The Dreamscape (Liam Payne)

1. <3

Dreaming.

It’s that wonderful place where anything can happen. Every time you drift off it’s a new place, a new story… a new life. Dreaming wasn’t just something you could do when you’re sleeping, but also when you’re awake; day dreaming is simply divine if you can do it for long enough.

Stella was a professional dreamer. At least that’s how she saw it. Some would define her as lofty, spacey, or even daft; they said that without truly knowing her. She would say that she simply was a dreamer, one who longed for more than what reality could offer. Her imagination served her well throughout her life, keeping her optimistic even in the most desperate of times.

If her parents fought too loudly as a child, Stella would simply pretend that they were quarreling dragons and that she was a valiant knight who would slay them with her adorable sword. If her classmates teased her about her birthmark on her arm, she would tell them that they were buttons to her robotic arm and that the other kids would be lucky to have them. And if she fell in love…oh how she would dream of them together, always together: traveling the universe, marrying one another, and simply being happy.

Now at the tender age of 21 she was being pressured to grow up. Wasn’t that what she was doing? She made it through high school, got into college, and finished a degree in writing. She was a grown up. Granted, she was a free-lance writer and maybe didn’t have a steady job, and her home was a rented basement apartment under an elderly couple. All of that didn’t matter though, Stella was happy; she didn’t need to grow up.

Stella did what she needed to in order to make it through day to day, she never wanted to think long term; it didn’t suit her. She took in temporary jobs when she needed the cash, she liked it that way. She would tell you that it gave you a better perspective. One week she’d be working at a bank, then another week she’d be at a concert venue. You couldn’t beat the experience that these jobs gave you. Plus, it gave her plenty of time to write and to dream.

This month she was able to snag two jobs; one at a daycare center during the day and at night a job at a tattoo shop. The daycare center job was fun enough, she worked the earlier morning hours before the children were sent to school and then after would run to the tattoo shop to complete her tasks there. She loved both the jobs more than any other she had held before; the daycare center allowed her to be her most creative self with the children, while the tattoo shop gave her time to learn more about people from all walks of life.

The tattoo shop was busier than normal that week since they were moving into a larger building and needed the extra help packing and organizing everything. On occasion, Stella would work the front desk: taking in clients, making appointments, screening phone calls, and of course, day dreaming. It was the end of a long first week for Stella and she was more than happy to curl up in bed after a long day.

Dragging herself down the cellar stairs, Stella made her way into her basement apartment. Her leather boots shifted heavily from step to step and she had to quietly remind herself that Mr. and Mrs. Posey were probably asleep by now, lucky bastards. Sighing deeply, Stella reached out and flicked on the light switch with one of her ringed fingers and quickly raised her hand to run through her caramel hair. As her fingers reached the ends, she pulled on her tresses, watching as the flattened curls straightened and bounced back to a soft wave. Setting her bag down on a nearby recliner she pushed her boots off at the base of the chair before turning to look over her shoulder at her apartment.

It was dark down in the basement and cooler than what she’d normally feel comfortable at. Walking across the 1970’s orange shag carpet, Stella stooped over to a small space heater and turned it on before sauntering the short distance to her bed and nearly belly-flopped into the tangled sea of sheets and blankets. Sighing deeply, Stella raked a small collection of the fabric to cuddle with as she closed her eyes. Though she loved to day dream, she had the best dreams when she slept.