Tory sat up in his bed. It had happened again. The dream. Colin.

"I've gotta get over this. It's Colin, Colin, Colin"

He pulled the sheets back over his head and tried to get to sleep. It was 3am and the alarm would be

going off soon enough. Another day and it was getting harder and harder to be around Colin in the

study group and at school without revealing anything.

"Am I obvious?" he said to nobody before drifting to sleep.

6am. Breakfast on the table. Mary and Paul are sitting with Tory, who's gazing off into space and not touching

his food.

"Tory honey, I noticed you've been doing your own sheets in the laundry. Is there something you're not telling

me? Is there a problem?"

Tory groaned...

Paul whispered something into Mary's ear.

"What the hell is going on?" Tory asked

Mary giggled. "Oh Tory, you don't have to be ashamed. You've become

a man... it's very natural...

"Thanks mom... now excuse me while I go KILL myself..."

Paul yelled after him... "Your tombstone can read 'here lies Tory.. he died a man.. his sheets prove it'... "

Tory slammed the door to his room. "Christ, does everyone have to be on my case?" He grabbed his books, looked in the mirror

and headed out to school, trying to leave that moment at the kitchen table right where it happened.

The bell rang for first period. Having barely made his bus he was actually happy he DIDN'T see Colin. His mind

needed a rest. Mandy was another story.

"Tory, do you have any time during lunch to help me with Chapter 7? I think there's gonna be a quiz and I just don't get it... "

"With just you, or is Colin coming too... " Tory trailed off, looking to see if Colin was lurking nearby.

"I can make him come if you like... " Tory choked up a little upon hearing that. His face started to blush... again.

'Here goes Mister Obvious' he thought.

"What is it with you?" she asked. "You always get so antsy whenever I talk about Colin... "

"I'm just not feeling well, I feel warm, ahhh... I think I have a fever. I better go to the nurse. Talk to ya later".

Tory ran off, heading anywhere BUT the nurse. With Colin having his "spells", that was the last place he needed to be in case

he just showed up.

'The library is usually quiet this time of day.. and I bet I can sneak in the back...' he thought.

The library was indeed quiet.. and Tory hid in the back where the bookshelves concealed everything. He was thinking about Colin

again. It just wouldn't stop. He glanced at the books on the shelves in front of him.

'Me and My Dream'

'Visions at Night'

'Wonder when we Slumber'

"Damn.. " he said to himself. He pulled one from the shelves and thumbed thru it. Maybe he could find a way to stop these

thoughts and dreams...

"All these" he said to the librarian.

"They're due back next Thursday" she replied. "Studying up for some project"

"Erect...?" said Tory

"Excuse ME young man?"

The bell rang...

"Yes.. aah.. THANKS!" Tory bolted out of the library and ran to his locker. He crammed them in and took off for physics. Up next... Colin Stephens.

TO BE CONTINUED