I really, really thought I was going to die.

When you dream and you fall from a high place, your mind makes sure to wake you up right before the crash. At least that was what I experienced my whole life, and what at had heard from other people. Until that day. But that felt real, so real I forgot it wasn't happening.

When the doors opened, I saw an endless expanse of pure white, covered in mist and stretching down into what it seemed like a bottomless abyss. I wanted to scream.

I couldn't see Jasper, but I could still feel the warmth of his hand on mine. It was reassuring. I clasped it with all my might, so hard my knuckles started growing paler and paler.

His voice seemed to be coming from far away.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone. I was panicking and forgot how to speak for a second or two, my brain was desperately trying to make sense of everything with no luck at all. Weren't we in the bus a minute ago?

"It's so high. I'm going to fall." My words escaped my mouth like mere whispers.

I couldn't help but feel dizzy and a creeping fear that I might lose my balance. My heart was pounding so loud I could feel it on my head. Suddenly, I started to question if it was even a good idea. I could stay on the bus, it sounder way safer than trying to jump to a certain death from a cliff that didn't exist when I was inside.

So I was there paralyzed with fear, remembering all the rumors I had heard about dying in your dreams. Could it be true?

As stupid as it sounds, my life flashed before my eyes. Memories of my past flooded my mind. I thought about all the things I had yet to do, the plans I had made for my future, and all the regrets I had accumulated over the years. It was overwhelming.

I desperately wanted to believe that this was all just a bad dream. I closed my eyes and tried to pray, but I realized that I had forgotten how to do it. I stumbled over my words, unsure if anyone out there could even hear me.

"Hey, no need to worry. Everything is okay. It's right here." I wanted to believe that perfect stranger that felt so connected to me, but my body was completely frozen.

I suddenly felt something hitting my side. At first, it was just a light tap, but then it became more forceful and started to hurt. The bus door was closing, trying to trap me in its way. Almost as if it was alive and didn't want to let me go. Was it protecting me? Or condemning me?

I tried to move, but I was stuck. I started to panic even more, but my body forgot how to move

Then he saved me.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and pull me towards him. It was a moment of complete surrender, I decided to trust this black haired boy with my life.

With each passing moment, the fog started to clear up and I could finally see what was up ahead, and below me. The abyss never had existed and it was, just like he said, a tiny little step from the bus to the ground below us.

We stood frozen in that moment, holding each other tightly as the bus pulled away. The weight of the situation had been so heavy, but for that brief moment, we found comfort in each other's embrace.

The world around us seemed to fade away as we held on, our bodies pressed closely together. Time slowed down, allowing us to catch our breath and find some relief. When I think back on that day, I realize that hug meant more than just physical contact. It was a symbol of our unspoken connection.

It felt like hours when we separated, and I realized I had eventually closed my eyes, letting myself be fully immersed in his embrace. It was a moment of pure bliss, feeling his arms wrapped tightly around me.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was his gaze. His eyes had changed, their blue had turned into a deep shade, and I just realized they had some white below the iris. It was an enigma, a mystery that I couldn't help but be intrigued by. He looked as unreal as the rest of everything that surrounded us, as if we were in a different universe altogether. There was a name for that, I was sure of it.

"Sanpaku eyes." I didn't realize I had spoken out loud until he raised his eyebrows. "Your eyes, besides the white on the sides you also have some below. That's the name for it. I think."

As I looked into his eyes, I could see a spark of recognition. He knew what I was talking about. I had read something about a Japanese belief that people with sanpaku eyes are destined for a violent or premature death. I should have shut my mouth, I tried to force myself to stop thinking about that.

So, there we were, standing on the sidewalk in the middle of nowhere. The sky was a stunning royal blue, with an array of twinkling stars that seemed to be shining brighter than usual. It was both exhilarating and unnerving to be surrounded by such emptiness, with nothing but a gas station behind Jasper.

The silence was so deep that even the slightest rustle of the leaves would have made me jump. But, despite the uncanny atmosphere, there was also a sense of peacefulness that came with being surrounded by nothing.

"You mentioned earlier that this was your dream. Why do you look so confused?" I asked, he was looking around, trying to make sense of where we were. Just like me.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, frowning. "I thought it was, but now that I'm here, I'm not so sure," he admitted hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I felt the tingle, the one that always tells me when I have to get down." He sighed. "Maybe it's yours?"

