"This is insane," Kael mumbled for the tenth time that day. He couldn't accomplish anything—no writing, no sleeping, and not even making a simple breakfast. Why? Because he kept experiencing the same strange and mysterious dream for the past week. In the dream, he always found himself in the middle of a forest, surrounded by some golden threads that appeared to be weaving themselves together on their own. That was odd enough, but what was even stranger was that he wasn't alone. There was a girl in the distance, and although she was far away, he could clearly see her eyes. He had no idea how that was possible, but he knew they were beautiful—forest green. Whenever he tried to move, he found himself unable to, and then he would suddenly wake up. It was bizarre, really bizarre. This had been happening for a week, disrupting his sleep and daily activities. Now, as he attempted to make himself a cup of coffee, he just stood there, lost in thought about that annoying dream. He rolled his eyes and left the kitchen, giving up on the coffee. He lived alone in his condo.
As a writer, he appreciated his solitude, peace, and quiet, which helped him think clearly without distractions. He settled onto his sofa and turned on his phone, which he usually kept off or on silent. Like he mentioned, he valued his peace, and his family and friends didn’t understand that. Not even his family knew where his condo was. Coming from the wealthy and famous 'Walker' family, known for its writers, he always felt the pressure and attention surrounding him.
To get away from everything, he buys a condo far from his family and all the attention. As he mentioned, no one knows where he lives, except for his best friend, Aria. When his phone lit up with a message and he saw her name, he thought, "Speak of the devil." He clicked on it and read the message.
"I'm outside, open the door." He stood up and went to let her in. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a very excited and cheerful Aria. He often wondered where she got all her energy.
"Hello, sweetheart! How have you been? I missed you. Did you miss me?" she asked as she walked inside. He replied while closing the door.
"No." She sat down and rolled her eyes, taking a look around the room.
"How can you live here alone? It's so boring and quiet! You bought a condo almost out in the woods. You’re practically living in the forest!"
"Well, I like it this way. I’m not like you, always needing people around."
"That’s true; I am a model, after all," she said with a sweet smile.
Kael has been friends with Aria since they were kids. She’s the only person he enjoys being around. He especially appreciates her company during his writer’s block. Aria comes from a wealthy family of businesspeople, and she is the heir who plans to take over the family business soon. She is also a model and claims she can handle both careers, and she truly does. Her family runs a home goods and furniture company, and she has been working closely with her parents to help manage it.
She is also very attractive. Her straight black hair that falls to her waist, her bright blue eyes shine, and her smile is infectious. She makes a great model. Kael might have dated her if she weren’t so annoying. Aria interrupted his thoughts.
"How about this: I'm sure you've been stuck in this condo without going out. Let's go out and have some fun, what do you think?"
"No," he answered immediately.
"Ugh, is 'no' the only word you know? Come on, it’ll be great. I can tell you’re dealing with a little writer's block since you’re not glued to your laptop typing. Please?" She gave him a hopeful look. Kael thought, 'Darn it, I really do have writer's block. She knows me too well.' But he didn't realize he said that out loud.
"Of course I do! I am your one and only love, right?" Kael stood up and started walking towards his room.
"Is that a yes?" She didn’t get a response, but she already knew the answer.
"I love you."
"Fuck you " Kael replied before disappearing from her view. Aria burst into laughter.
Sunlight filtered into Kael’s room through the blinds. He woke up to his alarm ringing, showing it was 7 a.m. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his face, feeling tired and worn out.
"Aria’s idea of fun is always wild," he thought, yet he still chose to go along with it. He remembered the night before. They had gone to a club, and Aria really let loose, drinking and dancing. At one point,
Kael felt worried for her and realized she must really need a break since this behavior was unusual for her. She enjoys partying, but not to this level. He decided to limit his drinking so he could safely get them both home, which he was grateful for.
Afterward, he stood up and headed to the bathroom
in the mirror, he saw that he looked dishevelled, his black wavy hair covered his face. He brushed his teeth, took a shower, and then made himself a simple breakfast of toast and coffee. Once he finished eating, he went to the living room and turned on the TV, tuning into a news channel. The news anchor was discussing damage done to the forest near the city. The report included a video showing the destruction, with trees uprooted and a large hole in the ground.
"Wow, what could have caused such damage?" Kael wondered, but he didn't have time to think about it because he had a novel to focus on which is soon due for publishing. He then turned off the TV and went to his room to continue his work. And for now, putting aside the dream that keeps coming back to him.
