Those Nightmares Gone

Chapter 7

Danny's POV

"I'm sorry, Prinplup! You know that," Devin apologized profusely. We were arguing from our respective side of the bed that night, and I attacked him with many glowers.

"I told you to keep your hands off. I can't believe you hugged me!" It wasn’t like at the skating rink, it was full on. I could still feel his arms, his breath ruffling my hair, the closeness of his chest – but wait. We had spectators. "Was it to provoke Max?"

Devin opened his mouth to say something, but immediately shut it. "You said not to talk about him." Touché. He propped his elbow up on his pillow. "Did you trash my car on the way home?"

I leaned against the wall to face him, careful not to pass my feet on his side. "I didn't, thank you very much. Where’d you go after school, anyway?"

"Max's house," he said. I nearly choked. Max’s house? Did Max, by chance…?

"Did he say anything about me?" I said warily. Why were we bringing Max up again? Devin fiddled with the boundary pants.

"We were just talking about school." He eyed me carefully. "I met his mom." He met…? I fidgeted uneasily.

"How, how was Max's mom?"

His eyes returned to the pants. "Max told me she was in some sort of depression and that she started drugs. Or something like that."

Pain pierced my chest. I felt hurt. I felt hatred. I felt so many things I hadn’t felt in so long. I wanted to go to Max's house and just hug his mom. I felt so mad, I couldn't handle it.

"Danny, are you okay?" Devin said, waving his hand in front of my face.

"Yes," I said hoarsely. I cleared my throat. "Yes. Actually, I have a favor to ask."

Devin arched an eyebrow. "From me?" He rubbed his chin. "What’s in it for me?"

I slit my eyes. "Nothing, it's just a favor."

He smiled smugly. "Tell me and I'll think of what to ask for."

"Then I can call off the favor if whatever you ask for is ridiculous."

"Are you sure? Can you ask anyone else for this favor?" he challenged. My mouth moved but nothing came out. Was he threatening me? "Don’t worry. I’ll ask for something pleasurable for the both of us."

My jaw dropped. Why was I even bargaining with this jerk? A perverted jerk at that. Then again, he was the only one close to Max that could do this for me. I rubbed my head in frustration. "Okay, look, I need this favor badly, so…" I trailed off when he grinned wider, almost evilly.

This ass. I took my pillow and smacked his head with it. His elbow fell flat on the pillow, and he regained his posture only to be hit again.

"You dirty guy," I barked. "You think you can use me like this?"

He caught the pillow before it struck him again. Somehow, we ended up in a massive pillow fight, our feet on the bed, sparring without crossing the boundary. When I made a victory bash his head for the third time, he snatched the pillow from me.

"Hey, that’s illegal!" I complained, trying to retrieve it.

He waved it over me. "Come and get it." I groaned and tried to snatch it back. "You have to try harder." He extended the pillow over his head. I put my hands on my hips and blew a piece of hair from my face. His lips twitched. "You’re kind of cute when you’re frustrated."

"Why am I even playing this stupid game?"

Devin lowered the pillow to an accessible range and I immediately made a grab for it. He snatched it back and…oh, hell no. Before I knew it, I was falling and out of reflex put my hand on his shoulder for balance. My foot was planted on his side.

"Shoot," I mumbled, putting distance between us. Devin pulled me back and I fell against him, right into his arms. "What’re you doing? Get off – "

"I’ve thought of my offer," he said, his voice low and close to my ear. I waited with dread, itching to get as far away from him as possible. "You have to sleep with me on my side."

I tugged away from him. "Hell no." He released me and I stumbled back.

Devin shook his head in disappointment. "Even after you touched my side and lost the game, you want to back off like a wimp." He plopped on the bed and threw my pillow back. Why did I feel guilty? Wasn’t my privacy important?

After contemplating, I reluctantly said, "Fine. Just do me the favor."

Devin looked at me for a solid minute. I didn’t know what ran through his head, but then he created room on his side with an inviting but coy smile. "What are you waiting for? Come here."

I sighed heavily. My whole body was stiff when I laid beside him. It wasn’t infinitely more intimate, but I was close enough to hear him breath and feel the rise and fall of his chest. Devin was a monster. He appeared and felt gigantic next to me.

"About the favor," I started, but was unable to find a proper voice in this position. When Devin leaned in, his brown eyes closer and more alert, I gulped and turned sideways. "L-Let’s talk about it another day."

Devin’s light chuckle sent shivers up my neck. "I won’t jump you, Danny, although a lot of girls would like that very much." I frowned but didn’t move. "I know you’re different. So rest easy."

I had been this close to Devin before, but never felt the legitimacy of it. Now, his whole presence was real. Raw. It was overwhelming, but strangely comforting, like I had some sort of protection. Could I trust him only because he knew my true colours? When he witnessed me having nightmares and mood swings? Or was there more to it?

Devin's POV

I wasn't sleepy, not because Danny and I were squished to one side of the bed. In fact, I was relieved feeling the warmth of her back pressed against my body. I’d been tracking her every move. Her breathing was shallow, and I knew she'd been crying. I didn't know what to do.

Then there was her hair. The more I focused, I smelled something faintly nice. Maybe lavender?

Her throat hitched and we both froze.

"Danny?" I said, quietly. She looked up at me. I felt my stomach drop when I saw how wretched her face was.

"D-d-did I wake you up ag-g-gain?" she stuttered.

Before, I hadn’t cared about the nightmares she had. Now, I didn't like seeing her like this. The snappy, funny Danny didn’t deserve this, and I didn’t know when I cared about what she deserved.

"No, I wasn't sleeping," I replied. "What happened?"

"I dreamt of M-M-Max's m-m-mom committed suicide," she said shakily. What in the hell? I took her shoulders and turned her to face me.

"Danny, what do you mean?"

"M-Max's mom tried committed suicide a few years go." Her breath caught in her throat. "I actually had a d-d-dream she killed herself. R-right now."

A tear trickled down her face and I watched it slide off the corner of her eye. I knew Danny cried, but I never saw her cry openly in front of me. Please don't cry, Danny.

"I think, it's m-my fault," she said, her voice cracking.

I rubbed her back and drew her head to my chest. "Danny, try going back to sleep."

Her body relaxed a little and her breathing evened. Racing thoughts kept me awake, though. Max had told me it was Danny's fault his mom slipped into depression. Now Danny's admitting the same. Was it really her fault? Where was her dad involved in this?

I smoothed a hand over her hair. "Danny, don't let your dad upset you." She shivered violently in response, and I pulled the blanket over her shoulders. I wiped away her drying tears, surprised at how smooth her skin felt under my fingertips.

Karissa was right. If I wanted to mess with her, it was to protect her.