The puzzled look on his face told me something was not okay. But it was too late to try to get back to the safety of the bus. But, the bus was already very far from us, so there wasn't really a choice to go back. Plus, even if we did turn back, the bus wasn't exactly the safest thing out there.

"I've never seen this place before," I said, feeling pretty curious as I looked around. It wasn't like I wasn't worried anymore, but I knew there was nothing else I could do besides walking. So I did.

The trees were lush and green even in the darkness, swaying in the gentle breeze. Would we be able to find some deep hidden secret to help us understand what was going on?

"Wait, where are you going?" he said with a bit of a shaky voice.

"To find out why the doors opened here then." I was slowly feeling better, even if it was just a little bit. Being with him had that effect on me, and I was just starting to realize that. "Wanna wait for the next bus instead?" I asked with a little grin, while turning around to see his face.

"Fuck that shit, let's go" he said, his tone a mix of irritation and impatience.

I couldn't help but let out a huge laugh, it was one of those times with him that I got to see the real Jasper, without all the thought that seemingly it took for him to express himself in any way. And I smiled afterwards, little by little it was like he started feeling comfortable around me. I loved that. To be perfectly honest, I felt the same.

He rolled his eyes and showed the finger to the sad bus stop sign, then started walking behind me.

Our breath created fog in the chilly night air. The silence between us was heavy, but not uncomfortable. We both knew already that there was something strange going on, and that talking about it would only make it more real.

I glanced over at him, and he returned my gaze with a small smile. His eyes were bright and clear, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else.

"Are you okay?" he asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak just yet. My mind was still reeling from the strange experience we had just had.

"I'm just... I don't know. This whole thing is just so weird," I finally managed to say. His answer was putting his hand on my shoulder and squishing it slightly, and it was all I needed.

We continued walking in silence, but I could feel his eyes on me. It was a strange feeling, but not entirely unwelcome. For some reason, being with Jasper made me feel safe.

As we approached the gas station, I could see the lights inside, and I felt a surge of relief. Finally, something that was familiar. But as we got closer, I could also hear music coming from inside. It was a strange mix of oldies and modern pop, and it only added to the surreal feeling of the night.

Jasper pushed open the door, and the music grew louder. I felt a small smile tug at the corners of my mouth as I stepped inside. It was warm and cozy, and it felt like a small refuge from the fear I had lived through.

But as we looked around, we realized that there was no one there. The store was completely empty, and the music seemed to be coming from nowhere. It brought back again the feeling of unease that had been building inside me since we had left the bus.

He immediately smiled as soon as we opened the door. "Good evening?" Jasper called out, his voice echoing through the empty store.

That split second switch between this tired confused boy and perfectly calm and collected man was shocking to me. And it would take me a little while to get used to it. As soon as we made sure no one was around, he came back to himself.

We stood there, trying to wait for someone, hoping it was just a misunderstanding. A part of me was still refusing to believe it was all a dream, seeing someone else would help ground me at least. Or maybe we could find another victim of these bizarre dream, we would know we weren't so alone after all.

"Hey! Remember this?" Jasper said with excitement, jogging to one of the shelves. I wasn't sure if he had really let go of his unease or if he was just trying to make me feel better, but it worked anyways. He grabbed a light blue bottle of something and showed it to me like a trophy. His happiness was contagious.

"What is it?" I asked, approaching him. "Oh my god!"

There I was, staring at this super rare bottle of my all-time favorite soda from when I was a kid. I remembered all those sweltering days, chilling with my minty, fresh drink. Every time I popped the lid, I felt this rush of excitement, knowing I was about to taste heaven.

But then, out of nowhere, they had discontinued it. Just like that. I can still feel my heart sinking when I realized my favorite drink was gone for good. It was like the end of an era.

"X-treeeeeem!" He mocked the commercials while pretending to ride on a snowboard.

"I used to love these so much! Do you think they taste the same?" I grabbed another bottle and opened it, the perfect pssst of the gas being released making my mouth water.

"Hey, are you sure this is a good idea?" He said, looking in all directions.

