You read correctly. This was based on an actual, real-life dream that I had. Some of the story I made up AFTER I had the dream, but a lot of it is real dream material. Like I did dream I was in Santa Martina, and that I was "ruining" Cammy's relationship (WHICHHH is not written yet soooo I'm not spoiling any more :D)

ENJOY AND REVIEW!

I had no idea where the heck I was. One thing's for sure, I was definitely not at home. For one thing, I was having a sleepover at my friend's house ––and she was nowhere in sight. For another, we were sleeping inside ––and I was in the middle of an asphalt street of a neighborhood. Also, it was almost one or two in the morning when I finally knocked out at my friend's house, and it didn't look any later than probably ten or eleven o'clock.

Still in my pajamas, I wandered around the neighborhood a bit, hoping to find a forest or park or someplace where I could get shelter without going into a stranger's house. But I'm telling you, the place was full of houses. And not a single park in sight. So finally desperate, I walk up to a random house of the neighborhood, cross my fingers, and rap my knuckles on the doorframe. I didn't know who to expect, but I certainly didn't think I'd see who I did.

It was a boy.

About my age.

With freckles.

And reddish brown hair.

"No!" I hissed as the guy rubbed his eyes. "But you're just… imaginary! You're… you're…"

"I'm what?" the guy mumbled drowsily, rubbing his brown eyes.

"Casey?!" I screeched. "Casey Acosta?!"

Casey stepped back. "Wait ––how do you know my name…? How do you know me?! If you're stalking me or something ––"

I shook my head. "No! It's just ––you can't be real. I'm in… I'm in Santa Martina?"

"Yeah," he replied. "And why're you here?"

I stumbled backwards as if I were about to faint. "I… I don't feel so good."

"Well if you're gonna let loose, do it in the bushes."

I took a couple of deep breaths. "No, no. I'm not gonna throw up. I just feel kinda… I don't know, spooked out."

"Why? Why are you here?"

I put my hand up to feel my forehead, trying to figure how I was gonna convince Casey that there was a book series all about his crush and that I was severely addicted to it, and ––I was in a serious jam here. Then suddenly, I thought about something; if this was really Santa Martina, and Casey was living with Candi and Heather, then that meant that Sammy Keyes was living in the Senior Highrise!

"Which way is the Senior Highrise, Casey?" I asked suddenly, now desperate to get the information out of him.

Casey's eyes widened and he stepped back further into the house. "Listen, you'd better stop stalking me or ––"

"Tell me! Now!"

"There's nothing at the Senior ––"

"Sammy's at the Senior Highrise! And if I can't see her now, I'm never gonna figure this out."

Casey froze. I swear, now he looked like he was gonna puke. "Get lost, weirdo! I don't know what you want with my friend, but you'd better ––"

I groaned and looked up into the sky. "Fine! If it makes you feel any better, you can come with me to see your girlfriend."

"She's not my ––"

"Whatever! C'mon!"

Casey didn't know what to think at this point; I could tell. But he finally sighed, got his jacket and skateboard, and walked out the door.

"Wait, dude," I say. "I have no clue how to skateboard."

Casey just ignored me, threw his board down, and tore out of there. Which left me to scramble as fast as my legs would go, all the way to the Senior Highrise.

Casey was waiting for me at the fire escape entrance calmly as I came panting up. "Dude!" I screeched. "Not cool! Since when were you inconsiderate?"

Casey shook his head. "I still have no idea who the heck you are."

"Let's just say I'm a fan of y'all here in Santa Martina and Sisquane, which by the way is where you used to live with your dad, but you had to move in with Heather ––your sister ––and your mom here in Santa Martina."

"Stalker," Casey grumbled, and we crawled up the fire escape stairs.

Casey had no clue where he was going, and he was even more freaked out to know that I knew exactly where Sammy lived with her grams. I rapped on the door, and behind it I heard a woman burst out of her room, and hiss, "Samantha! In my closet! Someone's at the door!"

"At this time?" I heard the girl grumble in reply, but a moment later, none other than Rita Keyes answered the door.

"What are you ––" Rita began.

I interrupted, and tore past her into the apartment. "Sorry, Mrs. Keyes. I've got to see Sammy. I know she's in the closet."

Rita tried to stop me, but I was already flinging open the closet door, where Sammy was plastered against the sidewall of the closet.

"You're a terrible hider, Sammy Keyes." I said, laughing.

She didn't move.

I moved a thick stack of coats to the side. "Sammy. You can't hide anything from me. I know just about everything there is to know about you. I think I know you better than Marissa McKenze."

Finally, Sammy crawled out of the closet, a really spooked look on her face. "What kind of stalker are you?" she shrieked, breathing heavily.

"Listen, Sammy. I know you've been through a ton of crazy stuff: going through gang territory, tackling book thieves, and spying on a bunch of senior citizens forging money. And since Casey won't believe a word I say if I try to ––"

Sammy's face looked angry and hurt. "You're Casey's friend?"

