Once Upon A Time ✓

06 | listen; sleep

^ above is Demons by Imagine Dragons

you may want to prepare some tissues ;)

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I FELT EMPTY, as I always felt when awakening in the dream world whenever I went to sleep every night.

Staring blankly up at the white ceiling of my bedroom, my fingers fisted the bed sheets tightly as a sob racked through my body. I had no particular reason for crying except that my feelings were too overwhelming.

So much had happened in reality that evoked stress on me. I wasn't used to so much drama or attention since depression had set into my soul. Heck, even before that, I was the shy introvert who avoided drama at all costs, except watching it from a safe distance.

I was startled out from my thoughts when a knock came at my door and paused when it received no reply, before someone called out, "Kaylee?"

I turned on my tummy and buried my face into my pillow, clutching and digging my nails into the fabric as my muffled sobs ricocheted around the room.

A slight creaking of the door and the clicking of heels alerted me of the entrance of my mother. My body stopped shaking and my sobs became soundless when I felt her warm palm press against my back.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she cooed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder to pull me up to sitting position. She placed a finger beneath my chin and pushed my head up. Staring up at her through my dark lashes, I took note of the worried wrinkles on her forehead.

Breaking into another round of sobs again, I engulfed her in my arms, pressing my face against her chest, seeking the warmth of her body. It felt so good to hug my mum because the last time I did so had been long ago, even in my dreams. This was a feeling I missed dearly.

"Kaylee, you have to tell me what's wrong," she urged. "What happened to you? What made you upset?"

Sniffling, I pulled away from her, lowering my head as my hand reached out to grab a tissue from the tissue box on my nightstand. Holding it to my nose, I blew harshly into it, wiping my dripping snot. I crushed it into ball and tossed it into the trash bin.

Finally looking up at Mum, I said through a shaky breath, "I-I'm fine."

Her lips curled into a frown and her brows burrowed. "Are you sure? You seem really upset-"

"I'm fine, Mum," I willed once again, leaving no room for further interrogation as I tossed my blankets aside and raised my arms above my head, stretching. Dragging myself out of bed and across the room to my wardrobe, I cursed under my breath as my toe stubbed an object that was thrown carelessly on the floor.

As I flipped through the clothing I had hanging in my wardrobe, I heard a defeated sigh coming from behind me, followed by the clicking of heels and the slam of the door shutting. This let me know that Mum had left.

Picking out a tank top and denim shorts, I discarded my pajamas and slid into my new pieces of clothing. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, then dragged my hairbrush through my luscious hazel hair.

Before leaving my room for breakfast, I stood before the body-length mirror and plastered the fakest big smile I could manage on my face.

Breakfast was silent, and so was the car ride to school. Dad obviously heard from Mum about my breakdown but they both chose not to question me for the better, instead casting worried looks my way when they thought I wasn't paying attention.

Throughout the whole car ride, I stared out the window, watching as lines of houses and trees passed by like a flash of lightning. However, my conciousness had floated somewhere else, wrapping around my inner turmoil.