His mood constantly fluctuated, like he didn't really know how to let go. This time I tried to help him, give him a little push. After all, we were already there and everything had been so traumatizing, we deserved a little break.

"There's no one here, relax." I said with the brightest smile I could make, even though I only partially believed it.

"But what if it's like, I don't know, the fae realm?" I raised my eyebrow and he rolled his eyes again. "Everyone knows that when you go to the fae realm, you can't eat or drink anything from there. Or else you won't be able to come back."

I knew about the fae realm way too well, as any other girl obsessed with fantasy books that she used with the sole purpose of escaping reality. I knew how it was home to magical creatures that were beautiful and enchanting but also dangerous. They were known to be mischievous and tricky. He was right, if a person were to eat or drink anything from the fae realm, they would be trapped there forever and could never return to the human world.

Somehow I loved that he knew that fact, it was so weird hearing it come from his mouth. This boy dressed all in black, adorned with chains and spikes, talking about the mythical creatures that obsessed me since I was five.

And he talked with such conviction I would have assumed he knew that out of first hand experience!

"Listen, if that's the case, I don't want to go back to a world where I can't taste this and the stars don't shine like those outside." I shrugged and, even without being so sure it was a good idea, I chugged half of the bottle.

So, I took a sip and BOOM! It was like a time machine that took me back to the first time I tried it. The flavor was just like I remembered, and I savored every second of it. As the liquid went down my throat, I felt the chill spreading throughout my body, but surprisingly, no brain freeze.

I waited a few seconds, half-expecting to feel poisoned or something, but nothing happened.

We enjoyed the excitement for a while. The amusement of discovering unexpected treasures in an unlikely place. Checking what other marvelous things we thought never existed anymore we could find there. We tried some tasty treats, like spicy fire candy, caramelized apples with tangy tamarindo flavor, and cheesecake ice cream. But I could see from the corned of my eye that he got nervous at times, looking around as if afraid of being caught.

As I spent more time with him, I began to notice the little things he did when he was nervous. It was intriguing to see the subtle differences in his behavior when he was completely at ease versus when he was trying to hold back his emotions.

I couldn't help but notice how often he pressed his lips together and how he would clench his teeth when trying to force a smile. His nails were painted black, and I couldn't help but notice the chipped edges and bits of skin peeling off around the base of them.

It was fascinating to see how these small details painted a picture of his personality and demeanor, and I found myself becoming more and more curious about him as time went on.

Jasper looked perfectly put together, but those little things made me thing he was a nervous wreck. And I, with my fidget toys constantly in my purse and the little sensory strip stuck to half of my stuff, felt right at home with him.

It felt like it was meant to be. We acted like we had known each other for days, weeks, months even. He showed me his favorite brand of frozen pizza and I confessed I like to bite on limes when I'm nervous.

We walked around the whole shop until we got to the last freezer.

"You drink?" He asked, grinning.

"You're taking me out for drinks now?" I responded, looking straight into his eyes. He opened the door without looking away. Like a staring contest that I wished lasted a whole lifetime.

I don't think I was really flirting back then, at least not consciously. I just felt good, happy, calm.

"Let's see how well you can hold yourself." We were playing around now, and I wasn't sure if it was sugar high or something more, everything just felt easier when you knew deep down nothing was happening in real life. "What's your poison?"

I reached for a drink. It was a deep purple color with blueberries drawn on the front of it. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it looked pretty and caught my eye. As I popped the top of the can, I noticed him looking intently at the drinks. He seemed to be inspecting each one with a focused expression, as if trying to determine which one he wanted to try. I took a sip of mine and continue watching like it was the most interesting thing I had seen in my life.

The blueberries added a nice touch.

"You know, the best ones are always in the back." Jasper whispered and winked at me as he leaned against one of the racks, his arm stretching out to reach the items at the very back of the shelf.

As he rummaged through the products, his eyes lit up with excitement at the idea of finding something truly special.

Then, it gave in.

The whole shelf slid to the back like a secret door in a spy movie. Suddenly, he lost his balance and began to fall to the front. I grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, stopping him from hitting the ground. After a moment, we looked at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking.

"Too late to go back," he said, offering his hand.

I held it tight and smiled, something felt off but I didn't care, nothing was real, nothing else mattered.

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