heyitsbelle
Atarah Madden has spent her life learning how to survive.
At eighteen, she balances school, work, and family responsibilities, carrying the weight of adulthood far too early. Each day demands strength she barely has left, and each night feels shorter than the last. Reality is relentless, unforgiving, loud, and exhausting.
But when Atarah sleeps, the world softens.
In her dreams, she meets Azriel Lee Haynes, someone who listens, understands, and gently challenges the walls she's built around herself. Through quiet conversations and places she's never been, Atarah finds peace she can't seem to reach when she's awake.
As the line between dreaming and living begins to blur, Atarah must face a question she's been avoiding for years:
Is escaping reality the only way to survive it or is learning to wake up the braver choice?
A slow-burn, emotional story about loneliness, hope, and the courage it takes to face life when running feels easier.