Dreamland (87-128)

Summary
As Caitlin's relationship progresses with the bad boy Rogerson, she is beginning to learn more and more about herself. Although he's not the type of guy who takes her out on an actual date per se, that is not what she desires. She does miss that life style sometimes, a simple guy taking his girlfriend out on a date, but thinks that Rogerson is the guy that she is destined to be with. One day after school, Rogerson drives to Caitlin's school to pick her up from school. When he gets there and they are together, people start staring which makes Caitlin awfully uncomfortable. However, he questions why she cares and calls her classmates and friends "a bunch of idiots". On the other hand, Caitlin's mother is still paranoid with the disappearance of Cass. She thinks its her fault and has even gone to the extent of writing her numerous letters and calling the TV show. However, there has not yet been a response from Cass. Her mum does believe that Cass calls sometimes but doesn't say anything, just breathing.

The next day when Caitlin returns to school, she has a little chat with Mike. Mike asks her what happened the other day and he thought that she had a thing for him. He then gets more serious and starts saying people are gossiping about Caitlin even the cheerleaders. Caitlin thinks that's the least of her possibilities and then attempts to walk away but is grabbed in the hands by Mike. He warns her about Rogerson saying he is dangerous and that isn't her type. Eventually Rogerson comes out and Caitlin rushes to be with him. Instantly, she feels protected which is a feeling she enjoys much. On a Friday night, Caitlin's family are having a weekly Trivia Pursuit's war with Boo and her husband. That is the night when Caitlin is supposed to go out with Rogerson. Her mum thinks that she should invite in Rogerson to meet the family and when she does, Rogerson starts helping them out with the trivia question. How he answers all the question is what Caitlin is still wondering. She later on realizes that he is an extreme perfectionist who gets good grades in school even though he doesn't try.

Another time, Rogerson convinces Caitlin to go out with him somewhere. He receives an A- on an English paper and a 98% on his History exam even though he isn't trying. On the other hand, Caitlin is furiously trying to keep up with balancing her schoolwork and cheerleading. Yet, she is having a difficult time with it. Despite that, he ends up convincing her for them to go out. They visit his friend Corrina who is very much like himself. Although she is much older, she smokes and drinks a lot. There, Caitlin officially smokes for the first time. She then begins to hang out with Corrina more and more. It takes her mind off of Cass and she realizes that they both have a lot in common. However, by hanging out with Corrina, she is introduced to more bad influences in her teenage life.

Quote
"Whenever Rogerson trashed them I didn't know what to say. I wasn't even sure why I'd hung out with them. It had just sort of happened, like everything else in my life. Now, with him, I felt finally like I was making my own choices, living wide awake after being in a dreamworld so long." (Dessen 94)

Reaction
This quote out of any other quotes within this section struck out to me. I find it extremely powerful and I feel very satisfied as a reader that she is finding her place in life and is starting to make her own decisions and discover who she is. Although it is not good that her boyfriend is trash talking her friends, he is helping her in many ways to grow up. I guess this proves that sometimes even the worst of people bring out the best in you. I'm not sure why she's not sure why she hangs out with them. Her friends seem like good people even though all they do is gossip and talk about irrelevant things. They are at least good influences. However, they do seem very fake and very pretentious. I guess in the world where she is with her friends, everything is so ideal and perfect. Almost fake, most likely. In the world she shares with Rogerson, everything seems so real and ideal as well. It's not so perfect, it's the actual world she is going to face the rest of her life. That, I'm guessing, is why she likes being with Rogerson so much.