DISTANT

Chapter 36

Her body was covered in blood as she layed lifeless on the ground. A large piece of glass penetrated her stomach as her head bled from hitting the ground.
Slowly, he walked closer to her, holding a gun in his hand. He stopped as he stood right next to her face. He crouched down onto the ground, pressing the cold metal against her her temple. With one last look at her, he pulled the trigger.

He woke up with a jolt, as Zayna screamed at him to wake up. His body was covered in sweat as tears fell from his eyes.

"Sshh it's okay, Nate." She gently said to him.

She pulled him into her arms as he wrapped his own tightly around her, sobbing into her chest.

"I killed you Zayna. I killed you." He wept.

"No you didn't. I'm fine." She rubbed his back when she heard him hiccup.

"I had a g-gun in my....... "

He couldn't finish his sentence as painful images of his nightmare flashed through his mind.

"No. Don't think about it. Look at me, I'm alive, you didn't kill me."

He remained quiet as he wept into her t-shirt, listening to her soothing words.
She layed them down, letting him rest his head on her stomach while she ran her fingers through his hair.

She couldn't understand why he would be dreaming of something like that. Something so bad that left a 23 year old man crying.

After a while Nate was quietly tracing her scars on her thighs, while she remained playing with his hair. He reminded her of a baby who desperately clung onto his mother.

"You okay now?" She asked quietly.
He nodded his head and moved up onto the pillow so that he could face her.

His eyes were blood red from crying and had tear stained cheeks.

"Try to get some sleep now." She as she held his cheek in her hand.  She turned around, ready to get off the bed, but was pulled back.

"Don't leave me." He whispered.

Not even realising that he had a double meaning, she climbed under the covers and turned her back to him. He placed a soft kiss below her ear before nuzzling his face in her neck.

Together they fell asleep peacefully in each other's arms.

********

Zayna sat in the kitchen with her boy cut underwear and a large grey t-shirt. She sipped her bitter coffee quietly as she thought of the night before.

It was the first time she'd seen him so scared. She felt so helpless last night but was relieved when he slept peacefully. However she didn't sleep at all. Dark circles covered her red eyes as her skin looked slightly pale.

A loud thud interrupted her thoughts. She got up and walked into his room but paused to see him with half of his body, hanging in the floor.

"Nate? You okay?" She asked as she stepped closer.

He groaned before turning over and throwing a pillow on his head.

"Nate?" She asked louder.

"Qué es eso?" (What is it?) He grumbled.

"Are you okay?"

"No." He replied before getting back on the bed and turning away from her.

"What's wrong then?" She asked as she sat on his bed.

"I've got one helluva headache and I'm getting cold."

She crawled up to him, before throwing the covers over the both of them. She snuggled up into him before closing her eyes.

"How about now?" She whispered.

"Slightly better." He replied before wrapping his arms around her.

"Now let's sleep."

It only took them five minutes before dozing off.

*********

"Zayna, I'm cold!" Hollered Nate from the living room.

"Now make yourself warm, I'm busy working."

She sat with her laptop with a whole bunch of programmes open. She placed her headphones on, allowing her to get lost in her music.

Five minutes later, the back of her shirt was soaked with ice water.

Angrily, she slammed her headphones on the table and shouted, "Why would you do that?!"

"You said you would take care of me." He whined.

"It doesn't mean I must stop working!"

She pulled of her soaked t-shirt, revealing her black sports bra. Nate, shamelessly gazed at her body as if it was a masterpiece.

"Hey! I'm up here." She said while snapping her fingers in front of him.

"Well if you told me you're so beautiful, I wouldn't be doing this." He stated with a shrug.

She huffed as she  rolled her eyes at his attempt for sweet talk. She threw her top over her shoulder and packed get things away.

"I'm going to shower." She said as walked away.

"Can I join you?" He asked smirking.

"How about no?"

She heard him growl knowing that he was glaring at her. Just to mess with him she swung her hips before disappearing into the bathroom.