I feel teardrops staining my face as I pace around the living room. Mom sighs from the couch she's sitting on as I dial his number again. I know he won't answer. I've called at least a dozen times already, but to no avail.

Please pick up, I plead silently. I can explain...

Well, maybe I can't. But I need to talk to him anyway.

After several repetitive rings sound against my ear, I give a frustrated groan. I'm overwhelmed by a sincere urge to throw my phone out the window. I still don't understand—how could I do this? How could I love him for so long, and then betray him? Run away when he was proposing, for goodness' sake! I can't imagine how much I've hurt him. I've probably ruined his life. He'll never recover from this...

I raise my phone from my side and dial the number again. Half-way through the digits, mom stops me. "Luce," she says, "I think it's time to take a break from trying for a while."

"No!" I cry, letting out another choked sob. "I-I...he..."

"Give it a rest. You can try again tomorrow," she pleads. "And you'll even see him for tutoring later today..."

I scoff. "Mom, do you really think he's going to come to tutor me after what I've done?" I storm out of the room without waiting for a reply. I'll never see him again. He'll block me on everything...he'll do all he can to block me out of his life...

It's barely 7:00 am. Considering my early morning, I'm clearly exhausted. I just want to sleep. Yet I must avoid it at all costs—I don't want to face the record-player Omar anymore. I want to speak to him. I just want to cry on his shoulder and tell him everything I've failed at for the past year. Everything I've ruined. Maybe he would be able to fix it. And if not, at least there'd be someone here for me.

After sobbing into my pillow for what seems like an eternity, I can't help but drift away into unwanted, monotonous sleep.

* * *

There's nothing but darkness around me. I can't tell what's lurking in the shadows, but I do sense a presence somewhere nearby. I try to move around, but my limbs feel ten times as heavy as they normally do. I try to speak, but my lips are pried shut.

When the dimmest ray of light appears, I almost feel normal again. I take a few steps in front of me, keeping my arms extended.

"Who's there?"

The voice startles me. I whirl around to the source of the words. When I catch a glimpse of the figure standing in the corner, I gasp. Their outline is barely visible, yet I would recognize it anywhere.

Omar.

His expression shifts when he sees me.

"Lucinda? Is that you?" He says, taking an uncertain step in my direction. Moments later we're embracing, kissing like we haven't seen each other forever.

And it's true: we haven't.

"How did you get here?" He finally asks.

"I could ask the same of you," I reply.

He shakes his head. "It'll take me years to tell you everything I've been through." I grin when he pauses. Same with me. "But right now, we need to find a way out of here. I'm locked up in DreamLand's cells. I'm sentenced for life. And Dr. Grantley is—"

"Grantley?" I repeat the name, testing it on my tongue. "Hey, I know a Dr. Grantley. There's one in my world, too. He's--he's Oriel's father."

"You need to be careful around him," Omar begs, squeezing my shoulders. "He could be up to something."

"Up to what?"

A flicker of white light shoots across the room. Omar tightens his grip on me. "No time," he says, "but promise me, you'll try to find a way to get me out of here—" More flashes. "—and to bring us together...always..."

With every syllable, he fades further, until his voice is just an echo imprinted in my thoughts.

***

I jerk awake. I mumble memories from my dream under my rushed breath, "Dr. Grantley. Dr. Grantley is up to something." I spend a few minutes registering everything Omar said. "Yes, Omar. I'll get you out of there. And I'll find a way to bring us together...always."