Addicted to You

Just a Precaution

"So your test is today?" Riley asked, looking up from the pile of open textbooks spread across her bed. With midterms coming up, she found herself overwhelmed from her course load. Riley had a habit of taking on more classes than she could handle and ending up regretting it later. It was a trend Maya had grown used to since their Freshman year.

Maya grabbed her wallet and keys off her nightstand, "Yeah. They got me in at 10:30."

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"I won't know the results for a day or two. I can manage," the blonde replied gratefully. "I hate that I have to do this," she grumbled as she slipped into her shoes.

Riley sighed, "I know. Me too."

"I fucked everything up for us."

"You did not," Riley stood off the bed and went to Maya.

"Don't lie, Riles."

The brunette placed her hands on Maya's shoulders, "It's definitely not ideal, but this changes nothing between us. I love you, Maya. I will love you no matter what the results say."

Maya nodded, "I love you too. I'm just - "

The brunette cut her off, "If you even think of finishing that sentence with 'sorry,' I swear."

"Fine," Maya huffed in response.

"Call me when it's over?" Riley lowered her arms until they were wrapping around the shorter girl, pulling her in a hug.

Maya gave a small nod, quickly sinking into the hug, "Of course, Honey. As soon as it's over."

"I'm sure it'll be negative. There's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah. You're right. Just a precaution?"

"Exactly."

"How'd it go this morning?" Riley asked when she saw Maya coming through the door to their room. "You never called."

"Sorry, I just wanted to get home. It was awkward, but it's done. They're supposed to call with the results in a few days.

"It'll be fine. And if it's not, we'll get through it. Okay?"

The blonde hummed in agreement, "I think I'm going to lay down for a bit before my class," Maya walked over to her bed and fell onto her mattress. She pulled her pillow to her chest and stared off blankly at the wall across from her.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine. I think the test is stressing me out. I can't help but think the worse."

Maya felt the bed shift as Riley laid down behind her. The brunette's arms wrap around her, pulling her in close.

"Everything will be fine. I'm not going anywhere," Riley placed a gentle kiss on the back of Maya's neck.

"Thanks, Riles."

The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. Maya couldn't remember going to class, let alone eating dinner. She felt like she was watching everything happen from outside her body. Everything seemed to be going by her in a dull black and white; Riley was all that was grounding her to reality.

It's just stress. I'm worried about the test, that's all. I could relax if I had... No, don't think that, Hunter. You promised Riley.

Maya climbed the stairs to their floor, making her way to the dorm room that she and Riley shared. She found the brunette slumped over her desk, a thick textbook under her head as a makeshift pillow. It was clear Riley had fallen asleep studying.

"Riles," Maya nudged the sleeping girl. "Let's get you to bed."

Riley grumbled in her sleep but made no argument when Maya lifted her up and guided her to bed.

Maya sat down on the bed next to Riley, who already curled into herself and fallen back to sleep. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she sighed. "Don't give up on me, Riles."

Riley shifted and let out a groan, causing Maya to giggle. "You're adorable."

The blonde gently stroked her hand over her sleeping girlfriend's face. Maya sighed to herself. "I'm going to do whatever I can to prove that I'm good enough for you, Riley. I really love you," she whispered.

"Mmm, Maya," Riley moaned.

Maya lifted her eyebrow, a smirk appearing on her face. "Oh really?"

Another soft moan.

Maya's face flushed, "Okay then. I need to go to sleep before you ... yeah." She stood up and looked down at her girlfriend once more, "Night, Riles."

Maya woke up sweating. Her body ached, and she couldn't shake the nightmare she just had. Riley had been there, as in all of her dreams, but this time Riles wasn't okay. Maya dreamt that Riley was dead, a pool of blood surrounding her lifeless form. Their high school friends were there too, all blaming her for what happened. When she had looked down, there was a bloody knife in her hand. That's when Maya startled awake, drenched in a cold sweat; her skin felt clammy and gross.

Despite it being the middle of the night, she grabbed her toiletry kit and went to take a shower. Every muscle in her body hurt, but she couldn't remember doing anything that would cause that much muscle strain.

Once she felt clean again, she changed into a fresh pair of pajamas and walked to Riley's side of the room.

"Riles?" Maya gently shook the brunette's shoulder, "You awake?"

"Mmm?"

"I can't sleep."

An incoherent Riley grabbed her phone off her nightstand to check the time, "Maya it's two in the morning."

"I'm scared," she admitted. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Of course," Riley flipped the blanket back as she scooted to the side to make room.

Maya grabbed her pillow and made her way back to Riley's bed, where she curled up next to her girlfriend. "Thanks, Riles."

"Anytime," Riley reassured her sleepily. "The test will come back fine. You'll see."

"I'm sure you're right. I feel better just being closer to you," Maya said as she wrapped an arm around Riley.

"Good," the brunette placed a quick kiss on Maya's forehead. "Now sleep."

"Whatever you say," she smiled as she closed her eyes.

Riley snuggled closer to Maya, "Peaches?"

"Yeah, Honey?"

"Why are you wet?" Riley asked groggily.

"Took a shower. Thought maybe it would wash away the nightmare I had."

"You need to talk about it?" Maya could tell Riley didn't want to talk about it; the girl was beyond exhausted. It was a miracle she was able to wake her at all. Still, the fact that she offered was incredibly sweet.

"I'll be fine. Being here next to you makes me feel safe."

"You can sleep with me anytime, Peaches."

Maya didn't sleep alone again after that night. The next day she asked Riley if they could push their beds together so she wouldn't have to worry about waking up scared and alone again.

The nightmares didn't stop and the following night was even worse; she woke up in tears. Maya couldn't bring herself to tell the details of the dreams, afraid of how Riley would react if she knew. The specifics of the nightmares never mattered to Riley, whose only concern was Maya. She would simply pull her girlfriend in close and cradle her until the blonde could fall back to sleep.