I was brushing my teeth, preparing for sleep. I glanced into the room and saw Carol changing her clothes. I grinned and resumed brushing. I spat out the toothpaste and rinsed my mouth with water.
Once I finished, I switched off the light and headed towards the bed. I climbed in and settled under the covers. Carol joined me a few moments later.
I switched off the lamp and lay down, wrapping my arm around her waist as I cuddled her from behind. I playfully kissed her cheek, and she chuckled, pushing my face away.
I smiled and turned off the lamp, getting comfortable and quickly falling asleep. However, at around 3 a.m., I woke up to the sound of small sobs. I felt arms wrap around me tightly, clutching onto me.
Reacting quickly, I turned the lamp back on and saw Carol burying her head in my chest. I felt my shirt becoming damp from her tears, so I wrapped my arms around her waist and gently stroked her hair.
"What's wrong, Care?" I asked, feeling confused.
It was unusual to see her crying, as I was accustomed to her confident and strong presence. So, I was quite surprised by this display of emotion.
"Please don't leave me. Please don't go," she pleaded, holding onto me tighter.
"Hey, hey, look at me," I said, brushing her hair away from her face. I noticed her red, swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks. I wiped away her tears and gently cupped her cheek.
"Why are you crying, sweetheart?" I inquired. She sniffled and wiped her nose.
"Sorry for waking you up. I just had a nightmare," she explained.
"Do you want to tell me what it was about?" I asked. She shook her head.
"It's too embarrassing," she sniffled. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"I promise I won't make fun of you," I assured her, grabbing her hand and intertwining our fingers.
"It was about you. We had an argument, and you ended up leaving me, saying that you wished you never had met me and that I deserved to die in prison," she sobbed.
