Under Her Wing

Chapter 14

Amalia POV

"Ready for bed Mali?" Danielle asked, finishing  folding clothes into her suitcase.

I took out my outfit for tomorrow, and lay it on a chair, making sure everything else was packed away.

"Amalia?" She prompted after I didn't reply.

I turned to look at her.

"Y-yeah, ready," I stuttered.

She furrowed her eyebrows in concern.

"Why don't you want to sleep sweetie?" She asked, pausing to look at me.

"It's just...."

"Never mind," I sighed, turning away from her.

I felt her place her hand on my shoulder and guide me to turn back to face her.

She was stood close to me, gazing down with pitiful eyes. I flinched slightly as she brought her hand up towards my face.

"Shhh I won't hurt you sweetheart," she whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I leant my head into her hand slightly as she stroked it gently down my cheek.

"Tell me," she said simply.

I took a deep breath in.

"If I go to sleep, it will be morning sooner and we have to go home," I sighed.

She took my hand and led me over to her bed, where we sat down cross legged opposite one another.

With my hands still in hers, I kept my eyes down, staring at our hands.

"Even if you don't go to sleep tonight, we still go home tomorrow. That doesn't change sweetheart so you might as well rest," she explained.

"I don't want to be anywhere other than here. Asleep or awake," I admitted.

"You don't want to dream?" She confirmed, stroking her thumb over my hand.

I shook my head, a tear escaping.

She lifted her hand to wipe it.

"Tell me why sweetheart," Dani calmly asked.

"You're safe, here with you is safe," I told her.

"And who's not safe?" She asked suspiciously.

I panicked slightly, she was getting closer to working everything out.

She couldn't know.

I couldn't tell her.

But she just makes me want to scream everything out.

I'm completely under her spell.

"Amalia," she said softly.

I realised I'd not answered her question.

"I'm good," I said, attempting to force out a smile.

"Amalia don't do that," she sighed.

"Do what?"

"Push me away, I can help," she said seriously.

"I'm fine, I promise," I tried to say convincingly.

"If you're fine, then you'll have no trouble climbing in that bed and falling asleep," she said, pointing over to my double bed.

I followed her finger and realised she was right. The thought of letting myself sleep was terrifying. The thought of waking up from a nightmare in front of Danielle and saying something I shouldn't was even scarier.