The City of Dreams -- Part 23

[Finally, things are really terrible for Perry. Now we can start the recovery.

[What a relief.]


"That was amazing!" said Not. "Is chess always like that?"
"No," I said. "There's usually a lot less shouting."
"Why?" asked the dream. "The shouting was half of the fun. You remember when I distracted Father Thomas's queen RIGHT before she got your knight?"
"Actually, that was my queen."
"Oh, right. Did I apologize for that?"
"Yes, you did."
"But wasn't that EXCITING? Maybe I'm supposed to be a chess player. Try it when you wake up, okay?"
I laughed at him. I couldn't help it, though maybe I was actually laughing WITH him. He was shimmering, bubbling. It's hard not to be happy when you're walking next to a person who is actually bubbling.
Father Thomas's church was in a different part of the City that night, or else Big Ben's Market was. I could see the clock between twin billboards advertising 'Tweedle Dum Insulation' and 'Tweedle Dee Outsulation.' I wandered that way.
"Do you think we'll run into Brie at the Market?" asked Not. "Do you think she'd like playing chess? Why don't you ask her."
"I'll think about it," I said. Actually, I was looking forward to seeing Brie. If I could find her. Something about the conversation with Father Thomas had taken the fear out of me. I didn't know everything that I wanted, but I did feel like hanging out.
Not chattered and I walked. The sights of the City had become familiar, as insane as that was. I crossed the street to avoid a vending machine--it stared after me like a kicked puppy, but a guy has to be careful--and found my way to the market. It was the same riot of color and sound and calm, the same mix that I'd decided must always sit in the shadow of Big Ben.
On the way to the Four-Seasons Tree, I found Zoli's stall. He saw me coming and waved.
"Another one?" he asked. "Just a small dream will do, though I hear my langosh are quite impressive."
"No thanks," I said. "I just filled up on orange juice. You seen Brie around?"
"She was headed over to Punctilious' place, but that was a while ago."
I thanked him and kept walking, weaving my way through a group of little handheld video game systems, all tapping on themselves with their styluses. The tree was there, the barn, I hopped up the steps, and there she was, on a chair near the stage, talking to Mr. Punctilious. Her back was to me, but his face looked serious. He was shaking his head, saying something, and she looked away.
"Uh-oh," whispered Not from just behind my ear.
"What?" I asked.
"Bad vibes."
I walked over and Mr. Punctilious looked up at me, smiling--a smile painted on over a serious face.
"Perry," he said.
"Hey, Mr. Punctilious. Hey, Brie." She didn't turn to look at me. Something in the area of my stomach went hollow. I knew that feeling. I felt it all the time when I was awake. I didn't want to feel it in the City. "What's up?" I asked.
"I should go," said Brie. "I'll talk to you later, Mr. Punctilious."
"Why don't you stay?" he asked.
"I don't think so." She started to walk away. She still hadn't looked at me.
"I'll come, too," I said, waving goodbye to the round man with the serious face and jogging to catch up with the girl with the serious face. Serious faces all around, I guess. Mine was probably serious, too. Felt serious. A big serious party. I wondered where my party hat was.
I caught up and walked next to Brie. She didn't say anything, so I didn't say anything, and we walked down the steps and wandered over in the direction of the tree. Brie walked into the leaves that were shed from the 'Fall' section, and started kicking them softly, looking down. Then she stopped.
"You followed me," she said.
"Of course," I said. I couldn't tell from her voice if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Why?" she asked.
"I wanted to hang out."
"Why?"
"Because I like hanging out with you."
She finally looked up at me. "You do?"
"Of course I do. The overpass? And the Mall? Those were great."
"Is that it?" she asked.
I was supposed to say something. I was smart enough to know that. I just didn't know what it was. That's not true. I did know what it was, but I didn't want to admit it. I had messed up that afternoon. Probably more than that afternoon. I knew what I was supposed to say, but I also knew she wouldn't believe it. I wasn't entirely sure I believed it.
I said it anyway.
"I like hanging out with you in the day, too."
There it was. Out of my mouth and completely absurd. Brie's face was blank, and I was smart enough to know that blank was a bad thing.
"You do?" she asked, her voice as blank as her face.
"Yeah," I said.
She turned and looked up at the tree. Something changed about her. Her shoulders relaxed, and I hadn't realized she was tense.
"I figured something out," she said. A breeze stirred the tree, and leaves fell around us, silvered by the moon but loosing their living glow. I felt like I was in some kind of cheesy movie, and I knew I wouldn't like whatever it was she'd figured out.
I asked anyway. "What did you figure out?"
"Why I started coming to the City. It was when we moved here, and you know what I realized? I was lonely."
"But you've got friends now," I said.
Her back was to me, so I couldn't see her face, but she shook her head. "Not like where I was from."
"The smudge by the dot?"
"Exactly."
"But what about all the drama kids?"
"What about them?"
"They're not your friends?"
She turned back to look at me. "They're nice, but I don't fit. I'm like a K'nex piece in a box full of Legos."
Oddly enough, I understood what she meant. "Oh," I said.
"So I started coming to the City, and I've realized that I was looking for a friend. And then I found you."
"Oh," I said again.
Brie looked back at the tree. "I know the guy is supposed to say it first, but I like you, Perry. Really like you, and when we're here, it seems like you like me, too."
"I do," I said. "I think you're...neat." That's what I said. Neat. I scrunched my eyes closed and wished I could erase the last three seconds.
"But you don't like me during the day," said Brie.
"That's not true! I like you then, too. More than I like anybody." As I said it, I realized it was true. There was no one else I liked more than Brie. I wasn't sure how that was possible, since I'd only really SEEN her for the first time a week ago, but I did. Hormones, I guess.
Brie looked back at me and her face wasn't blank anymore. It was sad. I wished she were a crier. Then I could try to hug her, or something, or at least put my arm around her shoulder. She wasn't a crier. She was just sad.
"I need a friend all the time, Perry."
She walked up to me, hopped up on her toes to kiss me on the cheek, and walked away. The leaves fell all around me.
"I knew it," I said. "Bad movie."