:: See You In My Dreams ::

:: Thursday, May 29, 2003 ::

Dear Diary,

I’ve been sleeping a lot lately. I know I usually go to bed early, but I’ve been sleeping from the early evening until midmorning, but I still feel pretty tired. I just woke up, actually… I got really worn out from this afternoon.

I was in the living room with Dimitri, and he was taking care of me while I was resting on the couch. He’s so sweet when he looks after me. I could just hug him all day long. I’m happy I’m finally well enough to go outside of my room, even if it’s only for a little while. Just like Mark said, I am getting better. I think I might be slowing the process a little, though. I keep getting too excited when Dimi’s around, and today was particularly strenuous. Mark, Dimi, and I were all in the living room, but Mark has seemed really worn out. It’s mainly because of his cigarettes, but I bet it’s also because I’m not getting better quickly enough. Maybe I should rest more and try not to get as excited when Dimitri’s around.

Anyway, Mark has seemed kind of upset because of Dimitri and Sasha won’t let him smoke. Dennis (who wasn’t being very nice to me today… Dimi says he’s jealous of us; I hope I didn’t do anything wrong… I really want him to be my friend) says we should just leave Mark alone and let him ruin his lungs with gross black tar. Well, not quite like that, but it’s pretty much the same thing! We can’t let Mark smoke his lungs to pieces! I don’t want him to die.

So Mark was getting pretty desperate for a cigarette. He tried to sneak into his room, because he evidently has a stash of them there. But Sasha and Dimi tried to stop him, and that’s when he hit Sasha. I was shocked! I don’t like it when the others fight. It’s scary and bad and violent. Sasha tripped Mark and I was worried and telling them to stop. I don’t like it when people get hurt. They did stop, though, but then Mark got really quiet. Dimitri, Sasha, and I tried to talk to him and help him to agree to let us help him quit smoking, but he only agreed when we made deals with him. Sasha has to clean the house wearing the apron he had found a while ago, Dimi has to cook for Mark, and I have to go camping. Mark is going to find a weekend, and he, Sasha, and I will go rough it. He said it’s to make me grow up. I’m not really sure what he means by that, but I’ll give it a try, especially if it’s going to help him. I love camping, really. Claire, my parents, and I go camping almost every year; I really love nature. Hikes and tents and cooking outside and little animals that you can see along the way… it’s all so much fun! But Dimitri isn’t allowed to come. I wonder why… I hope he’ll be okay with Dennis for the weekend. Maybe they’ll become friends, and then Dimitri can help me be a better friend to Dennis, because I just seem to be doing things wrong right now.

I’m really happy we’re getting Mark to stop smoking. When I get better, maybe I can help Sasha and Dimitri out with their chores. That sounds like a lot of work… I should help them!

…But right now I’m really, really tired, so I’m going to go back to bed. Good night!
:: Oliver 7:13 PM [+] ::
...

Dear diary,

Dimitri’s laptop is so cool! He’s letting me use it to type up my journal entry, because Dr. Mark will scold me if I get out of bed. Brr… I don’t think I want to anyway. It’s really cold out there. I know Dr. Mark said my temperature has gone up, but I still don’t feel like my usual self. Maybe I’ll ask Dimi to be my blanket again when I’m done typing this.

Memorial Day was fun because of the barbeque and getting to play with the cute kids. It was lots of fun, really! Mr. Vince brought us to a big MBC and Aloc-Cola barbeque, and it wasn’t even filmed. Everything was very fun, (except I think Sasha hit someone!) up until the lake incident. I was playing catch with the party host’s son, but the ball fell in the lake and he jumped in after it. I followed him because he wanted me to help him get the ball, and it didn’t look like he was very good at swimming either. But then something caught my leg and I swallowed a mouthful of water. I couldn’t even reach the boy to help him because I was trying to keep myself from drowning. It was so scary. I thought we were both going to die! But soon Mark and Sasha came and pulled us to shore. Thank goodness! The boy needed CPR, and Sasha saved him. I’m so happy he’s alright. I just wish I could have done more to help him instead of getting myself caught. That was really scary. I’m glad we’re both okay…

I spent the rest of the party with Dimitri, who felt bad because he wasn’t the one who saved me. He also wouldn’t let me out of his sight again, in case I were to fall in the water. He really takes protecting me seriously. I hope it’s not hard on him…

We went home pretty soon after that, but for some weird reason, I felt really cold in the car. The others seemed fine, but I couldn’t stop shivering or figure out why I was so cold all of a sudden. I took two steps into the house and then my legs gave out. I was shaking all over, not just the shivering when you go out in cold weather, but it felt like I was encased in ice. I think Mark carried me to my room. All I remember is being really, really cold and shaking, even in my bed, which is usually so warm. That and wanting Dimitri. He wasn’t there Monday night, and it was kind of scary without him. He is a good protector; he makes me feel like everything’ll be okay when I’m with him.

