YOU 2 [Charli D'Amelio]

Chapter 190.

It's hot. Way too hot, when I begin to come into consciousness. Max is lying on top of me, nearly all her weight pinning me down to the mattress. I'm on my back and max's on her front, her head is on my chest, one of her arms is wrapped around my waist and one is stretched across the space next to her. I've missed sleeping this way and even waking up sweating from Max's body blanketing mine. When I glance at the clock it's seven-twenty, my alarm will go off in ten minutes. I don't want to wake Max, she looks so serene, a soft smile even plays on her sleeping lips. She usually frowns, even in her sleep.

In an attempt to move her without waking her up I lift her arm from around my waist.

"Mhhmm.." She whines as her eyes flutter and her body stirs, gripping me tighter.

I stare at the ceiling and debate whether or not to just roll her off of me.

"What time is it?" Her asks, her voice thick with sleep.

"Almost seven-thirty." I tell her quietly.

"Damn it. Can we play hookie today?"

"No, but you can." I smile and gently run my fingers over her hair, massaging her scalp softly.

"We could go to breakfast?" She turns her face to look at me.

"You drive a hard bargain but I can't." I really want to though.

She slides her body down slightly so her chin rests just under my chest.

"Did you sleep well?" I ask her.

"Yes, very. I haven't slept like that since.."
She trails off.

"I'm glad you got some sleep." I say and mean it.

"Can I tell you something?" She doesn't seem quite awake yet, her eyes are glossy and her voice is raspier than ever.

"Of course." I go back to massaging her scalp.

"When I was in England, at my mum's I had a dream.. well nightmare."

Oh no. My heart sinks. I knew she went back to her nightmares but it still hurts me to hear about it.

"I'm sorry those dreams came back."

"No, they didn't just come back. They were worse." I swear that I feel her body shiver but her face holds no emotion.

"Worse?"

How could they possibly be worse?

"It was you, they were... doing it to you." She says and ice replaces the warm blood in my veins.

"Oh." My voice is weak, pathetic.

"Yeah. It was..it was so fucked up. It was so much worse than before because I am used to the one's with my mum you know?"

I nod and bring my other hand to her bare arm to caress it like I am doing to her scalp.

"I didn't even try to sleep after that, I purposely stayed awake because I couldn't bare to see it again. The thought of someone hurting you drives me mad."

"I'm so sorry." Her eyes are haunted and mine are full of tears.

"Don't pity me." She reaches up and captures the tears before they fall.

"I'm not. It makes me upset because I don't want you to be hurt, I don't pity you."

It's true, I don't pity her. I feel terrible for this broken girl who has nightmares about her mother being violated and abused and the thought of my face replacing Anne's kills me. I don't want those thoughts tainting her already anguished mind.