REMINISCENT

CHAPTER TWELVE: Finding Her (EDITED)

Aiden's POV
After the encounter with Ashley at the park, I came back home and called Jake over, actually before I even got the chance to call him he called me saying he has to interrogate me because I've been distant and he feels I've been hiding stuff from him, which I have.

Jake might be an ass most of the time but he's still my brother, plus he's a great listener? I guess, bromancely speaking. So yeah I decided I'd tell him everything starting from the dreams.

"dude, go right! Go right! He's behind you! " he exclaimed from next to me on the floor in my room

"wait I ghat him" I said back, shooting the guy in the head

"okay nice one,now the last one... " he paused looking around "there he is!" we shouted in unison

"yeah" he gave me a fist bump when we won that round of the game

"next round?" he asked with a smirk

"hell yeah" I replied starting the game.

After a few minutes of playing, Jake decided to ask questions as we played "so...what's been up? I noticed you haven't been sleeping" he said giving me a side glance

"not much, I didn't feel like sleeping" I shrugged

From the corner of my eye I see him furrow his brows in confusion, he looked at me for a second too long then returned his gaze to the screen in thought

"bro, I might act dumb most of the times but I'm not that dumb. I know you're lying, now what really is up with you?" he asked slightly irritated with me "yeah!" he shouted when he shot a guy straight in the head earning himself more points

I started to think about my nightmares, the way they scare me so much to the point I'm afraid to blink in case a flash of the nightmare returns. It infuriates me so much because I'm afraid to go back to sleep. That's so lame, how am I even going to admit that to him. I clenched my jaw in anger with my eyes glued to the screen

"Aiden?" Jake called but I ignored

"Aiden?" nothing "Aiden! The dude's dead!" he exclaimed, grabbing my controller from me

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration "what the fuck is wrong with you?" he paused the game and threw the controllers in front of us.

I sighed and sat on the couch we were leaning on. Jake did the same and looked at me expectantly "well?" he snapped impatiently

Another sigh "remember the time I went home early because I had an asthmatic attack?"

"yeah? You never did tell me how it happened I just heard" he looked at me clearly not getting the point

"well it's been long I actually had one" I'm guessing he became more confused, since I wasn't looking at him and to him it makes no sense

"I'm aware...but so what? What's it got to do with you not sleeping? You've been having them at night?" he pressured me to continue

"well yeah, I have but there's a reason and the reason is the cause of my asthma been triggered in the first place and also the reason I haven't been sleeping" I said vaguely but enough for him to get the gist of the situation I wasn't keen on talking about

He squints his eyes, slowly nodding "and what is this reason?"

I look away rubbing my neck"its a dream" I say nervously not wanting him to think less of me. It's a guy thing

"a dream" he narrowed his eyes with a sarcastic tone

"yeah, well not really... Uh it's a... I-it's a dream then it turns into a nightmare" I stuttered not daring to look at his reaction not ready for judgement. I don't know why I was thinking this way when Jake has never been one to judge anyone