Light in the Darkness (English)

Chapter 10

Ana

Present (2017)

I suddenly sat up, waking from my nightmares so abruptly that I nearly collided with the boy in front of me. Daniel gently held my face in both of his hands and used his thumb to wipe away my tears.

"What happened?" he asked in that gentle voice, just like the day we first met when he was fifteen. I remember him so clearly, the kindness in his words, his actions, as if that day were just yesterday.

I snuggled closer to him, pressing my face against his chest. Daniel must have taken a shower while I slept because he had the scent of the soap left in the bathroom.

"I'm here," he said and began to stroke my back. My heart, which had been racing so frantically, finally started to calm down.

I climbed out of his embrace.

"I couldn't help you. I couldn't... the Light didn't help... you died. And I had to watch," I recounted the events of my dream to him.

"Everything is fine now. I'm here, whole, nothing happened. And nothing will. Don't let your dreams scare you. You've always been able to use your healing power. It won't let you down. Just as you won't let me down. And I won't leave you. You know that."

"You're very committed. That's good. How long have you been here?" I asked.

"I just got here a few minutes ago. I wanted to check if you were still asleep. And as soon as I closed the door behind me, you started screaming... you know the rest."

"I'm glad you came," I told him, looking at him with gratitude.

"I always seem to arrive at the right time. It's like I can feel when you need me."

"It's not that you always come at the right time, because you're always with me, Dan! Today was the first time we went somewhere separately," I remarked.

"And is that a problem? Don't you want me to be with you?" he asked.

"Oh, that's not what I meant! Of course, I want you to be with me. I feel so much better when you're around," I replied.

"I will always be with you, even if you didn't want me to. I will never leave you alone," Daniel said with a completely serious expression.

"Always?"

"Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I want to be with you."

My face was burning, and I was grateful for the darkness because Daniel couldn't see my red face clearly. But I could see his face. That's why I was thankful for the Light, thanks to my power, I could see much clearer.

His face was also red, but he was grinning like never before. His eyes sparkled, and I saw a new kind of emotion in them that I had never noticed before.

"I really mean it all. I'll always be with you because my heart pulls me towards you, and where you are, I want to be there too. I have to be there because I just can't stand being without you. I need your smile, your presence, your scent... I need you. And I have to see you; I have to see if someone wants to harm you, I need to see what happens to you."

Daniel placed his hand on mine, and his skin was very warm, almost hot, but his touch felt so good that I wouldn't have cared if his hands were actually on fire.

"No one can harm you. I won't let anyone... and no one else can touch you the way I do..." His hand slowly moved up my arm, sending shivers down my skin. When he reached my shoulder, he removed his hand and placed it on my face, gently caressing my skin, then leaned in slowly.