Don't wake me up, not just yet.- Anderperry

7

As soon as I woke up, I was baffled to see his crown on the corner of my bed. And my watch was missing. I felt a bit of a panic and I started to walk around my room like a mad man! Tripping into a bunch of stuff as the bright sunlight blinded my newly opened eyes. I went to slap my face multiple times, checking to see if I would wake up but I didn't. The crown remained on my bed and my wrist empty.

My initial thought was to hide the crown under the bed. People would think I stole it from their house if they saw his crown. No sane person would believe I took it from my dream, even I can't believe it.

But whenever night falls, I would hold the crown before I lay down and close my eyes. And for every night that I meet Neil, he gets more translucent, the white walls get darker, and his touch starting to feel like nothing. It was airy before but now it feels like nothing. But the crown remains as it is. Vivid, tangible, it was perfectly fine. But Neil, he was really fading away and I'm losing him again, only difference is, I was given time to prepare myself.

But I know I couldn't ever be prepared for such. He was my best friend, the love of my life. I may have never admitted it to him but I was deeply in love with him. From the moment we shook hands and to the moment I last saw him. And up until now I am certain that I still do.

Today is the 6th day, 2nd to the last day of me being given the chance to be with him in my dreams. And in my dream, the room was dark, almost pitch black, and Neil was barely visible. He was practically a faint white outline. The only reason I knew he was there was because he was wearing the watch. Just like the crown, the watch was very much visible.

"Tomorrow is the last chance I'll ever see you again... right?" He nods. I couldn't figure out whether he was smiling or not, but his eyes were squinting so I guessed that he was. His eyes always squint when he smiles. I always liked that about him.

"Neil, are there things you wished you said before you died? Or wished you did?" He nodded once more, giggling a bit. I could've sworn I heard him laugh!

"Neil, can you talk?" And he only put a finger to his lips and 'shh'. What the hell?! Why doesn't he want to talk to me? I only sighed of defeat and let it go. It's not like I can force him to talk. And I know because I tried but he wouldn't give in. You should've seen how stupid the scene looked. I was shaking him just yelling "Talk to me, Neil!"

And inevitably, I gave up and for the rest of the night we kinda just laid there while staring at each other. His eyes were wide open and so were mine and we just stared at each other. Hand in hand as we did. Like I said, I couldn't feel it, but I could see it. A few moments into staring, his face was staring to turn more... opaque? Don't know if that's me imagining things in my own dream or it was just really him turning more vivid. Maybe I stared for too long.

I did not stop staring and when the room started shaking, he was perfectly clear and visible again. It was as if he was real! And for the first time, he finally said something. All he said was,

"I'll see you tomorrow! Don't be late."

The way he said it was in a sort of whisper but it was perfectly audible. Like he whispered straight into my ear. And before I could process everything that was going on... Boom!

I woke up with sunlight hitting me straight in the eyes and I was now sitting at the same old boring dorm room. Yeah nothing new happened when I woke up- wait shit no. The crown was gone! My watch too was back, perfectly placed on my wrist! Did Neil put it back? I was confused and a little pissed. Who touched the crown?

———

I think it's so obvious I'm getting lazy with this story LMAO. Low-key insecure with my writing because it isn't giving POETIC. Because erm I just don't write like that. My bad😢 Love you all for the support though:)