Scars

SEVEN

I was running. I didn't know from who or where I was, but it was an endless cycle of me running. "You shouldn't be here." The voice called, familiar from the ghost town. "Get out." It yelled.

My eyes widened and I shot up out of my sleep. My breathing was uneven and there were sweat beads dripping down my forehead. "Aria? What's wrong?" I heard Colby mumble.

"Nothing, go back to sleep." I huffed, hugging my knees. "You shot up out of a dead sleep, what's wrong?" He groaned, sitting up.

"I had a nightmare." I sighed. "About what?" He asked rubbing his eyes, leaning closer and resting his hand behind me to support his body. "What do you think? What was the recent trauma that I've had?" I said sarcastically. I didn't mean to come off like that, but I haven't gotten sleep in days. Ever since that night at the ghost town I've been having the same nightmare every night and it's been a week.

"I'm sorry, baby." He said, placing his hand on my thigh, rubbing it up and down. I let out a loud, audible sigh and shook my head. "PTSD has never been easy on me." I said. "I don't think PTSD is easy in anyone." He chuckled lightly.

"I'm stuck." I said, not giving much context to it. "What do you mean?" He asked, furrowing his eye brows. "I mean, I'm in a constant loop. If it isn't one thing it's another. Things start to be normal and good, then something happens and it's ruined." I threw my hands up in the air, frustrated. "That's life, there's always something around every corner. You just have to be ready for it." He said. "I don't think anyone's ready to be trapped inside a room, in an abandoned building in the middle of the night because people won't let you leave." I said, looking at him.

"Remember that time in Kansas, where we were at the warehouse filming for the Origin? There were people there too, I know what it's like." He said. "But you weren't there. You weren't scared for your life. You didn't hear what they were saying, what they were doing. How they were acting. You're experience is a lot different than mine. By now, you're used to finding people, or running into someone. When I do, I'm scared I'm gonna get shot, or kidnapped. That shit scares the fuck out of me." I said.

"I know, and I'm gonna kill Elton the next time I see him. He should've been more careful." He said. "Don't blame him, no one had any idea they were going to be there or do that. It was just a regular video, we knew the drill. Get in there, get out without being seen or caught." I said.

"I'm going to anyway, he brought you along. He put you in that position." He said. "I put myself in that position. He didn't exactly force me to do it, he didn't put a gun up to my head and threaten my life. It was my choice." I raised my voice. "If you're gonna blame anyone, blame me." I got up out of the bed and walked out the room. I turned on the lights and sighed, sitting on the couch. I let out an audible sigh.

I'm pretty sure this was our first official fight. One where both of us were actually pissed off because of the situation. I saw him walk out of the bedroom too, now wearing a pair of black sweats. "Baby, I'm sorry. I just hate the thought of you being in actual danger. You could've died that night, I would have never known. That kills me inside, you know? Aria, I can't see my life without you anymore. You're my entire future, and if you're gone then that's what goes with you." He said, kneeling down in front of me. "I just want this all to end. To have a normal, functioning life with you. No worrying about if I'm gonna have an anxiety attack because of PTSD. I want us to be normal." I said, placing my hand on his arm.

"Darling, nothing about us will ever be normal." He smirked lightly. I blushed at the nickname. It was new, and I liked it. "Darlings new." I smiled lightly. "You like it?" He asked, placing his hands on my thighs and raising them up to my waist. "Yeah, I really like it." I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pulled me to him and picked me up, and he carried me back into our room.