I laughed. "What? Are you kidding me? Casey doesn't even know me; even though I know a ton about him."

Sammy eyed me suspiciously. She peeked out the door, where Casey and Rita were chatting away. She turned back to me, walked over, and closed the door. She walked back, and sat on the floor, and motioned for me to sit, too.

"This better be good," she says, and I face her.

Taking a deep breath, I begin. "Sammy. This is going to sound totally crazy, but you've got to promise not to ask any questions until afterwards."

She laughed. "You sound just like me, y'know."

I smiled, and was ready. "So I was sleeping over my best friend's house, and she got me into this whole mess about knowing everything about your life and Casey's life and Heather's life and ––"

Sammy's jaw dropped. "Wait ––Heather?"

"Ah-ah-ah. No questions."

"Right."

"So I had just finished reading about you getting all that counterfeit money, and I went to sleep and woke up in the middle of a street. I wandered to Casey and Heather's house, and…yeah… I told Casey to bring me here so I could sort things out. I don't know how I'm gonna get home, but I knew that you'd be able to help me more than Casey would."

Sammy sighed. "I don't know if you're crazy, lying, or telling the truth."

"A little bit of the first and the last," I chuckled. "But I really need your help. I don't know if I can go to William Rose Junior High for a little while until I get back home, but I really, really need your help."

Rita and Casey came over, both looking annoying and frustrated. "Samantha," Rita said solemnly. "This stranger can't stay. She's gotta go."

"You've gotta believe me!" I pleaded. "I really don't know what to do or where to go! Where else am I supposed to stay, the Heavenly?"

"Grams!" Sammy protested. "She knows way too much to be insane."

Casey frowned. "Then she's a stalker and you should avoid her."

"Casey!" she hissed. "Shut up!"

Rita shook her head and turned to me. "I'm sorry, darling. But kids aren't allowed in our building, and having Samantha is danger enough. But having you here could really get us evicted."

I nodded. "I understand, Mrs. Keyes. I'll leave."

Sammy stood up quickly and ran into Rita's room and came back with a bag. She ran into the kitchen and stuffed food into the bag. Before her grandmother could say anything, she shoved the bag into my hands and pushed me out the door, slamming it shut. I could hear arguing between Rita and Sammy, and I scurried out the fire escape door. On the platform, I sat down and opened the bag. The first thing I saw was a note.

"Dear… um, whatever your name is,

I'm really sorry we had to kick you out. Here's some stuff to help you out a little. I want you to meet me at the bottom fire escape door of this building at 7 A.M., so we can go to school together. In the bag are an old pair of my high tops (I hope they fit), a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, and some food. I'll bring you some more to school, and we'll find a place for you to stay until you can get back home. I'll see you soon.

PS: I need to know your name. I swear, we're almost clones!

-Sammy"

I smiled, and continued to rummage through the bag, when the door opened. I screeched, and shot down the stairs. But then, I turned around. It was Casey. He laughed, and came down the stairs to be level with me.

I huffed. "Jerk," I muttered.

Casey laughed, and we walked down the stairs together. Halfway down, he took the heavy bag from me. "You need help with that?"

I tried to take it back. "I'm fine!"

"You are just like Sammy."

I rolled my eyes, and pushed Casey. He pushed me back and I tripped over the stair and onto the platform. He gasped and ran down to help me up. I pushed him away, kind of embarrassed.

"I'm fine!" I grumbled. "And gimme my bag!"

Casey laughed, and offered me his hand. "Come on."

With a grumble, I took his hand, and he pulled me up. I tripped over his shoe, and bumped right into him. I shrieked as I knocked him down, and helped him up. He chuckled, and I groaned.

"I'm so awkward," I murmured.

"Hey, that's cool," he replied with a smile. "That's why I like Sammy."

I was silent the rest of the way down the fire escape, and when Casey opened the door, it was pouring outside.

"I hope she packed you an umbrella," he muttered.

I shook my head, but dug out the sweatshirt and threw it over my pajamas. "That's the least of my concern," I sighed. "Where am I gonna stay?"

Casey shrugged, and threw his board down and skated away. I ran to catch up, and when we made it to his house, he was surprised I was still following him.

"Man, you're a fast runner!" he cried as he threw his board into the garage.

I could barely breathe, and heaved the bag more over my shoulder. "Where... the heck... am I going... to stay...?" I asked again.

Casey sighed, and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the back of his house. He pointed to a tree with a few low branches. I stared at him blankly, hoping he didn't mean what I thought he did.

Confirming my fear, he said, "I hope you can climb trees."

"You're lucky," I replied, and hoisted myself up the tree, hanging Sammy's pillowcase-bag on a branch.

Casey rolled his eyes, and pulled the watch off his wrist, and tossed it up to me. "So you know when to meet Sammy in the morning."

"How did you––?"

Before I could say anything else, Casey was in the house, and I tried to make myself comfortable in the tree. It wasn't easy, but I was so exhausted, that I fell asleep really quickly.