Get Ready For It - A Gary Barlow FF

Chapter 35

No. She can't be serious! What? Who the fuck would attack a girl?

''What? When? Is she okay?'' I spray a list of questions at her without even thinking before managing to stop myself without berating her with too much.

I see her open her mouth once or twice as she tries to formulate the words, but all she manages to do is let out exaggerated sighs and exhalations. Not being able to see my girl like this, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to my chest and wrapping the duvet around us both, as I see her shivering in the slight chill that has engulfed the room in the last minute or so. Doing a quick check of the windows, all of them are closed shut. Good.

''Ssshh, ssshh. It's okay. I'm here, Sophie. I'm here now. You're alright..'' I whisper as I place my lips against her temple and kiss her softly, trying my best to calm her down.

I feel her shoulders begin to buck up and down, back and forth as the tears begin to flow, dripping down from her cheeks on to my chest. All I want to do is hold her. There is no need to try and speak to her, as I am not going to get any answers from her anyway. Not right now when she is this upset. I rock her gently for about 5 minutes or so until I feel her cries begin to soften and she stills against my chest. Dipping my head, I see that she has fallen asleep against my chest. Carefully, I manage to disconnect her from my chest and place her back on the pillow, wrapping her up in the duvet as I do so.

I spend the next couple of minutes just watching her. Watching her sleep peacefully. God bless her. She must be knackered. There is no way now that I will be able to get back to sleep now. Rolling over to my side of the bed, I grab my phone from the nightstand beside me. Clicking the home button, the brightness almost blinds me before I notice the time;

04:19

'Yep, that's me up anyway' I say to myself in a whisper, before slowly sliding out of the bed and padding nakedly over to the ensuite to brush my teeth.

I pad my back into the bedroom after freshening up to find Sophie sleeping still so peacefully. What a difference 20 minute makes, eh? I smile to myself as I take a pair of briefs, socks and my grey jogging bottoms along with a loose hoody out of the room with me. I head downstairs to get dressed so as to not wake her up possibly.

Heading into the kitchen, I place the clothes on top of the kitchen island and begin getting dressed; briefs, socks, joggers and then the hoody. Flicking the leaver on the kettle, I head to the fridge and take out the milk and also a yogurt. Even though it's half four, it is still breakfast time for me now since I am up and about.

I make my cup of tea and grab my yogurt before heading into the living room. Plonking down on the leather sofa, I switch on the telly and keep the volume low. Sky Sports News will keep me occupied for about 20 minutes I'd imagine, before my mind will wander back upstairs and to the sleeping frame of my girlfriend who just cried herself to sleep in my arms a mere half an hour ago.

After I finish my yogurt and my cup of tea, and after I have learned that Liverpool are basically fucked for this season and have basically no chance of winning the league, I pick up my cup and yogurt carton and head into the kitchen. Flicking down the switch on the kettle once more, I make myself another brew, before heading back upstairs to check on Sophie. I don't want her to wake up to an empty room, whenever it is that she does wake up from her slumber.

Getting to the landing, I hear the soft and gentles sleep snores coming from our bedroom. I say 'our bedroom', as it is mine at the end of the day. It is my house, but she has been staying here so often lately that it's basically ours now. I normally have issues with a girlfriend or someone like that staying over so frequently or wanting to stay over that much, this early into a relationship, but with her, I cannot help myself. I just want to be around her all of the time. I cannot get enough of her. It's going to kill me when I have to do the album promo and the tour. Hopefully, I can convince her to come with me.

Slowly, I edge the door to the bedroom open, aiming to keep as little light from the landing from entering the room. Seeing her sleeping so peacefully makes me smile and also makes my heart burst a little as well. How I ever managed to get this lucky and have this gorgeous and stunning girl in my bed that I get to call my girlfriend, I will never ever know!

I grab my book from the side of my bed, that I was reading before falling asleep, along with my cup of tea and sit in the reclining armchair in the corner of the room facing the bed. Sitting back into the soft beige leather seat, I flick on the little reading light on the wall above it. Grabbing my book; Stephen King's The Stand, settle back and continue to read from where I left off last night...

*****

I wake up after dosing off slightly and check the time on my phone;

06:47

'Well, I'm definitely up now' I say to myself as I stretch out m legs on the recliner seat.

Looking over to the bed, I see Sophie sleeping soundly still. I watch her for a few minutes before she begins to stir. Her hand reaches out to my side of the bed as if she is feeling around to see if I'm there. Her eyes snap open and her head lifts from the pillows. Just as she is about to shout my name I presume, the softest of greetings tumble from my lips as I watch her from my perch in the corner.

''Hey, don't worry. I'm here, babe'' I whisper calmly.

Her eyes immediately soften as she realizes that I'm here with her. She smiles softly as she lays her head back down on the pillow, but only seconds later she bolts upright into a seating position. Duvet brought up under my chin and in a flash, I am off the recliner and by her side on the bed next to her.

''Sophie, what's wrong?'' I ask her softly as I take her hands in mine, rubbing the pad of my thumb against the back of her hand.

''I just remembered last night. Did I dream it?'' she mumbles quietly, her head rising from the pillow slowly.

I try and give her a soft smile, but my mouth won't listen to my brain.

''Sorry, sweetie. Unfortunately, you did not dream it. But she may be fine. We don't know how she is. We can call her in a few hours, as it's still early'' I reply softly as I pick her hand up and kiss the back of it softly.

Slowly she nods her head as she lays back down on the pillow. She closes her eyes slowly. Just as I feel that she has begun to drift off again to get some rest, her eyes open once more.

''Will you lie with me, please? I don't want to be alone..'' she mumbles softly.

I can't help but feel the small tug on my heart strings as I watch her there. She looks so scared and concerned for her friend. I smile at her softly.

''Of course, I will. I'm here for you, yeah? Whatever you need'' and with that being said, I stand up from the bed, pulling my hoody off of my shoulders along with my joggers and I also take off my socks.

Rounding around to the other side of the bed, I slip in beside her in just my briefs. She turns around slowly underneath the covers so that she is facing me. I pull her closely in to my chest, locking my arms around her, keeping her secure and warm.

''Sleep now, baby. I'm here. Nobody is going to get to you, I promise'' and planting a soft kiss in her hair, it's not long before I feel my eyelids close also before the room is filled once again by our gentle, soft snores.