Effy (Skins Uk)

Chapter Six - Nightmares

Bennett Taylor's P.O.V:

Suddenly, I awoke. I groaned and rolled over to check the time, 3am? I'm quite a light sleeper so I wondered what had woken me up, then I heard her. Was she screaming? Oh god.

I ran towards Effy's room, while wondering what the hell was going on. I jerked still when I was right outside her door. Do I go in? I hardly know her, she'll probably be pissed if I go ahead and go in unannounced right?

I heard another scream, followed by a large thump. Nope no way, I'm going in whether she likes it or not, I need to know if she's okay.

Without hesitation, I proceeded to open the door and quickly rushed over to Effy, who was sprawled across the floor... she must have fallen off her bed, that explained the thump. Her eyes were closed and there was terror enveloping her face, her arms were waving frantically about, like she was trying to protect herself from something, but nothing was there. She was having a nightmare.

I ran over to her and crouched down, I got her in my arms and held her while whispering, "Effy, Effy it's going to be okay, sh, I'm here now okay everything's okay you're safe".

I don't know how long I sat there holding her but eventually I realised she was awake and was crying. Silently. She looked ashamed to let me see her like this in this state but I knew she knew she was safe now and that's all that mattered. She wouldn't make eye contact with me so I tilted her chin up towards me. She looked at me and smirked. Funny, she can still see the positive side of things even in situations like this. She's something different but that was obvious from the start. I kept hold of her chin and told her I was going to put her back into bed now, she simply nodded, and started to get up but there was no way I was letting her stand up in the state she was in, I picked her up bridal style instead. She looked at me and tilted her head to the side while once again, smirking. I smirked back at her but then looked away to pull back the covers. I laid her in the bed and tucked her in, but all the while I was doing this she was staring at me, figuring me out.

When I was done, I looked at her and said,
"I'm going to go back to bed now right, but if you have another nightmare I'll be right back to help you okay?"
She looked away from me and I caught the flash of anger across her face,
"I don't need your help, Bennett", she said in a chilling, calm tone.

I was surprised with her sudden outburst but I ignored her, I mean considering I, (a practical stranger), had just seen her like this, I could understand her mixed reactions. I looked at her and said,
"You might not need my help, but I'm here for you anyway." I turned my back on her and opened the door, the thought of going back to sleep sounded like heaven right now.
-------------------------------------------------------
Effy's P.O.V

I woke up at noon. I was on the left side of the bed, that's weird because I'm usually on the right side, as close to the window as I can get. Then I remembered. He knew. Bennett knew. It had been easy to keep this from Naomi, she's a heavy sleeper, well, either that or she's passed out drunk.

They started after Freddie left. Of course they did, it's so cliche. The nightmares began the very night he left, and they've haunted me every night to this day.
The unanswered questions, the unrequited love, it all comes back to me every single night. I think he loved me, he did right? Of course he did but... But... Why did he leave me?
He left just like I knew he would from the start but he made me feel like he would never leave, he knew if he left that he'd break me. He never wanted to break me... Did he?
He must have.
That's why I can never let it happen again. I can't let myself give in to people, I have to put myself first and I know I can't do this again. I can't go through it again. I can't love again. Everybody leaves eventually, emotionally and physically they all leave. I can't trust them to stay anymore, Freddie taught me that.
Nothing has progressed and nothing will progress with anyone. I'll be alone forever but that's okay, I can deal with that.

Out of nowhere, my phone ringing. I groaned but started to frantically look for it before I missed the call. At last, I found it under my pillow, the caller I.D was cook. I stared at the screen for a few moments before clicking the green button.

"Eff? Don't be mad okay! Don't be mad!"

Is he kidding? He left as well. He didn't help us find Freddie, he just took off and never contacted us again. He was supposed to be Freddie's best friend.

"You left cook, you left us. You left me." I felt tears welling up in my eyes but I couldn't bare to let them fall.

"Eff babe listen I need to see you. I need to discuss what's happened okay it'll all make sense", I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. I clicked the red button, ending the call. I couldn't listen to him pretending he cared. I'm sick to death of everyone pretending they care.

I turned my phone off and headed out my door to the living room to get some coffee. Yeah, coffee would be good right now.

Bennett was nowhere to be seen and for that I was thankful for. I grabbed my coffee from the fridge, (I only like iced coffee), and sat down on the couch while grabbing the remote. Typical, nothing good was on apart from The Big Bang Theory and I'd seen almost every episode about  3 times. I watched it anyway as it was the episode were Raj dates the deaf, gold digger, which was one of my favourites. After a while, my eyes started to feel heavy and I drifted off to sleep.

Unfortunately, I was awoken by the sound of Bennett's key rattling through the key hole, and of course the sound of his very irritated voice.

"Oh my god just go in, just work, just fucking work, why won't you work, you're the damn key for the flat".

I stood up and walked to the door in just my big shirt, not worrying one bit about my appearance.

"Fuck sake, oh my god why won't you work". I chuckled looking at him through the blurry glass door. He abruptly stopped, realising my presence. He cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed about the situation.
"Erm you know I knew you was there the whole time right?". I walked closer to the door and chuckled once more, before saying,
"Sure you did, don't worry I'll let you in".

Bennett took his key out while I put mine in and turned it, letting him inside the flat.
He walked in, scratching his head in defeat.

"God, that fucking key. I swear to god it's not even the right one, Naomi just gave it to me to piss me off".
I barely glanced at him, before laughing and heading off to my room. I could feel his eyes burning on my behind as I left him standing there, so I swayed my hips even more than usual. There was no way I was getting into a conversation with him anytime soon, I never want to talk about last night but there was no harm in showing him what he can't have.