Neon Fire {dl}

Chapter 16

~Leah

I woke up in a cold sweat, surrounded by darkness. My chest was heaving and my heart racing as I tried to remember where I was. A pair of arms snaked around my waist from behind.

"What's wrong baby?" Demi's voice cut through my thoughts. I sighed and relaxed into her embrace. I looked at the clock, it read 3.12AM.

"Nothing," I replied, trying to seem nonchalant. "It was just a dream."

I felt her hot breath on my neck as she moved closer to me, sending shivers of excitement down my spine.

"You wanna talk about it?" She murmured. I shook my head.

"Nah, I can't remember it anyway." It was true, all I could grasp from it was a feeling of deep fear as the last of the memories of my dream faded into my mind.

"Did I wake you?" I asked her as I turned to face her. The room was dark but I could see the faint outline of her hair and face in front of me.

"I couldn't sleep," she replied quietly, causing me to frown. I reached up and gently traced the outline of her hair, running my fingers through its silkiness.

"Talk to me baby." I whispered. I heard her sigh and she sat up suddenly. I heard her swing her legs out of the bed and I sat up.

"Demi? What are you doing?" I asked.

"I just need to take a walk. You wanna come?" I was about to complain again but something in her voice stopped me. Instead of replying I clambered out of the bed and joined her at the door.

"You're demented, you know that?" I grumbled. She giggled.

"No Leah, it's DemeTRIA, not Demented.." She shot back sarcastically. I playfully punched her in the arm as she opened the door, still in hysterics. She peered down the corridor, making sure no one was in sight before grabbing my wrist and dragging me along with her.

We scurried down the dimly lot corridor until we reached the front exit. I stopped as Demi pulled a bobby pin out of her hair.

"Demi, are you sure this is a good idea?.." I trailed off as I heard a click and the front door swung open. A cool breeze ruffled my hair, making me shiver as Demi stepped closer to me.

"Come on," she whispered, her breath causing goosebumps to appear on my skin. "Live a little."

I didn't reply, instead I walked straight outside, ignoring the shivers that were coursing through my body. And not just because of the cold.

The grounds were perfectly illuminated by the full moon shining down as we walked towards the small stream that ran through the grounds. Demi slipped her hand through mine as we walked, swinging them playfully as we walked. We reached the little wooden platform at the edge of the stream and sat down.

"What's on your mind Dems?" I asked softly after a few minutes of silence. She didn't look at me but kept staring at the water.

"Were you actually going to do it?" I frowned.

"Do what?" She turned to me and if her eyes hadn't been glistening with tears I could have sworn she was angry.

"Jump. If I hadn't reached you in time... Were you actually gonna jump off the ledge?" Her question stunned me. I broke her gaze and started fiddling with a loose thread on my pajamas.

"I don't know Demi." I answered truthfully. "I don't know how to explain it, when I was standing up there I felt invincible. Because for the first time I felt like I was in control of my own life. I could choose to end it by stepping forward or save it by stepping back."