These Dreams

The look he gave me as I made my way down the pathway towards him somehow made all my other worries disappear - disappear into the heavily flower scented air I walked through. Through his eyes, it was as if he was telling me everything was going to be okay and he would always be there for me. All I could see was him as each step brought me closer to him and everything else was blurred just as my thoughts were at that moment. A smile broke across his face once I took that last step that now only distanced us by a couple inches. No more than a few seconds passed before I was smiling that same crooked smile.

"You came," he said softly.

"Of course," I replied simply, pulling away from his gaze and sitting down on the stone bench that was surprisingly cold for a summer day. Soundlessly, he took a seat next to me, swinging his leg over the bench so that he was straddling it and facing me.

Purposely ignoring him, I looked around the garden, resting my eyes on everything I missed when I entered first. The noise of running water from the fountain trickled in my ear, gradually drowning out the sounds of his breathing.

Looking up at the sky, I closed my eyes and I felt the warmth of the sun touch my face, its soothing caress moving down my neck to my bare shoulders. Opening my eyes finally, I turned my face back to him and met his gaze that sent an unexpected sensation through my body. I smiled as I scrambled through my head, looking for the right words that wouldn't ruin this perfect atmosphere.

"I've missed you," I said finally.

"I'm sorry to admit I can't say the same," he said with a slyness that now formed his lips. I looked away as I felt my features hardening into something I couldn't control. He sensed my distress and I felt his breath brush my ear as he laughed softly. "You haven't once escaped my thoughts, Chloe. I could never truly miss you."

I shook my head and laughed. "You know, I think you really have to work on your romantic lingo. It never really sets in the right mood with me."

"Oh?" He questioned, I grinned as I sensed the mockery in his tone. "And why is that?"

"You exaggerate too much."

"I only say what I feel," he said, the change in his voice made my head turn. I looked into his face and noticed something different about him. "And what I feel for you is love," he looked sad as he said this. I couldn't tell what he was sad for, though. Reading his face, it seemed like he was missing something and missing it was hurting him - whatever it was, it was hurting me too. "And we all know how absurd love can be," forcing a smile, he took my hand and brought it to his lips where he kissed it.

I smiled. "I suppose I can't blame you then." Taking my hand from his, I rested it back down on the bench.

He laughed and whatever hurt he was feeling before, was gone now. "No, you can't," he breathed, "It makes me wonder, though." He looked away from me and off into the distance. I followed his eyes where they rested on a pair of hummingbirds moving with their nearly visible wings from one Dahlia to the next.

"What do you mean?" I questioned after turning back to him.

"It seems like you're always holding back," I watched his crystal blue eyes move across the row of flowers as mine did not too long ago.

"I'm not sure what you mean," I answered, trying to gain the appeal of his eyes with mine, that I knew he could see though his peripheral vision.

"I don't think you really trust me."

I gently rested my hand on his thigh, the warmth of it shocked me for a moment, but his eyes were back on me and I focused on them.

"Of course I trust you, Michael."

"Then what are you afraid of? Whatever I do, you pull away."

I sighed and my eyes found the ground, where they didn't move. "You know it's hard for me; you know that better than anyone."

"I know," he spoke softly, I felt his hand moving into mine, I closed my eyes as his fingers found their place by mine. "You don't have to with me, though. I could never do anything to hurt you."

"You could," I mumbled through lips that would have preferred to remain shut. A silence followed, and I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I stayed quiet.

"I would never fall out of love with you," he whispered, "Chloe, I know you're the one. Nothing could change that."

"Don't say nothing. I could list a few right off the top of my head. And please, stop saying never. It's not helping."

"You're so superstitious sometimes," I lifted my head and saw that he was smiling now, "And you need to have more faith in me, and in yourself," he continued.

I looked away.

"I love you, Chloe."

"Please, stop saying that. It's not possible."

"Of course it is."

"You don't even know me."

"I know more about you than anyone else that's in your life." No quick reply came to my head, and I found myself wondering why I was even arguing with him.

"That's not true," I replied after my thoughts cleared.

"It's what you told me."

"I lied," I said quietly.

He sighed. "As much as I love your stubbornness, can you just please give this up? Time I could be whispering romantics in your ear is being wasted by the time we spend arguing."

I smiled with a sigh parting my lips. "I wish things were simpler."

"I'll find you. Don't worry. You will be in my future, no matter what it takes."

"I just don't know if it will work out."

"You and I will make it work."

"It'll be different from this. This is easy. There are no real life forces pulling us apart, aside from the chance of our dreams together."

"Don't worry, we can work against those forces," I leaned in and rested my head on his shoulder, turning so my forehead pressed lightly against his neck.

"I hope so," he put his arms around me and kissed the top of my head before nuzzling his cheek in my hair.

"I know so."

After moments of blissful silence and embrace I heard a distant ringing sound. Lifting my head I looked around curiously.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" He asked, looking at me concerned.


The alarm on my cell phone was going off and I turned over and away from the sound, but that didn't really do anything to rid of the terrible noise pounding into my ears. Finally opening my eyes, I turned back over and reached for it and then put it on silent. I dropped it carelessly back onto my mattress and let my face fall back onto the pillow. I turned over comfortably so I was facing the TV and looking at the analog clock I realized it was only 6:01 AM. I closed my eyes and mentally promised myself another 10 minutes of this before I would get up.

A knock came from my door, and I heard it open soon after.

"It's already six thirty. Come on, get up! You're already going to be late!"

Okay, so that was way more than 10 minutes.

And the whining tone in my mother's voice had me pissed off in no time. Pulling back the sheets more than unwillingly, I went through my daily morning routine grumbling and complaining.

"Where's my fucking iPod?" I yelled, purposely making it loud enough for my mom to hear from where she was in the kitchen. No reply, as usual. "Never mind," I mumbled, annoyed when I discovered it behind my opened laptop.