My toes splayed in my boots as I stirred awake. I was back in the stadium seats of the lecture hall. These days I could slip into daydreams with ease, and they were vivid, but I had trouble locating myself when I came to. Paulie sat next to me, not taking notes, but not daydreaming either. I think his leg shook too much to doze off. He twirled his pen between his fingers and gave my side an elbow when he saw that I'd come to. I straightened up a little, widened my eyes and flared my nostrils for his amusement. "You're missing the good stuff," he said in a dry voice.

But I wasn't missing it, I was listening intently and I had been even before I snapped back into place.