The Dream

Sharon grinned. The party was going wonderfully. She was a success, and she was popular. Beautiful people in gorgeous costumes swung casually back and forth in time to airy classical music; a sonata by Brahms. She surveyed the crowd as she descended the ornate grand staircase, slowly descending the red crushed velvet and rose petals. Swirling dresses parted as she crossed the floor, revealing a tall, handsome man with blue steel eyes, wearing a perfectly-pressed tuxedo. His eyebrows waggled charmingly as she approached, and a jocular smile revealed perfectly set, sparkling white teeth.

"Sharon! I'm having a lovely time. You really do throw a wonderful party. The Countess is so impressed she's asked if she could consult with you on her daughter's wedding plans. Oh! And the President has been looking for you. He said your plan for improving bipartisanship in the Senate is inspiring, and I believe he mentioned that you look rather fetching with the pearl necklace."

He paused to adjust his backpack
"Although I must say, I haven't been seeing you in class lately."
"What?" Somewhere in the distance, there was a sound like a violin string breaking.

"In class? It's finals week. I mean, you haven't been there in weeks. I wish I had your confidence, I mean, this is really hard material. If I wasn't studying eight hours a day I'd be totally unprepared, and you don't even come to class."
"Oh my god! Graduate-level Advanced Philosophical Calculus! I have it every Thursday, and I haven't been going! I'm screwed!"

She covered her mouth, leaning on the chalkboard. Her tooth was loose. Gingerly, she tugged on it, and it gave easily. It clattered to the ground, and she looked in the bathroom mirror. All of her teeth were loose! She tugged one out, and another, staring in horror as the sink slowly filled with her teeth. Her adult teeth, and she'd never get them back!

"Ms. Sharon?" It was the President. "I... oh. I see you're busy."

Nick sat innocently in the next seat on the bus, watching Sharon with interest as she groaned, her face pressed against the glass. She was furrowing her brow and biting her lip, and she looked cute. Scared out of her mind and confused, but cute. Carefully, he glanced around. The girls were in the back, reading magazines to kill time. Philo was chatting with the bus driver. Lisa and Kris were playing euchre, and everybody else was asleep. It had been a long bus ride.

Satisfied that everyone was busy, Nick carefully placed a hand on either side of Sharon's head, and lifted the headphones off her ears. He then slung them around his neck and lowered his hood over them. Notebook in hand, he watched as her expression calmed. The flush left her cheeks, and she relaxed. He made a note, adding "Malevolum" next to her reaction, then checking his playlist.
"Yup. Malevolum seems like a success."
"Huh? Nick? Is that you?" Sharon stirred, then shook her head as she woke up.