Love Me, Dreamy: A YA Paranormal Romance with Breathtaking Twists

by Laura Burton

  “You’ve broken the rules. This is forbidden,” the man said in a stern voice. Toby shouted at the driver to “step on it,” and the man let go of the window as they sped off down the road.

  “Toby, who was that? Why is he here? What is forbidden?” Amelia asked quickly, her chest heaved as she gasped for air. Her arms went numb and her heart pounded at a rapid rate. She was dizzy and lightheaded. Toby looked at her with pleading eyes and his mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. The taxi sped along the road at great speed and darted in and out of traffic violently, making Amelia feel even worse. Her vision blurred and ears were ringing loudly now, and before she could ask any more questions, she passed out.

  Chapter Twelve

  Unveiled Secrets

  Amelia woke up to find her head resting on Toby’s shoulder. She wiped her mouth and noticed she had drooled onto the cotton of his shirt and grimaced.

  “Sorry,” she blurted out as she sat up and arched her back. The taxi cab was rolling slowly now. The moment of danger had long passed, and Toby had his elbow propped up against the door and had his face resting on his fist. He turned to look at Amelia with sad eyes, looking at her like the game was over.

  “I haven’t been honest with you,” he murmured. Amelia rubbed her eyes as she tried to come around.

  “How long was I asleep?” she asked. Toby did not reply but looked out the window lost in thought. The sky was still bright, but they were on the freeway. The taxi pulled off down a slip road and turned to a large grey building with hundreds of windows. Amelia noticed the signpost Hospital and prodded Toby’s bicep with a finger.

  “I’m okay now. You didn’t need to bring me to the hospital,” she said. The taxi pulled up outside the front of the hospital and idled as Toby looked up at the building in silence, though he made no effort to move. Amelia blinked several times and tried to make sense of the situation.

  “We need to talk,” Toby said softly, still looking out of the window. “Can you stay here? We’ll be back in a minute,” he told the driver and opened the door. He sighed as he did so; it looked like every movement took a great amount of effort for him. Amelia climbed out of the taxi after Toby and looked at him curiously.

  “Shall we walk?” Toby asked, glancing at Amelia for the briefest moment before looking out at the cars parked outside the hospital.

  “Sure,” Amelia replied, and they walked down the sidewalk by the carpark. It looked like they were not actually going to go inside the hospital, so Amelia wondered what they were doing there.

  “You asked me where my mom is,” Toby said heavily. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor as he walked. Amelia looked at his rounded shoulders and for the first time, could picture him as a moody teenager walking home from school. Amelia looked up at the hospital building, then stared at Toby again.

  “Is she here?” she whispered; her eyes wide as she started to put the clues together. Toby nodded.

  “My family are… well-known,” Toby offered tentatively.

  “What, like, celebrities?” Amelia asked curiously. Toby shrugged.

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “But you said it was hard for your mum—”

  “It was. Having lots of money doesn’t make life easy,” Toby said quickly.

  “Well, I’m sure it helps,” Amelia shot back. She remembered how difficult it was for her grandma to take care of her and makes ends meet with just a pension and child benefit for income. There were many nights when they had to root through the couch cushions for spare change to get a bag of chips for tea.

  “It doesn’t stop you from feeling lonely and isolated, but that’s not what I’m talking about,” Toby said firmly. Amelia had to concede his point.

  “Sorry, go on,” she said gently.

  “I didn’t realise it had been that long… It’s really hard to grasp the concept of time, in these… these circumstances.” Toby stopped for a moment and looked around avoiding Amelia’s gaze.

  “There was… a terrible accident. And, she’s been in there… pretty much ever since.”

  “Toby, I’m so sorry,” Amelia whispered as she placed a hand on his arm.

  “Your mum has been in there all these years? Since you were nine? Who looked after you?” Toby chewed his bottom lip and gazed at Amelia.

  “I can’t even tell you,” he said, his eyes were wet and glistened in the sunlight.

