Smoke and Mirrors (Smoke #1)

[ 52 ]

Waking up, I felt exhausted rising up from the bed. I noticed that the sheets around me were tousled around, making me slightly confused. I looked out the window, gazing out at the usual, typical Melbourne weather of a cold morning. The drops of water were scattered on the glass as I trailed my eyes to the figure sitting in the corner of my room, fast asleep. I quietly blinked my eyes and had realised it was only Toby who had somehow managed to come in my room.

The events of last night was a blur except for the fact that I was on the couch, sipping on a glass of red wine. What exactly had happened for Toby to be awaiting near my bed? I was confused, I mean who wouldn't be if you woke up and unexpectedly saw Toby McLean right there in your sight with no warning or sign? Taking a deep breath, I probably was overreacting and knew there had to be a reasonable explanation as to why I had woken up in such a frazzled state of mind.

Slowly pushing off the blue doona cover, I let out a slight moan of pain escape my lips as I noticed Toby beginning to wake up, rolling his head back and fluttering his eyes open before looking at me with somewhat tired eyes. I let out a yawn but still felt a little confused about why Toby was here in the first place. I could tell that he had noticed my confusion, I mean it wasn't exactly hard to tell when somebody was confused or not.

"Uh hi." I said aloud nervously as Toby just nodded his head and looked carefully at me with concern before eventually replying back to me.

"Hey." He said sharply as it had sounded to me that he was beginning to wake up. It went silent between us as he looked around the room trying his hardest to find something. I rose an eyebrow before settling my expression down realising that he had a rather serious expression on his face. Toby stood up from the chair beside my bed, rising to feet as his folded his arms and sighed, looking down at the ground.

"You - You were with me here the whole night?" I stuttered before suddenly noticing the look of disappointment on Toby's face. It felt stupid for me to ask him that but I just couldn't help it seeing as the events of last night were still being pieced together in my mind.

"Yeah, I was Scarlett." He muttered as he looked up to the ceiling and sighed.

The tension between us was evident - or could that be guilt? The guilt coming from my side about the way I've been treating everyone around me lately? I sighed and rushed my hand against the cotton type material of the doona as I could notice Toby shake his head and distract me from my own thoughts of negativity.

"This isn't easy for me to bring up but last night, last night I experienced something that I haven't ever come across in my life before and honestly, it really did scare me." He admitted as I could see the distress on his face I looked up to him and felt my lip begin to quiver as I felt my body suddenly start to tense up.

"I get that whatever happened was tough but I need you to be straight up with me. Wh-what did happen to me last night?" I stuttered as Toby's face was suddenly a face of fear, my heart beginning to race.

"You mean, you don't know what happened to you Scarlett? You don't remember the way you were or what you said to me when you were in my arms that night." He said, nervously tugging at the grey string of his hoodie. I could feel my eyes beginning to water as I watched in silence his body now tensing up and his mouth opened before suddenly closing.

"I - I -" He cut himself off as his eyes quickly darted back and fourth suddenly making the fear spread through my body even faster than it had before.

"Please Toby, I need you to tell me what it was that scared you so much last night. Please." I pleaded as he turned to face the other way, his voice was starting to become shaky as he began to speak.