Today Mark took care of me almost all day long, and he told me I got mild hypothermia from going in the lake. I hope that boy who went in is okay… I’ve been feeling really tired myself. Cold too. Mark’s done his best to make sure I’m warm enough. I’m still pretty cold, though. He said my body temperature will increase gradually, so I’ll be cold for a while. I’m not allowed to go to work, or even get out of bed until I warm up. I can’t have very many visitors, either, because I’ve been really tired. Including Dimitri. Mark had to kick him out a couple times. Mark’s been very irritable, I think. I hope I haven’t been bothering him, but I think it’s mostly due to the fact that Sasha and Dimitri are trying to get him to quit smoking without any help from those patches or gum they advertise on TV. I feel bad for Mark because it must be really hard, but it’s a lot better for his health that he quits. I hope he’ll be able to. I let him take some of our candy, because he said it helps. I hope it does!

I was talking to Mark when he had kicked Dimitri out of our room, and I decided I’m going to draw something for him to repay him for looking after me. But when he went to get my sketchbook, it was gone! We can’t find it anywhere! I’m really sad. That sketchbook had a lot of sketches for Yume, along with the most important drawing: my present for Dimitri for his birthday. Well, one of them. But it was going to be the best! I was halfway through it too. It was of the two of us asleep in our room, with a kitty and Shin, and it was really good because I worked as hard as I could on it, and now it’s gone! That’s what I’m saddest to lose.

Not only is my sketchbook gone, but the same goes for Dimi’s cowboy hat, Mark’s Zippo lighter, and some of Sasha’s things too. I’m scared there’s a burglar or someone in our house. I don’t want anything else stolen or anyone I care about hurt. This is really scary! I hope we find out what happened soon.

Dimitri’s been really sweet since I’ve been sick. He’s sweet all the time, but this must be hard because he can’t see me as often, because Mark always kicks him out. Truthfully, it’s tiring trying to be more energetic when he does visit, but I don’t want him worrying, so I’ve been trying to look livelier when I see him. He’s a very warm blanket, though. I’m going to have to make sure he has the best birthday ever. Phoebe told me about a wonderful gourmet ice cream parlor that’ll be perfect to celebrate with him. Maybe I can redraw the picture by then…

Phew, I’m feeling a little dizzy right now, so I think I’m going to stop typing and rest some more…

:: Oliver 3:14 PM [+] ::
...

Dear Diary,

We had our first date of the show! Well, the first official date, that is. Dimi and I have gone out a couple times... Are we allowed to do that? Now that I think of it, I don't remember them saying anything against us dating outside of the official set up dates, but I'm not sure... I never thought about this before! I hope we don't get in trouble. Oh, no, I've gotten off-topic. Anyway, Mark and Dennis got to go out. I think they went to a pool club or something... Dimitri drove them. He didn't get home until really late. He seemed really mad when he got home. Maybe I'll draw him something to cheer him up...

Oh, I almost forgot! That MBC man, Vince, came over for a little with his son. I hope he didn't say anything important, because Dimitri and I took Shin for a walk. I love my puppy! He's so adorable. I think something happened when we were gone, though. There's a lot that's broken in the house.

I wonder what we're going to do for Memorial Day... Maybe Dimi and I will go on a picnic! I hope the weather's nice...
:: Oliver 7:44 PM [+] ::
...

Dear Diary,

Happy 20th birthday to me!

What a night! Okay, yesterday I was drawing in my room, and then Dimi came in with a surprise! He led me out of the room with my eyes closed, and brought me to the patio. There was a whole set-up of food and everything! He planned a little party to celebrate my birthday! We had some wonderful food, and then the three other tenants gave me gifts! Sasha gave me some manga, Mark gave me some calligraphy pens, and Dimi got me a puppy! His name is Shin, meaning “heart,” and he’s a little beagle. He’s so cute!! I love him so much.

After we finished dinner, we all went clubbing! Clubs are so amazing! Mark and Sasha gave me and Dimitri these really good drinks (which they said weren’t alcoholic, but they made me really giggly and woozy). Dimi was being so funny! He tackled me and wouldn’t let anyone else near me. But then the strangest thing happened. This girl ran up to me and started squealing and clinging onto my arm. She led me over to this big cake and this guy in pink popped out with some other guys, wearing… well… not very much. They all started singing “Happy Birthday,” and it was all very surprising. Cam took a bunch of photos! I want to see them. The guy in pink and the girl are evidently our fanclub president and vice president, respectively. I didn’t know we had a fanclub! Or, at least, I think I didn’t. I don’t really remember if the people from MBC told us or not…

Oh, right! Back to last night. When the guys who weren’t really wearing much started dancing strangely (I think that’s what they were doing. I wasn’t quite sure.), Dimitri pulled me off to go dance with him. I’m not good at dancing at all! Dimi helped me, and was being so sweet. He gave me a birthday kiss! I was so happy. I still am!

