almost; dream ✓

one

the water was running so loud in anna's ears.

it sounded as if she was standing in the middle of a waterfall.

but somehow over the noise of the water, she could hear clay's whisper.

"what's happening?" he said, gently placing her hair behind her shoulders, but still making her tense up. "something is different."

"i don't know what you're talking about." anna said under her breath.

she grabbed plates from the pile next to the sink and began cleaning them. she had to occupy herself. she couldn't leave a second for her body or face to give away the war that was happening in her mind.

"is it because i was late to dinner tonight? i'm sorry about that again. my mom had more home projects for me to help her with than i thought." clay leaned against the counter, leaving anna standing between him and the dirty dishes.

she could feel his eyes looking her up and down, but she didn't dare look in his direction.

"no, that's not a problem."

one dish done, only three more to go.

"well let me help you clean up. its the least i can do." clay reached over but anna tightened her grip on the plate.

"i've got it." she snapped, mentally cursing herself for the slight raise in her voice.

"ann, please talk to me. you've been off the last two weeks and its driving me crazy. you've barely talked to me and things have felt so distant."

"i'm fine," she allowed herself to stop focusing for just a moment in order to look up to the ceiling to stop the upcoming feeling of tears that wanted to appear. "will you get me some ibuprofen? my head is killing me."

"you just took some an hour ago, that's really not good for you."

"i'll just get it myself." she mumbled, placing another plate onto the drying rack.

two dishes done, two more to go.

clay stayed leaned against the counter, carefully watching anna's every move, which she could feel.

the last two weeks had felt empty.

they shared a home and even a bed, but clay felt like he was walking around with a ghost and sleeping alone.

"do you still love me?"

anna stopped in her tracks, caught off guard. she quickly caught herself and placed the pill bottle back in the cabinet before taking anything. she kept her head down and returned to the sink.

"of course i do."

"don't lie to me, anna."

silence stood between them.

anna finished cleaning her cup from dinner.

three dishes done, only one measly glass cup remaining.

"what if i don't know?" she whispered, hoping clay wouldn't hear her.

"you don't know if you still love me?" the hurt that coated clay's voice set panic into effect for anna.

she picked up the speed in cleaning the cup, even though it was already very clean. she couldn't be done cleaning, because then she would have to face her problems.

"clay, i don't know."

"what do you mean you don't know? you really can't tell me that you don't love me anymore and end it with you don't know." clay was doing his best to keep his voice level, knowing that anna has never responded well to people raising their voices at her.

"well maybe i actually don't know! ow! oh shoot-"

not paying attention to what she was doing, with both aggressively scrubbing the cup and having such a tight grip, she found herself breaking it into the palm of her hand.

she instantly opened her hand and grabbed her wrist, seeing blood appear under every piece of glass stuck in her hand.

"anna- don't move. let me get the first aid." clay instantly snapped into rescue mode.

"no, i'm fine, really." she tried to pull her hand towards her chest to conceal the damage, but her eyes instantly filled with tears at the pain.

clay grabbed their small first aid kit that had never been used and then placed his hands on anna's hips, raising an eyebrow to make sure she was okay. after she nodded he lifted her to sit on the counter next to the sink.

"this may hurt a little, but i need to get all of the glass out. you can squeeze my arm if you need to."

clay grabbed out the small pair of tweezers and flipped the light switch for the light above the sink and their heads. he carefully extended out her hand to where he could see it and began pulling out the bigger pieces of glass, laying them on a paper towel next to the sink.

when he began having to tug at some of the more difficult pieces, anna tightly grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. the sound of her whimpering in pain took away any anger that was beginning to build up just moments earlier.

"i know it hurts, honey. i'm sorry. i'm almost done."

clay delicately turned her hand to see if he could see any other pieces of glass in the light.

"okay i need to run it under the water before i wrap it. this might sting a little."

he gently guided her hand under the water, being more careful after watching anna wince in pain. after a few moments of letting the water run he patted her hand dry and began wrapping it with some of the bandage clothes they had available.

as he wrapped her hand, he looked up to see tears covering anna's cheeks. the eye contact must of pushed her over the edge because she immediately dropped her head to let out a sob.

clay quickly tucked the end of the bandage and wrapped his arms around the girl who was so emotionally hurt in that moment.

"sshh, don't cry. its gonna be okay. i'm here." his hands settled on her back, his thumbs ever so slightly moving up and down.

"i just told you that i don't think i love you anymore. why are you helping me?" anna said into his neck, clenching her arm against her chest while clay held her.

"even if you don't think you love me, i still only love you."