*Reborn in Shadows*

Chapter 10 : School

I stirred awake, feeling a dampness on my skin, and as my senses returned, I realized I was drenched in sweat. My heart was pounding as though I'd just run a marathon, and there was a heaviness in my chest that I couldn't quite shake. Suddenly, my door burst open, and I saw Michael and Derek rush in. Their faces were etched with concern, Michael's eyes wide with worry.

"Cath! Are you okay?" Michael's voice was shaky, a mix of fear and relief as he approached the bed.

"We heard you scream," Derek added, his voice uncharacteristically serious. His usual teasing tone was gone, replaced by something more intense. He looked at me closely, as if trying to decipher what was wrong.

I blinked, trying to make sense of their words, but everything felt fuzzy. The edges of my vision blurred as I tried to sit up, but the room swayed. A wave of dizziness hit me hard, and before I knew it, the darkness was closing in again. The last thing I felt was Derek's strong arms catching me before I hit the floor.

The next time I opened my eyes, the sunlight was streaming through the curtains, casting a warm glow over my room. I blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare, but fragments of it clung to me—flashes of something I couldn't quite grasp. I sat up slowly, feeling a dull ache in my head and a tightness in my chest.

A soft knock came at the door, and Michael entered, carrying a tray with a glass of juice and some toast. His usual smile was there, but it didn't reach his eyes. The same shadow of guilt seemed to hang over him, deeper than before.

I try to sit up, but a wave of dizziness makes me pause. "Okay, I think," I say slowly, as if testing the words. "What happened?"

Michael places the tray on the bedside table and looks at me with concern. "You had a nightmare. A really bad one. You were under a lot of stress yesterday with everything going on. You were... really out of it." He hesitates, then adds, "You fainted. The doctor came by last night to check on you. He said it was probably just a mix of exhaustion and stress."

"I don't remember much," I admit, trying to push down the nagging feeling that something important is slipping away from me.

Michael's face softens as he stands up. "It's okay. You don't have to remember everything right now. Just take it easy." He hesitates before adding, "We're all downstairs. Mom and Dad haven't returned yet, but they should be back soon."

I catch a flicker of something in his expression—worry, maybe, or something deeper that I can't quite place. "Are they okay?" I ask, my voice tinged with concern.

Michael offers a reassuring smile. "They're fine. Just busy with work. It happens sometimes, but there's nothing to worry about."

He gave a small, almost sad smile and set the tray down on the nightstand. "It's okay. You probably just need to rest." He hesitated, then added, "You're feeling better now, right?"

"Yeah, I think so," I replied, trying to match his smile. But as he started to stand, I noticed the way he avoided looking directly at me, the way his face held onto that guilt like a mask he couldn't take off. It made my chest tighten with confusion.

He was halfway to the door when I called after him, "Michael, wait."

He paused, turning back to me, his expression guarded.

"Why do you always look like that?" I asked softly, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "Like you're carrying the weight of the world. Is it... because of me?"

For a moment, he didn't say anything, and the silence between us felt heavy. Then, finally, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Cath, it's not something you need to worry about. Let's just focus on getting you better, okay?"