Sunnyvale H.S

15

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The golden sunlight broke through the bedroom window, awakening  Harry. His arm was tangled around Grace's body, her head buried into his chest.

Her eyes were still closed as she slept peacefully.

Grace shifted in her sleep, moving to wrap her left arm around his body to hold him tighter.

He smiled down at her and planted a kiss on her temple. 

"Morning," he whispered as she smiled, her eyes still shut.

"Good morning Mr Styles."

"Did you sleep well."

Grace lay still, a small smile on her face.

"I actually did. I really did."

"That's good."

Grace was confused if Harry had known about her not being to sleep. She had had many sleepless nights, where the thoughts and memories would prevent her to sleep at all. It was extremely rare thing for her to sleep without being awoken by a awful nightmare.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Last night was probably the only night that I've slept without having a nightmare."

"You get nightmares?"

He turned over to face her and look her in the eye properly.

"Yeah. It's not as bad as it used to be. I used to force myself to stay awake so I wouldn't see bad things."

"What kind of bad things?" he asked her, keeping his focus on her completely.

"A lot of things from when I was younger. Things with my dad."

"Do you get nightmares often?" he asked and she nodded slowly.

"Sometimes more than once in a night. I struggled a lot as a young teenager."

"I wish I could stop them Grace."

"I doubt anybody could. I just have to get used to it."

"You shouldn't have to. I want you to be happy all the time."

"That couldn't ever be true though. It's okay."

"I want you to call me Grace. Whenever you have a nightmare. Whenever you feel scared of anything. I promise you I will always be there."
He stroked her cheek and she shut her eyes at his touch.

"I wish they would go away too."

"I'm here. Always love."

Grace was unsure what to feel. She felt like she was floating. As though a huge weight had to been lifted from her. Nobody but Avery knew about the nightmares, not even Kelson.

Her mother started going away for work, and it made them get so much worse. Nobody was there to help comfort her whenever her brain would manipulate her thoughts.

They lay still and in peace for a  minute or so before realisation hit Harry.

"Shit."

He grabbed his phone from beneath the pillow and checked the  time.

"Shit, it's almost 11 Grace."

"hm?"

"Did Avery come home last night?"

Grace sat up, untangling her body from his quickly.

She pulled out her own phone, checking her messages.