Chapter 2....Dream? You Mean Nightmare

I woke up the following day feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. I guess that happens when you get home from a night at the hospital around three and have to wake up for work at six. I don't see how I did it in college, pulling all-nighters and extra work shifts. Well, my college days were definitely over, that's for sure. My body ached in places that I didn't even know were possible. Being an adult and growing older did have its disadvantages. 

I looked through my closet, rummaging for something decent to wear. Since it was Friday, I decided to wear jeans but wore a fancy tee with a cardigan. I didn't want to look too comfortable. After I applied my makeup, you couldn't see the bags under my eyes anymore. I sighed when my clock read six-thirty. That meant it was time to hit the road. My second graders would just have to deal with my appearance. But that was one advantage of teaching elementary students: they didn't judge you for your appearance. They were sweet no matter what.

When I arrived at school, there was a package on my desk. Dr. Sexy was already up and roaring to play with his charade. But why did his charade have to involve my place of work? There was a large bouquet of red roses on my desk. Dr. Conn must have looked at my file to find out where I worked. There was a card stuck in the bouquet. The card read, and I quote, "Make sure you brag about the flowers to your coworkers, and tell them that they are from your fiance when they ask, Dawson."

Dawson, my fiance, has a first name other than Dr. That's nice to know. That would have been very awkward if I was his fiance and didn't know his first name. I just laughed at Dawson. When did he have time to come up with all of this? Did he even sleep last night? Just then, my phone came to life, and I answered it.

"Hello, my fake fiancé," Dawson greeted.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

"Good morning to you too, Hun," I teased. I silently made a gagging motion.

"Good, you're already acting. Did you get the roses?" He asked.

"Yes, I did. Thank you very much," I laughed. The flowers really were beautiful.

"Did you get the present that went with it?" He asked. I was puzzled, and then I saw a small box. I opened it, and inside was a ring box. I slowly opened it, afraid to look inside. Sure enough, there was a massive sparkly engagement ring. The rock was so big that I gasped. "I'm taking your gasp as you found it. Now put that ring on your finger, and don't remove it."

"Is this really necessary?" I questioned. The ring was breathtaking, but it was totally not me. I liked things a little less showy.

"No one is going to believe it unless they see the ring, Darling," he purred. He had a point, and I almost melted at how he called me darling. I knew it was all a show, but he sounded sexy over the phone. "Anyways, I'll see you later today. Brag about how wonderful I am." And then he hung up.

I grabbed the ring and then slid it onto my ring finger. It was a perfect fit. I was admiring my ring when Suzie came into my room. She saw my ring and gasped.

"That's a freaking huge rock!" I heard her say.

"Thank you. I think my fiance did a good job, too," I lied. The word fiance didn't settle well with my stomach. My brain wanted to say this random, sexy doctor I met last night instead.

"I'm guessing this all happened last night?" She questioned, smiling at me. I just nodded my head. "Jesus, Danielle, I didn't even know you were dating someone. Who's the guy, and how did you meet him? Was it love at first sight?"

Shit, the back story. I didn't have one, and I was a horrible liar.

"His name is Dawson Conn, and I met him at one of the charities he hosted for childhood cancer," I replied. "I was definitely swept off my feet when I first saw him. He's such a charmer."

Suzie was soaking up each word I said, and I knew it wouldn't be long until the rumor mill would be dishing out something. "Man, I can't believe it," she stated.

"What is it?" I asked. She looked as if she saw a freaking unicorn.

"So you're the woman my cousin's been sleeping with," she remarked, smirking. Oh crap! Suzie was Dawson's cousin? This couldn't be happening. "You better bet we'll talk about this later, but now I have to teach second graders their times tables."

This is the one time in my life I was thankful for math.

I was distracted for the rest of the day. Whenever I pointed to something on the board, the ring would fly into my vision, and I would feel sick. I was feeling guilty for agreeing to this charade. It was easier when I didn't think it would affect my personal life, but now that it has, it feels messy. Not to mention, I was raised to believe that being deceitful was wrong. I didn't get a moment of peace until the end of the day when all my kids were gone. But I started to feel dread all over again because I knew Suzie was going to drill me about her cousin. I went to close my classroom door when I was pulled into a passionate kiss. It was such a good kiss that, for a split second, I didn't even protest the kiss.

"Dawson Avery Conn, you sly little fox. How dare you sleep with my best friend and not have the decency to tell me," I heard an all too familiar voice state. Suzie playfully hit Dawson with her notebook.

"Hello, dearest cousin, I love you too," Dawson stated sarcastically. He obviously wasn't expecting to run into Suzie.

