It had been one of those nights when sleep was both a comfort and a torment. Lena lay in her dormitory bed, the sound of distant laughter and chatter from the halls filtering through the thin walls. She was used to the noise, having spent countless nights in the same room, her mind racing about school, friends, and, more recently, relationships.
But tonight, her mind wasn't preoccupied with the usual worries. Tonight, her dreams were filled with something far more unsettling.
In her dream, she stood at the entrance of a grand church, its doors wide open, the sun casting a golden glow over the white stone walls. A long aisle stretched before her, the floor covered in soft rose petals crunched gently beneath her feet. The air was thick with the scent of lilies, and the sound of a smooth, melodic wedding march echoed in the distance, signaling her arrival.
Lena felt an inexplicable sense of calm as she stepped forward, her steps light and graceful. She wasn't sure what she was wearing; her gown was a blur of white, delicate, and ethereal, but it felt right. Everything felt right. She was ready for the life that awaited her, the love she had always dreamed of.
But then, as she walked, the sun's warm light faded, replaced by a cold, almost suffocating chill. She glanced ahead, her heart leaping with a strange sense of anticipation. At the end of the aisle, a figure stood, bathed in the dim light of the altar. She couldn't see his face clearly but knew it was him.
Her heart fluttered in her chest. He was the man of her dreams, the one she had imagined for so long. She took another step, eager to close the distance, but as she moved closer, something felt wrong. The closer she got, the further away he seemed. His face remained a blur, his figure distant, as though he was moving away from her with each step she took.
The dream began to unravel, her steps feeling heavier, the air colder. The petals underfoot began to wither, falling slowly in a cascade of faded colors. The sound of the wedding march, once so soft and reassuring, became a haunting refrain, its notes twisted and warped, echoing in the space around her.
She called out, her voice trembling. "My love?"
But he didn't respond. He didn't even look at her. His smile, though kind, was empty and distant, like a mask he wore for the show. She reached out for him, desperate, but her hand passed through the air like a whisper in the wind.
The aisle stretched before her longer than she could fathom, the church now dark and silent except for the eerie sound of her breathing. She tried to move, to take another step, but her legs felt frozen as if the ground beneath her was swallowing her whole.
This isn't real, she told herself. It's just a dream. Just a dream.
But the feeling of isolation, the chilling sense that something was wrong lingered as she reached the end of the aisle. The man, she finally realized, was no longer there. He had disappeared, leaving only a cold emptiness in his place.
Her heart pounded as the world around her began to dissolve into darkness.
Lena woke with a start, her breath quick and shallow. She sat up in bed, her heart racing, the remnants of the dream still clinging to her like a fog she couldn't shake. The walls of her dorm room were familiar, and the faint hum of the air conditioning was a constant in her life, yet everything felt off.
She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the lingering images of the dream. His face had been so real and vivid, yet it hadn't been confirmed. It was only a dream, she reminded herself. But the unease she felt, the emptiness that had settled deep within her, was not quickly dispelled.
She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was still early, too early to be awake, but sleep was no longer an option. Her mind raced with the questions that always seemed to follow after a dream like this. What did it mean? Who was this man? Why had he seemed so distant, so unattainable?
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet touching the cool floor. The room was still dark, save for the soft glow of the streetlights outside her window. The dream felt too real, too unsettling, and for a moment, she wondered if it was some kind of omen. Could it be a sign of something to come?
But what could it mean? She had never met someone like that, and she had never known a Man.
Shaking her head, Lena pushed the thoughts away. She wasn't one to dwell on superstitions or signs. The dream was just a dream. Nothing more. She had bigger things to worry about. The end of the semester was fast approaching, and she still had a pile of assignments to finish. Her relationships, well, they were complicated, but they weren't worth losing sleep over.
She stood up, stretching as she walked toward the small desk in the corner of her room. As she reached for her phone, her eyes caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at her seemed different, distant, and unsure. Disconnection lingered, not from the world around her, but from herself.
Who am I really? she thought, her heart heavy with an unfamiliar longing. Was she just waiting for something to happen? For the kind of love she'd always dreamed of, the one where every moment felt effortless, where her heart could be free?
The dream had unsettled her in a way she couldn't explain. It wasn't just about the man or the wedding. It was about what he represented, something she wanted but feared. The kind of love that felt too good to be true. The kind that could slip away before she even had the chance to hold on.
Over the next few weeks, Lena pushed the dream to the back of her mind, focusing on her studies, her friends, and the usual distractions of university life. But as the days passed, the feeling of the dream didn't go away. She found herself more reflective and aware of the gaps in her life, particularly in her relationships.
Her friends often talked about their boyfriends and relationships, but Lena couldn't relate. She had never been the kind of girl who fell quickly in love. She had always been cautious and measured. Afraid, even. She had witnessed too many friends jump into relationships that left them heartbroken. She wasn't sure she was willing to take that risk.
Yet, there was a part of her, small and quiet, that couldn't help but wonder. What if there was someone out there who could change everything? Someone who could make her feel seen, understood, and cherished. Someone who would love her in the way she needed. But could she open her heart to someone? Would she be able to trust?
Little did she know, the man from her dream wasn't just a figment of her imagination. He was someone she was about to meet, who would change everything she thought she knew about love.