I touched the beautiful flowers that shone like diamonds in the sunlight, petal as soft as cotton. The scenery that unravelled at my sight looked like a jungle out of a storybook.

I heard someone sing softly from afar, voice a perfect symphony, each word blending together in precise harmony,
"How could I
tell my heart to see
that it's gotta learn to be
Without you

It's been a
hundred seven days
but I never found
a way just how to..."

I walked towards the music, the jungle went on and on, emerald climbers engulfed the tall trees and the grass was covered with tiny pebbles and flowers.

In the corner of a tall oak tree stood an enormous mirror that reflected me. I saw a familiar strong arm gripped my shoulders through the mirror and he uttered softly:

"you look beautiful in this white gown Helen, like an angel fallen from heaven" and ran his hands teasingly on the collar, tracing the lace patterns that travelled downwards on my dress, although his face was covered behind my long hair I stared at his reflection in awe.

I heard the music from the opposite direction, a path that was floating with flower petals, white and red roses, and daisies. I withdrew from his touch, he shuddered in confusion, "don't please" he said but I left him standing near the mirror and walked on the path that dominated the melody.

The scenery changed from tall trees to a vast meadow, full of white daisies. I gaped at my favourite flowers in astonishment, pinnacles ran throughout the place.

A boy was laid peacefully in the middle of the meadow, humming the song I heard from a distance, his voice floated smoothly across the meadow. I closed the gap from him and sat next to him.

He sensed my presence as he stopped singing and spoke, "you finally arrived, I was waiting so long for you Elen" and straightened himself.

I stared flabbergasted at the boy seated next to me, he was Aiden Elton with all his glory and tackiness. He came closer to me and placed a kiss on my cheeks while I only stayed dumbfound by the catastrophe.

The setting of the meadow darkened and I started to fall out of it, the beauty started to evaporate in front of my eyes along with the smiling Aiden. I started screaming, desperately trying to cling into Aidens extended hands " don't let me go, please" but I fell far from him.

I opened my eyes slowly, adjusting to the sunlight that poured into my bedroom. I felt tears streaming down my orifices but I didn't know why I wept? The dream seemed so real, everything crystal clear.

I wondered why I dreamed of Aiden, although the reasons hung straight in my face, but wasn't I yearning for my dream boy all this time? I kept recollecting the dream, Aidens magnificent voice to the desperate pleas of my dream love.

I shuffled through the sheets to get myself upright, my hand brushed a crushed piece of paper from the previous morning. I kept reading the letter again before I fell asleep.

I looked baffled at my mysterious dream loves request of a dress task. I walked into my bathroom for a bath, but the basics of shampooing and scrubbing seemed a hard task with my mind running a complex marathon of its own.

I walked out of my bathroom in a towel and stared at my closet in confusion. Turmoil set my mood off. I got dressed in a black hoodie and faded blue jeans and walked down to the kitchen.

I noticed that my mom had placed two lunch boxes and a plate of salad on the dining table. I sat quietly and ate my salad.

"Why aren't you wearing red?" Asked my mom out of the blue.

"I didn't feel like it" I asserted simply and avoided looking at her.

"Isn't that what you always wanted?" She questioned again.

Tears weld up in my eyes, I didn't want to narrate my dream or my current state of dilemma to anyone when I am confused myself.

"Let's not talk about it please" I stated and hastily wiped my tears and left to school mumbling a 'bye' to mom.

I scanned the parking lot to see if my dream boy was waiting to vouch for his dress task but I didn't come upon anyone noticing me.

Cole stood at the entrance and his face scrunched in confusion when he saw me.

"Why are you wearing black?" He asked, disarray clear in his voice.

"I don't want to wear red" I confessed.

"But why?" He asked. I wanted to confide in him but how could I? Aiden was his brother, I stared nonplussed at him.

"Ele, you can tell me anything," he said with his worrisome tone.

I looked at him and looked at the ground and said slowly, measuring my words "I...I think I have a crush on Aiden"

It took a while but I didn't get any answers from Cole so I peeked at him and saw he had a shocked reaction so I said, "Cole? please tell me something".

"Okay... I don't know what to say" he answered and went back to thinking.

I stared at Cole but his face was completely blank so I waved a 'bye' and walked to my first class. I checked around the class for suspicion but I didn't find anyone resembling my dream lover so I sat in my usual seat in the corner and tried to concentrate on my lesson.

My first class history went smoothly, I tried to listen to the lecture but my mind kept wandering to the blank Cole who masked his emotions. I wondered if he started to hate me.

