Sleep Paralysis - Josh Franchesci, You Me At Six AU (COMPLETED)

0.2

R O S E ' S P O V

I woke up wrapped in Dan's arms, making me smile softly. He really does care for me. I slipped out of his embrace and stood up. I stretched my arms out, thankful that Josh had kept his promise. I walked into my kitchen and began making toast, spreading jam onto two slices before cutting them into triangles. I left the other two untouched for Dan. For once I wasn't relying on coffee. I sat on the couch, digging my toes into the soft cushions. I ate my toast silently, waiting for Dan to wake up.

"Rose?" I heard Dan call out as he shuffled into the living room, his hair a wild mess and stuck all over the place.

"Morning. Toast is on the counter," I smiled, placing my empty plate on the side table next to me. Defying my expectations, he moved towards me and flopped onto the couch, lying in my embrace. I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Can... can we stay like this for a while?" he mumbled, his warm breath tickling against my collarbone. I chuckled, pushing him off lightly.

"Have some brekky, Dan," I replied. He nodded softly and got off me, going to the counter. I sat up and turned on the TV, switching to the news. Dan joined me on the couch again and watched it with me whilst he ate his toast. I rested my head on his shoulder as the weather forecast was shown. Dan finished his breakfast and was quickly on his way.

"I hate leaving you... you sure you can get yourself to work?" he asked for the millionth time.

"Yes mum," I joked, leaning against the doorframe. He kissed my forehead as we exchanged goodbyes, and I watched him make his way out. I shut the door and began preparing myself for work.

It felt great to be back at work, especially after a good nights sleep. I shrugged on my bag, grabbing my keys. Just as I was about to leave my bedroom, I felt a small tingle on my neck, like someone kissed me. I furrowed my eyebrows as I left the room, brushing it off.

"Must be some withdrawal effect..." I mustered up. But a small bit of me knew that it wasn't a withdrawal effect.

It was something different.

---

"Sooo, how is lover boy?" my co-worker Kelly asked, a suggestive tone to her voice. I rolled my eyes as I packed away the box.

"Dan is doing alright from what I could tell. He wouldn't even let me ask him how his day or week was - all the focus was on me," I explained, combing through the reports and placing them in correct sections.

"I don't understand why you haven't gone for him yet - it's so obvious he's into you! You guys would make the perfect couple," she enthused, sorting through sale item clothes. I shook my head at her daydreams, filing the final report. I shut the drawer and turned back to her. "But how have you been sleeping though? It must be pretty bad if Dan had to stay the entire day," she cautiously continued. I crossed my arms, looking down slightly.

"It's terrible. I've been relying on coffee, and today was the first time I've slept peacefully in just over a month," I explained, ignoring the memories and thoughts of Josh.

"Doctors?"

"Nothing - no medication or treatment has worked. It's the worse case they've seen," I replied, sitting down. Kelly walked towards the front of our store, but paused to say something to me.

"I hate seeing you like this. Maybe you should actually start going out with Dan, jokes aside. If his presence prevented an episode, he might even do more." She left the store, and I sat in silence.

What if she's right? Josh absolutely hates Dan, and his presence could drive Josh away. He wouldn't stand being around Dan whilst I slept. Maybe he would even... disappear. The familiar feeling of doubt ripped once again within me and my head jolted to the source of glass smashing.

I stood up and walked over to the front of the counter and covered my mouth in shock. Our glass vase was smashed against the floor. Could it- no. No way it could've been Josh, he's just a hallucination. A rack of clothes toppled over, making me stumble back in fear.

"Get out of my head!" I shakily whispered, anger in my voice. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw him standing behind me. I swivelled around only to see nothing. I shook my head, not believing what I was seeing. I quickly wrote down a note to Kelly and another one that simply said 'Be back in fifteen minutes.'

I stuck it to the inside of our door before locking up, knowing that Kelly had her keys on her. I raced to the back room, tossing on my jacket and bag before exiting through the front. I inhaled deeply as I made my way to the bus stop, my hands trembling and tears building up in my eyes. I caught my bus and walked straight home.

He isn't real.

I tossed my keys onto the counter and my bag to the floor before sitting on my couch. The events that happened in the shop confused and frightened me. There's no way Josh could be more than a hallucination. Demons and spirits - they don't exist.

I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts. My finger hovered over Dan's contact number. Should I call him? I mean, he did tell me that he was willing to come over whenever, but he has a life and a job. I can't make him my permanent baby-sitter. Come on, Rose, you're twenty-three - get yourself together. You can take care of this.

I inhaled shakily and turned on the TV, watching whatever was on whilst I counted down the minutes to Josh's next visit.

---

'He likes you,' he bitterly muttered, making my eyes jolt open. Josh towered over me, staring down at me with a flare in his eyes. A flare of passion. Hatred. Possession.

We've been friends for years, why wouldn't he like me? I anxiously anticipated his response, praying that he wouldn't take it in sarcastic fashion.

'I don't mean it that way. He has stronger feelings - he thinks impurely of you,' he replied, his tone on the verge of a snarl.

Impurely? His gaze didn't leave me as he traced his fingers along my legs.

'He desires to take your virtue, wed you - whatever the fuck goes on in his little, naive head. He wants you,' he growled, digging his fingernails into my thigh. I felt my body tense at the action as I questioned his behaviour.

Josh had never shown possessive behaviour before yesterday, his comments and actions had intensified.

'He's a fucking idiot if he even thinks that he even has the slimmest chance with you,' he scoffed, teasingly sliding his fingers under my shorts.

Stop it, please. He pulled his fingers away, my body relaxing.

'Honestly, I don't blame him. You're absolutely perfection,' he hummed, crawling on top of me. His hands caressed my face softly, tears rolling down my face.

Stop it.

'Stop what, admiring you? That's not something I can easily stop, sweetheart - your beauty and personality is simply spectacular,' he rambled, has hands moving along my body.

Stop touching me.

'I simply can't - you're too irresistible,' he muttered, his hands tearing at my t-shirt. My bra was the only thing protecting me from exposure, which I was thankful for. He kissed my chest, making me cry even harder. I hated his lips, his touch, his comments. I hated him.

'You may hate me, but it can't stop me,' he chuckled, looking up. He stepped off me, pulling the duvet over me. 'Until tomorrow night, darling,' he whispered.