Catch Me

Ch. 24

Coraly's pov

I haven't woken up as early as I have this morning in a long time. It's so early, it's still dark outside.

"I can't believe the neighbors have freaking chickens." Demi says irritated.

Oh yes, they have chickens. We found that out very easily this morning when all of them had to screech this morning. Our tent was right beside the fence which evidently was right where the chickens were. It was not a very pleasant morning ok.

"Do I have permission the climb the fence and take a few chickens and make fresh chicken nuggets now?" I ask.

"As angry as you are for your sleep being disrupted, I will not let you kill the chickens. They are still pissed over the noise the Sorry Not Sorry music video brought. I haven't been on good terms with them since. I don't want to cause more tension." She says.

"Well now I'm wide awake and it's it's so early it's dark out. Someone will pay for this. Can I throw bread with poison on it over the fence?" I ask.

"No Coraly." She sighs.

"What about the rat dogs? Do they fight other animals? What If I let the white rat dog out and it so happens to run into their yard and attacks a few chickens?" I ask.

"Ella doesn't bite or fight other animals, neither does Batman." She says.

"Can I call the police and file a noise complaint?" I ask.

"No Coraly."

"Well in that case I hope we have another earthquake and the earth takes all the fucking chickens with it." I hiss.

She sighs, "Come here."

I leave my couch and walk to her and she scoots over on the couch and pats the empty space beside her. I take the hint and get beside her and she immediately places her blanket over my body.

I feel another blanket placed on me as I snuggle beside Demi and make myself comfortable, "If you're still tired, get back to sleep. However I will wake you up before 10:30 ok?" She asks.

That sounds fair enough, "Stay?" I ask.

"I'll stay." She says.

"Swear?" I ask.

She chuckles as she pushes my hair out of my face, "I swear."

I nod before hiding my face in her arm and closing my eyes. Feeling totally safe and secure, I fall asleep pretty easily.

Demi's pov

I hate to admit it, but Coraly in a peaceful sleep is hard to disrupt. You don't see her peaceful much and breaking that peacefulness is a hard task for me. I want her to be peaceful and content and the more I get to know her, the more I know all her fears. She has so many fears that the average person doesn't and some I don't know how to possibly help her through.

I feel her body relax beside me and I pull the blanket off the top of the couch and get her covered up with it.

She may be able to sleep anywhere and in the most uncomfortable positions, but I still want her to be as comfortable as she can be. Even if she doesn't care about the blanket on top of her or not.

I see a text from Madison go across my screen and I quickly open it.

Mads: How's Coraly doing?

I take a selfie with a sleeping Coraly beside me and send the photo as is.

Mads: Shes sleeping beside you?!

Demi: Yes, evidently the neighbors have chickens and they woke us up at 4:30 in the morning. So we came inside form our camp out at 5 and she's decided she didn't get enough sleep and fell back asleep beside me.

Mads: So she's happy with you?

Demi: Yes, very. She's been making a lot of progress. She lets me hold her and hug her now which is something no ones ever been able to do with her.

I update Mads on Coraly before catching up with my younger sister. By the time we finally stop texting Coralys finally awoken.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." I say.

"What time is it?" She asks tiredly.

"11 am." I say.

She smirks, "Victory for me yet again. You failed to successfully wake me up."

"Oh whatever." I roll my eyes, "You're cute when you sleep."

"You watch me sleep?" She questions clearly amused.

"Sometimes I want to make sure you're in a deep sleep and are ok before I go to sleep. The others times, I don't really have much of an excuse, you're just cute when you sleep."

She sits up and wraps the blanket around her body, "That's why I'm actually able to sleep at night now. I know you're awake when I go to sleep and I know you're kinda overprotective now. So I know that when I go to sleep I'll be safe. Because you always say you've got me or I'm safe. Plus you're never tired when I go to sleep so I know you're awake got a while and you wouldn't go to sleep if things weren't ok. If you go to sleep then everything's ok."

"I mean what I say, you know that don't you? When I say I've got you, I've got you." I say.

She nods, "I know, I believe you."

"You know that nothing I did in the past was ok don't you? I fucked yo and it never was your fault." I say.

She beaks eye contact with me and doesn't give me a response, "What are you thinking and not wanting to say?" I ask.

"Is it a trap?" She asks barely audible.

"No, it's not. Coraly I was in the wrong every single time. You never did anything to deserve what I did to you and nothing I ever say or do will make up for that. It's something that haunts me and hate myself for doing. I want you to know that you never did a thing wrong." I say.

She remains silent and only looks extremely nervous, "What are you thinking?"

"It always is my fault. People always say it's my fault and that I wouldn't get hurt if I behaved and did things right. So it's always my fault because that's just how I think now. But it's ok. Sometimes I make a lot of mistakes and deserve it." She says quietly.

"No nothing you do will ever equal being abused ok Coraly, ever." I say.

"If I'm not good enough and get hurt then I'll be better so I don't get hurt." She says.

That just crushes me, is this what she really believes?

I shake my head, "No sweetheart, that's not true. You're you and you never need to change you for someone else. If someone's telling you to change or you're not good enough, you are in a toxic place. Being abused is never ok no matter the circumstances. You're a beautiful, brave, strong, bright, intelligent, funny, caring, goofy, girl. I can keep going, but I'll stop before I put you to sleep with describing all the words you are. None of that needs to be changed or hidden and you're not property, a doll, a piñata, or punching bag. No human is and therefor it is never ok to let someone hurt you." I say.

I feel my eyes begin to water as I look at her and she lays beside me before wrapping her arms around me, "Thank you."

"Look at me." I say.

She lifts her head and lets her eyes meet mine, "Yes?"

"Promise me that when you're older, and the time comes, if your partner is hurting you then you'll come to me." I say.

She nods, "I promise."

"I love you ok, I'll always be here when you need me no matter what." I say.

She nods again, "I know."

I wish the bastards who have abused her cooks go through the same abuse she did and she could watch them go through what she had to. She didn't deserve all that's happened to her to have happened. None of it.