I decided to ask Cole about it during lunch and started to concentrate on the notes. I saw Nathan enter the classroom, late as usual but most alarmingly he didn't take his usual seat with his jocks instead he came towards my table and sat in the chair next to mine.

I decided to keep quiet. since Liz's departure, the seat next to me became vacant and it wouldn't be fair to ask anyone to not occupy that seat.

"So are you fighting with one of your boyfriends?" he mocked. I glared at him but I didn't want to make a fuss in the classroom and attract attention.

"Why? got bored of your girlfriend already?" I shooted back.

"Then why do you look upset?" he inquired ignoring my sarcastic question.

"It is none of your business," I said and started to write my notes.

"But it's really fun to see you sulking" he admitted. I glared at him but he didn't look like he is enjoying his face read something unreadable to me.

I got up from my seat and said loudly, "Excuse me, sir, I need a change of seat please", professor Lang looked at me and at Nathan and understood the situation so he permitted me to sit in the front row next to a girl who had huge glasses that covered half of her face.

I smiled at her and took my seat, she peeked from her glasses now and then but she shied away from the conversation. I respected her space and kept quiet.

The rest of the class went in a blur and everyone started to walk out once the bell rang. I picked my things and started to go out.

Nathan kept a restricting hand in the door, blocking my way. I raised my eyebrow in question and waited,

" Why did you change places?" He asked I wondered if he is for real.

"Why, did I hurt your egos? Golden king" I snapped.

"Don't call me that" he said

"Then how about 'asshole'?" I mocked and continued "I don't have time for douchebags, move!", and forcefully spat his hand away and walked towards my next class.

The bell rang, indicating the time for lunch. My stomach rumbled but I didn't know if its for hunger or for facing Cole. I walked towards our usual place in the library but Cole wasn't there, seems like he was affected by my confession.

I sat and took out my lunch but I didn't feel like eating,

"You forgot me!" Cole informed playfully and sat in his usual seat opposite to me.

I looked at him in confusion, he noticed that and said, "alright Ele, I'm sorry for behaving like that. it was a- at the moment thing".

"So you're not upset about it?"I asked him.

"No, just surprised" he answered and I exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Here, take your lunch," I told and pushed his box towards him and we started eating.

"So what's the plan?" he asked suddenly.

"Eat quickly and get to our next class?" I asked him skeptically.

"Not that Ele, I mean what are we going to do next about your new-found love and your old dream lover?" he asked in irritation.

I didn't know what to say to him, discussing about his brother in a romantic way didn't sit right in my opinion.

"How many times should I keep repeating to you that you can tell me anything" Cole informed noticing my unease.

"He is your brother" I informed him slowly, voicing out my thoughts.

"I'll pretend him as a stranger, now you can confide and also I know you have a crush on him from the very start. So spill!" he squealed, excitement clear in his voice.

"I don't know what to do" I stated truthfully and waited for him to say something.

"What do you mean you don't know?" He asked and continued, " okay let me put it this way if you're in love with my brother then what happens to Mr Anonymous?". If I knew it, then would I be asking him?

" Crush!" I exclaimed and continued "and honestly I don't know, I feel like I'm betraying my dream lover" I clarified and slumped in my chair, hurt engulfing me again.

"Can you tell me who you are in love with and as a matter of fact, you don't know who your dream lover is and it's not a sin to explore your feeling it's not like you are in a relationship" he clarified.

Cole had a point but my confusion didn't stop gnawing my senses. I wondered over what Cole said, I loved my dream lover but I'm also developing feelings for Aiden, I wondered how this is considered as loyal?

"But isn't this what you call as infidelity?" I asked him slowly.

Cole gaped at me and began to laugh and said, "No Ele, this is not infidelity. You are not in a relationship so you have all the liberty to explore your feelings"

"So it's okay to have a crush on Aiden". I said and tasted the words.

"Yes! Now tell me everything about it" he squealed like a kid and gestured for me to speak when I kept silent.

I narrated him about my dream and my little breakdown. Cole seemed delighted about the happenings, ignoring my breakdown completely.

"Can I tell you about this to Aiden?" He asked enthusiastically.

I knew Cole couldn't keep his mouth shut, but he can't tell this to Aiden when I am confused myself and importantly it was not his place to tell Aiden although he was his brother. So I cut him off with "You will not utter a single word to Aiden about this..."

"Tell me what Ele?" Came Aidens voice interfering my conversation from my back.

_________________________________________

Authors note
Awards

Guess editing was the right choice!

Hey guys we've won 2nd place in the magical community!

***

The black hoodie