Once Upon A Dream

Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine: Dream Vs Reality

Cordelia

It had been a few hours since Riley took off back to his grandparents house and I already want to be back with him.

"We'll be back home tomorrow." Sherrie sounded.

I heard her but didn't respond.

"Something tells me you're going to have a tough time being at home now?"

I looked at her and smiled, "It's tough being away from him now that I know he's real, knowing I can be with him anytime now."

She gave me a sympathetic smile now, "Just don't get too lost in the moment with him....like don't go losing touch with reality."

I nodded, "I know, and if it helps any I didn't dream about him last night...we use to dream about each other every night before we met in real life." I confessed.

"I suppose that's a start."

"Trust me, I'm not going to lose myself and neither of us is going to go crazy." I knew that was her main worry as was Maxine's. "The truth is, we've essentially been dating each other for months...and yes we have so much to learn about each other but we also already know loads about one another...and you guys saw him, honestly...did he seem like he was in the same state of mind as Bryan?"

She looked at me and sighed, "Just be careful."

As annoyed as I was getting by hearing my friends say that...I knew they only want my safety more than anything. "I will...I promise."

Later that evening I called Riley and we talked for about an hour before I found myself yawning.

"I should go...I still need a shower before bed, and we have to drive back tomorrow so I should get as much sleep as I can." I said.

"Of course, I want you to be safe driving home okay, and...uh, well just give me a call to let me know you got home safe okay?"

I smiled, I've never really had a guy worry about me before. "Alright...Good night."

"Good Night." He said as we both hung up. I got up after that and did in fact have a shower before going to sleep for the night.

I fell asleep but sometime in the middle of the night I woke up, I got up and got a glass of water before returning to bed. I turned the ceiling fan on (figuring I was just hot) and closed my eyes to go back to sleep. Btu when I couldn't easily find sleep I tossed this way and turned that way before I sighed and decided the only way I was going to be able to sleep was to see if I could meet up with Riley.

Not really knowing if I'd meet him agin in the dream world like I had before we met I laid back, I closed my eyes, cleared my head of anything and focused.I thought about Riley, I imagined him in a bed, I thought about a little door in the back of his head, I envisioned a tiny version of myself walking through the door and after that I saw only darkness.

I could feel my dream version walking in the darkness before an opening came into view.

I hurried toward the opening and found that I was walking out of a football tunnel. I was at a football game.

The stands were crowded, the lights were bright and illuminated everything. The referee blew his whistle and some cheerleaders stood on the sideline cheering for the crowd.

The game continued as I took a seat in the stands.

"And number 19 Riley Grantson makes the pass..." The overhead announcer sounded excitedly. "...And it's a touchdown for the boys in blue!"

I stood up and cheered with the rest of the crowd.

The game continued and as I got lost in what was happening I noticed the game suddenly ended and everyone was starting to clear out.

Once again I stood up and watched as number 19 removed his helmet.

"Riley!" I shouted happy to see him.

His own handsome smile on display now. "Cordelia." he said as he rushed over and pulled me in for a hug. "Am I dreaming of you right now or are you really here."

"Technically I think it's both."

He shook his head, "I was so caught up in the game, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to drag you into my dream lovely."

I shook my head, "I couldn't sleep so I sort of willed myself into your dream...sorry for invading your privacy.

"Never apologize for that." He smiled and shook his head, "Since you're here I can introduce you to my friends from back home."

I stopped him, "As much as I'd like to meet them Riley...I don't think it's such a good idea."

He took a seat on the bleachers and I followed his lead.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I think that's how we are suppose to keep a grip on reality...Imagine me meeting your friend here, and I find out his name and get to know him and then say I meet him in real life one day and I'm carrying on as if I already know him because I will have essentially met him in here but he'd be a stranger in the real world."

I could see he understood.

"Again, I want to get to know everything about you, but we have to be careful now...I probably shouldn't have even come here tonight."

"If it happens then it happens, if you're here or I end up in your dream somehow...but maybe you're right...maybe it's for the best if we stick to just seeing each other in the real world now."

"It'll be hard being away from you...not being able to see you every night." I admitted sadly.

He sighed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, "I know...but we'll get through it, and things will get easier when you move to your dad's too."

I smiled and kissed his cheek.

He noticed the sun was coming up and we both knew It was time to go.

"Remember to call me when you get to your Mom's house."

I nodded and stood up I will.

He stood up and kissed me once before he looked at me and smiled. "You'll have to tell me just how you got here by the way."

I smiled, "a Magician never reveals their secrets."

I said it teasingly but if we wanted to keep our sanity I didn't need him trying it out.