The Bree And Hayley Dilemma

More for my benefit than anyone else's, but feel free to read if interested.



So I keep having these little problems crop up with the Reality’s Dream trilogy. I’ve grappled with this one before but it keeps popping up.

The problem in particular revolves around Bree and Hayley. Most of my characters in this series draw from people in my life in at least some regard. This is relevant for later.

Anyways, the problem in and of itself. The relationships between Bree, Hayley, and Alan grew to be more complex than I had originally intended. Bree had always had rough basis off of 3 or 4 different girls that I’ve known over the course of time, and Alan always came and went with her (something to the story only, not something the person Alan is based off ever did). Originally, Hayley did not draw off of anyone. I always intended for Hayley and Alan to wind up together after a few complications.

So there’s a dual problem here. Hayley began to draw inspiration from a certain person *cough*courtney*cough* ahem sorry about that. If you don’t see the inherent problem in that, you’re just kinda dumb and I can’t really help you. lol.

But yeah, that happens. Then I have it where Alan gets conflicted between Bree and Hayley over the second half of Oblivion’s Eye.

This is where things get to be problematic. Something happens where Bree just disappears from Alan’s live forever after she has her baby. This is DEVASTATING for him and he flat out begins to become an alcoholic. Hayley is there for him; of course, because I want them to wind up together.

But the problem itself.... Alan loves Bree and begins to stop caring so much about Hayley. So when Bree disappears and Hayley steps in to fill the void, well....

The thing is, I can’t force the character to still have feelings for Hayley. He just doesn’t and to write anything else feels unnatural and goes against his character. That whole thing is kinda hard to explain unless you write and understand.

Having Hayley disappear and Bree fill the void doesn’t work, it can’t. Hayley has to be around for the ending of the trilogy, and without Bree disappearing Alan doesn’t ever fall to rock bottom. These things need to happen for the ending. It’s the most beautifully tragic thing I’ve ever thought up.

Every time Hayley’s character is changed or adjusted, it seems like her personality keeps finding its way back to the same things that eventually frustrate Alan and make him not care about her anymore, namely the relationship issues. The problems that integrated into her personality that she picked up from the person that I unwillingly drew inspiration from.

The ultimate problem is that changing Hayley’s personality goes against her character. To change her would be making her into something she isn’t; it would be replacing her with someone else. So this can’t be done.

I can’t change the story.

I can’t force what Alan feels.



Bree and Hayley are actually strangely similiar in personality, to a certain extent. I didn’t really put much thought into this, but i was looking at the ‘bridge’ between reality’s dream and oblivion’s eye and i saw this quote:

Bree: “So earlier you said that British chick reminded you of everything good about Maryiah and that’s why you loved her. If everything good about Maryiah was actually your good memories of us together, then wouldn’t that girl you loved actually just be a reminder of me?”
Alan: “...Yes. Yes, it would.”

There’s obviously noticeable differences between the two, but the similarities can be pretty striking at times.

Bree is more confident and even though she’s emotionally distant, she expresses more than Hayley. Hayley is simply distant all around due to some issues. She’s picked up a bit of a “mean” streak in some regards but whatever. Bree’s a bitch but she’s the best damn bitch ever if that would make any sense. Not that it holds any relevance I guess. Maybe I need to get Alan to see how Hayley is like Bree in some regards... I don’t know.


uhhh, HALP??