waiting area and bite my nails. I know that it is a disgusting habit but I don’t care right now. I need to talk to Clarise.

It has been two days since Alfred’s exhibition and I have been driving myself crazy with questions. I have spent a year convincing myself that Taylor isn’t real. I never even considered the possibility that he could be real. This is just crazy. I keep hoping that I’ll cross him in the street or see him somewhere but I know that it’s insane. At first, I thought that it was just another dream or at least I tried to convince myself that it was, but I’ve never been aware of my relationship with Rick in any of my dreams with Taylor. I know that it wasn’t a dream and that means that my world has just been turned upside down. Again.

Nothing makes sense. He said that he knew that I was real. How? Why hasn’t he tried to look for me?
Maybe he has.
Maybe he came to the gallery knowing that I would be there, but then why tell me to stay away? Nothing makes any sense. Part of me doesn’t want to even say anything to Clarise in case she suggests that I’m crazy.

“Paige?” I recognize Clarise’s voice instantly and stand to my feet. She looks at me in confusion but then turns and walks away. I follow behind her at speed and nod a thank you to the receptionist. I hope that I didn’t get her into any trouble.

“Come inside,” she says as we get to the door of her office.

“Thank you.” I walk inside and take a seat in the same place I did last time I was here.

“Paige, I must stress the importance of making an appointment and not harassing my staff. I am letting it go this time but it will not be tolerated in the future. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” I nod like a child being chastised by their parent.

“What seems to be the problem?” She asks calmly.

“Taylor is real.” I say it simply and watch as she takes in the information.

“The man from the dreams?” She clarifies.

“Yes, I went to an exhibition a couple of days ago and he was there.”

She takes a deep breath and leans back in her chair.

“Sometimes when we want something so badly, our minds can make us believe that it is real, Paige.”

“Alfred knows him, too.”

“Who?” She asks in confusion.

“A friend of mine, he introduced us. Taylor is an artist. I wasn’t the only one that spoke to him that night, he is real.”

“Does this man perhaps resemble Taylor?”

“I am not crazy. He
was
Taylor. He was introduced to me as
Taylor
. He knew me. He said that he dreams of me, too.”

“Right,” she seems to be at a loss for words.

“Right? Is that all you have to say?”

“Paige, if what you are saying is true, then it simply does not make any sense.”

“It is true. I saw him,” I say sadly.

“The truth is that I cannot explain what is happening. If Taylor is real-”

“He is,” I interject.

“You will need to ask him more questions. It would seem that he is the only person that can understand what you are going through.”

“Yeah.”

“I am not calling you a liar, but our minds have a strange way of doing things, especially when subjected to trauma. Make sure that you go back and cover all steps. Make sure that what you saw that night was right.”

“I saw him.”

“I know, but it won’t hurt to just double check. You have nothing to lose, right?”

“Right.” I know that she thinks that I am crazy and so I start to leave. She can’t give me the answers that I need and I desperately need them. I know what I saw and now I just need to know why.

“Ok, I don’t mean to rush you but I have an appointment due in now.”

“No, that’s ok and I am sorry for coming in like this.”

“That’s ok, I can see why you needed to, just be sure to book an appointment with Stephanie next time.”

“I will.” I say, knowing that there won’t be a next time.

“Good and I hope that all works out for you, Paige. I really do.”

“Me too,” I reply as we walk back out to reception.

When we arrive, she calls her next client in and gives me a warm smile. I turn to Stephanie and mumble an embarrassed apology before getting out of there.

When I get in my car, I let my head fall back against the seat and I try to figure out this mess. Nothing makes sense and no one is able to give me any answers. I keep trying to see the logic behind this situation but it doesn’t exist. Logically it just doesn’t make sense. I start to even question if there is something supernatural about this before realizing that I sound completely ridiculous.

