It's a Cold World Without You

It's a Cold World Without You 10

Hailey was inside of a house she didn’t recognize, surrounded by masses of people she didn’t know, looking for Kyle. She couldn’t find him and her panic was rising inside of her, threatening to break free. She weaved her way through the crowds, looking at the faces desperately, but not one face did she recognize.

Becoming more frantic Hailey was shoving her way through the crowds, shouting out for Kyle.  No one paid her attention, not one head turned her way. She couldn’t find him. She was in a house full of strangers and he wasn’t there.

An audible gasp was heard in the room and everyone looked up. Hailey followed there gazes and noticed for the first time a second floor balcony over-looking the room in which she stood. Someone was standing on the rail, a grim look on his face. Black hair, grey eyes; Hailey immediately knew who the boy was.

A cry ripped itself from her throat before she could even try to stop it, “Kyle!”

He tumbled from the railing and he was falling. Hailey dropped to her knees, “No! Kyle, no!”

He was still falling and Hailey was sobbing, trying to brace herself for when he hit the ground.

Kyle’s body was going to hit the ground any second and Hailey was shaking violently.

“Hailey,” someone was calling her name. She tried to look around without taking her eyes off of Kyle.

“Hailey!” the voice was becoming more persistent and the shaking more violent.

This time, Hailey’s eyes opened. Disoriented, she blinked until her eyes landed on Ryan’s concerned face. He was hovering over her, his hands on her shoulders, still shaking her slightly.

Ryan noticed Hailey’s eyes were now open and let out a breath of relief. “Are you okay?” he asked her softly.

Hailey nodded numbly, “Bad dream.”

Ryan moved his hands up to her face to wipe her tears away. Hailey hadn’t realized she’d been crying until she felt the slickness between his stroking thumbs and her cheeks.  

“I’m sorry, Ryan,” Hailey croaked out. She hated people seeing her vulnerable and this was the most vulnerable she’s ever been.

He shook his head fiercely, brown hair falling into his bright blue eyes. “No, Hailey, don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ryan bent his head to kiss her cheek.  

“What was your dream about, Hail? I heard you calling Kyle’s name,” Ryan prodded gently after pulling back slightly.

“He fell,” Hailey choked on her sob, “And I watched.”

More tears fell and Ryan still swiped at them with his thumbs. Hailey drew comfort from his touch but her dream continued to replay in her mind, causing more tears to fall.

Ryan couldn’t keep up with his fingers, so he bent his head again, this time to kiss her tears away.

Hailey wanted to forget about the dream, about reality, about everything.

“Make me forget,” she begged. “Please, Ryan.”

She leaned up and closed the two-inch gap between their lips. Tangling her fingers into his hair, Hailey collapsed back onto the pillow, bringing Ryan down on top of her.  Ryan didn’t waste any time in responding to her kiss and soon rolled onto his back so that Hailey was straddling him. He broke away from the kiss, they were both breathing heavily, and pulled at the hem of her T-shirt. She raised her hands above her head obligingly and then she was topless.

Ryan reached up and drew her mouth back down to his own.  

Hailey managed to get her hands between their torsos and run her hand up under his shirt. Ryan shivered at her touch as she traced the plains of his stomach with her cool hands. He broke the kiss to breathe and Hailey’s mouth instantly attached to his neck.

That’s when Ryan came to his senses. “Hailey, stop. We shouldn’t do this.”

“I want you,” Hailey moved her mouth to Ryan’s ear to whisper in it.

A shiver of desire ran up Ryan’s spine making his grip on Hailey’s hips tighten. Hailey’s smiled in triumph and pressed her advantage as she resumed kissing his neck, making small circles with her tongue.

“No, y-you want a d-distraction,” he said shakily, not sounding so sure now.

“Stop thinking, just act,” Hailey said calmly, “You think too much, Ryan. Enjoy the moment for once.”

Heeding Hailey’s advice, Ryan flipped Hailey onto her back and removed his own shirt.

He dipped his head to her breasts and whispered, “Okay.”