The hot chocolate was warm in her hands, but her thoughts were colder than ever.
Parties weren't really her thing—too loud, too bright, too full of faces she didn't know how to talk to.
But Raily was glaring at her like a silent bodyguard of her social life.
And Jace… well, he looked too hopeful for her to shatter him with a no.
"Okay," Anna said, trying to sound casual. "I'll be ready."
Jace's smile widened, and he gave her a small wink before turning back to the espresso machine.
Raily leaned in, smirking like she'd just won some secret bet.
"It's time, Anna," she whispered. "Reality is knocking."
But she didn't know...
Anna's reality was a castle in the clouds. A deep voice whispering her name.
Not loud music, blinking lights, and small talk with people who wouldn't understand the storm in her chest.
Back in her apartment that evening, she stood in front of her closet, staring at the same clothes she always wore.
she picked a soft black dress—not too flashy, not too plain. Just enough to look like she belonged, even when she didn't feel like she did.
At 7:58, her phone buzzed: "Outside. Ready to party?" – Jace.
She took one last look in the mirror, then looked away.
"You can do this, Anna," she whispered to her reflection.
"Tonight, just try to be present."
And she stepped into the night—not into a dream, not into fantasy—but into whatever waited for her outside.
The music pounded like a heartbeat on the wrong side of her skull.
Lights spun across the room, dizzy and bright, as if trying to chase away the shadow inside her.
People laughed, swayed, shouted—like they didn't have quiet dreams or aching hearts.
She found Raily in the crowd, her arms thrown around a boy she didn't know.
She looked happy or maybe drunk.
For a second, Anna wondered if losing control could make her free.
"Here," Jace said, pressing a glass into her hand.
"It'll help you relax. Just a little."
She didn't even think.
She took the glass, and the wine slid down her throat like melted tension.
But the moment was short.
A headache bloomed behind her eyes, sharp and sudden.
The room seemed louder, harsher.
Like the walls were closing in.
"Jace," she said, her voice barely above a whisper,
"I want to go home."
He looked surprised—maybe disappointed—but nodded.
"Okay. Let's get you out of here."
They stepped out into the night.
The air was cold, clear, and for the first time in hours, she could breathe.
Jace opened the passenger door of his car.
She slid in and leaned her head against the window, her thoughts drifting.
Was this it? Is this what people called fun?
All I could think about was the dream.
His hands. His voice.
Not Jace. Him.
she felt a warm touch on her hand.
No... it wasn't him.
It was Jace.
"You're drunk. Can you walk to your apartment?" he asked, his voice soft, concerned.
She shook her head slowly.
But even that felt like too much effort.
Her body wasn't her anymore—
It felt too heavy, like she was made of stone and memories.
Jace didn't ask again.
He just slipped his arm around her and helped her out of the car.
Not the way he did in the dream.
There was no electricity in Jace's touch.
No shiver that danced down her spine.
Only the comfort of a friend—gentle and quiet.
The hallway lights buzzed above them as he opened her apartment door.
Everything felt distant…
blurred like a watercolor washed with too much water.
He laid her on her bed carefully, pulling the blanket over her.
"Get some rest, Anna," he whispered.
She didn't answer.
Not because she didn't want to—
But because she was somewhere else.
Still half-stuck in that dream.
His voice, his breath,
the way he said, "Let me give you a princess treatment."
her heart ached.
Not from the wine.
But from waking up.
(To be continued....)
📜 Copyright Notice
Rewritten by the Stars
Written by Sugarcane
© 2025 Sugarcane. All rights reserved.
No part of this story may be copied, reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic or mechanical — without the author's prior written permission. This work is a piece of original fiction and is protected under international copyright law.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events, or locations is purely coincidental. The story contains elements of fantasy, romance, and emotional content intended for a mature and thoughtful audience.