You Belong To Me || ✔️

-10-

I open my eyes, and it's dark. I have an unshaken feeling that someone is watching me. I sit up in my bed, looking around. I don't see anything, so I lay back down. I look over at the clock, and it read 3:00 am. I didn't even remember going to sleep. I stared up at the ceiling, and tried to go back to sleep. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a black shadowy figure. I turn my head slightly, willing myself to be brave. The figure got closer, until it was over top of me. I reached my hand out to touch it, then a dark hand reached out for mine.

There were these black eyes, and a crooked smile. The smiles lips were stained red, and the eyes were watching me. It licked its lips and blinked it's eyes, and the deepest red took over my vision. I then saw black hair, and it was turning around.

I sat up and reached for it, but it was already gone.

I woke up with a start. I took a few deep breaths in, and sat up. To my side was Tara, peacefully sleeping. I picked her up, which resulted in a groan. I look over at the clock and it was 7:20 am.

"Up up little one, time to get dressed." I tell her. I remove the covers, and start for the door, when I notice somebody asleep on the floor.

"Ray," I whispered as I kicked at him.

He turned over and smiled sleepily.

"Hey," he says with a voice full of sleep.

"I have to go to work, and take Tara to her sitters. You can stay here if you want or you can go out, but if you go out make sure to lock the door, alright?"

He nodded his head. I reached down for his hand to pull him up. Once he was on his feet, I pushed him onto my bed.

"Have a good sleep," I whisper.

As I walked across the hall to Tara's bedroom, everything flashes back to me. The police station, the passing out. The shower, and my black vision. I look down and I'm wearing a long tee-shirt and some basketball shorts. I gasp.
Did Ray dress me and carry me to bed? I questioned myself. But who else could it have been. I set Tara down on the floor and open her door. She runs straight for her closet and I pick her out an outfit. After she gets dressed, I take her downstairs and fix her since breakfast. As Tara eats, I then realize how starving I am.

I go through the cabinets looking for something to eat, then I open the refrigerator. Granola sounds good, I tell myself. As I pour some granola in a bowl and eat it, I just think. These past two days have been really hard.
I'm pretty sure I tried to hurt myself last night. How could I ever do that?

I sigh, not wanting to think about this right now, and finish my granola. When I'm done I put myself and Tara's dishes into the dishwasher, and go across the hall where Tara's toothbrush is. I brush her teeth then get her bag together, then I leave to drop her off.

When I got back home, I had twenty minutes to get ready for work. I worked at the local bar. I waited the tables and cleaned up. It wasn't ideal for me, but the money was great and the hours were perfect. 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

I run up the stairs and quietly open my dresser drawers. I pick out a black shirt and some black leggings, as well as some underwear.

I take my things into the bathroom, get dressed quickly and brush my teeth. As I'm finishing up my hair, there's a knock on the bathroom door.

I opened it to see Ray.

"Are you ok?" He asked worriedly. "You've been passing out a lot lately,"

I nodded and smiled. I turn back to the mirror to finish my hair and then sigh out.

"Ray, I could never thank you enough for you taking care of Tara. I honestly couldn't do this without you. I know we barely know each other, but just thank you for being here. " I say sincerely.

"Berkeley will now be less lonely for the two of us," he says with a smile.

I chuckle, and tell him where the bar was and to stop by for lunch if he wanted to. With that, I was out the door.

Once I arrived to work, my boss was waiting all the tables.

"Thank God you are here, Jason didn't clean up before closing last night. The bar is a mess! You get the customers and I'll clean up," she tells me.

I go over to the next table to find some familiar faces. Chad and Drew. They were in here everyday from opening to closing. They left some amazing tips, so I didn't mind much.

Half the day droned on slowly, and when 12 finally came, I sighed with relief. I sat down at a table in the corner, and a minute later someone slipped in the booth with me. I look up to see Ray, and I smile.

"You look exhausted," he observes with a laugh.

"That's cuz I am exhausted," I laugh back.

We spend my whole thirty minute break laughing and joking around. We tell each other more about ourselves, and I revel in there realization that I have a new friend.

I stand up and lead him to the counter, as I slip behind it.

"What would you like to eat," I ask him.

"Surprise me," he says.

I go back to the kitchen and ask the cook to grill up a steak and some hashrounds.

Once his food was done I passed it back to him and got back to work. Ray stayed with me at work until my shift was over.