Between Us

Five Years Ago

Why the hell did I do that? I don't need anyone. I can handle my nightmares on my own. So why did I pick up my phone and dial that number?

Fuck.

I pace up and down in my kitchen, waiting. It's been twenty minutes and twenty-three seconds since I ended the call. Any minute now th-

The door bell rings and I walk the few steps from my kitchen to the front door of my apartment. I don't have to open, right? Oh for fucks sake, it's already to late for that!

I open the door slowly, cautiously.

There he is, in all his glory. Both of his hands on the door frame while his eyes are cast down to his feet. As soon as the door is fully open he looks up at me. He must see the scared look on my face because in two large steps he walks to me and wraps me into a hug. Without saying a single word, he's already started to make me feel better.

After a few seconds of silence, Derrick finally speaks up, "Hey".

"Hi."

"We should really close the door now."

"Yeah I guess." With no warning he let's go of me and goes back to close the door softly. I watch him turn back around towards me. I'm not sure why I called him, I'm not sure why I asked him to come and I could only imagine he's even more confused than I am.

I turn around and start walking to the kitchen.

"Do you want something to drink? Water? Or I have beer?"

"Water is fine." I walk to the refrigerator and grab a water and beer. God knows I'm going to need it.

"How've you been?"

"Why did you call me?" I wasn't expecting it to get serious that quickly.

"Well it's good to hear you're fine, I'm good to thanks for asking." My attempt to lighten up the mood clearly fails and I notice it by the look in his face as he furrows his eyebrows together.

"Seriously?"

"What?" Fuck.

"You wake me in the middle of the night, practically crying, and ask me to come over. Now I don't mind, I told you last weekend that I'm here for you but excuse me if I want to skip the bullshit small talk to get to the real problem."

I know he's waiting for some sort of response but when I don't give him one he slowly takes a few steps to be in front of me, looking down at me.

He brings a hand up to swiftly move my hair out of my face, "Emma please, what happened?" He whispers so low I swear if I wasn't standing this close, I wouldn't be able to hear.

"Come lay with me."

"What?"

"Just-" I'm not even sure where I'm going with this myself. "Please, let's just lay down."

I can see the struggle in his eyes. He must think I'm crazy, or maybe he's the crazy one for actually taking my hand and let me lead him to my bedroom.

I don't waste time and walk straight to my bed once we're in my room, making sure to leave space for him. I look up at him and make eye contact. He holds my gaze as he removes his shoes and slowly lays down next to me.

I lift my head a bit so I can lay my head on his chest like last weekend. "Just hold me please."

Without saying a word, he does as I ask. It doesn't seem forced or awkward. And we stay like that, with my head on his chest and his arm draped around my shoulders while his hand softly massages my scalp, for what seems like hours. In reality it must have been ten minutes.