Lil' Short Stories

Exotic. Bright. Beautiful.

(this is based on a true dream)

All my closest friends and eighth grade classmates are here, in this college campus. It's secluded from the rest of the world by distanced boarders of stringy moss vines, but it's open—so open.

We're all at a theater, rehearsing for a play in a run-down yet well-enjoyed auditorium. Backstage is high-tech and well-functioning. The stage, its self, is wide and spacious with the height of a skyscraper. The audience is scattered among the seat. We're close to finishing for the rest of the afternoon, giving everyone time to rest up and hang out before nightfall.

A college student carrying a couple note books approaches a small, skinny high school girl—me. He asks, "What production are you guys doing?"

No one is nearby, so I attempt to answer before he stops me with another question, "Aren't you hot in that?" He points to the dark sweatshirt and a long sleeve hidden underneath, in the middle of summer in an exotic ruins area. He himself is wearing a white tank top and something that looks like swim trucks.

"Yeah. I thought it was getting a little warm in here," I take of the sweatshirt, but remind myself that my long sleeve underneath is cropped, and now my stomach is exposed. I stop mid way, still revealing my stomach.

My arms are in the air and my face is engulfed by the hot sweater. I feel someone's hand pulling down my shirt, and I quickly finish ripping of the hot jacket, "Thank you."

He lets go and looks at me intensely. His glance shifts upward and gapes at a backdrop that I painted before arriving at the campus. "That looks really good! Whose work is that?"

"Mine, actually. I appreciate my fans," I say beaming.

My friends start to trickle into our conversation and it grows to where the whole cast and crew are waiting near the side entrance to be dismissed. The directors call out that we're all finished for the day; we celebrate and drain out of the darkened area into the white light of sunshine.

All my friends and the college guy group up and walk to the dorms together. "Hey. When are the performances?" A strong voice says, fully knowing one of my friends isn't speaking.

I call out, "Next Thursday to Saturday."

"Okay, good. I want to see the backdrop in action on stage."

"Good. I think it wants to see it's fans watching in the audience." He smiles and I give one right back.

One of my classmates, ahead of everyone waves me over, yelling, "Hey! I think you can beat your record today!" He's waiting for me afoot of long and wide stairs.

"Is that a challenge?" I call back out.

"Of course!"

I pace myself to catch up with him and squat to give him a piggyback ride all the way up the stairs, just like Rocky running up the Lincoln Memorial steps, except with another person on his back. I run up with my classmate clutching to my body to keep balance and I glide up without a hitch. When I get to the top, I drop my friend down the leveled flooring and throw my arms in the air with sheer joy. "I made it to the top! Beat that!"

All my friends are at the bottom cheering me on and I skip back down the steps to join them, again. They all clap, but college guy is the last one to finish.

"Wow. A girl who can run up stairs with another person on their back—who probably weighs more than them—is a machine." He says, with a smile and walks backwards with his eyes still locked onto mine.

I yell out, "Bye! My backdrop misses you already!"

He spins around, a smile still stuck on his face and walks into his dorm room.

I spin to my group with their eyes on me with goofy shocked expressions...

...that's when i wake up...

<3

hey hey it's jules!! i actually had a dream that went like this. i generally don't act like this (kinda why my friends are shocked at the end) but i can if i want to ;) let me know if you'd want to see a continuation!! thank you for reading; i hope you enjoyed this and had a good day!!