Hm… I really don’t remember much more from last night. I think we went home pretty soon after that. I wonder if we’ll ever see our fanclub again? They seemed very nice!

I saved the best for last! Dimitri made me a wonderful birthday dinner (he's a really good cook!). It was so sweet of him. Then he... well... he asked if I would be his boyfriend! I'm so happy!!! Dimitri's just... he's so... so... special. He makes me feel special. I love him so much. And to know that he cares the same about me... I feel like the happiest I've ever been.
:: Oliver 5:56 PM [+] ::
...

Dear Diary,

I had so much fun playing Twister with Dimitri the other night! I’m not good at it at all (I fell on top of him!), so I didn’t feel as bad about beating him at the cooking competition… thing. I still don’t know what to call it! That was a lot of fun, and Dimi well, he… He was being very… forward. He kept tackling me and hugging me and kissed me. It was really nice, though. I just have to remember to tell him if I feel uncomfortable. Not that I was! But I want to keep this at a slow pace.

Oh! We have a new tenant! Evidently, Jeremiah just… left or something. I hope it wasn’t anything that I did to make him go. Jeremiah’s replacement is a guy named Mark. He’s very… mature. He likes to read, I think, and he’s twenty-three, so he is a lot more mature than any of us. I think he and Sasha will get along. They seemed to like each other. He kept separating me and Dimi! Maybe we shouldn’t get very close when he’s around. I bet it makes him uncomfortable. I finally showed everyone my manga! I hope they liked it...

I had a really weird dream last night. There was this snake that wrapped itself around my neck, and started squeezing, and someone was laughing. Then I was in a barn with a bunch of pigs.

I’m going to draw. That was just too weird.
:: Oliver 8:54 AM [+] ::
...

Dear Diary,

Ferrets! We have ferrets! Sasha and I decided to go out on a walk and shopping together for fun a couple days ago. We stopped in the pet store, and the ferrets and puppies and everything were all so cute! Sasha and I just had to get a pet! We actually go two. Two ferrets! His is named Weasel (Wes), and mine is Okashi. It means “candy” or “sweet.” If it’s in the adjective form, it means “strange.” Okashi is brown and so very cute! He’s really curious too.

Since I’m not very strong, Sasha had to carry the cage with our two ferrets home. But he had rollerbladed to the store! So I had to strap on his rollerblades and learn. It was scary and hard at first. Sasha’s a really good teacher, though, and really, really patient, so finally I was able to learn enough to get me home.

Sasha’s really, really nice. I like him a lot! He said I need to be a little less trusting of everything everyone says. I can’t help it, though! It’s really hard for me to tell what’s true and what isn’t. He also suggested the idea of clubbing. I’m kind of scared about it, but I think it might be fun if I just give it a chance. Even if I don’t like it, I’m sure I’d have fun going with the rest of the guys.

Dimi and I had a very strange… contest, would you call it? More like a competition. We started talking and somehow ended up discussing pink, frilly aprons. We got into a competition, and the loser would end up having to cook for the house for the whole year while wearing an apron like that. We actually found one, well, Sasha did. I don’t know how he got it, but it worked! It was actually kind of cute. So Dimi and I played Hungry Hungry Hippos, and Shove-Carrots-In-Your-Mouth-In-A-Minute, and Rock, Paper, Scissors. Surprisingly enough, I actually won all three! It amazed even me. I’m going to help Dimitri out with the cooking, though. I feel bad about him having to do it all…

Oh, it turns out they didn’t air the third episode of the show (I still haven’t watched one and two. I have them on tape, and I’ve been meaning to!). They said it was “too hot for TV,” whatever that means. Claire… she certainly drew some… conclusions. She warned me against… certain activities with Dimitri so early on in the show. My sister is a little strange sometimes…

Last night, we all went out to dinner at the Olive Garden. It was a lot of fun, though Dennis seemed very… disagreeable when he talked to Dimitri and Sasha, especially. I’ll try to help him try to be friends with them. I never know what to do in situations like those. I don’t want Dennis to get mad at me and stop being my friend, but I don’t want him to be mean to Sasha or Dimitri, either. It’s so confusing…

Only eight days until I turn twenty!
:: Oliver 7:54 PM [+] ::
...