Believe In Dreams
Shine
Caleb walked down the streets alone two years later, trying his best to go unnoticed with only a pair of sunglasses disguising his face. Maybe if he had planned accordingly earlier, he could’ve worn a hat of some sort to disguise his trademark red hair. So far, he has been successful on his goal – no recognition yet. He hoped that it stays that way until tomorrow.
He has made a few visits here before – to New York City to be exact. He hasn’t seen Kayla since the day she left – hasn’t heard from her since. All means of communication was lost: he never knew where she stayed, her cellular phone number was lost, and there was no way of knowing on where to contact her.
Every time he came to visit the city, he never knew of her whereabouts – never knew where she was or what she was even doing. He doesn’t know how far she has gone, or if she was even still there. Every time, he would come to play a show, hang out with a few fans, and then leave for their next destination. When they did have free time to roam the city, they were always accompanied by fans, rarely alone to tend to their own personal business.
But today… today is going to be different. Today, he will finally be able to see her smiling face once again.
Just yesterday, after playing a show and walking down the street to a restaurant for some late-night dinner with his bandmates, he caught sight of a sign. A bit lit up sign mounted on top of the awning in front of an old Arts theatre. It reminded him of back in the old days, decades ago, when movie time showings weren’t digital. He remembers stopping in his tracks and staring at it in awe for minutes.
There it was, in big black letters for everyone to see: her name. A production featuring Kayla Adams.
The show was tonight and tomorrow was his last day in the busy city. He was going to see it, and he was going to talk to her – track her down if he had to. This was his chance and who knows when will be the next. He had to take it; he felt like it was a best friend code that he couldn’t pass up.
He was struck (and still is) in awe, surprise, pride, and most importantly, joy. She followed through and didn’t give up; his constant pushing and help paid off. She was now playing one of the main lead roles in a dance show that was being advertised all around the city. People are going to know who she is; people are going to want her for their own productions. This was it.
This is real.
Caleb held the delicate bouquet of white roses closely to his chest, careful not to let anyone ruin them as they moved slowly towards the exit in a big mob. The show had gone great – at least he thought so. She was graceful, she was amazing, and she was beautiful. She was perfect.
Now, he can only wish that he could get outside quickly enough before she left.
There was a hustle and bustle outside, just like the city always was at nighttime. But there was a certain mob forming in a circle off to the side, where conversation was the loudest. He had a feeling that he knew what it was about.
Pushing his way over there, he could see a few heads standing in the center of it all – females who were a part of the show. His height over most of the women and few men standing there gave him the advantage of being able to see exactly who they were. He spotted her in an instant, her loud laughter hitting his ears.
He could see the glitter on her face- those that surrounded her eyes in black makeup, her dark red lipstick, and the healthy glow of her skin. As he called her name over everyone’s talking, she turned her head around, her hazel eyes searching for the one voice who had called her name the loudest.
When her eyes landed on him, her smile faltered in disbelief and her eyes began to shine with moisture. “Caleb?” he heard her call and he moved back a little ways behind the crowd as she began to quickly push through. “Caleb!” she cried again with a joyous smile upon her lips.
“Kayla!” he cried back playfully, opening his arms as she neared.
She could feel a burning in her nose, reddening up her cheekbones as her throat tightened up. Her vision became blurrier by the second as she ran hurriedly towards his waiting arms - the arms that she had missed so much in their two years apart, the welcoming arms that had held and comforted her through all the troubles of high school life.
She jumped into those arms just as they wrapped tightly around her to support the weight. Burying her head into his shoulder, she let out a loud giggle as he spun her around, her legs nearly flailing in the air. As he set her down, she sniffled and consciously wiped her nose, blinking away any trace of tears that wanted to fall.
“You came!” She gave him another hug once he had given her the roses. They were beautiful – one of her favorites. She cradled them in her arms like an infant as she gazed up into his brown eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged with a smile, “Saw your name on the big board yesterday, and thought I had to come see for myself.” He presented a smirk before offering an arm to her.
She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm before taking it. As they began to walk away from the crowd and head for the streets, she turned around and bid everyone a good night as she passed them. They hauled down a taxi within minutes and drove off in the direction of the address that Kayla had provided the driver. They were headed to her apartment complex for the night.