  “So… your mum is in hospital… and those men… in the suits?” Amelia asked. Toby scratched his cheek and put his hand back in his pocket.

  “I guess you could say they are responsible for my well-being, and what I do from here,” he said slowly.

  “So, they’re not from your work?”

  “No, I just said that because I wasn’t sure how to explain. It’s all a bit complicated, and I don’t honestly understand it myself.”

  “How many are there? Do you know them? Why do you keep running away from them?” Every answer led to even more questions.

  “There’s a whole team. I don’t know how many. No, they have always been cold and hands-off. It’s like they keep a distance, I guess. Why do I run? Because I don’t want to do what they keep telling me to do.”

  “And what’s that?” Amelia stopped walking and took Toby’s hands in hers and stared imploringly into his eyes.

  “I felt drawn to go to England, and they didn’t want me to leave. It was against the rules. Then, I met you and they really didn’t like that. Now… they know how I feel about you. Well, it’s a mess.” Toby cupped Amelia’s face in his hands, and she blinked up at him, squinting against the sunlight.

  “I told you it was a big age gap,” she said blankly. Toby dropped his hands and burst out laughing.

  “That is not even… honestly if you just knew. I can’t believe you are still thinking about that,” he said between fits of laughter.

  “Shall we go in and visit your mum?” Amelia changed the subject, feeling awkward. Toby briefly looked up at the building.

  “I’ve been in there so many times. I’ve tried to talk to her, to get her to know I’m there. But it’s just like talking to a wall. Nothing there,” Toby said sadly.

  “Then, Toby… why are we here?”

  “I don’t know.” He sighed. Amelia chewed the inside of her cheek as she digested all of the new information. When Toby was nine years old, his mother had an accident and has been in the hospital ever since. He’d been raised by a team of creepy bodyguards who put in place rules and he was running away from them because they didn’t want Toby to see Amelia anymore. Even as she thought it out in her mind, the facts seemed odd.

  “Why can’t we be together?” she asked. Toby’s face lit up at her question.

  “So, you have feelings for me too?” It was the first true smile she’d seen since their unpleasant encounter with one of the creepy bodyguards.

  “I didn’t say that,” she said coyly. Toby took her hand and squeezed it.

  “Then why would you ask?” He raised her hand and pressed his lips on her knuckles. Amelia’s knees felt weak at the touch, and butterflies flew about in her stomach. The chemistry between them was undeniable, but did Amelia know Toby, let alone have feelings for him? Pursuing a relationship with him would involve a lot of drama, and clearly, he was lonely. Did he not have any friends? He lied that the bodyguards were related to his job. Did he even have a job? Amelia’s head urged her not to go any further. This boy is crazy and being with him is doomed to end in heartbreak. Go home, Amelia.

  But as she stared into his eyes, she lost herself in a sea of emotion and the thrill of not knowing where the current could take her. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him the tightest hug she could muster as she pressed her cheek up to his. Warmth spread throughout her whole being as they held one another, and despite the fears and unanswered questions, Amelia’s heart won the battle. As they broke apart, she brushed his hair to the side.

  “All right, I want us to be together.”
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br />   Toby grinned broadly and pulled her close, closing the gap between them and they kissed.

  “But the question of the day is… how?” Amelia added as she broke their contact and rested her palms on his chest. Toby looked out across the parking lot in thought for a few moments, then his face lit up as he was struck with an idea.

  “It’s obvious, isn’t it? We run.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Runaway Lovers

  “Toby, this is crazy,” Amelia said as she struggled to carry her bag down the staircase. They had returned to his house and packed their bags for another adventure. Where they would go, Amelia didn’t know. And for the first time in her twenty-eight years, she didn’t care. Toby dashed up the steps and took the bag from her and grinned as he carried it down.

