I let out a small chuckle.

“On second thought,” she continued, “who are you and what have you done with my friend?” Claire took my hand in hers and examined my palm with exaggerated interest.

“Aha! Madame Woo says makeup is good idea for landing hunky new boy at school. It also serves as a good disguise for riding the bus again. No one will recognize you.” Her eyebrows wiggled up and down.

“You’re a nut!”

“You look great!” She was definitely thrilled to acknowledge my attempts to look beautiful. “I never understood why you never wore makeup. Hmm. I guess all it takes is a boy.”

I faked a look of innocence, but as the seconds passed the look on Claire’s face showed me I had no chance of pulling the wool over her eyes.

“Is it that obvious?” My voice suddenly a timid whisper.

“Only to me.” Claire smiled knowingly as she shifted the car into gear and headed down Church Street.

“Today, you’ll look like the new girl in school and Garreth Adams won’t know what hit him.”

I smiled to myself as I looked out the window at the passing houses. I could always count on Claire to boost my confidence.

“By the way.” The devilish smirk lingered on her face.

“Do you think your mom will let me borrow that lipstick?

” The sunlight streaming through the moonroof was warm and comfortable and so I allowed last night’s dream of Garreth to sneak into my thoughts once more before school. It was the first pleasant dream I could clearly remember in a long time and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. His eyes, the deepest ocean blue, peered out from beneath his hair. He smiled radiantly as my heart pulled toward him and then he faded, as if my dream was revealing to me what it truly was. Just a dream.

Then the mist cleared slightly, revealing him once more as he held his hand out, beckoning me to join him.