Love Bites [on hold]

☆|three

Hey, guys! It's me again, Areej. I hope you're all doing great. :)

I haven't been getting much feedback lately so I thought I could do something to remind you. If you liked this book, please leave me a comment with your opinion. The same thing applies to those who didn't, as long as the conversation remains civilized.

Take care of yourself, love yourself and never change for anyone but yourself.

Love,

Areej.

☆

Last night, Natalie had a nice dream. She was in a forest at midday. The trees surrounding her had trunks so long she couldn't see where they developed into smaller branches. Streams of light seeped through holes between the gathered leaves above her, covering the whole place in a vibrant hue. It was so beautiful and peaceful, but only until she woke up all of a sudden to a faceless beast that had just tried to suffocate her.

She wrapped her hand around her neck, and could still feel the soreness where she saw its pale, dead hands clinging onto it. She breathed out a sigh of relief, and wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead.

She had been having sleep paralysis for longer than she could remember. It was only a normal part of her life now. Most of the doctors she had seen when the phenomenon had just started, advised her that it was preferable to go to bed without dinner, in order not to have frequent bad dreams. But the thing was, they weren't just dreams to her. They felt so. . .real.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her and she dropped her head to let it collide with the pillow. She rolled over to face the plain, white ceiling, and laid her hands over her stomach. It rose and fell in an irregular rhythm as she breathed.

A soft knock sounded on her door and her ear perked up.

"Natalie, honey! Are you awake?" Hannah called out from the hallway. Her voice was chirpy, and she already knew her mother was in a good mood this morning. They could chat for a little bit before the latter went off to meet up with her friends for coffee, like they usually did on Sunday mornings.

"Yeah!" She yelled, and sat up on her bed. The mattress squeaked underneath her. Its force vibrated through her body. "And fully decent, too. You can come in."

No more than a second later, the door swung open, revealing her mother in long-sleeved pink pajamas and fluffy slippers. Her long brown hair was up in a messy bun that was not really messy, at least not when compared to the bird nest that rested on her own head at the moment.

"Morning," She chimed while she stepped inside, holding two steaming mugs of caffeinated beverages in her hands. "I hope you're doing better today than you were last night."

"What makes you say that? I was perfectly adequate last night," Natalie argued and stood up to receive the mugs from her. She placed them both in their regular cup holders that lay on the glass surface of her desk, and pushed her quilt off to make room for Hannah to sit.

"Yeah! Sure, you were." Hannah smiled smugly at her and took a seat. A moment after, Natalie joined in and folded her legs under her. "So, what's up?"

"What's up with what?"

"Don't play dumb on me, Nat." Hannah rolled her eyes. "How was Charles?" Then her eyes glinted at the mention of his name. "Tell me all about it."

"Ugh! You seem to make it your purpose in life to make me regret ever telling you about it, don't you?" Natalie shook her head with a soft chuckle.

"Why don't you let your old mother relive her adolescence? I haven't heard those bittersweet teenage love stories in years. They make your mother feel nostalgic."