Dreaming Reality

"You understand, right?" my boyfriend, Ellis, said distractedly. His eyes were focused on his Blackberry. I busied myself with the dishes.

"Mhmm," I answered. He didn't look up or acknowledge me, still. I couldn't hold it in anymore though. "I just.... I mean, Ell, you're the CEO of the company... couldn't you just change the meeting?"

He looked up then, a scowl painted his face like he had smelled something foul. "You think I should change around my company's whole schedule for your.... what is it, some sort of stupid dinner?"

"It's a charity event with the Pittsburgh Penguins," I said dully. It was too late, he was already glued to his phone again. I sighed and walked out of the kitchen. The clicking from his typing fingers followed me.

I got dressed quickly, knowing Ellis was in a bad mood and not feeling particularly patient. I called out to him, to make certain he knew he had to take me to work. "So you can drop me off at the hospital, right Ell?"

The silence that met my inquiry left me confused. I walked out of my room, still in the middle of brushing my hair. The kitchen was empty. I walked into the living room.

"Ellis?" I shouted. No answer. My mouth dropped open in realization as I passed the front door ans saw his coat and keys were gone. Bastard left! "Well.... shit."

I numbly walked back to my room and finished getting ready for work. I should be used to this by now. Ellis had been an insensitive idiot ever since he became CEO after his father died 3 months ago. When we first started our relationship he was kind and gentle and attentive. We loved each other. Now, he was pulling away. Work was everything and I was nothing.

I walked briskly out of my apartment. The cold air hit me hard. I sucked in a breath and pulled my coat tighter to me. I waited at the bus stop and took a minute to think about Ellis. Was he worth this?

More importantly, was I this worthless?



It was humiliating. Countless event or party, I would be forced to come alone, forced to endure being hit on by random guys who assume I'm single. Half my friends from work haven't even met Ellis, and we had been dating for a year. I was tired of being alone, but I was used to it.

"Excuse me," I heard from behind me. I turned around and found myself looking into kind blue eyes. My eyes swept over the man's face. I fought a chuckle at his foo-man-choo mustache. But then my eyes narrowed. He had the grin on his face, the sleazy looking one that guys always used before they delivered their line.

"I really don't want to hear an annoying pick up line tonight," I said tiredly. He opened his mouth to say something. I cut him off. "I have a boyfriend!"

He laughed quietly. "Sorry to disappoint, but I really just wanted to know if it would be possible for me to leave early tonight. Someone told me you were in charge of this event."

I blushed. Oh my god, this was mortifying. He smiled again at me and I realized it wasn't all that sleazy looking. I smiled tentatively back.

"I'm sorry.... wow, I promise, I'm really not this conceited. It's just.... nevermind. Okay, well, in answer to your question, if it's urgent I could possibly find a way for you to sneak out unnoticed," I said with a wink. He laughed.

"You're a lifesaver! It's just, these things... I love them and they're great, but once they end, all the guys constantly rag on me to go out and...," at this point he blushed. "I just, don't like to. I know, that's lame."

I smiled gently and shook my head, thinking of the countless times I had been ditched on Ellis' only free nights for him to go and party with his friends. "Not at all."

He smiled once more in thanks and turned to walk away. I bit my lip, for some reason feeling unsettled that he was leaving.

"Wait!" I called out. He turned back around, seeming to be fighting a smile. "What's your name?"

He outright laughed now, shaking his head. "You know, if you plan an event centered around a sports team, you should at least know the players names."

"Yeah, well...." I tried to come up with a good response, but just gave up. "Oh, just tell me your name!"

"Neal. James Neal," he said as he turned and walked away. I scoffed.

"What, do you think you're James Bond or something?" I shouted after him, unintentionally catching the attention of some guests. I cleared my throat awkwardly and turned to the bartender. "I'll take a scotch on the rocks."



"Hurry up, Bond," I whisper-yelled. James casually quickened his stride and walked through the door with a purpose. I rolled my eyes. "Nice exit."

"Thanks, I planned it so that I stood tall and didn't look suspicious," he said with a smile. I laughed.

