Warrior

35

You're safe, Khushi.

My eyes spring open as I sit up and find myself alone in bed.

Wait, what...?

I spot my phone on the nightstand beside me and picked it up to see a text.

A: Good morning Khushi 🙂 hope you're feeling better this morning. Heading to the gym, I'll be home soon

The text was sent over an hour ago, so who knows if soon is actually that soon.

Not that I care about that. Instead, my mind focuses on the occurrences of last night. Yes, I had warned Arnav about my episodes but did I think one was going to happen on my second night married to him? Absolutely not! Last time it had only been a nightmare, which pretty much led to me agreeing to this marriage. But this nightmare....

It was so little, yet so impactful.

I remembered the way Arnav had consoled me, took care of me... how I had made him sleep next to me.

Glancing over to my right, the space beside me was empty. Arnav's pillow was there, nothing else. Crawling over to the end of the bed, I see that his makeshift-bed is also gone, the room tidy.

He slept beside me. I actually made him sleep beside me. I held his hand to me as I made him sleep beside me. And I don't know why, but... but for some reason, it comforted me.

It doesn't make any sense. In the past, when I've had these types of dreams, as soon as I would realize that I was alone in my room, for the most part I'd be fine, unless of course it escalated afterwards. This time, however.... Then again, I'm not in my room; I'm in my new room, the room that I share with my new husband.

Geez-us....

I run my hands over my face and bury them in my hair, giving it a squeeze, tugging at my scalp. Momentarily, it feels good, and then I let it go. With a sigh, I finally get up, make the bed, then go to get ready for the day. I took a rather long shower to get rid of that icky feeling I still felt from the nightmare. By the time I'm all dressed and taking care of my skin, Arnav returns. My eyes quickly darted to the door through the mirror and I find Arnav looking at me. Again, there's concern in his eyes, so I give a small smile.

I really have to get used to the fact that I share a room now.

"Hey," Arnav said softly.

"Good morning," I replied, and I turned my attention back to my moisturizer.

In between applying it, I catch Arnav placing his duffel bag down. He's about to open his mouth and say something, but I quickly cut him off.

"I don't want to talk about what happened last night."

Arnav shut his mouth and pinched his lips together. "I was only going to ask what you think we should take to your parents' place when we go there later."

Oh! "Oh! Um-"

"No worries, we'll figure it out," he smiled softly, and he headed to the closet.

I watched as his disappeared into it, then looked away.

He wasn't going to ask about that?

Arnav poked his head out from the closet, snapping my attention to him. "Khushi?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll never ask any questions if that's what you want," he said softly. "That's all your decision. But I want you to know that if you ever need an ear, I'm here for you," and he smiled that small, polite smile of his before heading back into the closet again.