The Game ✔

Chapter twenty five

I get myself in my usual pajamas, shorts, and a t-shirt, before getting out of the bathroom. I see Cameron already in bed and I stumble a little before getting in as well.

''A little drunk, are we?'' He asks, laughing and I shrug one shoulder laughing slightly.

''Just a tiny little bit,'' I say sheepishly and then look down at his t-shirt. ''Why do you sleep with that?'' I ask tugging on it. ''Ayden never does.''

''You've slept many times with him?'' He asks suspiciously.

''Yep, he was my best friend.'' I shrug again feeling all careless. ''You didn't answer.''

''Why don't you get some sleep princess?'' He says chuckling and I lay my head in the crook of his neck, closing my eyes as I let my fingers graze the skin underneath his shirt. I hear his breath hitch but he doesn't pull away.

''You smell good,'' I mutter under my breath.

He closes his arms around me, pulling me even closer to his body. ''You do as well when you don't drink.'' 

I scream as I see her body on the floor, blood all around her. Her eyes are closed and her face seems almost as peaceful as if she was just sleeping. But she isn't. Nothing can come out of my mouth and I try and I try and I try.

I sit up straight in the bed, my breath raw. I have trouble getting air in my lungs.

''Alexa?''

''Ayden.'' I croak out between two sobs, struggling to breathe. Where is he? I can't see him and darkness is drowning me and I can't breathe.

''Hey it's alright, it's Cameron.'' I feel hands cup my cheeks, ''Look at me, everything is fine. Breathe.'' A pair of green eyes stare back at me and I start to calm down, my breath slows a little as I concentrate to get rid of those images from my head. Those horrible images.

He pulls me close to his chest and I let him, feeling dizzy and scared. Suddenly I want the light on. ''Everything's fine, you're with me.'' He whispers.

''The light,'' I whisper back weakly.

He slowly pulls away, making sure I won't fall and lean over the bed to get to the lamp on my bedside table. The light switches on and I wipe away my tears, feeling dumb all of a sudden.

Cameron stares at me a moment before getting up. I feel even more ridiculous as I'm still trying to control my breath. I try to ignore him leaving because I'm sure that's what he's doing after seeing me like that.

But he comes back to me and sits right next to me, handing over a glass of water he probably found in the bathroom.

I take it without looking up and drink a little before wiping another tear away. Before he can say anything, I get up and put the glass on the bedside table, and take my head in my hands. ''I'm sorry,'' I whisper.

''You don't have to apologize. I used to have those.'' He tells me but I don't turn around. My sister is so present. I want to go into her room and talk to her about everything. I want to tell her how her death has been hard on me, and how I miss her so much. How Ayden and I aren't talking anymore and how I'm getting feelings I don't want to have with Cameron. 

Strong arms wrap themselves around my waist and I feel his head in the crook of my neck. I let go of my head to see I'm shaking. ''Come back to bed.'' He whispers. I nod slowly and he pulls me down with him.

We both lay in silence for a while, the light still on and his arms keeping me close. At some point, I start drawing circles on his t-shirt, not wanting to sleep, afraid I might see her again.

''I keep my t-shirt on because I have scars on my back and I hate when people ask how I got them. They're ugly and I hate them.'' I look up to see him staring at the ceiling. I sit up and his eyes follow the movement before I tug on his t-shirt. He seems to hesitate at first but then sits up as well and raises his arms in the air, letting me get rid of it. 

My eyes catch his perfectly defined body before I push him slightly to see his back. He sighs and turns around. 

My hand comes up to my mouth as I see the many long scars grazing his skin. I slowly draw one of them with the tip of my finger and stare.

''My father did all of them.'' He whispers and I stop touching his skin, gaping at the back of his head. How could a father do that to his son?

''Why didn't you stop him?''

''Most of them were when I was younger. Now he just beats me up and if I stop him he'll start to do it on Dimitry. I can't let that happen.'' He says and slowly turns back to me, to see my face, my reaction.

''What about Owen?'' I ask, trying not to make a face.

''He used to stop him most of the time but he was never touched and now he's not at home most of the time to do something.'' I look into his bright green eyes and wonder why he's telling me all of this. Does he feel bad for me?

I reach out and pass my hand into his hair all messed up from sleep and from playing in it. ''Something bad happened to my sister,'' I tell him.

''I didn't know you had a sister.'' 

''Yeah exactly, and my father is in the room at the end of the hall, going crazy I guess. The last time I saw him was that day I didn't show up for school. He thought I was my sister.''

''Will he ever get better?'' He asks and I drop my hand from playing with his hair.

''We don't know. While this time my mother takes care of him with a nurse.'' He nods, thoughtful. ''And your sister?''

''She's not around anymore.'' I simply say, my throat constricting. 

He seems to understand and simply opens his arms.

''Come here.'' 

I lay down as well and snuggle in his arms wondering how he managed to fool me once again. Or maybe I'm the only one fooling myself.

Anyhow, those feelings I'm starting to feel scare the hell out of me.

I turn and switch the light off before he pulls me back close and I enjoy the way it feels to have him with me.