"Yeah, idiot, and you know you're 6'2, right? Standing tall wasn't your best option for attempting to blend in," I explained. He laughed at himself, for being stupid. I smiled in admiration; Ellis could never laugh at himself, that would mean admitting he was wrong.

Oh, my god! What was it with me comparing this stranger to Ellis?! I stared at James, looking over his soft smile and big, blue eyes and silly facial hair. He was the opposite of Ellis, who rarely smiled these days and was always in a stupid suit and never had a hair out of place. It was boring, to be honest.

"You know you're staring at me, right?"

"Yeah. Is it bothering you."

He looked at me then with a soft, hesitant smile, reaching up to brush a piece of my hair back from my face. "No, I think I like it."

And by it, I had a sudden feeling he meant me. I took a step back from him, as Ellis had entered the back of my mind. "I have a boyfriend."

"I know, you told me," he said softly, but this time, unlike the last time when he had just laughed, I detected a note of bitterness in his voice. I looked away, because now his blue eyes looked sad.

"Well, unlike you, I can't just leave early, so.... it was nice meeting you, James Bond," I said with a small smile, opening the door to go back into the dinner.

"You do know my last name is Neal, right? Not Bond?" I heard his worried voice yell out just as the door closed behind me. I laughed to myself.



Cold and empty. That's what my bed felt like without Ellis, yet again. I was so used to it though, that the pain that used to sting like hell was only just a twinge now. A sigh and one tear was all I let out before I succumbed to sleep.

The next morning, still no Ellis. I heaved myself out of bed and made breakfast. I ate alone and in silence, only the sound of my fork scraping the plate was heard. I thought about Ellis. And, reluctantly, I thought about James. They were so different. I loved Ellis though, while James was just a really nice, really cute stranger.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't love Ellis anymore. I loved the thought of someone being there. I loved the thought of not being alone and sleeping next to a warm body. But I didn't love Ellis. No, I just missed being loved.

The doorbell rang and I slowly got up to answer it. I opened the door to a man holding a dozen or so roses and smiling so wide it looked like it hurt.

"Delivery for Annie Saunders," he beamed. I gave him a weird look and took the flowers.

"Thank you.... um, who should I be thanking for these?" I asked, letting myself hope for a split second that Ellis had sent them.

"There's a card I think," he said, still smiling. I mumbled a thanks. "Well, have a fabulous-"

The door slamming cut off his overly cheerful voice. I sat down and read the card. I gaped at the chicken scratch that told me these were from James. I bit my lip and thought for a minute, then I smiled to myself.

I picked up my phone and texted Ellis.

We're through. I'm sorry that you weren't enough.

I didn't wait for a response before I looked down at the address in chicken scratch handwriting and plugged it into my phone, getting a cab and heading towards something that, for the very first time in my life, I had no idea about.

Once I got to his house, I started to get nervous. The adrenaline I had felt earlier was no longer with me. My hands shook as I knocked on his door.

A tan, dark-haired girl answered the door and stared at me for a minute. "Can I 'elp you?"

Oh, my god she was French. I had no god damn chance. I was ready to turn around and run. Then I saw James' appear behind her.

"Vero, who's at the-" he stopped talking and sucked in a breath. "Annie."

At his piercing look I suddenly started babbling under his gaze. "Oh yeah, how did you find out my name? And my address for that matter? And I can't believer you had the audacity to send me roses and try to woo me when you know I have, I mean had, a boyfriend. Oh, and also-"

Suddenly his lips covered mine and I stopped talking, returning his kiss as deeply as I could. He pulled away, but I held onto the back of his head, our foreheads touching.

"I like you," he said bluntly. The genuine way he said it and the sweet smile that graced his face made my stomach flutter with butterflies.

"Me too, Bond," I said lightly. He smirked.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" he said mockingly. I rolled my eyes, still smiling.

"Had, as in, past tense."

He kissed me again and I smiled into it.

"I'm dreaming.." I accidentally whispered out loud. James laughed loudly.

"Nope, babe. This is reality."

And it was.