John pov~

I drove back home and smiled to myself. I just had to keep up this insane sleep schedule, and I could see Alexander again, and he'd be in a better mood. Probably.

I'd be in a better mood if I was standing in South Carolina, versus being trapped in the trunk of an airplane or something. I don't know Alexander well enough to tell that he wasn't just an annoying prick, who was just covering up his true nature so as to not annoy Laf and I and regain his freedom. But then why would he ask to meet up again? I I leaned back in the driver's seat, glaring at the red light that was currently denying me access to the road that led to my apartment block. Once I got to my garage, having a heart attack when I remembered that the door opened outwards and I could mess up my car by going too early, but if I waited too long it would close on me.

I got in the elevator and was a little more calm this time, because I wasn't carrying an unconscious or slowly perishing Fish Guy. I still have the fear of just being in an elevator. I leaned against the mirror, refusing to meet my reflexion in the eyes. That would spark up some sort of conversation, and I can't be talking to the elevator mirror when other people could come in at any given time.

Once the doors were open, I headed to my appartement, keenly aware of the lack of Alexander's body in my arms. It was much warmer with a Fish Guy's heart beating near mine. I opened the door to my house and walked inside tiredly. I tugged off my shoes and tossed my coat aside, locking the door because we don't want no one coming in. I pulled the hair band out of my hair and tossed that aside too, yawning.

One does not realize how tired they are whilst carrying a dying Fish Guy to the ocean to fulfill your part of a deal and also hopefully save said Fish Guy's life.

I walked to my room and fell onto my bed, not bothering to change as I snuggled under the blankets, sleep getting the best of me.

--~•~--

I woke up to my alarm beeping it's head off and a pale light streaming through my curtains. I sat up, blinking sleep away from my eyes. I rubbed my lidded eyes and opened them fully looking around the room. I stretched and noticed my notebook lying on my bedside table. Memories of Alexander flashed through my mind and I chuckled at my own stupidity, not even checking the notebook.

Mermen -- 'Fish Guys' -- don't exist, I was certainly dreaming.

I made myself coffee and pulled on a hoodie and some jeans. I drank my coffee as I put on my shoes. Grabbing my phone and keys, I made my way out the door and down to the garage. I got in my car and started the engine, driving to school.

I try not to think while driving, fearing that I'd get distracted and miss something. Or my worries would catch up to me and I would start to doubt my driving capabilities.

I parked my car and pulled out my bag, heading into the building to find my friend Lafayette. We always met outside the law building, because it was in between our two buildings. I saw them standing in front of the building, looking at their phone and paying no attention to the law students who were giving them odd looks. I walked over and poked them in the shoulder and smiled as they looked up from their phone at me.

"John!" Laf hugged me and smiled.

"Hey Laf, how ya doing?" I hugged them back and we sat down on the steps.

"All good, mon cher." (I'm well aware that most people use 'mon ami' but I think that if you're not a bit gay with your friends, they're not really your friends)

"How's your boyfriend doing?" I smirked and they blushed furiously.

"He's not my boyfriend." They hissed, looking at their hands.

"You sure? Cause y'all seem pretty close." I nudged them.

"We seem pretty close, but we ne sommes pas en couple." They replied, reverting to French.

"Repeat that in English."

"We're close, but not dating." They shrugged.

"But you see, it's different, you're my best friend."

"Aww... dude, I'm your only friend." (If someone gets this reference, I want to be your friend)

"Shut up. I also have... umm..." I fumbled, realizing they had a very valid point.

Laf chuckled and I punched them lightly in the arm, laughing too.

"We should move, that law student is giving me a death glare." They whispered to me.

I looked behind him and saw the one, the only, Vivian Kensington. I smiled at her and she glared icily right back at me.

"Yeah, we're out of luck, it's Vivian." I sighed, helping my friend up.

"Seriously? We couldn't have gotten Elle or David?"

"Would Elle or David glare you down?"

They shrugged and we walked over to my building, my classes start first today, and lingered around the steps.

"Anyways, how are you going to..." Laf waved their hand while they searched for the word. "Presenter your merman?"

"My what?"

"Do you not remember your merman?"

"So it wasn't a strangely vivid dream?"

"I'm pretty sure it was not."

I sighed and sat down on the steps. Laf sat next to me and smiled, taking my hand kindly.

"How about you go to class and start doing your weird thinking thing there? Cause we both know I'm going to be no help when you start thinking, so you might as well be early to class."

I nodded and smiled at them, standing up and waving goodbye. They walked off to their building and I headed to my first class. I walked into the room and settled down at my desk, pulling my notebook and computer out of my bag, and staring blankly at both. I leaned back in my seat and let my thoughts run as the classroom started to fill up with my classmates. When the teacher came in, I was too lost in thought to notice until she called out my name.

—~•~—

I looked across the water, wondering if I'd see Alexander, or if he really had just been a vivid dream. What if this was a dream? Technically, you'd never know until you wake up. Your whole life could be a dream. You could be a spider and your whole existence as a human was all a dream and then you wake up and laugh about it with your friends. I watched the waves crash against the shore and wondered if this is how it happened in real life. What if this was all a dream? What if I never actually lived anything? What if I was in some sort of coma, and I imagined that I'd never been comatised, so this is all my brain making stuff up because it doesn't want to face the fact that I was in a coma? I shook my head, getting rid of the rising dread as I realized that there was no way of knowing whether or not I was dreaming right now.

I looked out across the ocean again and sighed when I saw no Fish Guy. Of course. Why had I thought he'd actually show up? I shook my head again and turned around, heading back up the beach sadly.