  “That’s the point, isn’t it?” he countered. Amelia pulled her scrunchie out of her hair allowing thick curls to fall down past her shoulders. She had changed into a plain yellow T-shirt and beige shorts and wrapped a white hoodie around her waist. Toby explained with a wicked glint in his eye that they would take a road trip up to northern California for a “sight like nothing you’ve ever seen before.” Amelia rolled her eyes, she remembered saying the same thing to him when they were in the Forest of Dean.

  Something told her that the views she was about to see would far surpass the grandeur of Symonds Yat. Toby’s black Audi sat idling on the driveway, and he placed Amelia’s bag into the boot and closed it with two hands. The heat of the sun warmed the front porch and was a stark contrast to the icy cold air conditioning in the house. Amelia sat on the floor and put her trainers on, fastening the shoelaces absent-mindedly as she looked up at the blue sky. Her eyes followed two white birds flying wing to wing across the sky and out of sight behind the rooftop of the house across the road.

  “Seeing as we’re in a rush, I thought we could eat on the way?” Toby suggested as he locked the front door and followed Amelia to the car. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of food.

  “On our way where exactly? Do you have a plan for our getaway?” she asked. They got into the car and buckled their seatbelts as Toby started the engine.

  “I promised to take you to a proper lake, remember?” He grinned. Amelia raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh that’s right, because the lake in Cheltenham wasn’t a real one.” She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, then quipped, “As long as we’re not hiking there!”

  Toby laughed as he reversed the car out from the driveway.

  “Okay, noted. No hiking.”

  Amelia’s eyes glazed over as Toby drove the car along the suburban streets. She settled back into the leather seat, the stiff suspension of the car exaggerated every bump in the road. Amelia’s shoulder repeatedly knocked against the door as she leaned into it.

  “How long is the drive?” she asked with a yawn. Her eyes grew heavy and her head began to droop with the sudden wave of tiredness.

  “I’m just figuring out which lake to take you to….” Toby trailed off, deep in thought. Amelia craned her neck to look at him and stared at his serious side profile. She smiled at the sight of his furrowed brows and the way his bottom lip stuck out slightly. Golden waves of hair framed his chiselled face. Amelia traced the curves of his ear with her eyes and resisted the impulsive urge to caress his cheek.

  “Which one is closest?” Toby glanced over at Amelia as the car slowed behind the traffic and he smirked.

  “You’re not in the mood for a road trip?”

  Amelia shrugged at him. His brows raised as he flashed her a grin and Amelia’s cheeks ached as she grinned back at him. His pearly white teeth sparkled in the sunlight.

  “You know, I am actually starving. You mentioned food?” Amelia asked sheepishly. Toby nodded.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered,” he said as he stretched his arm back and pulled out a grey backpack. Amelia’s eyes were drawn to the blue and red logo on the front sporting a tiger riding a surfboard down a wave.

  “Cute logo,” Amelia noted aloud. “Are you a surfer?” Toby glanced at her as his smile vanished.

  “Yes,” he said, “I’ve been surfing since I was kid.”

  Amelia rooted through the backpack to find a homemade BLT sandwich. She chewed thoughtfully and studied Toby’s expression as he surveyed the road ahead. Several minutes passed in silence before Amelia picked up on the strange vibes he was now giving off.

  “Are you going to show me your surfing tricks today then?” she asked brightly in an attempt to coax him back to his cheerful self. A small line formed between his brows, which were knitted together, and he dipped his head low with his shoulders hunched. It was clear that something was on his mind, though Amelia could not guess what, and whatever it was, it troubled him greatly.

  “I’d have to take you to the beach for that,” he said in a low voice. Amelia rested her elbow on the edge of the passenger door window and looked outside. Tall palm trees lined the freeway along with giant billboards. It seemed odd to her not to see any grass. Not green grass, anyway. Small patches of yellow straw-like grass were dotted around, but the ground mostly lacked any foliage. Toy-like suburban houses sat far in the distance. It was as if Toby and Amelia were the only two souls in the world driving down the quiet freeway in the middle of the vastness.

