Dreamer

Prologue

Tia's POV

I was a dreamer, I've always known that. My head was always stuck in fiction. It was hard to find me anywhere else. Reading, drawing, thinking, I was always doing one of the three. In my mind my hair wasn't always brown, and my eyes weren't always telling my mood. I liked to think that even my eyes told the world I was always stuck in my fantasies. Fantasies, it was such a harsh word in my opinion. It's what I called them though, because reality was just as harsh as the word. I was just a dreamer, living in a small town, with a small group of friends, in a state that nobody interesting ever came to. My friends would disagree though, people who did anime came here. I could never really get into anime, even though I tried. I always got into TV shows, books, and music. If you ask me something about Chandler Riggs, Shawn Mendes, or The Walking Dead I could more than likely tell you. If you ask me what I'm doing this weekend, I couldn't tell you that now. I didn't even know. I never did. I thought I was going to hang out with my best friend this weekend, but instead I was laying on my bedroom floor with my eyes closed and engulfed in blankets. I was being a dreamer.

"Hi, my name's Chris Hardwick, and welcome to The Talking Dead! With me tonight is Scott Gimple and Chandler Riggs!" Chris said as I watched from my front row seat. I started clapping like everyone else, but I didn't pull my eyes away. Chandler and I had eye contact. I was sitting next to my best friend-my fantasy best friend. Never in a million years would I be best friends with him. It was Shawn Mendes. As Chris was talking I was listening, but Chandler wasn't. He was watching me. He knew me, but he didn't know how. Suddenly, Chris started talking about a special guest. There was only room for two people on that couch, where would the special guest sit? Suddenly, a video started playing. "Tia! Come out of your bedroom!" The voice commanded. "No, Shawn! If I don't watch the episode he won't die! He'll still be alive to me! I can't watch Carl die!" A girl said, it was me. I blush, breaking eye contact as I slide down in my seat. The person recording the video opened the door and walked into my bedroom for the weekend. I was wearing my Carl costume. Boyish not-so-skinny jeans, a white shirt, a blue and grey flannel, white gauze over my eye with a tan bandage wrapped around my head, and a black hat. (A/N: photo above). I had tears in my eye as I was sitting on the floor. A strong arm with a guitar tattoo reached out and carefully pulled me to my feet. "Tia, you have to come say goodbye. We have to leave now or we can't go see The Talking Dead." Shawn said, and a tear fell down my cheek. The video ended. "That's our special guest tonight, folks. Tia LaFoy, and she's sitting right in the front row." Chris said, standing up. I started shaking my head no as as he started walking my way. Chris pulled me out of my seat and Shawn made me stand. I kept my head down in embarrassment as I walked on stage with Chris. "Weren't you on the cover of October's issue of The Walking Dead magazine?" Scott asked. I felt rage boil in me as he spoke to me, but I kept my cool. "U-Uh, yeah. I was." I said, awkwardly standing where Chris placed me, which was between him and Chandler. I was still in my Carl costume from the video. "So, Tia, as I said you're our special guest tonight. You seem to be a true..."

"Hey, Tia. Come on, it's time to open our presents." My annoying brother said. " Bridgett and Dad are getting up now." He said, and I sighed as I got up with my minion blanket. I loved Christmas, but I was just really getting into my fantasy. I walked into the living room, sitting on the couch. "Hey, wait for them to get in here! You know mum is gonna want to take pictures." I say, knowing he won't listen. " It's Christmas, Trista. Why can't you let me have fun?" He shot at me, and I glared at him. "It's Tia, and I didn't say not to open them at all. I said wait on Mum and Dad. What if  they got you something special? They're gonna wanna catch it on camera." I say, and thankfully in walked mum and Dad. Mum was my mom, but not my mother. I'm not sure where my mother was, but I didn't care. I had mum, who was technically my stepmother. My brother and I shared a Dad, but not mothers. His mom and mother were the same person. Our dad and father were the same person. I smile at mum and Dad, getting up and moving towards the tree. I started to hand out the gifts. Once I finished I sat on the floor with my gifts, starting with the ones that felt least important. It was a gift I had, sensing things. I was confused though, the most important gift was a slightly bulky envelope. I looked at my parents, confused. I tore open the envelope, taking a deep breath as I pulled out three different tickets and a few letters addressed to me. I studied two of the tickets, and they were plane tickets... to and from LA? Then I looked at the third ticket, and my jaw dropped. It was a ticket to watch The Talking Dead! Then I started reading the letters.

Dear Tia LaFoy,

This email is to confirm your two night stay in the Continental Inn located in Los Angelas, California from Saturday February 24, 2018 to Monday February 26, 2018. You are the only person staying in this room, and have made the request in advance for one of our taxis to deliver you to the following address on Sunday February 25, 2018 at 7:00 PM: 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA. The following morning at 10:00 AM you have requested one of our taxis take you to the following address: 1 World Way, Los Angeles, California 90045. If this information is incorrect please let us know.

Thank You For Choosing Continental Inn.

Dear Tia LaFoy,

Thank you for submitting your fan art, and I would like to congratulate you for being in this week's The Walking Dead's Official Fan Art.

Chris Hardwick

Dear Tia LaFoy,

Thank you for submitting your cosplay, and I would like to congratulate you for being this week's cosplay winner to be featured on The Talking Dead.

Chris Hardwick

Dear Tia LaFoy,

You are the first person to purchase a ticket for the front row seats for our show this week. In congratulations for this we would like to have you be our fan from the crowd to ask a question on stage.

Chris Hardwick