The Secret (Book 1 of the Secret Series)

Chapter 9.

KATARA

ONE MONTH LATER

I felt the bed shift beside me and I sat up quickly. I grabbed my chest and breathed shakily as I looked at Jonathan. He looked at me and sighed. He hadn't meant to scare me, it was just that Kyle had tried to come in here before and I was a very light sleeper.

I sighed tiredly and ran a hand through my hair. I closed my eyes and scooted over some so that he wouldn't hang off the bed. He smiled some and moved a little closer. I yawned and lay back down. I was exhausted and I really wanted to sleep. He knew that and he lay down beside me. I curled up against his chest, like I would have if he had been Corrie or Justin or even the way I did with Max when he came in her, and he slowly lay a hand on my shoulder. He wasn't sure what he was to do. He had never come in here before at night. He'd lay on my bed, but not when we were about to go back to sleep.

Slowly, I sat up some to look at him. He looked at me and I could see that he was a little uncomfortable. I gave a half smile and then pulled all the way away and lay down on the bed, still facing him,but not touching him in any way. Jonathan turned on his side and we looked at each other a minute. He smiled a little more. He knew I was trying to make him comfortable and even though I didn't really know how I could, I still didn't know him well, little by little, he was warming up to it.

We both knew that it was one thing when there was a light on, day time, and other people around. It was a totally different thing when you were alone, in bed, and the lights were out. But we were quickly figuring out what it felt like to be like this.

He breathed a laugh.

"Come here." he told me and I smiled a little more. He pulled me close and rolled on his back. I lay against his bare chest and smiled a little. I was just really glad that he didn't hate me anymore. Sometimes I wondered if he wasn't happy with me still, but other times, I knew that he wanted to protect me for some reason. That was why I had trusted him, even just after he had broken my ribs. I had always known who was good to trust and not, call it intuition, or whatever you want, I just knew that I was always right.

So there I was curled up next to Jonathan and slowly falling asleep when the door opened again. I lifted my head and found that my least favorite person was standing there. I curled up tighter next to Jonathan and he held me a little tighter. I knew that he was looking at Kyle too. I could see the confusion on Kyle's face as he looked at us. He also looked a little annoyed and unhappy. It almost seemed that he wasn't angry that he couldn't get to me, but the fact that I was sleeping with someone, with Jonathan.

Well, whatever it was, I didn't really care, because I didn't like Kyle. He scared me. I was glad that Jonathan was here. He was the one keeping Kyle away from me and I was really happy about that.

That, and I didn't really like sleeping alone, and I really did like and trust Jonathan. He was a friend to me and I would care and worry about him until the day that I died, even after that if I had to. I cared and I wouldn't let anything happen to him.

We watched at Kyle backed out of the room a minute later and closed the door. He didn't leave right away, just stood there in front of the door and I watched his shadow, and then he did walk away. I could hear a low sigh as he did, and I wondered what he had been about to do to me.

I breathed shakily as I lay my head back on Jonathan's chest again and closed my eyes. He rubbed my arm and squeezed me a little. I sighed and yawned.

"Go to sleep Katara." Jonathan whispered. "I won't let him touch you, okay." I nodded. I had no doubt that he would protect me. He was on my side now.

I let out another long breath and then slowly slipped into a dark world of dreams and memories.

Jonathan lay asleep on my bed. He was covered up by the blanket and was curled up on his side like a big baby. He'd come in my room sometime last night and slept with me. Not the get naked sleep, but just lay there holding me all night. It was around noon now and I'd just gotten out of the shower. He was still asleep on my bed. He must have had a bad dream or something last night, because he almost seemed scared when he'd come in.