Nineteen

Chapter Thirty

A few minutes later we're in the parking lot of the dorm.

It's dark except of a few street lights on the sidewalk. The darkness made me realize I'm not going to be able to stay here alone. 

We get out and begin to walk and the darkness feels as if it's attacking me.

I swear I feel as if the stranger could be in it, watching and waiting to grab me.

Collin must of notices I'm uncomfortable because he takes my hand. He's uncomfortable with it, but it helps.

I'm thinking to myself about how I hope Jade happens to be home when we get to the door of my room. I reach for the key I hid under the door frame before I left.

When the door opens I'm not surprised when I see Jade's bed empty. Panic sets in.

"Can I use your phone?" I ask.

"Why?" he leans against the door frame.

"I need to call Clark. I can't stay alone tonight." I say.

And it's true. I can't be alone, and I'm unsure for how long until I can be again.

He huffs. "You're going to call him at 1 A.M.?"

I didn't realize it was that late. "Yeah, either him or Bailey will come."

He shifts uncomfortably. "I'll stay."

I laugh, "What?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you don't want to take time reliving what happened as you explain why you need a babysitter tonight, so I'll stay with you." He shuts the door behind him.

I've never spent the night with a boy beside's Clark, and we were young then. We didn't even sleep in the same room.

"Don't worry about it," he says as he takes his shoes and hat off. "I'll sleep in this bed."

I just watch him. He takes his flannel off and lays it with his other stuff on the floor.

"Are you going to sleep in jeans?" I ask.

"What choice do I have?" He says as he lays down on the made-up bed.

I grab my clothes and go into the closet to change. It's impossible to get dressed when your ribs are hurt and your hand is useless. 

I stumble around as I hear Collin begin to open the door.

I grab the handle and hold it shut. "I'm not done."

He laughs, "You need help, I'm not going to get you naked. I am simply going to help you get dressed for bed."

Against my better judgement, I open the door. 

He helps me slip my arms out of my shirt, but he leaves it on enough to where I'm covered. He turns around as I take it off and place another one over my shoulders.

He takes the new shirt and helps my arm through. 

"I should be able to get my pants on and off," I say.

He shuts the door. It takes double the time it should, but I finally change pants.

I open the door and see him laying on the bed. He's shirtless, revealing more tattoos on his torso.

I'm taken back a little. I have to admit that he's hot.

I walk over and sit on the edge of my bed, tucking my feet underneath me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He finally says.

"No."

I look up to see his brown eyes staring through me. His arms are tucked under his head and there are black circles under his eyes.

"Let's go to bed," I say as I walk to turn the light off.

After I cut out the light, the only thing keeping the room from being completely dark is a street light shining through the window. The darkness is around me again.

After a while it is evident that I won't be able to sleep. The dark room is about to drive me mad.

I lay and stare at the street light as I drift in and out of sleep, never fully falling. Until I see a glimpse of a dream.

It's him.

The stranger from the alley. He's holding me as I scream, but this time nobody comes.

I can feel my face becoming tight and I can't catch my breath, signaling that I'm crying.

I feel my shoulder shaking when I open my eyes. "What the hell, are you okay?" Collin asks.

I can barely see him in the dark room. I can see traces of the dark in on his arms and a few curls poking up from his head.

My face is wet from tears and my lungs are exhausted. I'm still crying. "I can't sleep anymore, I see him."

He lifts the covers and crawls in beside of me.