“So, this is real, eh?” Caleb spoke once they were away from the theatre.
She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder, hooking her arm through his. “Yeah, and I couldn’t have done it without you.” She smiled. “I’ll pay you back for it—“
“Don’t worry about it,” he decided. “That’s pretty amazing though. So, how does it feel?” He peered down at the top of her head and smiled when he found her hazel eyes gazing back at him.
“Pretty amazing,” she laughed. “Much like what you and the band probably feel.”
He nodded. “See, aren’t you glad you listened to me?”
Kayla rolled her eyes and looked away. “Oh yes, Turman, since all of your ideas are just wonderfully brilliant.” The sarcasm was thick in her voice but she knew that he understood, due to the fact that a second after the sentence left her lips, his fingertips were instantly attached to her sides in a tackling frenzy.
“N-no! No,” she giggled. ”O-Okay, stop!” Her hand came into contact with his stomach hard, causing him to immediately stop and let out a painful laughter. She couldn’t help but to continue laughing at the shock that overcame his face.
“God…” she heard him mutter when she turned away to see that they had arrived in front of the apartment, the taxi only now pulling to a stop. She had to wonder about how agitated the driver must’ve been after their little backseat fiasco. She quickly pulled out a twenty dollar bill and tossed it in the front passenger seat before Caleb could, muttering a quick apology before getting out.
“I could’ve paid for that,” Caleb huffed behind her, running a few steps to catch up as the ascended the stairs inside the building.
“Yeah, I could too and I did,” she replied smartly, reaching into her purse for the keys. Caleb stood aside, watching her as she slid the key into the slot, turning it until they heard the lock slide open.
He has missed her sarcasm and remarks. He felt like it kept him grounded and reminded him that not every girl is that same stereotypical type displayed in many movies. She had a sense of humor and she wasn’t afraid of making him feel like an idiot. She was real and often, he’d feel like he was hanging around the guys instead of a female.
“You know you could come in too, right?” Her voice brought him out of his short thoughts and stare, bringing his eyes to stray back to her presence that was already inside the doorway.
“Oh y-yeah.” He nodded with a smile and stepped inside. “I didn’t plan on leaving anyway,” he scoffed, trying to play it off.
She rolled her eyes at the back of his head as he sat down the couch and laid back, lazily kicking off his shoes. “Sure you did.” He mumbled back a reply and she could see him shut his eyes, an arm rested above his head and the other draped across his stomach comfortably. She chuckled at his silliness. “You know you can always sleep in my bed too,” she told him. He opened his eyes and peered back at her through tired slits. She motioned for him to follow. “Don’t be a stranger, Caleb.”
After all the years that they’ve spent growing up together, she didn’t want this distance he was giving her. She didn’t want any potential awkward moments. She just wanted them to be comfortable and close like they once were – ignore the fact that it’s been two years since they’ve last seen each other. She didn’t want him to be obliged to anything. She wanted things back to the way they once were.
“Don’t be so awkward,” she told him, practically whining as she walked over to her mirror, watching as he entered the room cautiously and looking around. She then proceeded to pull her hair into a high ponytail once she saw that he had taken the comfort of lying on her bed, but not before stripping off all of his upper clothing layers and his jeans.
After finally removing every ounce of makeup from her face, she pulled on some shorts and a singlet before climbing into bed next to him. She laid on her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows and stared at him. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
He rolled his eyes at her teasing before briefly sticking his tongue out at her. “Stop being so mean.”
A soft smile played on her lips and she laid her head onto his bare chest, draping an arm across his shoulder. She leaned up a bit and placed a soft kiss on his neck. “I really am glad you came today, Caleb.” She glanced up at him adoringly, loving the way his body heat radiated through her and the way his arm held her gently around the waist.
His heart began to race through his veins as he stared down at her. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he replied softly, bringing his hand up hesitantly to brush a stray hair away from her face. “And I needed to see you again.”
Deciding to take the risk and get it over with before he left tomorrow, he lifted her chin up and lowered his lips onto hers. He heard her give out a slight gasp but tried to keep his mind clear through the rush that it was giving him. He wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing, but he tried to savor it while it lasted. He pulled back shortly, not wanting to pressure her into anything lengthy and saw that a look of confusion was in her eyes, but the small smile threw him off.
