Sebastián

s e v e n t e e n

My back aches from the cold floor I laid on. The sticky air invading my airways and wreaking havoc, making me feel like I'm drowning above water. Everything is quiet, the only sound is water dripping of a nearby pipe.

"Oh...my poor baby..." A male voice sends chills down my spine, my heart halts in its place, losing its rhythm. I knew that voice. Oh, I knew that voice too well.

The nearing sound of his heavy boots making their way across the cold cement floor. With each audible footstep, my heartbeat quickened.

No, this isn't right, why is he here?

"I bet you missed me so bad baby" A guttural sound erupts from his throat, his voice raw and scratchy. I panic at his words.

"Liam, don't do this, please" I beg, trying desperately to breathe in air while being suffocated by my own fear. "Please..." My voice wavers and I try my best not to cry, try my best not to let this man walk all over me again.

"You know I love it when you beg" His voice is silky, too smooth for a man with such a calloused heart. His rough hands grab me by the front of my shirt as he forcefully shoves me against a nearby wall. The impact knocks the wind out of me, I feel my airways start to stiffen.

I can't breathe.

Through my vision clouded with tears, I watch as his face comes closer to mine, not being able to do anything. I scream.

"STOP!" My voice is shrill "SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE!" But no one comes, Liam is only maddened by my loud screeches. He pulls me by my shirt only to slam me against the wall again, this time my head takes most of the impact. There's a dull throbbing. My vision darkens.

"Cristine!" My body starts to shake. I listen to a fading voice repeatedly call my name until I am swallowed into the darkness of my own mind. "CRISTINE!"

"WAKE UP"

With a start I sit up in my bed, droplets of sweat running down my back and forehead, the pristine white comforter getting stuck to my skin that was damp with sweat.

"Cristine," A voice calls from beside me, it's Sebastián. Surveying my surroundings I try to regain my sense of reality.

It was a dream...

Ohmygod

I put a hand over my mouth to muffle the sobs that shake my whole body.

"Sebastián?" My voice is scratchy and weak. But the suffocating feeling was gone.

"I'm right here" His voice is soft and gentle. My eyes meet his, above them, brows furrowed with worry. His soft hands brush the hair away, unsticking the strands that had attached to the sweat on my forehead. His hands continue to softly comb my hair, in a comforting manner.

It was a dream. I'm safe. He's not here. I am safe.

My sobs that had stopped a bit earlier took over my body. Without thinking much about it I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly, as to make sure he was real. Without hesitation his arms wrap around my torso, enveloping me into his safety. He was holding me so softly, I had forgotten what affection felt like, actual affection. It felt good.

After a while, I regain my composure and awkwardly push on his chest to be free from his embrace. I sit across from him on our bed, not being able to make eye contact.

"Cristine, this is the fifth time in a row" His voice is weak, pleading at the lost hours of sleep that exhausted him. I slowly lift my head to meet his eyes.

"I know, I'm sorry" I bow my head again, feeling horrible for being the reason there are dark circles under his usual flawless and crystalline eyes. He softly lifts my head up with a hand underneath my chin.

"Don't apologize" He reprimands lightly. I watch as he seems to be deep in thought, unsure of what to say. "What was it about this time?" He asks, referring to my nightmare. My eyes find sudden interest in a line on the floor.

"I don't want to talk about it" My eyes shift from their place to watch Sebastián become slightly frustrated before taking a deep breath and composing himself.

"Okay," He sighs. "I'm just worried, Cristine, are you even getting enough sleep?" He questions as his eyes shift to somewhere behind me, by his expression I can tell he's looking at the open bottle of sleeping pills on my nightstand.

"Uh, not really" I pause "The nightmares are probably because I'm sleep deprived" I knew this wasn't true, but I said it anyway.

"Sure they are" His voice is light, but he sounds slightly annoyed. My lips curl into a smile as he kisses me on my forehead. Our foreheads are pressed against each other as we sit in perfect silence, an air of understanding between us.

☽♔☾

It's been a week since my last nightmare. Its also been a week since I last slept. I figured if I never am asleep, I'll never have a bad dream. Which is very true.

"Gosh, you look horrible" Evangelina whispers in surprise as she inspects my face. We were in the bathroom looking at my reflection. She was supposed to help me look less...dead.

The circles under my eyes are a deep purple, intensified by the sheer ivory of my pale skin. Any color I had was gone. My lips were cracked and bloody from being accidentally torn a few times.

"Cristine, you need to sleep" Evangelina pleads as she covers my pale face with foundation and anything that would hide the deep color of the circles under my eyes.

"I feel fine" I protest, sounding more like I'm trying to convince myself and not Evangelina. She sighs and quietly fixes me.

"okay" She steps away from me and gives me a tight smile, I return the same one.

"okay" I reply. We sit in silence for a while before her eyes glaze over, she was getting a mind-link.

"That was the infirmary," She grits her teeth together, "I have to go...will you be okay?" She bites her lip in worry.

"Of course" I say through my dazzling fake smile. Evangelina hesitates before she finally leaves, calling out a sad goodbye.

I sat in the bathroom, inspecting the tile floors.

I didn't know what else to do.

A/N

Hellooooooo. This is a really short chapter, I know, I just have been struggling with writing lately and getting inspiration.

Like always, there will most likely not be another chapter coming anytime soon after this but I really appreciate all the support i'm getting.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and I'm really sorry for any typos, I wrote half of this at 1 A.M.

Bye!