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Chapter 6 // Still Lost

Reef's POV

I woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon wafting through the air, making my stomach growl like it hadn't eaten in days. It smelled so damn good, and I couldn't help but wonder who was cooking this morning. Nyan ain't ever in the kitchen, so I had to find out.

I walked toward the kitchen, expecting to see Danny, and sure enough, she was at the stove, flipping pancakes like a pro.

"Good morning, lil head. I see you whippin' as usual," I said, joking with her as I leaned against the doorframe.

"Morning. You already know," she replied, flipping the last pancake onto the stack. "But hey, are they awake yet? If not, can you wake 'em up for me?"

"Hell no," I said, trying to nudge her aside. "I'm tryin' to get in on this food."

"BOYYYYYYY, IF YOU DON'T MOVE YOUR ASS, YOU WON'T EAT AT ALL, PERIOD!" Danny snapped, trying not to laugh. "Goofy ass always wanna play, but not in my kitchen."

"Your kitchen? Really?" Hustle chimed in, walking up behind me. "This don't belong to you, it belongs to your best friend, who's still sleep, so be quiet."

Just as Hustle finished talking, loud screams erupted from the bedroom, and he rushed to check on Sajada.

Hustle's POV

I sprinted to the bedroom, heart racing, and found Sajada tossing and turning in bed, clearly in the middle of a nightmare. She was trembling, her face scrunched up in fear.

I gently shook her shoulder, calling her name softly. "Sajada, hey... wake up, it's just a dream."

Her eyes shot open, and the fear in them hit me like a ton of bricks. She gasped, her body shuddering, and then the tears came. She cried so hard, her whole body shaking.

I cupped her face in my hands, my voice soft and reassuring. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay, you're safe now. I'm right here."

She cried harder, and my heart ached. "I'm gonna run you a bath, okay? Your best friend is cookin' breakfast for us, too."

I moved quickly to start the bath water, making sure the temperature was just right. When I returned to help her undress, I noticed her tense up, her body going still. Her eyes darted away from me, and I could see the hesitation in her face.

I furrowed my brow, worried. "Sajada... you okay?"

She didn't say anything, just stayed quiet, and I could feel the tension thick in the air. I didn't want to push her, so I took a step back. "I'm sorry... I'll give you some space. Just... just let me know if you need anything."

I left the room, making sure she had privacy to do what she needed.

Sajada's POV

I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in the scars and bruises that marred my skin. Every mark, every reminder of my past, felt like a weight dragging me down. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't stop them from falling.

I slowly undressed, the fabric slipping off my body, but I felt exposed, like the pain was on display for the world to see. I hated the way I looked, the way I felt, but I couldn't escape it. I couldn't run from the truth.

I stepped into the warm bath, sinking into the water as if it might wash away the hurt. But it never did. I curled up, my knees pressed to my chest, and began to hum softly. The melody was familiar, comforting, like it had always been there, waiting for me to remember it.

The words came next, so quiet at first, but then louder, like my voice was finally being freed.

"There's a leak in this old building..."

The song's soothing rhythm flowed through me, and I felt every word, every note, deep in my soul. The melody wrapped around me like a blanket, a small moment of peace in the storm that was my life.

I let the tears fall freely as I sang, the weight of it all catching up with me. My voice cracked on the next line, but I didn't care. I needed to sing, to let it out.

"And my soul has got to move..."

The song didn't fix everything, but in that moment, I was able to breathe a little easier, letting the music fill the emptiness inside of me.

I kept humming the melody over and over, letting it fill the space around me. It felt like the song was the only thing holding me together, piece by piece. The water in the tub grew cold, but I stayed there, my body curled up, my voice steady as I repeated the same few lines. Over and over again.

"There's a leak in this old building...
And my soul has got to move..."

Each time I sang, it felt like a little bit of the pain washed away. The tears kept flowing, but they didn't sting as much, and eventually, my breathing began to slow. My thoughts cleared. The noise in my head quieted. The song was my anchor, my way of reconnecting with myself, grounding me when everything else felt out of control.

It was nearly an hour before I finally felt at ease, my heart beating more calmly. The weight that had been pressing on my chest seemed lighter now. I stood up slowly, letting the water drip off my skin, and grabbed a towel to dry myself off. The cool air felt good against my damp body.

I looked at myself in the mirror one last time before getting dressed. The scars were still there, but they didn't feel as heavy now. I took a deep breath and put on the pink outfit Hustle had bought for me. The soft fabric felt comforting, and I couldn't help but smile a little. He'd picked it out himself—bright, fun, and full of life, just like he was.

As I pulled the top over my head and adjusted the fit, I gave myself a pep talk in the mirror. "You've been through worse, Sajada. You got this. Just take it one step at a time." I touched my face, giving myself a little more reassurance. "Don't let today drag you down. You're strong. You're beautiful. And you deserve peace."

I finished getting dressed, checking my reflection one last time. I was ready. Not perfect, not completely healed, but ready to face whatever came next. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the bathroom and headed toward the stairs.

Before I walked downstairs to join everyone, I paused at the top of the stairs for a moment, steadying myself. I could hear their voices in the kitchen, laughing and joking. They didn't know the storm I'd just weathered, but that was okay. I didn't need them to. I was taking care of myself, and that's what mattered.

With one final deep breath, I made my way down the stairs, ready to face the day.

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