Treat You Better

Chapter Twenty: Hotel Lotus

Chapter Twenty: Hotel Lotus.

I sat up abruptly as I escaped from my second nightmare tonight.
The air was cool yet I was sweating, it was pitch black outside the window and I was terrified something might pop out of the darkness.

Two glowing eyes peered at me from the foot of my bed and with a whimper, I turned on my bedside lamp feeling a bit of relief when light flooded the room.

"Moo, it's you," I sniffed, hating the tremble of my voice. "You scared me."

Her high pitched meow was comforting, and she walked up to me to let me stroke her back.

"I saw him again, he's always there." I sniffed, "I hate this."
I rocked back and forth on the bed, not realizing I was chewing on my fingernails until I bit a piece off.
Angelo's ring was in my drawers somewhere.

Angelo...

Hesitantly, I picked my phone and dialed his number, listening to it ring. I planned to just call once, if he didn't pick up, he was probably deep asleep-

"Violet?" His confused, groggy voice washed over me.

What was I to say? Why did I even call him?

"Hello" He said again. I held the phone up to my ear.

"I'm here, sorry for waking you," I said.

He must have heard something in my voice because he suddenly sounded more urgent and awake.
"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I replied and instantly felt foolish, "This is stupid, I'll just..."

"Don't hang up," He said with a bit of a warning tone. "You called me at one am, something's wrong."

"Nightmares," I whispered, sniffing as fresh tears spilled over. Gosh, when was I going to stop crying like a-

"Are you-? Hey, just keep talking to me, I'm here now."

"I can't sleep, they're always waiting for me, and my arm still hurts and...and I'm the only one here. I was so scared, I just wanted someone to talk to, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Violet, I'm glad you called, I know how you feel. It's alright to call someone after your nightmares, I don't mind." He said, calmly. "Just breathe, okay? Your dad's not back from work yet?"

"He went on a trip for a week."

"You're going to be alone for a week? That's not going to work."

"I don't know," I sighed, feeling a bit better with the dream slowly fading to the back of my mind.

"Mmm, that's right, breathe." Angelo soothed, he sounded half awake again and when he yawned, I did too.

"Where are you sleeping?" He asked with that raspy part of his voice I really liked.

"In my room?" I laid back down on my pillow. Why was he asking?

"Is there water nearby?"

"No."

"Do you want water?"

"Not really."

"Just checking..." he murmured. "Should I come over sometimes? Or do you want to stay in Hotel Lotus till your dad comes back?"

"Like...live with you?" I asked.

"It's a hotel, Squeaky." He said, "but yes, so you don't have to be alone. My cousins would love you."

I smiled, sleep was calling my name once more. "That sounds nice."

"So we'll go after school?"

"Mmm."