How to get him to fall in love | ✔

Chapter Forty Eight

It gets so much worse than it could ever get, that my brain has begun mixing and blurring things together

My nightmares start bleeding together with my actual, current memories

The nightmares are consistent, I'll give them that, they're always starting the same

I'm drowning, head submerged

But it has begun to become twisted, and ugly, and then I'm on my stomach, being penetrated from behind, then I'm in the ocean, not being able to breathe

Everything is becoming a mess

it's not like I imagine Elias doing these things to me, in fact Elis isn't in any of these twisted nightmares, but my brain has begun confusing things that were pleasant and joyful memories with bad ones, and vice versa

I make a note of it on my phone to let Dr Greene know about it next time I see him, then get dressed to go to Annika

I had texted her that afternoon, and it turned out the dinner was that weekend

Well, Today

Elias is there whilst I'm getting dressed, and he does ask me where I'm going as I had gotten quite dressed up. I think he wanted me to ask him to go with, and I mean I'm sure I could've asked Annika if he could come with but she was inviting me to sit with her, and I didn't want to have to bring Elias with, plus it was nice to do things on my own every once in a while

He doesn't look entirely chaffed about it, but it's not my job to make him happy.

....

Annika's husband Ricky opens the door. A tall, big man who looks to be in his early forties, with blonde hair mixed with a lot of grey and a very noticeable cleft deep in his chin

He reminds me of a Viking, but a friendly one

''Hello, you must be Amber'' he says by way of greeting, a huge grin on his face as he ushers me inside, and I thank him

''Hi, thank you for having me'' I answer politely, handing him over a bottle of red wine I had picked up on my way here

''Thank you so much, you didn't have to'' he says accepting the bottle from me

''it's nothing'' I say, its actually the least I could do, as I didn't have time to cook anything before coming here. Mom says it's very impolite to go to a dinner empty handed

''Annika is that way'' he says pointing to the direction of the dining table which is already all set up with candles and wine in ice buckets

I walk slowly in the direction of where Ricky pointed, as I still don't see Annika. As if on cue Annika emerges from the kitchen, and her face lights up when she sees me

''Amber, I'm so happy that you could come''

''of course'' I say, giving her a hug

''you're the first one here'' she says giddily, like she doesn't mind this

''I can see so''

''I wanted you to be the first one to arrive'' she says her joy contagious

''We can get seated already while we wait for the others'' Ricky calls

''Okay honey'' Annika says back

''Can you help me carry a few things to the table'' Annika asks, I nod and follow her into the kitchen where she hands me a tray

''just this?'' I ask, she nods ''where do I put this?''

''wherever there's space on the table'' she says and I nod, carrying it out into the dining room