Before he could comprehend any of it, she laid her head back down on his chest. He could feel the irregular beating in her chest against his and her cheek hot against his body. Her neck and arm felt tense but he could tell that she was trying to relax herself into sleep. “Goodnight,” she mumbled and he was still thrown off.
“Sweet dreams. I love you,” he told her, just like he did any other night back at home – if they were to spend the night together.
“Love you, too,” she replied softly and he felt her thumb caressing a pattern into his shoulder.
What did this all mean? Was that the right thing for him to do?
Waking up the next morning, Caleb felt a certain pressure – weight – on top of him, making it hard for him to move around. Squinting his eyes through the bright sunrays that flooded the room, he looked to his left to where the girl next to him laid still, sound asleep. She was practically at level with him, laying on him, and breathing soundlessly into his ear. Her face was peaceful without an inch of worry on them.
Did last night even affect them?
His lifted his left hand to softly caress her neck and down her back. He brought his lips down onto her bare shoulders before moving them over to her cheek. She seemed comfortable and at ease, not bothered with the fact that she was laying so close to him, especially after last night.
He decided that he wouldn’t care. He was still puzzled with her reaction – whether she felt the same way or she just took it as a really friendly gesture. But he didn’t care – he wouldn’t care. He can’t see into the future; he can’t see what will happen to them.
But he wouldn’t care. He would leave that up to her.
Whether they became more than best friends or not, the important thing was that he still had her, and he would still be able to hold her, much like he did at this very moment. They’re strong enough to not let something as simple as a kiss ruin the very thing they worked so hard to keep alive. They would never leave each other.
He was content at just that.
Laying there, staring at the ceiling, he could hardly believe it. After all that they’ve gone through, all the struggles and sacrifices they’ve made… she was still here with him. Those months two years prior, when she had nearly given up all faith in the life she wanted, he was able to help her through it. Those two years when she was out on her own, struggling by herself, she had made it through, coming out stronger than she ever was. Those two years with his own battling journeys with his band, he was led back to her.
Dreams simply aren’t something that you wish upon a star and hope comes true. Caleb and Kayla have come to learn that they can real if you believe, if you take action upon it. They fuel on the desire to move on and grow up, even if they come with consequences, sacrifices, and tough decisions.
Sometimes good-bye is a second chance.
The End.
This is probably one of my favorites. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
He has made a few visits here before – to New York City to be exact. He hasn’t seen Kayla since the day she left – hasn’t heard from her since. All means of communication was lost: he never knew where she stayed, her cellular phone number was lost, and there was no way of knowing on where to contact her.
Every time he came to visit the city, he never knew of her whereabouts – never knew where she was or what she was even doing. He doesn’t know how far she has gone, or if she was even still there. Every time, he would come to play a show, hang out with a few fans, and then leave for their next destination. When they did have free time to roam the city, they were always accompanied by fans, rarely alone to tend to their own personal business.
But today… today is going to be different. Today, he will finally be able to see her smiling face once again.
Just yesterday, after playing a show and walking down the street to a restaurant for some late-night dinner with his bandmates, he caught sight of a sign. A bit lit up sign mounted on top of the awning in front of an old Arts theatre. It reminded him of back in the old days, decades ago, when movie time showings weren’t digital. He remembers stopping in his tracks and staring at it in awe for minutes.
There it was, in big black letters for everyone to see: her name. A production featuring Kayla Adams.
The show was tonight and tomorrow was his last day in the busy city. He was going to see it, and he was going to talk to her – track her down if he had to. This was his chance and who knows when will be the next. He had to take it; he felt like it was a best friend code that he couldn’t pass up.
He was struck (and still is) in awe, surprise, pride, and most importantly, joy. She followed through and didn’t give up; his constant pushing and help paid off. She was now playing one of the main lead roles in a dance show that was being advertised all around the city. People are going to know who she is; people are going to want her for their own productions. This was it.
This is real.
Caleb held the delicate bouquet of white roses closely to his chest, careful not to let anyone ruin them as they moved slowly towards the exit in a big mob. The show had gone great – at least he thought so. She was graceful, she was amazing, and she was beautiful. She was perfect.
Now, he can only wish that he could get outside quickly enough before she left.