  “You make a great BLT,” Amelia complimented with a grin as she finished the sandwich. Toby inclined his head as his face broke into a small smile. The reaction prompted Amelia to continue.

  “So, you’re great at surfing and you can make a great sandwich… oh, and you play the piano like a concert pianist. Are there any other talents hidden up your sleeve?” Toby coughed as a laugh escaped his mouth. He cocked a brow and smiled wryly at her.

  “Maybe.” He rolled his shoulders back and nestled back into his seat.

  “Like what? Tell me something I don’t know about you.” Amelia pushed the cuticles back on her fingernails as she waited for Toby to reply. He sighed.

  “I can roll my tongue,” he said with a spark of excitement. Then he stuck his tongue out and curved the edges to demonstrate.

  “That’s the last thing I thought you would say,” Amelia said with a laugh. Toby shrugged.

  “Well, I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me something. Did you always want to be a reporter?”

  Amelia bit her lip. “No, actually.” She looked out of the window in thought. “I studied English literature at university. I always thought I’d be a novelist, but there’s just no money in writing books.”

  “My grandfather was a novelist, and he did very well with it,” Toby exclaimed indignantly.

  “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.” Amelia blushed. Toby placed his hand on hers, a bolt of adrenaline rushed up to her arm to her heart at his touch.

  “I’m not offended. I’m just saying you shouldn’t doubt what you can do.” Amelia pulled her hand away awkwardly and tucked her hair behind her ear.

  “I don’t know… I lived in Bristol for a while and took any work that was going. Temp jobs here and there, really. It was hard to find time to write and then there was a problem—”

  “What problem?” Toby interjected quickly. Amelia stopped and studied him for a moment. His expression was blank as he stared chameleon-eyed at the road and tried to maintain eye contact with Amelia.

  “I didn’t know what to write about.”

  “Ah,” said Toby with a nod. “You were missing your muse,” he added knowingly. Amelia shifted in her seat; the sensation of pins and needles rose up to her legs and she arched her back to ease the spasms of her muscles.

  “I guess so. I’d love to write something memorable one day, something that would really touch the world, you know? I think there’s something beautiful about having your story out there long after you die.”

  “Yeah, sure… that’s pretty deep,” Toby said with a smirk.

  “Sorry,” Amelia blurted out. “What did your grandfather write about? Have you read his books?” Toby cleared his thr
oat and rested his hand on the top of the steering wheel while he dipped his other hand in the backpack and pulled out a sandwich.

  “He wrote war stories, some of the things are intense. They’re still popular. He would only talk about the war. It was like an obsession.”

  “Did he fight in the war?”

  Toby nodded. “Yeah, he saw some brutal stuff. He never told me what was real, but he wrote some things that would really mess with your head if it happened to you.”

  “I guess the writing was his coping mechanism.”

  “And don’t they say you should write about what you know?”

  “That’s true… and I think that’s my problem. My life is just ordinary. There’s nothing exciting to write about.”

  “Nothing at all?” Toby looked a little hurt. “Maybe that will change… maybe you’ll find something extraordinary to share with the world.” He grinned, and Amelia smiled back.

  “Maybe.”

  The car pulled off the freeway and the palm trees became denser as they flooded the view. Amelia sat up straight and peered out at the scenery.

  “Are we close?”

  Toby inhaled the sandwich in his hands as he drove one-handed and gave her a nod in reply.

  A few minutes later, they pulled up in a small parking lot next to a little hut. Sand covered the concrete paths and little tuffs of grass stuck out randomly. Amelia squinted through the sunlight peeking through the trees and could just make out the sparkling water afar off. Toby turned off the ignition and they sat in silence for a moment while he finished chewing and swallowed. Then he placed his hands expectantly on his dark blue shorts and his eyes glinted as he looked at her.

  “Time to show you what a real lake looks like,” he said triumphantly.