It was very confusing.

She was running about, the house was full of people she was acquainted with, but didn't really know that well. A glance down revealed that she was wearing a white ball gown, and she had to gather her skirts up as she ran about, finding someone who could explain this. Everyone was talking, and would stop whenever she passed by them, waving, smiling, congratulating, what? Eve did not understand, but only nodded towards them with a smile before rushing on her way.

"Father." She breathed, catching sight of a familiar man's back, as he wrote away at a clipboard and talked to a caterer. It wasn't her birthday, was it? Before she could muse over any other possibilities, he turned and beamed at her, putting his free hand on her shoulder. "Patient, my dear. You should be in your room."

"Why?" Eve asked. "There's a party, but I don't even know what it is for..." Or was it one of her parents' birthdays or their anniversary? But she never forgot! She always marked in on the calendar as each year came and made post its all over her desk a week before the date to remind herself to buy gifts. Luckily enough, the smile on her dad's face did not falter; a good sign.

What hit her next was much worse than forgetting a special occasion to celebrate though. Her father's mouth moved, but she could not hear his voice. She could only hear something dimly echoing in her mind, telling her what this day was.

It's your wedding day.

She only stared at her father, and then turned to flee up the stairs. But if it was her wedding, why was none of her closer friends here? Where was Rea, where was Serenade, where was Audrey, Marlo, Elzo, Seth, Jada? Why were the people she saw only those she considered brief friends, like her classmates, those that she would wave to while passing in the corridor, but not close enough to sit next to at lunchtime...

And most importantly, who was she getting married to?

She didn't find out, didn't see his face, or even catch a glimpse of his back, because at that instant, she woke up.

Even so, Eve had a sinking feeling. She felt like she knew who she was getting married to in her dream. Perhaps it was just a hunch, a premonition, or instinct that she had, but the name that entered her mind was surprising. It was true that she had nursed some feelings for him before, but that was in the past. That relationship had been in the past, buried and forgotten (or more accurately, ignored) until she remembered his name.

Adam Hale.

She had never forgotten that name, really.

Relationship. Huh. Why was she even using the word? Eve Summers never had relationships that were romantic. At least she had never referred to them that way, even though she had indulged in dates with a few partners in the past. Relationship was a very strong word. A word that signified commitment.

And Eve did not like commitment. She did not like getting tied down, getting attached. It was always best to break off feelings before they got too serious, or she would get hurt.

Eve was terribly scared of getting hurt and Adam knew that.

He had been nice to her on dates. He had been attentive and sweet, and her parents liked him, but that wasn’t really a factor. They had known him as her mother’s friend’s son before and liked him then, so it didn’t really change anything. Except that her parents had hoped, probably. Hoped that she would be with a nice guy like him, a guy they knew, a guy that they could trust.

But Eve could never fully trust someone with her heart.

“I’m sorry, Adam.” She murmured, into the night, and pulled her sheets up over her face and sighed a deep sigh, before trying to bury herself back into dreamland.