Bulletproof my Heart

16. Hilarious, you are getting a sassy streak.

What do you normally do on the weekends?

I am either travelling and working - or binge-watching series lazily on the bed. There's no in-between ;)

Chapter 16. Hilarious, you are getting a sassy streak.

I have no idea what to do or how to react. My feet don't move and my eyes can't look away. It's unnerving to see Nimit, a man who is always so in control and command, breathlessly beg for help.

Nimit gasps loudly and that snaps me out of my daze. I drop the letter on the floor, my unknown stalker forgotten as I run towards the bed, desperate to help Nimit out of his tormenting nightmare. I whisper his name into the lamp-lit night, a gentle attempt to rouse him from the clutches of his nightmare. But he remains ensnared, lost in a realm that only he can perceive. His breathing quickens, erratic and uneven, as though the air around him is viciously attacking him.

A piece of my heart breaks watching him so agitated and vulnerable. I swallow the lump of fear and cry his name, louder and louder but he's far too gone into a world I can't seem to reach. Tears stain my cheeks and I tug on his arm, trying to jerk him awake. "Nimit! Nimit, wake up!" 

But he flings his arm, sending me flying back. I barely manage to keep myself from falling on the floor.

'No, no, don't touch me!' His hoarse cries pierce my heart and I look around the dark room, desperate to find something to help him. I wonder what he is dreaming about but whatever it is – it seems to be bad...really bad.

"Nimit! Nimit!" I scream at his tightly shut eyes. "Wake the fuck up! Christ, you are scaring me."

I try to reach his arm once again, pinning it down and slapping his face. "Nimit! You are here, with me! Please, wake up. Please." My voice cracks at the end, and my nails dig into his skin, holding down his arm. "It's Aisha. Please wake up." I whisper, letting my tears flow down and land on his skin and bed. I feel so weak, knowing that he can protect me anytime, anywhere and I can't even snap him out of a stupid nightmare.

Suddenly, he jolts upright, eyes wide open but unseeing. His arm leaves my grasp and I take a hasty step back, watching him with apprehensive eyes. The terror etched across his face is palpable, and his chest rises and falls in rapid succession. He seems completely disoriented and lost, like a child seeing the world for the first time. I watch as he blinks repeatedly, adjusting to the reality and his breathing slowly evens. His shoulders slump and he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opens them, they are focused yet distinctively pale and haunted.

Tentatively, I take a step towards him and scan his face. My voice is timid as I ask, "Hey, are you okay?"

Nimit flinches as if burned by words and presence. He looks away, not meeting my eyes and clears his throat. "I am fine. You can go."

I shake my head, unable to get the picture of a panicked Nimit out of my head. "What was that nightmare about?"

"None of your concern."

"Nimit, I have never seen you so... frightened. What was it about?" I push on, hoping to get an answer.

But Nimit's jaw clenches and he turns to me, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

My lips part and I tap my feet nervously. Uh oh! "Um, I was just – I heard you and-"

That's when his eyes notice the crumbled letter on the floor and they harden. He turns back to me, a challenging smirk on his face. "Sneaking around, are we now?"

I fold my arms and lift my chin in defiance. "I had the right to know! I have a stalker, Nimit. A stalker!"

"And we are handling it!"