her disappearance

2

CREIGHTON

"Creighton." my younger sister shouts above the water. "Save us!"

"Hang on," I scream back, ripping off my t-shirt and diving into the water.

I swim aimlessly as I attempt to locate my younger siblings. No. I had to find them. "Raven!" I shout. "George!"

No reply but that didn't stop me. I continue searching for them. I see a head pop over the ocean and I swim towards it. "Raven!" I whisper, holding her to my chest.

Another body sinks to the top and I pull my brother closer. I was too far from land. I couldn't save them both. "I'm so sorry." I whisper, tears pouring out of my eyes as I hold my sibling's lifeless bodies.

I could vaguely see my dad in the distance, sitting by the sand as he stares down at his phone. "Dad!" I try to shout but it came out as a whisper.

My brother's lips were blue, his face was paler than ever. He couldn't be dead. Dragging him with me, I attempt to swim back to land.

"You didn't save us Creighton." my sister's haunted voice whispers. "You weren't strong enough!"

I jerk up from my bed with a gasp. Another nightmare. The same night that tormented me five years ago. "Creighton." I hear my best friend say.

I glance up at Kai as he watches me curiously. "Same nightmare?" he asks.

I nod stiffly. That day was the worst day of my life. I lost my younger siblings in the most brutal way possible and it was all my fault.

"Think it's time to see someone?" he questions.

I rise from my bed. "No."

Why would I waste my time going to a therapist to sort out my nightmares? Nothing they do will help me. I've tried everything to stop the memories from washing through but it doesn't work. I have to suffer with these memories for as long as I live.

He shakes his head and murmurs something under his breath. Kai has been my best friend since I was a baby. We went to nursery together and now we're sharing a dorm. I always know that I can trust him.

"We have a lecture in fifteen minutes." he tells me before leaving my room.

I sigh before getting ready.

•••

Ever since that exchange with Anoushka, I haven't stopped thinking about her. I love frustrating her, she gets heated very quickly and it's amusing to watch.

For example, currently she's scrambling into the classroom late. "Sorry." she says to the professor before dropping all her stuff onto her table.

"Is there a reason why you're twenty minutes late to my lecture?" he asks. 

She gives him a tight-lipped smile. "I overslept."

He shakes his head with disappointment. "That will be a detention."

She rolls her eyes before sitting down. I wanted to talk to her. Fuck knows why. I raise my hand and excuse myself from the classroom, sending Kai a text to bring my bag back to the dorm.

I wasn't planning on going back. The professor would be forced to give me a detention and that'll be the only way I'll be able to speak to Anoushka again.

Some may call it an obsession but in reality, I just want to speak to her. There's something so alluring about her and I need to find out what it is exactly.