Why Me | Book 1

Chapter 6

"Sweetheart, can you please bring out the trash and check the laundry in the basement for me?" my mom asks, smiling.

"Sure. I'll be right back." I say, turning my back to her. I do as I was told and am on my way back upstairs.

Blood. Everywhere.

"Mom?" I ask and feel my heart rate pick up. No answer. "Mommy?" I shout and follow the blood path to her bedroom.

"No!" I scream, tears running down my cheeks. My vision fades and everything turns black.

"Sweetheart, I'm here." I hear her voice call me softly. The room I'm standing in is pitch black. I can't even see my own hands. I turn around, shaking, "Mommy?"

There she stands, she has a rope around her neck and her eyes are red, lips blue and she's pale. She opens her arms for me and I sprint towards her, but before I can reach her she's suddenly being yanked in the air and her feet leave the ground.

"No! Mom!"

"Emily, wake up! Wake up!" someone is shaking me and I rip my eyes open. I'm panting and my clothes are drenched in sweat. I try to make out the voice, but I'm disorientated and my vision is blurry.

"Hey, you're okay. It was just a dream."

He kneels in front of me, his baby blue eyes try to read mine. I look around. I'm in my room, still sitting on my armchair, knees pulled up to my chest and my arms slung around it. Fuck. How much did he hear?

"Where's Tucker?" my voice breaks and I'm still shaking. "He is out to get some drinks for tonight. He told me to keep an eye on you. I was downstairs, watching TV and then I heard you scream and I found you here, sleeping and crying, calling for your...mom." He hesitates before ending his sentence. I nod, at least he has no idea what exactly I dreamed about.

"Is that my fault?" his eyes sink to his hands and he rubs his palms together. I frown, "What do you mean?"

I sit up straight now, my legs are crossed Indian style and my hands rest on my knees. "Because I told you about my mother earlier. Did I trigger your nightmare?"

Did he just?

"No. I have them every night. It's always different, but it wasn't your fault. It would have happened anyway." His eyes flick up to mine again and he gives me a small smile.

Pity.

He feels pity for me. I can see that. "Stop that." I say as nicely as possible and watch his compassion turn into confusion. "Stop what?"

"Stop feeling pity for me."

His eyes scan my face but I can't seem to get my eyes off of his.

When the sun hits his eyes, they sparkle in a mixture of ocean blue, baby blue, grey and the slightest hint of mint. His freckles are sprinkled around his eye lids too and his lips form a small smirk when he notices me staring at him.

I feel my cheeks turn red and I wipe under my eyes.

He's twenty Em. He's totally in range. I think and I pull my bottom lip between my teeth. But he's off limits. He's a friend of Tucker, my self conscious taunts and I roll my eyes.

"What?" Cole laughs lightly and I snap back into reality. "Nothing." That answer definitely came way too quickly.

I let my thoughts wander back to my dream. This was a new one, I never have them with blood included. Normally, it's just me finding mommy in her room. It was my fault back then. She was acting weird all day, that day and I just left her alone. I left her and let her demons take over.