There was a hustle and bustle outside, just like the city always was at nighttime. But there was a certain mob forming in a circle off to the side, where conversation was the loudest. He had a feeling that he knew what it was about.
Pushing his way over there, he could see a few heads standing in the center of it all – females who were a part of the show. His height over most of the women and few men standing there gave him the advantage of being able to see exactly who they were. He spotted her in an instant, her loud laughter hitting his ears.
He could see the glitter on her face- those that surrounded her eyes in black makeup, her dark red lipstick, and the healthy glow of her skin. As he called her name over everyone’s talking, she turned her head around, her hazel eyes searching for the one voice who had called her name the loudest.
When her eyes landed on him, her smile faltered in disbelief and her eyes began to shine with moisture. “Caleb?” he heard her call and he moved back a little ways behind the crowd as she began to quickly push through. “Caleb!” she cried again with a joyous smile upon her lips.
“Kayla!” he cried back playfully, opening his arms as she neared.
She could feel a burning in her nose, reddening up her cheekbones as her throat tightened up. Her vision became blurrier by the second as she ran hurriedly towards his waiting arms - the arms that she had missed so much in their two years apart, the welcoming arms that had held and comforted her through all the troubles of high school life.
She jumped into those arms just as they wrapped tightly around her to support the weight. Burying her head into his shoulder, she let out a loud giggle as he spun her around, her legs nearly flailing in the air. As he set her down, she sniffled and consciously wiped her nose, blinking away any trace of tears that wanted to fall.
“You came!” She gave him another hug once he had given her the roses. They were beautiful – one of her favorites. She cradled them in her arms like an infant as she gazed up into his brown eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged with a smile, “Saw your name on the big board yesterday, and thought I had to come see for myself.” He presented a smirk before offering an arm to her.
She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm before taking it. As they began to walk away from the crowd and head for the streets, she turned around and bid everyone a good night as she passed them. They hauled down a taxi within minutes and drove off in the direction of the address that Kayla had provided the driver. They were headed to her apartment complex for the night.
“So, this is real, eh?” Caleb spoke once they were away from the theatre.
She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder, hooking her arm through his. “Yeah, and I couldn’t have done it without you.” She smiled. “I’ll pay you back for it—“
“Don’t worry about it,” he decided. “That’s pretty amazing though. So, how does it feel?” He peered down at the top of her head and smiled when he found her hazel eyes gazing back at him.
“Pretty amazing,” she laughed. “Much like what you and the band probably feel.”
He nodded. “See, aren’t you glad you listened to me?”
Kayla rolled her eyes and looked away. “Oh yes, Turman, since all of your ideas are just wonderfully brilliant.” The sarcasm was thick in her voice but she knew that he understood, due to the fact that a second after the sentence left her lips, his fingertips were instantly attached to her sides in a tackling frenzy.
“N-no! No,” she giggled. ”O-Okay, stop!” Her hand came into contact with his stomach hard, causing him to immediately stop and let out a painful laughter. She couldn’t help but to continue laughing at the shock that overcame his face.
“God…” she heard him mutter when she turned away to see that they had arrived in front of the apartment, the taxi only now pulling to a stop. She had to wonder about how agitated the driver must’ve been after their little backseat fiasco. She quickly pulled out a twenty dollar bill and tossed it in the front passenger seat before Caleb could, muttering a quick apology before getting out.
“I could’ve paid for that,” Caleb huffed behind her, running a few steps to catch up as the ascended the stairs inside the building.
“Yeah, I could too and I did,” she replied smartly, reaching into her purse for the keys. Caleb stood aside, watching her as she slid the key into the slot, turning it until they heard the lock slide open.
He has missed her sarcasm and remarks. He felt like it kept him grounded and reminded him that not every girl is that same stereotypical type displayed in many movies. She had a sense of humor and she wasn’t afraid of making him feel like an idiot. She was real and often, he’d feel like he was hanging around the guys instead of a female.
“You know you could come in too, right?” Her voice brought him out of his short thoughts and stare, bringing his eyes to stray back to her presence that was already inside the doorway.
“Oh y-yeah.” He nodded with a smile and stepped inside. “I didn’t plan on leaving anyway,” he scoffed, trying to play it off.
