To love a stranger (A Josh Hutcherson fanfic)

Dreams? Nightmares? Or Reality?

I lay in my bed and slowly drift off to sleep and I dream a dream.

'I see a familiar park. It's the park that Jen and I used to play at when we were little. I see little Jen and little me playing. Then I hear the voice that used to terrify me. Jeffery my mother's boyfriend. I have to leave Jen to play by herself as I go and face an angry drunk Jeff.

"WHERE WERE YOU?!?!"

"P-p-playing at the park with Jen." I say timidly as he stands over me.

"Did I say you could go play at the park?"

"No but mamma usually lets-"

"YOUR MOTHER DOES WHATEVER I TELL HER!"  He screams in my face. "And you will to." He says in that low toned voice that terrified me more than him yelling at me. He smacks me and I cry.

"Shut up!" He says dragging me into the house by my hair I start screaming.

"I said shut up!" He throws me onto the couch and I scream again. He turns to me and starts hitting me I start screaming and crying. While he is beating me I see the woman who is suppose to protect me. My mother she just sits there watching as he beats me. Finally she says something.

"Babe?"

"What?!?" He yells at her.

"Maybe you should continue her punishment later." He walks over to her and grabs her by her hair.

"How many times have I told you to not interrupt me?" She stays quiet because she knows it will just make him madder. "Kyla go your room. I will be in there to resume your punishment." I walk passed them quickly and I go lay down on my bed. I hear him come in and I close my eyes just wanting it to be over.

I bolt up in bed in a cold sweat and I look around the room for him. 'It was just a dream. Just a dream.'  I get up and go downstairs to the kitchen and grab me a bottle of water and set it on the counter separating the kitchen from the dinning room. I stand there staring at it for a long time.

"You know it's gonna get warm right?" I look up and see Jen standing on the other side of the counter. I look at her and my eyes tell her almost everything she wants to know. "What dream?"

"The park." I had told Jen everything so she knew what I was talking about.

"Come here." She says opening her arms and I walk into them and start crying. "Sssshhhh. It's okay. Your safe." I cry for another ten minutes then she takes me to my room and tucks me in. Jen and I are really close even after all these years. It was like we never lost contact. She kisses my forehead softly something we used to do when we were little. We used to say it was to take away the bad dreams. "Hey Liam and Josh will be over early tomorrow morning. We are all suppose to hang out." She says getting up and heading out the door.

"I know. I remember. Jen?" She stops and looks at me. "Thanks." She smiles.

"Your welcome." She leaves and I smile and fall back into a deep sleep.

(Jen's POV)

I hate that she is still tormented by those horrible memories. But there is nothing I can do about it other than help her through it. I go back to my room and fall asleep.

(a few hours later) (still Jen)

I wake up, take a shower and get dressed. I look at the time. 8:45. Hmmm 15 minutes before the boys are suppose to be here. I go and check on Kyla. She is sleeping peacefully so I let her sleep. I head downstairs to make breakfast for us and the boys when they finally get here.