She | LOUIS PARTRIDGE X READER

Chapter 25 - The Dream of Having

Y/n's pov

"Now I don't know what version of Cinderella you're reading," Dad jokingly comments after hearing every part of what I thought happened the past 'few months', "you sure you got some sleep?"

I snort under my breath, trying not to smile at his response, "Speaking of sleep, how long did I apparently go to sleep last night?" I ask myself, looking down at the now empty mug in front of me.

"You went to sleep at four, correct?"

"After four, before five."

"And you woke up around 3:24... Y/n, you were taking the place of Sleeping Beauty for 11 hours."

"11 h-"

"I know, I know, that's the average amount of rest a 6 year old gets, but-"

"No, that's about three hours more than what I usually get each night."

The whole room becomes quiet for a moment, while my mind is busy and occupied with way too many things.

"I'm, uh, sorry to break it to you kid but... I'm 99% sure that fantasy book of yours was a dream."

I sigh, trying to brush off the disappointment. "I'm starting to think it really was. There's no way- I mean, I could never- he- none of that even happened."

He forces a weak smile at me, I get up from my stool and approach the door, grabbing my coat from the tall rack. "I'm going out, might be back in an hour or so." I mutter before walking out.

I stepped outside to see that it was still raining. The perfect weather for how I feel right now, if I have to be honest.

The second I step on the sidewalk, I stop and stare at the ground, looking at my blurred reflection in the puddle before me. I swallow hard as the rain starts to pour harder and harder, drops splattering on the top of my head one after the other.

That dream... even though I was asleep, it had me feeling something in my subconsciousness. Perhaps I'd smiled in my sleep. Perhaps my stomach was filled with butterflies for a moment.

But then, I woke up.

And it wasn't real.

However, it felt real. So real.

I'd dreamt all that in 11 hours?

"Hey," a familiar voice speaks, snapping me out of my thoughts as I look up. It's Louis. He's alone, wasn't he going to be with his girlfriend? W- nevermind. I won't even bother asking anymore questions.

"You alright now?" He asks as I continue to stand in front of the puddle from afar.

I shrug, "Don't really have an answer for that one. Most likely not." I weakly smile and walk across the street, heading towards the local café.

With every step I take, I overthink. Was I too dramatic when answering Louis' question? Was I mean? What if I was a jerk for walking off instead of continuing to talk to him? I mean, it wasn't my intention, I just didn't know what to do.

-

"Hello miss," a sweet and gentle voice greets as I walk up to the counter to order my drink in the café, "what would you like today?"

My eyes light up as I take in the familiar face of the woman. It's the same petite, ginger-haired, freckled girl from the last time- Louis and I came here together. After we went to the bookstore.

Now that I think about it, that wasn't in the dream. It happened before Friday, I can't be wrong about that...

"Hi there, I'll have-" I reply, but stop once a huge burst of commotion disrupts, startling everyone in the area with their heads looking up from whatever they were doing.

The girl furrows her eyebrows and steps back a little, taking a quick glance behind her, "I'm so sorry, I'll come back to you I just gotta..."

I nod, letting her check on whatever started the noise.

A short 2 minutes passes by when she comes back with a slight look of disbelief on her face. "Boss is not going to be happy today, someone's going to get fireddd..." a quick laugh forms out of her mouth and focuses on the screen in front of her again. "Sorry, again, what were you saying?"

"It's alright- I'll have a vanilla cappuccino with a dash of cinnamon," I say, trying my very hardest not to laugh as well.

"Will that be all for today?"

"Indeed."

"3.25 please."

I give her my cash and I sit down at a nearby table, waiting for the drink.

"Here you go, enjoy!" The green eyed girl comes up to me and sets the cappuccino in front of me.

"Thank you so much!"

"My pleasure. Hey, I've seen you here before. Not too long ago, you were with a boy, remember?"

I get an instant flashback. So that was real. I'm not crazy- at least I know that did happen.

I look down at the cup and wrap my fingers around the small handle. "I do, yeah, uhm, it was a fun day."

She tilts her head and sits down in front of me, "Are you okay? You seem a bit sad about it."

"I'm somewhat okay, I don't know."

"Oh wait, I'm sorry if something happened that you prefer not to talk about, forgive me, I-"

"No it's fine! Really, it's just... a lot has happened. Mentally."

"I'm listening."

"I'm sure you don't want to hear it, it's like a whole life story at this point."

"Please, I'm on an hour break right now. I have time."

"Alright, then."

And so I did, I told her, I cried, I ranted, I vented—most of the tears were from laughing, surprisingly. She listened, payed attention like I was the only important subject in the world. It was nice.

"Girl, that was a whole roller coaster. I don't blame you for feeling so bummed about it, I would be too. I've been through something similar, it was all a dream too. I felt disconnected with reality; myself, even. It took me a while to go back to normal and accept the truth, I know you'll be okay though. You will."

"Thank you, I appreciate you for being here, honestly. You didn't have to do this."

"But I did. It seems like you've finished your cap, shall I take it?"

"Of course." I watch as she takes the lonely cup away from me, but I stop her before she fully walks away, "Can I catch your name?"

She turns around and smiles, "I'm Sophia."

"I'm Y/n."

"Nice name."

"Thanks, I should go, I'll come by tomorrow."

"Sure thing, have a nice day."

I nod and leave the café, thanking the young gentleman who held the door open for me.

Keeping my head up and taking in the satisfying, comfort scent of rain and the sound of passing cars' tires rolling within the wet pavement, I feel content all of a sudden.

Why do I feel content? I'm not sure. Do I like this feeling? Yes, because it makes me have faith, and believe that everything will be okay.

You know that exact feeling when you have a dream that feels so real, but is later disappointed to wake up to the realization that it was all fake? Well, that's precisely what Y/n is experiencing as you read this.

after all, this wasn't a love story. this was a story where a girl dreamed of having a love story. Which, of course, almost everyone would love to have.

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