"So, how long has this been going on behind my back?" She asked. I didn't know what to say. I looked frantically at Dawson, shrugging my shoulders. I was new to this lying thing. This was his family and his lie. That made it his job to come up with the backstory.

"Suzanne, we haven't told anyone. It was mainly because Danielle is new here, and we didn't want it to look-"

"Cut the bullcrap with me. How long have y'all been doing it?" She laughed. I looked at Dawson's face, and it looked like he wanted to murder Suzie.

"Well, if you must know, we've been having sex behind your back now for around three months," he stated, and I sank nails into his arm. I was most definitely not okay with this conversation. This was going to be hell. I could already tell. "Don't be mad at Danielle. I made her promise not to tell anyone."

"I'm not mad at her. I'm mad at you. You've corrupted one of my best friends into being your plaything. This is just like you," she sighed and left the room. I couldn't look at Dawson. I was in shock of what just happened. I felt Dawson trying to read my expression.

"Well, that went well," he stated, smiling.

"Well?" I questioned. I was fuming. How dare he come here to my place of work and just wreck everything. "Now the whole school is going to think I'm some kind of tramp."

"Would you relax? Tons of people have sex. It's no big deal," he replied. Why was he so nonchalant about this? Does the intimacy of privacy not mean anything to him? "Are you a virgin?" I blushed. I can't believe he just asked me that. Was it that obvious? What was "Virgin" written on my forehead? I just sighed in frustration, and then we left for my apartment.

During the whole car ride to my apartment, I cursed him. I still couldn't believe he just walked up into my room and basically shouted to his cousin that I was his little sex bunny. If I didn't have a reputation before, I do now. Sex Bunny.

"What stuff do you want to take with you?" I heard him ask. I pointed to some boxes in my closet and around my room. I started packing things up last night, hoping to miss running into my sister. I couldn't explain all of this to her yet. I felt a little guilty about it, but honestly, I just didn't know what to tell her.

"Okay, you grab those, and you should be all packed up," he stated, smiling.

"Okay, I'll follow you to your place," I replied, sighing. I looked at Dawson, and he was only smirking. "Hey, by the way, can you please keep our imaginary sex life on the down low?"

"I have many wonderful qualities, Ms. Meeks, but humility is not one of them," he said, winking in my direction. I knew right then, and there I was in trouble.

When we arrived at his house, I was speechless. I was secretly questioning my own sanity. Why am I moving in with a man that I hardly even know? As he gave me a tour of the residence, I slowly relaxed. His place wasn't so scary. It was actually very elegant.

"And this, my dear, is where we will be sleeping," he smirked.

"I don't get my own room?" I questioned. He couldn't be serious. Surely, he was joking.

"No, you'll be sleeping with me," he replied. The double meanings of his words were not humorous. "Plus my housekeeper will be spreading rumors to my mother."

I started to worry and nervously started biting my lip. All of this was new to me. I really didn't know what to think at the moment.

"Danielle, unless you want to test your luck with me, I would stop biting that lips of yours before I do myself," he sighed. I stopped biting my lip as soon as the sexual reference left his mouth. I looked down at his big, king-size bed and thought about all the women who had probably "slept" in it. I tried to push the thought outside of my head. I was just being rigid. He promised me he would be on his best behavior, so why shouldn't I believe him? Regardless of whether I believed him, I knew the next four months would be very bumpy. Partly because his constant sexual nature bothered me and somewhat because I secretly enjoyed it as well.

I started unpacking some of my things to make my new prison seem homey. As I was putting things away in my side of the closet, I was spooked by an older woman. She literally came out of nowhere.

"Ms. Danielle, let me put away," she stated in broken English. She reached out her hands for my clothes. Initially, I was hesitant, but I knew this woman wouldn't take no for an answer. "Ms. Danielle, this my job. It's okay."

I reluctantly left her with my clothes. I wasn't used to being waited on hand and foot. I felt even more like a prisoner now that I had nothing to do. I began looking around the house at my new surroundings. The house wasn't huge, but it was decorated by someone with rich taste. Something this country girl was not used to.

"Are you all settled in?" Dawson asked me as I walked into the den.

"As much as I could be before your housekeeper took over," I laughed.

"Isn't Rita the best?" he questioned. I just nodded my head. I was starting to second-guess my decision as I continued to look around the room. What was I doing here? I didn't belong here. "Danielle, are you okay?"

I was snapped back to reality by Dawson's question. Was I okay?

I moved out here for a fresh start. A chance to live my own life, to know the true meaning of freedom for the first time. It was an opportunity to discover who I truly was as a person. Now, I just felt lost again. How did I explain that to someone that I just met? Would he even understand? I couldn't take that chance again. Plus, he seemed like he had enough of his own baggage; he didn't need mine to add to it. "I'm fine, just tired," I lied.