The Skyline

Strange shadows flickered in the empty streets after the New York skyline lowered. The neon lights tripped on, one after the other as the city sky glittered in land born stars. 

It was a late evening in Spring and I had just started off as a writer at Vogue Magazine this month. The leaves crumbled under my heel as I walked downtown. The shops were closing down, and the mannequins stooped at me from shop fronts in ghastly glares of the new fashionable era. A large billboard of Jennifer Aniston-my favorite, hung right in front of my apartment. I was a huge fan. I looked up at it and smiled to myself as I worked my way up the stairway. It was an exhausting day at work. So many written assignments due and clarifications for all the more you need. My article was published yesterday and so it was a little rejoicing at the local club with my gang before we dispersed off for the evening. 

I threw my coat over the telephone chair and the keys in the holder and flicked the lights on. I had a quick wash and came back to grab up on some dinner and wine before heading to get some sleep in.

I switched on the television and sat down with the bowl of spaghetti and wine. 

I soothed into the comfort and watched as I gulped a mouth full with saucy threads still blobbing out of the mouth. I took the glass and swirled it in and took a sip of the delicate red wine. 

I was at a gala. The name read it at a far corner. I looked down the railing at the red carpet. It was one streaming with reporters on one side and all known on the other. How could this be. Could this be any more real? The biggest stars of Hollywood were just flowing in. Oh my goodness! Who thought where this job could lead me to. They were filling into the hall across the red carpet. Posing and glowing as they entered. And here I was just staring and standing glass in my hand- swirling. 

Why swirl champagne? 

I just stood watching as long as I can. Then looked around to the most appropriate figure out and approach stance. 

Suddenly I feel myself being pushed to the center and then a round of applause. I never know what I was being applauded for as I cannot hear right. I feel myself in extreme awe of excitement and also my heart pumping out in a sudden blood chase. Just as the glasses raise and applauds rise again, all different stars come at me, hugging me and sending me into fireworks of excitement as I recognize each one by one with their genuine congratulations. Right now, I am blushing in the middle of a hall I don’t know, surrounded by my list of I-love-them-so-much but they-never-know-me prominent people all glancing and smiling as if they knew me forever.

I keep on swirling and smiling. My heart out in my hand.

Then suddenly I see her. There she stands in one of my favorite colored dresses by a prominent designer whose name I don’t recall suddenly. Ms. Aniston standing in the center of the hall giving all her love to her friends and all knowns. Wow! That’s how she looks, I just couldn’t believe my eyes.

And the next second she is walking towards me. I feel myself stargazed. I’ve never seen her before and now she was right there in front of me, smiling and sending her lovely wave as she makes her way through the crowds towards me. The first time ever and I am in bits and pieces and my hand starts shaking. Tears are gathering in my eyes; I just feel a blobbing in the eyes. She walks over,

‘Hi! so nice to meet you! I was awaiting my turn’ She says as she hugs me out.   

I am lost in words as I gaze at her. I smile so hard that my face muscles ache.

‘You are an angel in heaven! You look so beautiful in person! I just can’t believe meeting you! Wow! You are so beautiful...’I continue as she keeps patting me in appreciation and asking me more. Words keep flowing out as we converse and I suddenly ‘I am your greatest fan’ -She raises her brow and smiles ‘I know’

My glass slips and crashes. Suddenly, I feel my hands wet and I jerk forward. I open my eyes slowly. I feel tears streaming down my face and my mouth agape. The lights keep me blinking a few seconds, before I realize I’m looking at the ceiling. I am at the apartment, and my hand are wet. I straighten up and look around. A glass lies shattered at my feet, and I smell wine in my hands. A half-eaten bowl of spaghetti lies on the sofa next to me and the television is blaring in details of a gala. I strain my eyes and there she was on TV waving at the crowds as she enters the hall on the red carpet. I was there just now. She was wearing the same dress I saw.

I look around once again. It was half past eleven. I am at the apartment. I am dreaming. It was just a dream. I smile.

I get up and clean up the mess I’ve made and after watching the telecast for a few minutes I switch it off once and for all. I make up my bed, brush my teeth and look at the New York skyline once again before getting behind the sheets. I just met my favorite star all even in a dream. I check on some writing for the next day, before I shut my laptop.

I shut my eyes.

A loud blaring sends me off. I clap my hands to knock it off. My mom, suddenly appears shouting in high pitch, ‘Get up! you are late to college!’ I look up at the ceiling. The fan keeps rotating with a creak. I look around. Where am I? The room is different from how I slept in. I walk in towards the window.  

I look out. No New York skyline anymore.

I look back at the room. Good senses start pouring back and I slap myself. What was that?

I look in the mirror and here I was back. This was real after all. What a long day it was. What a New York dream. I smile. One inside another. I recall Inception. And I smile once more. I finally had my dreams come live in a dream. And then…

‘College’- I was late for college.