Dream Boy

Caeli

It was another ordinary day.

Caeli walked home alone after another long day at work. Adjusting the strap of her bag, she let out a quiet sigh and kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead. People passed by without sparing her a glance. It wasn't that she minded. She had always enjoyed her own company.

She had been living alone for a long time, ever since her parents and younger brother died in a car accident. To cope with the loneliness, she poured herself into running her small coffee shop.

As she walked past a storefront, she caught her reflection in the glass and came to a stop. She brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face and studied herself.

Her straight black hair fell just below her shoulders—long, though not quite long enough to reach her waist. Everyone admired its natural shine and beauty. She had flawless skin, small eyes, a delicate nose, and soft lips that curved into a beautiful smile, adding to her quiet charm.

Standing at 5'5", she was taller than most women in her town. Her fair, flawless complexion made her stand out effortlessly in a crowd.

Through the storefront glass, she caught sight of a young couple walking hand in hand. The young man whispered something into the girl's ear, making her giggle. She playfully hit his shoulder before resting her head against it, her smile bright and carefree.

The sight tugged at a distant memory.

She remembered the days when she, too, had someone to walk beside. Back in college, she had a boyfriend. They were deeply in love—or at least, that's what she had believed.

It never crossed her mind that David—the man she had built all her dreams around—would be the one to betray her.

She caught him cheating with another woman.

At first, she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She was in denial. She fought for the love she thought they still had. Like a fool blinded by love, she swallowed every ounce of pain, hoping he would choose to stay.

But in the end, he left, leaving her questioning her worth.

She was devastated, but with time, she managed to move on.

A few years later, she met James.

For four years, she believed she had finally found the love she deserved. She imagined a future with him and thought they would grow old together. But just like David, James betrayed her with another woman.

His reason?

He said he had grown tired of waiting for her.

Caeli had always believed that a woman should chase her dreams and build a life of her own before depending on someone else. She worked tirelessly to establish herself, never realizing that, somewhere along the way, the man she loved had already begun looking for comfort in someone else's arms.

Now in her late thirties, Caeli had lost all interest in dating. She had convinced herself that it was simply too late for her. She had accepted a future without marriage or children and told herself she had no regrets.

But deep inside, there was still an ache she could never silence—a longing for a companion, a partner, a lover, someone to share quiet mornings with and grow old beside.

She let out a soft sigh as she stepped onto the pedestrian crossing.

Not far away, a black sedan sped toward the intersection at an alarming speed. It swerved violently from side to side, as though the driver had lost control.

The peaceful evening erupted into chaos.

People screamed and scrambled out of the way. An elderly woman covered her mouth in horror, frozen where she stood.

Caeli turned toward the commotion.

Her heart stopped.

The car was hurtling straight toward her.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Before she could move—or even scream—the vehicle slammed into her.

A sharp, searing pain exploded through her hips as her body was thrown into the air. She landed several meters away, hitting the pavement with a sickening thud before bouncing once and lying motionless on the cold asphalt.

Warm blood trickled down the side of her face, slowly pooling beneath her.

The terrified voices around her faded into the distance.

Her vision blurred.

The last thing she saw was the darkening sky above her.

Then she slowly closed her eyes...

...and surrendered to the darkness.