Girl of My Dreams

Chapter 7: Trouble in Paradise

Emily's POV:

"It's dark. I can't see. The air is so thick, it feels heavy. I can't breathe. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. No, I can't breathe because this.. This isn't air..? This is.. Water? I'm.. Yes, I'm underwater. It's so soothing, my body can relax. I might stay here a little while."

My thoughts ran wild for a moment. I was somehow able to rationalize, and calm myself. That never happens, but I'm good now. I had to swim up to the surface, unfortunately, I'm no mermaid. Although, my hair might convince you otherwise.

I reached the surface and I was in Paradise again. Only, I was alone. I was under the bridge. I swam to shore and rested under a small tree. I'd been so tired and stressed because of my friends being on me to stay social. I don't mind them, it just gets exhausting after a while. This was perfect, I got to relax, not drown in anxiety.

Hours must have gone by under that tree. I just got to think about nothing and absorb a little positivity. I eventually went back to the bridge and just looked into the distance. Such a wonderful view in Paradise.

In the water below, I saw ripples. Almost like something fell in. "Uh... Ryan?" I yelled, "Was that you? Are you here? Are you okay?" I waited. No answer. Then, more ripples. They were from heavy raindrops. It had never rained in Paradise before.

That rain was relentless. It came down so suddenly, so powerfully. Wind picked up harshly, and I felt the whole bridge shake from the thunder. All the commotion was nonstop, and the rain was cold. The wind blew harder every second, til it swept me off my feet. I slipped and had to grip the edge of the bridge for dear life. No way I'm trying to make a thirty foot plummet to the water below.

My heart thumped in my chest, racing to the crackles of the continuous lightning. It felt like my anxiety was matching the storm itself.

My hand slipped and my wrist was grabbed right before a fell.

"Hey, you're a little unequipped for bungie jumping, Emily Rose." Ryan smirked, "Most jumpers wait til after they get a bungie cord."

Gosh, what a dork. What a strong, corny, gorgeous, lame, intelligent dork. He saved me. I figure if I die in a dream in Paradise, I might wake up like any other dream. The thing is, Paradise is so much realer than other dreams... What if death is too? I didn't wanna find out.

"Thanks, Kitten," I said after he pulled me to safety. "I owe you big for that."

The storm subsided just as Ryan smiled. "Panic attack over, Em?" he chuckled as he hugged me.

"Yeah," I sighed, then I inhaled as much of his scent as my nostrils could handle. "I'm good."

---

Ryans POV:

I got home from hooping, showered, and went straight to sleep. I didn't wanna stay up a fourth night doing research to better understand the fine ass angel in my head. She's also a really cool friend. Talking to her nonstop had been really nice. I felt like I could totally depend on her, if I was ever in a tight spot.

I'm beginning to see a lot of similarities the two of us share. Unyielding anxiety, a thirst for excitement, simultaneously being ambitious and reserved. Emily Rose, such a beautiful name for a beautiful soul.

I fell asleep on the couch in my living room, I was too sleepy to make it to my room. Moments later, I was in a dark place. The wind was insane, even the tree I was under was swaying like a lone stick of bamboo. I was so confused, I started panicking.

I heard a scream. I knew that voice. "Oh my God, no!" I thought to myself as I ran, dead sprint, in the direction of the scream. It was Emily Rose. I was in Paradise. She was gonna fall off the bridge!

I had made it just in time, I grabbed her with one hand and used the other for balance. I pulled her up with all my strength. "You're a little unequipped for bungie jumping, Emily Rose," I said with a snide smirk. "Most jumpers wait til after they get a bungie cord."

She paused and just looked at me. The rain and wind has subsided, and the sunshine lit up her skin just right. She glows in such a special way. Even her eyes are like diamonds, perfectly cut to refract all the right colors in the light spectrum. I caught myself admiring every feature she had to display.

"Thanks, Kitten," she broke the silence. "I owe you big for that."

"Panic attack over, Em?" I asked as I pulled into my arms and hugged her. It felt natural to hold her. I only said that because hearing her scream gave me a panic attack and I wanted her to tell me she would be alright.

"Yeah," she sighed and took a deep breath. "I'm good."

We sat there on the wet, wooden bridge. I just held her for a few minutes. Sometimes, that's all you really need. Sometimes you just need a friend to simply exist in the same space with you. To just be there for each other. That's all any of us really need in the end.

"We gotta talk, Em." I whispered, it was hard to say much without crying. She and I just became friends like a week ago, and really good friends at that. I don't want anything to happen to her.