Dream Myself A Dream Come True

"You don't look so good, Stell." Aubrey commented, looking me straight in the eye.

"I didn't really get much sleep last." Stella confessed, hoping Aubrey wouldn't ask the reason why she didn't get any sleep.

"Why?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Wow, Aub, you really shouldn't strain yourself," Stella put her hand over her heart, "I wouldn't want your heart to fail on account of you caring so much." She added with a bit of bitterness and a lot of sarcasm.

Aubrey rolled her eyes and sighed under her breath. "Stop being so dramatic. It's called making conversation. Jesus. Now tell me why you didn't sleep well." She huffed.

Stella stared at her in disbelief, and her mouth hung open slightly. She swallowed and said, "Well someone certainly forgot to take her medication this morning."

Aubrey scowled, and insisted, "Continue."

"Okay. Fine. I had a bad dream..." Stella stopped, hoping that would be enough to satisfy her.

"And? Tell me more about this dream. It must have been good to keep you from sleeping." Aubrey inquired, as she scooted closer to Stella in the already small bus seat.

"Well... it... was... about Rowan; the day he left me." Stella felt that all too familiar heat come to her cheeks. Her eyes burned when she tried to hold back her tears.

"Oh, Stell. Don't cry," Aubrey said as wiped a tear that managed to slip past Stella's eyelids. "Some day, you'll find someone that means more to you than Rowan ever did." She smiled, and rubbed Stella's shoulder, encouraging her to feel better.

By that time, the school bus had arrived at Warhill High School. Everyone, including Aubrey and Stella, began to come off the bus one by one. Stella and Aubrey began to make their way through the massive crowd of teenagers that had gathered on the lawn of their school. Finally, they got through the door and into the building. Together, they walked towards their lockers, that were conveniently placed next to one another. They grabbed their supplies and headed their separate ways, but not without saying good bye first.

On her way to class, Stella noticed the large poster for the Junior and Senior Prom hanging above the hallway. It was counting the days before Prom came. Only six days left. And for Stella that meant only six days of her high school experience left. She was a senior this year, and she graduated on Friday. The prom was on Saturday. Since the first day she met Rowan, she had wanted to experience everything with him, including Prom. The thought of her not being able to experience that with him brought tightness to her chest, and caused her cheeks to lose their normally rosy color.

In the background noise, Stella heard the warning bell ring and realized she had better start going to her first hour class. Slowly, she moved from her frozen position in the middle of the hallway towards English, room 125. Eventually, she arrived, sliding into her seat just seconds before the final bell rang.

Stella floated through the rest of the school day; interacting with her classmates, talking to Aubrey, and eating carefully at lunch. She was there physically, but not mentally. Her mind was reeling over the renewed thoughts of Rowan. Eventually the time came when she got to leave a period early, and go to her job at the local book store.

Stella went to her locker, and said goodbye to Aubrey, with a promise to call her later. She headed out the main doors and walked towards downtown. After a short walk, she arrived at Twice Told Tales Bookstore. She pushed on the door, and listened for the small ringing of the bell that sat atop the door. The door didn't swing open, in fact, it didn't swing at all.

"Oh boy. Larry must've locked up early and forgot to call again. At least I have the day off now." Stella said quietly to herself. Because her house wasn't that far from the bookstore and the bus that would take her home wouldn't be coming for at least three more hours, Stella decided to walk home.

After a not-so-gruesome two-mile walk home, Stella arrived home to see that her parents still hadn't come back. She sprinted up to her room, and landed sloppily on her bed. In her exhaust, sleep came easily. Before long, Stella had fallen in a deep, slightly disturbed sleep.

Rowan pulled up in his 1969 Volkswagen Beetle that he spent four summers restoring with his uncle in Maine. He honked the horn, and Stella came bounding out the front door with an obnoxiously huge smile on her face. "Hi Stella," Rowan said with a smile that matched Stella's.

"Hello Rowan. Where are we going today?" Stella couldn't help asking giddily.

"It's a surprise," Rowan said, raising his right eyebrow and then winked.

"Aw," Stella said with her lower lip quivering, trying her best to make a convincing puppy dog face.

Following twenty minutes of blissfully peaceful silence, Stella and Rowan slowly arrived at Mid-County Park. "Close your eyes and wait here, please." Rowan commanded, flashing a gentle smile.

"Okay," Stella responded, her smile equally as sweet.

A few moments later, Rowan came back to retrieve Stella and lead her to his surprise."Okay Stell, keep your eyes close, and walk with me. I'll guide you." With that, Stella rose up out of the car, keeping her eyes closed at all times. She cautiously followed Rowan to clearing surrounded by giant oak, maple, and birch trees. In the small clearing, there lay a large plaid blanket with a brown picnic basket sitting on top of it. "Open your eyes."

Stella blinked her eyes open, nervous of what may be in front of her. Her anxiety melted when she saw Rowan had created a picnic in the park for them. "Rowan, I love it!" Stella exclaimed, giggling with delight. She leaned over and pecked him ever so slightly on the lips. Rowan sat down on the blanket, and gestured for Stella come down and join him.

Stella sat down next to Rowan, and he pulled her into his lap. She snuggled up against his shoulder, as he popped a grape into her mouth. "You're so encredibly wonderful Rowan," Stella commented.

Stella's eyes flew open to see the sun going down. She sat up and began sobbing, her pain and suffering finally boiling over.