She rolled her eyes at the back of his head as he sat down the couch and laid back, lazily kicking off his shoes. “Sure you did.” He mumbled back a reply and she could see him shut his eyes, an arm rested above his head and the other draped across his stomach comfortably. She chuckled at his silliness. “You know you can always sleep in my bed too,” she told him. He opened his eyes and peered back at her through tired slits. She motioned for him to follow. “Don’t be a stranger, Caleb.”
After all the years that they’ve spent growing up together, she didn’t want this distance he was giving her. She didn’t want any potential awkward moments. She just wanted them to be comfortable and close like they once were – ignore the fact that it’s been two years since they’ve last seen each other. She didn’t want him to be obliged to anything. She wanted things back to the way they once were.
“Don’t be so awkward,” she told him, practically whining as she walked over to her mirror, watching as he entered the room cautiously and looking around. She then proceeded to pull her hair into a high ponytail once she saw that he had taken the comfort of lying on her bed, but not before stripping off all of his upper clothing layers and his jeans.
After finally removing every ounce of makeup from her face, she pulled on some shorts and a singlet before climbing into bed next to him. She laid on her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows and stared at him. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
He rolled his eyes at her teasing before briefly sticking his tongue out at her. “Stop being so mean.”
A soft smile played on her lips and she laid her head onto his bare chest, draping an arm across his shoulder. She leaned up a bit and placed a soft kiss on his neck. “I really am glad you came today, Caleb.” She glanced up at him adoringly, loving the way his body heat radiated through her and the way his arm held her gently around the waist.
His heart began to race through his veins as he stared down at her. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he replied softly, bringing his hand up hesitantly to brush a stray hair away from her face. “And I needed to see you again.”
Deciding to take the risk and get it over with before he left tomorrow, he lifted her chin up and lowered his lips onto hers. He heard her give out a slight gasp but tried to keep his mind clear through the rush that it was giving him. He wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing, but he tried to savor it while it lasted. He pulled back shortly, not wanting to pressure her into anything lengthy and saw that a look of confusion was in her eyes, but the small smile threw him off.
Before he could comprehend any of it, she laid her head back down on his chest. He could feel the irregular beating in her chest against his and her cheek hot against his body. Her neck and arm felt tense but he could tell that she was trying to relax herself into sleep. “Goodnight,” she mumbled and he was still thrown off.
“Sweet dreams. I love you,” he told her, just like he did any other night back at home – if they were to spend the night together.
“Love you, too,” she replied softly and he felt her thumb caressing a pattern into his shoulder.
What did this all mean? Was that the right thing for him to do?
Waking up the next morning, Caleb felt a certain pressure – weight – on top of him, making it hard for him to move around. Squinting his eyes through the bright sunrays that flooded the room, he looked to his left to where the girl next to him laid still, sound asleep. She was practically at level with him, laying on him, and breathing soundlessly into his ear. Her face was peaceful without an inch of worry on them.
Did last night even affect them?
His lifted his left hand to softly caress her neck and down her back. He brought his lips down onto her bare shoulders before moving them over to her cheek. She seemed comfortable and at ease, not bothered with the fact that she was laying so close to him, especially after last night.
He decided that he wouldn’t care. He was still puzzled with her reaction – whether she felt the same way or she just took it as a really friendly gesture. But he didn’t care – he wouldn’t care. He can’t see into the future; he can’t see what will happen to them.
But he wouldn’t care. He would leave that up to her.
Whether they became more than best friends or not, the important thing was that he still had her, and he would still be able to hold her, much like he did at this very moment. They’re strong enough to not let something as simple as a kiss ruin the very thing they worked so hard to keep alive. They would never leave each other.
He was content at just that.
Laying there, staring at the ceiling, he could hardly believe it. After all that they’ve gone through, all the struggles and sacrifices they’ve made… she was still here with him. Those months two years prior, when she had nearly given up all faith in the life she wanted, he was able to help her through it. Those two years when she was out on her own, struggling by herself, she had made it through, coming out stronger than she ever was. Those two years with his own battling journeys with his band, he was led back to her.
Dreams simply aren’t something that you wish upon a star and hope comes true. Caleb and Kayla have come to learn that they can real if you believe, if you take action upon it. They fuel on the desire to move on and grow up, even if they come with consequences, sacrifices, and tough decisions.
Sometimes good-bye is a second chance.
The End.
This is probably one of my favorites. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.