Our Stars

Chapter 8

I could hear my dad screaming at nothing again. It wasn't anything new. Ever since my mother passed away, he was constantly screaming at the air. I wanted to comfort him, but I knew it was no use. My anxiety got higher, fearing what he would do next. I knew his system. He would yell at the air for twenty minutes, then go to me. I waited for him to come barging into my room. To come take his anger out on me. Sure enough, I heard my dad's footsteps towards my room. I leaned up against the door, using all my strength so that he couldn't open it. But he did. He threw open the door so hard that I got thrown across my floor.

He scoffed. "Trying to keep me out, huh? Little Lynn?"

"Daddy, no," I said softly. He punched my jaw, causing my face to hit the floor. I held back the tears, knowing that's what he wanted to see.

"You know, just because you're fourteen now doesn't mean you can win. I will always win."

"Please leave me alone," I pleaded.

"Maybe if you're mother was around, you'd be happier. Maybe I'd be happier." He chuckled.

"Nobody would be happier. Because you were violent towards her too-" He interrupted me with a slap to the cheek. I couldn't hold back anymore, and I let a tear fall down my face.

"If you ever talk to me like that again young lady, there will be problems," he whispered in my ear. He pulled me up, so I was standing, and he put his hands around my neck. The world was getting darker.

"Dad, why," I whimpered, losing my breath.

"Because you are worthless," he growled at me

"I thought you loved-" I gasped for air.

Darkness.

I woke up with a tear stained face, not realizing I had been crying in my sleep. I got up out of bed and looked over. I noticed Noah had fallen asleep with me, as he usually did to make sure I was safe during the night. I sat on the floor, and curled up into a ball. I put my face in my knees, and the tears started spilling down my face. I laid down, still curled in a ball, and I put my face on the ground. I wasn't calming down.

"Raelynn!" Noah's concerned voice filled the room. "Raelynn, oh my god, what happened? Come here." He pulled me off of the floor, and pulled me into his arms. My face rested on his chest ad I sobbed. "Raelynn, please calm down. Just focus on my voice and calm down." He rocked me back and forth like a child. "Lynn, it's gonna-"

"Don't call me that!" I screamed while shoving myself out of his arms. I stood across from him as he watched me crumble in front of him.

"Raelynn, please, you're scaring me." I started shaking so bad, I fell to the floor. Noah pulled me back into his arms. "Raelynn, calm down and tell me what's going on."

"My dad, he's here. He was here and he hit me," I said, my words coming out jumbled.

"Raelynn, you're dad wasn't here. He hasn't been here."

"No, he put his hands around my neck, he was gonna kill me, he was here, Noah."

"Raelynn, I promise he wasn't here. It was just a bad dream," Noah said as he started rocking me again.

I sat there for a minute as I thought. Eventually, my breathing calmed down, and so did my tears. "It wasn't just a dream, Noah."

"He wasn't here tonight. I promise."

"I'm sorry. I thought he was here. I just got scared," I whispered, feeling weak.

"It's gonna be okay, I'm right here." Noah kept repeating those words. When I finally calmed down enough, he picked me up and put me back in bed. He laid down next to me, and I crawled back into his arms. "It's okay, I'm right here, Raelynn. You can go to sleep, I'll be right here protecting you."

"I'm too scared to go to sleep," I said quietly. "I'm gonna see him again."

"You have to try. I know you're afraid. But I promise you're not gonna get hurt. I'll be right here if you have another nightmare."

"Hey, Noah?"

"Yes?"

"Will you ever leave me?"

"Raelynn, I'd never leave you. I'll be here for you whenever you need me."

"You promise?"

"I promise." We laid there in silence. "You're safe with me."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Anytime, love. I'll be here forever and always."

Agh, I haven't been updating. I've written some chapters, so I will try to start updating again. K cool. Bye.