This town

Chapter 37

~Val's POV~

It was midnight when he and Normani called it a day. It was their longest day up till now, but they knew they needed extra time, because tomorrow on Wednesday Normani was going to perform with Fifth Harmony. With all his other partners, he would have made sure that in the finale week, they wouldn't have any other commitments. But this time it was alright with him. 

He had two reasons for it. First of all he knew that Normani would be able to handle a couple of hours less rehearsal time. She was an amazing dancers and this freestyle was right up her alley. And because she was willing to work longer the day before and the day after, it wouldn't matter as much. 

But personally his most important reason was that this Wednesday was the day he broke up with Sharna the first time and he knew she was worrying about it. He knew for a fact that he wouldn't break up with her, but he needed to make sure she knew as well. So he was planning a nice date to her favorite restaurant. And afterwards they would spend the night together. Val was really looking forward spending this time with her. 

After rehearsals Val got in his car to go home. He knew Sharna was in her own apartment, and he hadn't told her yet were he would go. But knowing what day it was going to be tomorrow, he got in the car and drove to her apartment. 

She had given him the key some time ago and so he opened the door. 

He walked inside, being as silent as he could possibly be. When he walked in the living room, he saw Sharna lying on a couch, with Duke and Daisy keeping her company. She must have fallen asleep watching TV, for it was still on. 

Val sat down in a chair next to couch, after he had put a blanket on Sharna. He watched her sleep for some time, deciding what he should do. Whether he should carry her to bed or if he should let her sleep on the couch? He hadn't decided yet, when he saw she started twisting and turning in her sleep. 

When he looked closer, her expression had also changed. Val knew something was off, she was probably having a nightmare. 

"Sharna. Sharna."

There was no reaction and Val moved from his chair closer to the bed, sitting down next to Sharna. He knew he had to wake her, getting her out of that nightmare. He stroke her hair out of her face and tried again. 

"Sharna! Sharna! Can you hear me?"

She still didn't wake up and kept on twisting and turning. It must have been a really bad nightmare. 

"Sharna! Baby girl, it is only a nightmare. Wake up, wake up!"

Val wasn't sure what to do, he knew she had to wake. But he didn't like the idea of waking her up in a physical way. Just before he had decided he had no other choice, Sharna calmed down and opened her eyes. 

She blinked a couple of times, before he saw she recognized him. But what happened next scared him more than the nightmare she had. The moment Sharna recognized him, she backed away from him. Val wasn't sure where she had dreamed about, but he knew he played a part in it. 

"Sharna, you have just had a nightmare. Tell me what happened? Please Sharna." He knew he had to try to reason with her, he had to let her know that he wasn't the man she had seen in her nightmare. He loved her. 

All of a sudden Sharna moved her hand towards her phone. And what she saw must have calmed her down a little, because she was able to look him in the eye again. 

"Are you alright?" He asked the moment her eyes locked with his.

Sharna nodded her head. "Right now I am."

And to his surprise, Sharna closed the space between them and embraced Val. He answered and pulled her close to him. With this hug he had to tell her how much he loved her and that whatever she just saw, he had nothing to do with it. He lifted her from the couch and sat on the couch himself, putting Sharna on his lap. 

He felt tears streaming down her face, onto his shirt. But he didn't mind, he just knew he had to calm her. He stroke his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back. Letting her know that he was there for her, the moment she was ready to tell him about what happened. 

After 15 minutes, the tears finally subdued and Sharna looked up in Val's eyes. 

"Please tell me whats wrong baby? I want to help," Val said. 

Sharna sat up a little and Val locked eyes with her. That seemed to comfort her and she started talking about what was bothering her. 

She told about the nightmare she just had, told Val everything about what had happened. 

"I thought it was real," Sharna ended the story with. 

Val had listened to her without interrupting, he only stroked her back, letting her know he was there for her, all the time. 

When she was done, he didn't know what to say. He had known she was scared for the upcoming day, but he had no idea that it was this deep. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Sharna looked up, her eyes were red from the tears, but there was confusion on her face. 

"Why do you say that? It isn't your fault I'm having a nightmares."

"I'm sorry that I didn't know that it was this bad. I knew that you had troubles with tomorrow and that you were scared. I just didn't know that it was that bad. And that is the same for announcing our relationship to the world. I just thought you were a little scared, but seeing you like this, makes me realize more than before why you don't want it. And I knew you told me, you weren't ready, but right now..."

Val didn't know what to say anymore, it has never hit him this hard before that he had hurt Sharna. And how much he had hurt her. That even she was having nightmares about how he was going to break up with her again. 

And he just couldn't stop himself, when he felt tears well up in his eyes. And neither could he stop them stream down his cheek. 

"I promise you Sharna," he said through his tears. "I will never hurt you like this again. I promise."

Sharna put her head down on his chest again, her tears were also still rolling down her eyes. 

Val put his head on Sharna's head and wrapped her arms tightly around her. This was the first time they were both crying, both feeling sad. But still being able to hold each other and knowing that together they would overcome it, made them stronger. 

They stayed in silence, let time pass and just feel the love flow from one person to the other. Eventually it was Sharna who spoke first.

"I didn't even realize it myself how I afraid I was of tomorrow, but being here with you makes me forget it all. I know it was irrational to think you would break up with me the second time, after exactly the same amount of days, but my mind just couldn't seem to let go. My heart knows you love me and knows I love you and that our love is stronger than the first time. But I was still scared."

Sharna moved her head from his chest, and looked Val in his eyes.

"But sitting here, I'm not scared anymore. When I see you like this, I know you are hurting just as much as I'm right now. And I know that tomorrow will be just another day, a day we will get through."

"We will."

And to Val's surprise, Sharna started kissing him. It felt like pure passion and love coming through it and he answered with just a much love. 

"Come on let's go to bed," Val said, after they broke their kiss. 

Sharna stood up from his lap and held out her hands to him. He took them and they walked to Sharna's bedroom together. This night they stayed as close together as possible, both wanted to show the other that they would be ready to face tomorrow, as long as they had each other.