The Dreamscape (Liam Payne)

23.<3

“So we’re back here again,” Stella whispered as her bare feet slid across the green grass of Liam’s garden. She let her toes squish into the soft earth as each step was taken, enjoying the cool feeling between her toes.

The garden looked different this time around, tamer. The flowers that once were as big as Liam’s head were now normal, lush, well cared for. Stella’s fingers gently touched the petals of the familiar poppies she had planted before, taking time to inspect their golden color.

“Yes, I wanted to show you how much better it looks.” Liam replied as he walked behind Stella, admiring her as she took time to inspect the garden that once was in disrepair but now stood proudly with new life.

“This part looks much better,” She said in a sing-song tone as she looked over her shoulder to see Liam following her faithfully as she inspected each flower for its purpose and meaning. “The ivy is still a little dead in some places but it looks healthier.”

Liam hung on every word Stella spoke, curious if all the time he spent with her was helping his subconscious find a sense of balance and tranquility. This garden was once unbalanced and in need of care, and since Stella came into his life Liam couldn’t imagine going back to the way it once was. He continued to follow her, admiring her caramel hair in the sunlight and the way she would check over her shoulder allowing him first to see her blue eye, then the green, depending on which shoulder she looked over.

“Remember the fountain?” Stella asked as she began to pick up her pace, “Come on!” Stella let out a musical laugh and began to run, Liam close on her tail. The laughter between the two echoed off the stone walls of the garden as they weaved through the familiar landscape. When they reached the center of the garden Stella stopped and waited for Liam to stand next to her. She let her fingers reach over and lace with Liam’s as they looked over the fountain.

The last time they were in the garden, the fountain was dry of water, dirty, and in complete disrepair. That wasn’t the case now, it was beautiful. Water danced from the top of the elaborate stone structure, flowing over several levels to reach the pool at the bottom. Stella smiled brightly up at Liam and brought his hand up to her lips to kiss.

“I couldn’t have done that without you,” Liam said quietly as he wrapped his arms around Stella’s form and kissed her.

Stella blushed and returned his kiss sweetly, enjoying the closeness of Liam’s embrace as the soft sound of water trickled in the background. She pulled back from the kiss to look over Liam and appreciated his smile. She would definitely take credit for his garden and how much more beautiful it looked now that she breathed life and love back into his being. She hugged him tightly but the sight over Liam’s shoulder struck her deep into her core. Pulling back slightly she removed herself from Liam’s grasp, causing him to grow confused.

“Stella?” Liam asked worriedly as he turned to see what she was so intently staring at. He still wasn’t good with deciphering dreams like Stella was and knew that there could be trouble ahead.

Stella kneeled down near a bed of flowers against a brick wall; she felt her breathing pick up as she ignored Liam’s pleas behind her. She ran her fingers over the flowers that lined the dark red wall.

“Forget-me-nots,” Stella whispered, “I’ll give you a wild guess on what those mean, Liam.” She was hurt, those flowers were exactly what she was talking about when she told Liam how Danielle was still present in his subconscious and he was refusing to let go. “And you know how much I love your walls, Liam.” She looked over her shoulder to see Liam dumbfounded at her sarcastic tone.

He had tried so hard to make this garden right for Stella, wanting to show her that she was what was on his mind all the time, not Danielle. He raised his hands in the air, defeated. He looked down at Stella as she stood up, looking over him sadly. There were tears lining her blue and green eyes, her lip trembling.