I turned the hem of my shirt the right way around and fell backwards onto my bed. Not wanting to sleep at an awkward angle, I shuffled upwards on the sheets until my head gently hit the soft pillow. I turned to my side and tucked my knees into my chest as I slowly closed my eyes. Not a minute later, Nick stomped into my room.
'Have you seen my ja-' his sentence hung in the air. 'Hey, are you feeling okay?'
'Sort of... I mean every inch of my body kinda hurts but I think I'm probably just tired,' I mumbled, lazily opening my eyes. Nick moved to kneel in front of me so we could look at each other.
'Do you want some meds or a cup of tea or something like that?' I shook my head and watched his lips press into a thin line as they did when he was serious. Of course, I appreciated his concern but I really was fine.
'I'm alright. Thanks for the offer but I promise you it's nothing, I just need some sleep.'
'If you say so.' He stood up, switched the light off and made his way out of the room. The words were lingering on my lips but he had already closed the door and walked into the hallway. I closed my eyes, allowing the silence and darkness to work its magic on me.
***
I didn't realise what had happened until Nick started shaking my by the shoulders, his eyes wide with fear and a worried expression written across his face. Within moments, his worry turned to relief as I locked eyes with him. He tackled me in a hug and whispered sweet nothings to me as I sobbed into his shirt. He kept a tight grip on me, not once questioning why I woke up screaming and crying. Pulling back slightly, he wiped my tears away with one hand and rubbed my back with the other. Leaning over, he kissed my forehead softly before sliding the sheets over us.
Relaxing under his touch, I finally calmed down from my frenzy. My eyelids felt heavy from crying but I didn't want to fall into another sleeping trap. Nick pulled me closer and I found myself hugging him back, liking the warmth between our bodies. In that moment, all I cared about was how safe I felt in his arms.