There has to be a logical explanation and I will find out what it is. We both dream of one another. Taylor didn’t divulge the details of his dreams but maybe that’s where this all leads back to. Our dreams. With a fresh idea in mind, I start up the car and head to my local library.

* * *

By the time that I arrive at the library I have at least a thousand theories that have run through my mind. As I enter, I head straight for the desk knowing that I have no time to waste. The lady behind the desk looks to be in her late fifties and her hair is completely silver. She pulls her glasses off her face and smiles up at me.

“Hello there, my dear, how can I help you?” She says quietly.

“I am looking for books on dreams.”

“Mmm, dreams. Let me think.” She looks around for a moment and then looks pleased when a lady walks past her desk. “Karen,” she calls out to the young woman.

“Hey, Marge, are you ok?” She asks brightly, smiling at me as well.

“Yes, this young lady here is looking for books on dreams, I believe,” she turns to me for confirmation and I nod.

“I know just the place,” Karen beams. “Follow me,” she continues and heads in the opposite direction.

“Thank you,” I say as I pass Marge. She smiles brightly at me before putting her glasses back on and continuing with whatever she was doing before.

“I love this section, it’s very fascinating,” Karen says as her blonde locks bounce with every step that she takes. “Here we go, everything that you need will be right here.” She turns to me and smiles widely.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. If you need anything else just give me a shout, I’m always floating around,” she chuckles.

“I will do,” I reply.

“Great, have fun.” She adds before walking away.

I walk over to the section that she pointed at and start to scan everywhere with my eyes. It’s not a large section, just a couple of shelves. I don’t know exactly what I am looking for but I will know it when I see it. I scan through each of the titles and feel disappointed till one catches my eye.

Dream Sharers by Phil Collins

I reach up and grab the book. The cover is decorated with a picture of the sky and clouds. I head over to a small table and place the book down. I pull out the chair and sit down nervously. I don’t know what I’m about to discover, but I feel sick.

I open up the book and start flicking through it. I don’t read it all, I just take in the bits that I need and I need a lot.

* * *

I leave the library two hours later and more confused than ever. As I drive home I try to take in all of the information that I discovered.

‘There are documented cases of people who share dreams.’

‘It is common for twins to share dreams.’

‘Lucid dreaming...a state of being aware that one is dreaming while in a dream.’

‘Cases have shown that two people can share an identical dream. Individuals in these cases share either a psychic or soul connection.’

‘Shared or mutual dreaming can also be induced or initiated by the individuals concerned.’

‘Dream telepathy...the ability to communicate telepathically with another while in a dream state.’

‘Those who are very close in reality usually have the ability to share dreams.’

‘There is no actual solid evidence that dream sharing is possible.’

My brain is fried. Everything that I have read is just floating around inside me and nothing makes anymore sense. So, maybe Taylor and I are sharing dreams somehow, but that doesn’t explain why. There is no actual reason why that would happen. We are not twins, we are not close...maybe we have a soul connection. But what does that even mean? Is it like soulmates, or something different? I feel so frustrated and confused.

As soon as I get home, I jump in the shower and try to close down all the questions inside of my head. All of the emotions of the past week have me completely worn out. I haven’t been eating because the sight of food has made me want to throw up since I discovered the truth about Taylor’s existence. I get changed into something comfy and fall into the chair before switching on the TV. I flick from channel to channel trying to find something to take my mind off the whole situation. It’s just typical that Inception is on...a movie all about dreams. Great! I switch the TV off in frustration and just lie back and soak myself in the silence. I try to ignore the fact that Rick is gone or that Taylor is real. I want to call somebody and tell them everything that is going on but it doesn’t even make sense to me yet, so how can I possibly explain it to anyone else?

Just as I decide to go to bed, I hear the sound of my phone ringing. I glance at the clock...
9:35pm
. I grab the phone and am completely baffled when I see an unknown number on my screen. I press the answer button and press the phone against my ear.

“Hello.”

“Ms Carter!”