The Day After the Dream
1418 Words
Chapter 29
Aria sat curled up on her couch, a blanket loosely draped over her shoulders. The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, painting soft golden lines on her skin. She stared ahead, lost in thought, her lips curled into a faint, dreamy smile.
“I should have never woken up…” she whispered to herself.
Her fingers gently brushed her cheek, as if trying to hold onto the warmth of a memory that hadn’t fully faded. A blush crept over her skin. She couldn’t stop thinking about him—the way his arms felt around her, the sound of his voice, the way he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the universe.
“I’ve never seen a man like that… goodness.”
She glanced at the clock and jumped.
“Oh no! I’m late for work!”
In a whirlwind of movement, she scrambled to her bedroom, tossing on the first outfit she could find. A pale blue blouse, black jeans, and the same sneakers she always wore when she needed to move fast. She barely remembered to brush her hair, yanking it into a loose bun before snatching her bag and flying out the door.
She missed the bus—but she didn’t even curse under her breath like usual. Because somehow, everything still felt… beautiful.
⸻
Elion’s Realm – Morning
Elion stood alone at the watchpoint, a quiet, sacred corner of his realm carved from silver stone and hanging vines. Before him shimmered a translucent veil—the portal that let him glimpse Aria’s world. He watched her running out of her apartment, clutching her bag with one hand and trying to fix her bun with the other.
She looked radiant, even in her rush. Her joy seemed to float around her like sunlight. He watched as she smiled to herself on the train, laughed lightly while walking into the office, and sipped coffee with a look of quiet contentment.
He turned away from the portal, his heart warm. His boots clicked softly as he walked down the moss-lined trail to the cottage nestled among the trees. His grandmother was seated in her usual chair by the window, sipping from her cup of herbal mist tea.
Elion:
“Grandma… it worked. I saw her. She looked… alive today. Happy.”
She turned her wise, wrinkled face toward him, a small knowing smile on her lips.
Grandmother:
“I felt the shift in your aura. Her light touched you, and yours touched her.”
Elion sat across from her, resting his hands on his knees.
“She smiled, Grandma. Like the sun was living in her.”
She nodded slowly.
Grandmother:
“Then keep showing her the sun. But tread carefully. You’ve entered her soul now—she may feel more than she understands.”
Elion didn’t answer. He just gazed out at the trees, his thoughts filled with Aria’s smile
The office cafeteria was filled with chatter, footsteps, and the low hum of vending machines. Aria sat at the edge of a small round table near the window, a half-eaten sandwich on her tray and a drink in her hand.
She wasn’t paying attention to the food. Her mind wandered through colors and scents—flower petals, soft earth, and ocean-blue eyes she couldn’t shake. Her fingers absentmindedly stirred her drink, while her lips curved into an unexplained smile.
The phone vibrated in her bag.
Unknown Caller.
Her heart jumped. She pulled it out and answered quickly.
Aria (smiling instantly):
“Hello?”
Elion (his voice warm, soft):
“Hi… You sound brighter today.”
Aria (laughing lightly):
“Do I? Maybe I just slept better.”
Elion:
“I’m glad. Sleep should bring peace.”
Aria (teasing):
“You make it sound like a poem.”
Elion:
“Only because you sound like one.”
She laughed again, quieter this time.
Aria:
“You’re really good at saying things that make people smile, you know?”
Elion:
“Only when I’m speaking to you.”
There was a pause. Not awkward—just tender. She leaned her cheek into her hand, her elbow resting on the table.
Aria:
“Thanks for calling. I… I didn’t think you would.”
Elion:
“Didn’t I promise?”
Aria:
“People make promises every day. They don’t always mean them.”
Elion (softly):
“Mine do.”
She swallowed, surprised by how steady and serious his voice was.
Aria:
“You’re… kind of mysterious, you know that?”
Elion:
“Would it make you nervous if I wasn’t?”
Aria (grinning):
“A little mystery isn’t a bad thing. But I am curious.”
Elion:
“Curiosity is a door. Let it open on its own.”
Aria:
“Is that your way of saying ‘not yet’?”
Elion (gently):
“It’s my way of saying ‘soon.’”
She didn’t press. She didn’t want to ruin the moment. The warmth of his voice, the comfort it gave—she wanted to stay in it.
Elion:
“What are you doing now?”
Aria:
“Sitting in the cafeteria. Not really eating. Just… thinking.”
Elion:
“About what?”
Aria paused.
Aria:
“About how some things… feel more real than they should.”
There was silence on the line again. This time heavier, more intimate.
Elion:
“Sometimes… real isn’t about touch. It’s about knowing. Feeling.”
Aria:
“Yeah. That makes sense.”
She didn’t know how he always said the right thing. She wasn’t sure if it was his voice, or his timing, or just something in her heart that responded to him like a key in a lock.
Aria (checking the time):
“I should get back to my desk. But… will you call tonight?”
Elion:
“Seven?”
Aria:
“Perfect.”
Elion:
“Until then.”
She smiled as she hung up, tucking the phone gently back into her bag. Her heart thudded a little faster.
From a nearby table, her coworker Maya nudged a friend and nodded toward Aria.
“She’s glowing again. I swear it’s that same mystery guy.”
The friend grinned. “She’s definitely talking to someone special.”
Aria pretended not to hear them as she stood up, but the smile on her face gave her away.
⸻
At Aria’s Apartment – Late Afternoon
The apartment felt unusually quiet, even with the distant hum of traffic beyond the windows. Aria sat cross-legged on the couch, flipping through her phone, when the doorbell rang.
When she opened the door, she found Lola standing there, holding a bright gift bag and looking as effortlessly stylish as always.
Lola:
“Surprise! Thought I’d check on you before I disappear into another wedding party.”
Aria (grinning):
“You know you don’t need an excuse. Come in.”
Lola walked in like she owned the place, dropping her bag on the counter.
“Girl, you look suspiciously happy. What’s going on?”
Aria poured them both a glass of juice and sank into the couch.
“Nothing dramatic. I’m just… good today.”
Lola gave her a side-eye, then flopped beside her.
“You’ve been dreamy lately. Smiling at your phone, zoning out. Spill.”
Aria hesitated, fingers tightening around her glass.
“Just… been thinking a lot.”
Lola (narrowing her eyes):
“Thinking about a certain mystery man?”
Aria looked away, then laughed softly.
“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”
Lola:
“Try me.”
Aria opened her mouth, then closed it. Something about the dream, the voice, the man—El—it all felt too sacred to explain. Like naming it out loud would break the spell.
She shook her head.
“Let’s just say… I’m starting to believe the universe knows what we need. Even if it only gives us pieces at a time.”
Lola raised a brow.
“Are you writing fortune cookies now?”
They both laughed, and for the rest of the evening, they kept the conversation light. But as Lola left and Aria closed the door behind her, her expression changed.
She leaned her back against the door and let her eyes drift shut.
There was a warmth blooming in her chest—a soft, glowing certainty.
She didn’t need to tell anyone.
Because she already knew:
This wasn’t just about a voice or a dream.
It was the beginning of something real.
- Writer
