Dawnbreakers

Hellish dreams for Heller

He chuckled under his breath and wrapped his arm around my waist, securing me firmly to his side. Within seconds I felt his slow, warm, sleeping breath on my neck. The rhythmic pattern and strange comfort in the rundown place soon lulled me to sleep as well.

---

"STOP!"

I jolted from my peaceful sleep about shopping for candy into a blindly dark abyss and a screaming boy and a couch that hindered my escape. The concrete hit my head hard as I flopped over the back and flailed disorientated. I rubbed my forehead sorely.

"FUCKING PLEASE." What? "No... No..." Maybe it was just a bad dream. It's over now. Go back to sle- "NO. STOP HURTING HER."

My foggy brain suddenly cleared and I ran as well as I could in the darkness to Heller. I waved my hands around panicked, wanting to comfort him but worried of frightening him.

Screw it.

I pulled him tight to my chest. "It's okay, Heller. No one is here. It's just us. It's still dark but I mean there's not a bad guy. I mean I guess there could be but I wouldn't be able to see him. But then he wouldn't be able to see us either. So I guess he wouldn't be that bad in that situation." In my rambling, I didn't notice his heavy and irregular breathing settle and calm down, his body relaxing. I sat there for a moment, then stood to replace myself on the couch.

"NO!" He gripped my arms with a superhuman strength that felt like he was breaking my bones.

"Heller!" He snapped awake, his grasp releasing instantly, causing me to fall backwards. I lied there for a moment before sitting up. "A-are you okay?" Silence. "Heller?"

Shaky fingertips found my elbow and pulled me up gently. I guess he moved himself to a sitting position, and he held me between his legs. His head rested lightly on my stomach and his hands held me in place loosely. His breath was shaky and his body felt weak. My fingers worked their way into his hair, massaging and combing absentmindedly. We must have sat there for fifteen minutes.

"Did I hurt you?" His voice was small as he took my face in his hands.

"No," was my pathetic response.

"Are you lying?"

"No, I'm okay." He held me in silence while I slowly became aware of the intimidating darkness. After about five minutes that seemed like forever I started shakily, "let's lay down."

He nodded slowly against me and I climbed over him onto the couch. His body was weak, deflated, something I didn't think could happen to Heller.

"So now you know why I can't sleep without you," he started, shattering the silence. He paused. "Are you scared?"

"No."

"Bullshit."

"What were you dreaming about?"

His body tensed. "Something I wish I could forget."

We stayed silent after that, just thinking. We didn't sleep, but as soon as the first sun rays leaked through the cracks of the boarded up windows, drowsiness overtook me. I rolled over, ready to fall asleep, but Heller stood.

"Where are you going?"

"It's time to get ready for school."

"Uh, no."

"Uh, yes."

He dragged me off of the couch, me whining the whole time.

---

"Wisconsin!"

The teacher's voice snapped me out of a sleep I didn't know I entered.

"Yes?!" I yelled on instinct. Not sure what instinct. I very lame and evolutionarily useless instinct.

"I'm sorry I'm boring you so much that your best option is to sleep," she sarcastically mocked me. Students eyes peered at me to gauge my response. I could feel Heller's eyes behind me.

I yawned. "It's okay."

Her face morphed into anger. "Go to the principal's office. Now." Students ohhh'd like fifth graders as I packed my stuff up and walked out, ignoring everyone else.

Walking down the hallway, I sulked. I was so so tired.

"Wisconsin!"

I turned around quickly. Immediately my palms began to sweat. Denton.

"Hey," I said cooly, trying to ignore the shakiness in my voice.

He jogged to my side. "What're you doing out of class?"

"Heading to the principal," I half laughed, my gaze cast downwards.

"What?! Why?!"

"I fell asleep."

"Wow what a rebellious spirit you have Ms. Mathews." I laughed. "So, uh," he said scratching the back of his head, "where were you yesterday? I thought we were gonna chill?"

I gulped and guilt overwhelmed me.

"Um... I'm so sorry about that. Something came up." He laughed lightly, and 2.85 tons of guilt released off of me. Then he looked at me with a feeling of intimacy that I didn't feel like I wanted or deserved from my aquaintence relationship with him.

"It's okay. I was just wanting to do this," he trailed off.

"Wha-" he cut me off in my confused state with a shy and gentle kiss. It was the polar opposite of Heller. If Heller was like fire then Denton was water.

And of course, as I am loved and adored by the universe, it was that exact time that I was living my fantasies that I had dreamed about since fifth grade, that Heller came strolling out of class. "Wisc-" he called out, and Denton and I broke apart to snap our attention to who caught us. Of course it was Heller. Of course he was angry. And of course he was rolling up his sleeves and storming our way.