Julie found herself in what has now become a familiar place. She was walking through the forest in the same heavy green dress with the wide skirt and the long white gloves as always.
She knew exactly where to go. She dreamed of this for the last three nights and every time she remembered more details.
Especially of him. Julie was excited to see his face again. The face of the man with the kind eyes and the warm smile. The man who makes her heart flutter when he calls her 'my love'.
Julie laments that she always wakes up right after she meets him. She wants to talk to him and find out why he appears in her dreams.
She was getting closer to the familiar clearing where she knows that he was waiting for her.
At first Julie felt confused about those dreams but every time she found herself in this forest, she was happy because she knew that she would see him again.
She arrived at the clearing and there he was standing in his uniform under that majestic oak tree and she knew what his next words will be.
"There you are my love. I was waiting desperately for you."
He was just a stranger in her dreams but the words he spoke to her were the one's of a lover and the butterflies in Julie's stomach also spoke of this kind of relationship.
Every time she dreams of him those feelings become more intense and Julie walked towards him with a smile that reflected his.
She just wanted a moment longer with him before she wakes up, so she focused on him to stay in this dream. Slowly she was getting closer and able to see his face more clearly.
When she was standing right in front of him his expression shifted to something more serious and in one swift move, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her against his body.
Julie eyes widened in surprise when his lips touched hers in the most passionate kiss. It was possessive and gentle at the same time and Julie unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She was melting into his embrace but he was holding her firmly against her and she felt save in his arms.
His lips moved skillfully against hers. It was like he knew exactly what she wanted. Julie never experienced a kiss like this. She didn't know kissing could be that good.
She felt a whirlwind of emotions as she could feel his immense love for her through the kiss he provided and a lone tear started to slip down her left cheek.
Why was she crying now? Julie wasn't sure. Was it because she was never kissed like this before? Or was it her yearning to be loved?
No, it was so much more than this. Kissing him was like she finally found a piece of her soul that she didn't know was missing and only now she became aware of the emptiness she carried in her heart.
It didn't make sense that she felt like this for a stranger she meets every night in her dreams but that truly was the perfect way to describe her emotions at this moment.
The man broke the kiss and with his right hand he wiped her tears away while still holding her close against him. "Don't cry my love. We will find a way to be together. I promise you that."
Julie felt herself blushing at his words. She looked into his eyes and than let her sight wander all over his face. It was the first time she was this close to him and she could see every inch of his beautiful face clearly now.
Without a doubt, he was the most handsome man Julie has every seen. She couldn't believe that her imagination would come up with something so perfect.
Just when she wanted to ask for his name, she heard her alarm beeping. The man's image blurred in front of her and Julie's eyes sprang open in shock as she sat up in her bed.
It was every night the same. When she woke up from her dream she was breathing heavily and sweaty.
Julie took her phone and turned her alarm off upset that it woke her up. She was so close to finding out more about him.
Julie let herself fall back into her bed. She touched her lips and remembered the kiss the man from her dreams gave her. Julie was never kissed like this before. Was her mind coming up with this because she felt lonely?
Why now that she was dating Pierre? Are her dreams telling her something? Julie sometimes experienced psychic dreams in the past. She ones dreamed about a friend who just lost a loved one and needed Julie's emotional support.
But this situation was totally different. First of all, she had no clue what the dream means and second, the dream felt weirdly real and she remembered it like it really happened to her. Usually, dreams become blurry after waking up but not this one.
Julie closed her eyes and tried to remember the feeling he evoked within her. His kiss was full of passion and longing but at the same time so gentle and caring. He knew exactly how to kiss her. Like he did it many times before.
She didn't only remember the feeling of his lips but also the taste of them and how tempting he smelled.
It was way too realistic. Julie didn't know what to make of this. She was in a relationship with Pierre now, yet she dreams of another man. Julie kind of felt bad. Shouldn't she be fully focused on Pierre? Why is this happening now? And why is it every night the same dream?
Except that this night the dream was longer. Before that she would always wake up when he calls out to her and she only could see his face just for a short moment.
This time she didn't wake up that early and she had more time to look at him. She remembered his intense brown eyes that burned themselves into her mind. He had light brown hair that was glowing golden under the sun and he had a slight stubble from an unshaved beard.
The man was beyond handsome. His face was manly but his gaze that was directed at her was so gentle that Julie could still feel her heart flutter just by thinking about it.
Was Julie's mind coming up with some stranger or has she seen this man before? Julie doesn't remember ever seeing him in real life or on TV but the intensity of her emotions whenever she sees him made her believe that there was a connection between them.
Julie looked at her phone to find out what the time is and reluctantly she left the bed to get ready for work.
...
Since her kitchen was empty Julie had breakfast at her favorite café again. She felt like coffee with croissants. Julie looked around. It was a sunny Wednesday morning and the people around her looked happy.
The situation was exactly like two weeks ago when she met Gianni at this place. She even sits at the same table. Julie couldn't help but wonder what he is doing. If he is making progress with his music. If he is following his dreams to become an artist.
Julie knew that it was stupid to think about him. He probably already forgot about her but she can't stop her curiosity.
The only think that gave Julie a bad feeling was that it was unfair to Pierre. He was trying so hard and Julie still wasted time in thinking about a man who ghosted her like a coward.
She told herself that her focus should be on Pierre. He deserves her undivided attention if they want to make this work. 'Yes, I should think about him instead.' Julie concluded.
In the last few days Julie and Pierre spent almost every free minute together. After they went to the fancy restaurant on Friday, Pierre surprised her with a short trip to Lyon over the week-end.
He booked a suite with two different bedrooms and they went sightseeing together. Pierre knew the city because he was often in Lyon for work and he showed her all the good spots. He thought about everything and Julie had so much fun with him during this week-end.
In the last two days, Julie didn't want to go out but Pierre always came over in the evening and brought her small gifts. For example, really expensive candy made by France's best chocolatiers.
Pierre was really attentive and for sure behaved like the perfect boyfriend. He brought her on dates he planned carefully and he paid for all without asking for anything in return.
He was a perfect gentleman, who accepted the skin contact she was comfortable to give him. They only held hands so far but Pierre didn't push for more. It was obvious that he was waiting for her to do the next step.
'Maybe it was time to do more. Maybe I should kiss him.' Julie contemplated. She wanted to know what it's like to really kiss him. Last time doesn't count. She was too shocked by his sudden kiss and barely remembers how his lips felt on hers. Besides she wasn't really participating and that's why Pierre only pressed his lips on hers. She wants to know what it feels like when they really kiss.
Julie encouraged herself. It's only natural to make the next step and she feels like she should take the initiative this time.
Pierre is so far the one who puts all the effort into this relationship and he deserves someone who gives back.
And who knows? A kiss might bring their relationship to the next level and evoke the feelings within Julie that he feels for her. Julie really wished for that to happen.