Perri and Mitch- the sixth book special to series 'Perri and Me' about Perri Kiely.

Chapter 1 Part 1- Introduction

There's a soft knock on the door but he just comes in anyway. I look down. I'm wearing Mum's white pyjamas. It keeps her close to me when I'm asleep and it still smells of her. He sits down on my bed.

"Why are you here?" I ask him.

He shrugs.

I really want to tell him to get out but I get lost in his eyes for a second.

"Does Kim know you're gone?" I ask him.

"Who cares about Kim?" He says, leaning in to kiss me.

I scramble off the bed and unto my feet. My heart is suddenly beating fast. My palms are sweaty.

"Amber?" Mitch says. "It's okay. Don't worry. You just have to kiss me and it'll be gone. The pain, I mean."

He stands up and walks towards me. My back is pressed to the wardrobe and I'm shaking.

"I can't kiss you!" I shout.

He leans in again and suddenly he's kissing me. I don't know how I'm still managing to scream his name.

"Mitch!" "Mitch!" "Stop!" 'Mitch!"

Someone is shaking me awake. I feel like I just fell through a black hole. I want to wake up but I can't. Suddenly the dream comes flooding back. Not only that. Every horrible memory. I sit up, wide awake. I hate this feeling. I'm trying to calm myself down. Trying to stop my heart from racing. Trying to stop all the blood rushing to my head. All the dizziness and aching. Just from a bad dream.

"Are you okay?"

I turn to my left. I didn't even know that he was beside me.

"You were mumbling in your sleep.." he whispers. "Quite loudly. It kind of looked like you were having a bad dream."

His voice is deep. But not too warm. Comforting but informative. I should know. I've studided it for seven years. I sigh then lie back down next to me. He puts his arm around me.

"What did you dream about?" He asks.

I close my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder. The vivid pictures come back again.

"It doesn't matter..." I say, my eyes still closed.

"Does it have anything to do with the fact that this day, three years ago- my sister died."

I don't have time to reply but I'm glad Reid started crying. Normally I would complain of how Perri shouldn't encourage going into Reid's room every single time he made as much as a sound but this time I was silent.

"Do you want me to get you some water?" Perri asks, standing up.

"He's three years old Perri. He just wants attention." I say, looking up at him.

"I can count." He says firmly, even though his voice sounded soft from tiredness a few minutes ago.

He leaves the room. Tears sting at the back of my eyes.

'You're past this Amber...' I say to myself. 'You're past all this...'

I can't tell him. I can't tell Perri that I've been dreaming of Mitch every single night for over a month now. Sometimes it's not as bad as this one. I could just see his face or relive all the terrifying moments I experienced with him.

'Don't cry.' I tell myself.

I manage to hold myself back but that only makes me shake anymore.

Soon, Perri's back and he brought me water. He sits by me.