"Raya, this has been happening for how long?" Lorelei is leaning over her latte, eyes wide and scandalized and making me think that maybe this wasn't the best thing… telling her. I kind of hoped she would say, 'Oh yeah, being haunted by a hot guy in your dreams? Totally normal.' But no such luck.
"Last night was the seventeenth night." My voice is hushed and embarrassed, glancing around once again worried about who may be overhearing.
"That's not normal," she frowns and shakes her head.
I chuckle at hearing the exact opposite of what I was hoping for and then groan, abandoning my coffee to just bury my head in the crook of my arm against the table. But that immediately makes me tired, so I shoot up again.
"Seriously, you should see someone about this," she adds.
"You are making me feel so much worse right now. Do you realize that?" I admit, giving her one last hopeful look, practically begging her to offer me some words of encouragement.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I'm worried about you. I have never heard of anything like this happening before. And people go crazy from lack of sleep. I think there are even people who have died from it. First, you get hallucinations and then…"
"Okay, okay," I put my hands up, surrendering. "I definitely don't want to hear anymore." The mention of hallucinations makes me think of that roar I heard when I was definitely very much awake.
"I mean, have you considered that maybe this has something to do with… you not having sex?" She shrugs before taking a sip of her drink.
"Yes, of course I have considered that," I whisper harshly, lowering myself closer to the table as if that will help disguise the conversation we are having.
"Well…" she gestures toward me. "Get on that then."
"And how do you recommend that I do that exactly? Just walk up to anyone with a proposition to spend the night with me?"
"No," she chuckles, "but don't you have any guy friends that maybe… you know, you can just have a little fun with?" She smirks behind the mug she is holding her hands.
My face screws up as I think about it… all of my guy friends from college are either gay or in relationships at the moment. There is Jay from work, but he is way too goofy and definitely not my type at all. He's very short. Not to mention the fact that I don't want to be sleeping around with guys from work if Lawson is possibly interested in me.
"I am actually going on a date Friday night."
"Bingo," she points at me. "You can take care of it then."
"But he's like the COO of the company. I'm not sure that's the greatest idea. Then I run the risk of no one taking me seriously at work, especially him. It will look like I'm…"
"Trying to sleep your way to the top?" She finishes for me.
"Exactly."
"I don't know. With what you got going on, it may just be worth it," she chuckles, and I glare at her. "What? Don't you think so too? I mean… seventeen nights, Auraya. That's… scary."
"Maybe," I grind out.
"Why is the COO of the company asking you out when you have only been there a short time? That's a little weird to begin with. You're an intern and he's at the top of company? That sounds like he's just trying to score anyway. Does he have a reputation?"
"Not that I know of. Plus, that place is really different. It's a relaxed atmosphere where most everyone talks. It's not like how you're making it seem. It's not like he's a predator or something…"
"Okay, well that's at least good to know. I trust your judgment."
"Thank you."
I sigh heavily and turn to stare out the window looking onto the street. There are people everywhere on their way to work and school and appointments and wherever else it is that people go this time of morning. Everyone looks so focused and determined, and that's what I want. I want to regain my focus.
"Is it good?" Rory's voice drops with a teasing, searching tone.
"What?" I chuckle.
"Are these dreams at least good?" She smirks.
I sigh again, this time for a different reason. "Yes. They are good. They are really, really, really good. That's why it's so freaky. I was actually thinking of asking you to pick me up a vibrator."
"Why me?" She chuckles. "You don't know how to do that sort of thing yourself?"
"I can't be seen buying a vibrator!"
She just rolls her eyes. "Order one online."
"That will take too long."
She sputters a laugh and then covers her mouth, grinning widely behind it. "You are desperate."
"That's right," I admit, resigned to my circumstances. I need an answer—I need something, and I need it now.
"Maybe you could use this. Maybe you could start writing romance novels. It could be precisely the reason why this is happening to you. You've always been a great writer."
"You think I should write romance novels?" I laugh. "That definitely didn't cross my mind." And then I think of the notebook in my drawer and how I have already been committing all of this to paper. I'm definitely going to have to burn those at some point.
"It's a thought," she shrugs again.
"I'm not a novelist, Rory. I'm trying to get a job as an ad executive, and I doubt that line will be very impressive on my resume."
"So what? You don't have to put it on your resume. It just makes you more interesting when people ask what you do. Everybody needs a hobby. And if they're good, you can sell them."
"Not happening," I snort.
"Well, it's an idea." She says again and then checks her phone for the time. "Oh, I gotta go. Let me know what your doctor says."
She slides out of the booth and blows me a kiss before running for the door, leaving her latte behind.