Nearly Broken

Chapter 10 - Nightmares

"Verona! Verona, please wake up!" Nash shook my shoulders and tried to wake me from the night terror. I shook my head aggressively; trying to get the images out of my head.

I felt him pick me up and carry me to some unknown Area. Screams of horror were still flying from my mouth. All my mind could think about was the vivid dream, or more so the memory.

"Cam! Cameron! Please. I don't know what's wrong with her! She just started screaming!" Nash's voice was laced with panic and pain. Although i was still unconscious, I could hear every sound in the real world.

"Nash she's having a nightmare or night terror. Take her outside I know how to wake her up safely." Cameron's voice was calm and tired. i felt Nash carry me upstairs.

A breeze of fresh air hit my face and I stopped screaming. Instead my body tensed. I could tell i was laying on the cold ground. More thoughts of the deadly night outside flashed across my eyes and my body shook with fear.

In the nightmare I saw my younger sister being dragged into the darkness. I tried to pull her back towards me, but her eyes turned red as I pulled her back.

"Marisol!" I heard my own voice screaming her name over and over again.

"Cam!"

"Nash, I see her dammit! I knew this would happen. Just hang on." Something liquidy and warm was thrown on me and my eyes fluttered open. At first i choked on the water, but As soon as I was awake I tried to stand and run.

"Hey Verona, I got you. Don't worry. You're safe here. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." Nash had wrapped me in a tight hug to keep me from running away. His chin rested on my head as he rocked gently back and forth.

"What happened?" Nash whispered in my ear. I didn't hold him back. My eyes were large and stared at something beyond anyone else's vision. My arms hung lamely by my sides as Nash hugged me.

Once he realized I wasn't moving or speaking he pulled away. He positioned his face in front of mine so I was forced to see his beautiful blue eyes. I finally snapped out of my trance and apologized.

"I'm so sorry I woke everyone up. I shouldn't have stayed.i haven't had that happen in over a year. I'm so sorry. it's okay if you don't call me for another night out." Tears pricked at my eyes, but i refused to let them spill over.

Cameron had left their deck by then. I reminded myself to thank him later. Nash lifted my chin so I, again, looked into his eyes. He took a deep breath and I prepared myself for the goodbye.

"I really like you. Don't scare me like that again." He Smiled and lifted me off the wooden floor. A chuckle escaped from his lips as he looked at my appearance.

"I like white on you." He winked and turned to go back downstairs. I followed confused at his random statement. Then I looked down and felt my whole body burn with embarrassment.

Cameron had thrown water from the Hottub on me to wake me up. My neon green bra was very visible through the soaking wet, white shirt. The tshirt was no longer loose and comfortable; it now clung to my curves and was too short for my liking. I kept pulling it down so Nash couldn't see my underwear.

'Best first date ever, Verona. You're so smooth.'

I was mentally slapping myself in the face thinking of all the awkward moments today. Damn I hope I didn't scare Nash too much. It was sweet and kind of him to say that he liked me, but a part of me felt it was a lie.

We walked in and Nash threw me a sweatshirt and then turned around to face the wall. I giggled and made my way to the bathroom to change; not trusting his manly needs to peek.

Once i change i walked back into his room.Nash laid down on his bed and patted the other side. I slowly crawled in next to Nash and tried to forget about the nightmare just minutes ago. I thought I could finally go back to sleep before Nash spoke.

"Is it okay if I ask what it was about?"

I stiffened. I knew exactly what he was talking about. Of course he wanted to know why I was a lunatic earlier. Sure he could know some of the story, but not all of it. I wasn't prepared enough to tell a stranger.

"My hometown. Right before I left things got really bad." I mumbled the response. A pair of arms eloped me and pulled me closer to Nash's torso.

"Who's Marisol? You can tell me. Only if you want to though." This was the most serious I had heard him talk. He sounded so trustworthy.

"My younger sister. she'd be 14 now. She died. Killed by A Pernicious. She was only 9 years old..." I looked at Nash as I continued, "I hate them. The Pernicious. All of them. I can't wait til the world is rid of those vial creatures." My words were filled with venom and anger.

"Im so sorry. Thats truely awful. But do you really hate all of them?Even the good ones?" He asked the question slowly, afraid of my answer.

"Their kind can never be 100% Good. They crave the feeling of taking another's life and causing suffering to others." My voice had risen and i was on my feet. Nash looked slightly hurt, but changed his express to one with more understanding.

"I know why you hate the bad ones, but i know some of the ones that have changed. And change they have. I'm friends with a Pernicious who has never killed anything. The world wants peace and things are changing." He had pulled me back down on the bed and I sat staring at him.

"Their kind has changed my life for the worst. that's something that can't be forgiven or forgotten." I pulled my hands out of his and laid them in my lap.

Nash appeared to be deep in thought. His eyebrows were knitted together and he looked to be in between a rock and a hard place. There was something he wasn't sharing with me. I sighed and scooted closer to him.

"Listen, this is our first date. my first real date ever. I know this isn't how it should be going. Hopefully we can try again soon, because I really do like you too." I put on a smile as I spoke, hoping to move past our awkward conversation from moments ago.

He Smiled back and nodded. "Maybe Sunday night?" His voice was filled with a sudden burst of new hope.

"Sounds good to me..." I yawned and glanced at the clock, "Can we go back to sleep? its 2:56 in the morning."

Nash laughed and laid back on his comfortable pillows. He swung his arm under me and pulled me into his chest. Again I knew I should feel awkward since it was moving super fast, but it almost felt familiar and normal.

"Good night Verona. Please have sweet dreams." Something smooth and warm pressed to my forehead for a moment and then I fell asleep.