Wicked Games

7-Eliana

Chapter 7 | Eliana

I've been tossing and turning for hours, sleep not finding me, and quite honestly, I'm not trying to find it either because of the nightmares I have to endure.

'If you need me, my room is right opposite.'

I know I shouldn't. I know I should still have my guard up, but when I've always been around Reid it's been difficult. And I know all this has affected him as much as it has affected me.

I throw my legs over the edge of the bed and tiptoe toward the door, opening it as quietly as possible, and then sneak over to Reid's room.

"Going to kill me son?" I jump about ten feet high and spin to see Reid's adoptive father, King. He's holding a glass of water with his brows raised, and I swallow hard, staring at him with wide eyes.

"No," I answer simply. "I can't sleep."

He nods, taking a sip of his water. "My son cares about you a lot, Eliana. I'm aware of the place you have come from, and who you work for..."

"Used to work for." I correct him, and he smirks, giving an impressed nod.

"Good answer. What I was saying is, that this is a tight family, we all look out for one another. Don't give me a reason to question your trust, and don't make me kill you for hurting my son."

"Fair enough." I shrug casually, like I haven't just been threatened with my life, and King chuckles.

I watch him walk down the corridor, but then come to a stop, looking at me over his shoulder. "You also owe us new sprinklers; you broke the others."

"Okay." I salute and he disappears around the corner.

Now where was I?

I twist the handle to Reid's door, and it clicks open. I'm welcomed with what's mostly darkness but on the empty side of his bed, there is a small LED lamp which is on. My eyes burn with tears.

"Reid, I shouldn't be on this side of the dorms." My eight-year-old self tells him frantically, as he pulls me along in the darkness towards his bedroom. "I'll get in trouble!" I whisper yell.

"I won't let that happen. I'll take you back in the morning, Ellie. I know you've been struggling with your nightmares, and I want to help." I'm pulled into his room and my eyes widen at the fairy lights dotted all over the place, making the place glow with comfort.

"Wow," I whisper, in a dazed state.

"I'll have these lights on every night for you if you ever get scared and want to come and stay with me. I found them in the bin, but I managed to salvage them for you."

I throw myself into his scrawny arms and hug him tightly. "Thank you so much, doughnut." I whimper into his chest.

"I'd do anything for you, Ellie. Anything!"

They're not fairy lights, but the lamp glows with every colour of the rainbow, and I walk closer, and closer to it until I'm staring down at the lamp with an amazed face. Then on the ceiling, above the huge bed, is a projection of little butterflies.

"I was hoping you'd show up." Reid's sleepy voice enters my ears, and he sits up on his side, looking between me and the lamp. "I thought you'd like it."

"It's amazing," I whisper. "Thank you for thinking about me."

"I always think about you, little butterfly," Reid states, and he flips the duvet so I can climb in, and I can't ignore the fact that he's only in his boxers right now. His toned, tattooed body is on show for me to see and I roll my eyes when a smug smile morphs onto his face. I can't help but notice the locket around his neck but decide not to ask. "Never stopped thinking about you, you know that." He rasps as I climb under the covers and keep a huge gap between us.