Cherreads

Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Dreamscape

Lira's Dream World – a surreal mashup of everywhere she's felt something real.

Fog. Moonlight. Wind that whispers secrets.

One second she's in the art room. Then it's the school rooftop. Then a field of sketchbook pages that blow away like leaves.

She's barefoot. She's floating. She's feeling everything all at once.

 Suddenly: She's Painting

But the canvas keeps shifting.

Her brush trembles.

One stroke becomes Aeron's eyes.

Another becomes Damian's smirk.

Then the canvas splits in two.

Left: a stormy sky.

Right: a blazing sunrise.

Her hands tremble.

She drops the brush.

And then—

They appear.

Aeron steps out from the fog.

Black hoodie. Intense stare.

Says nothing—but his expression says everything.

 Damian steps out of the light.

Rolled sleeves. Smirk softening.

He says:

"You know you're not really choosing between us."

Lira: "What do you mean?? That's all I've been doing!"

Damian walks in a slow circle around her.

Aeron stays still—watching.

Damian: "You're not picking a boy. You're picking who you think you're allowed to be."

Lira (breaking): "Stop. Stop putting meaning into everything."

Aeron (finally speaking):

"But what if it's already inside you? What if you're the storm and the spark?"

 The wind howls. The world cracks.

Suddenly they're pulling her in opposite directions.

Not roughly—just… desperately.

Aeron whispers:

"Stay where it's safe."

Damian whispers:

"Go where you feel alive."

She yells:

"I don't KNOW what I want!"

Everything goes silent.

Then a mirror appears.

Lira steps toward it.

Her reflection?

Not scared.

Not torn.

Just… herself.

Paint smudges on her cheeks.

Head high.

No Aeron.

No Damian.

Just her.

"What if I'm not choosing them?"

"What if I need to choose me first?"

The mirror smiles back.

And the dream shatters.

 Lira Wakes Up – Gasping

It's still dark.

But her mind is clear.

For once.

Because maybe the scariest part wasn't picking between two boys.

Maybe it was finally accepting the girl inside who wasn't blending in anymore.

End of Chapter 26

More Chapters