Silence.

TEN: The middle of the night

Once again I wake up in the middle of the night covered in layers of my own sweat.

I sit up straight breathing heavily and my heart beating rapidly. The dream slowly fading but the fear still remaining.

I wipe my slightly damp hair out of my face and stand up my body still a little shaky.

I gulp and walk towards the window opening it slowly. I take a deep breath as the cold air comes swooping in tickling my skin but calms my nerves

Will it ever stop? I look up at the night sky only to be disappointed when I see it covered with dark clouds, that's hiding the stars and moon. I sigh and close my window and tip toe towards my door. I slowly open it looking down the hall to see if there is anyone.

Of course no one is awake Stephanie, it's the middle of the night.

I walk quietly down the hall and go downstairs towards the kitchen to drink some water.

I switch on the light and take a glass out of the cabinet. I open the tap and let the cold liquid flow in the glass.

Just as I was about to take a sip I hear a voice behind me making me jump slightly.

"Why are you awake?"

I turn around to see Alex standing in the kitchen entrance with a worried expression.

She sighs and walks further into the kitchen that's when I notice the dark circles under her eyes.

I shrug my shoulder taking a sip of my water.

She sighs again and stands next me. Silence fills the air between us. Alex just stares at me as if she wants to say something but doesn't know how to.

"Again." Is all she mutters with a tired sad sigh. "The day your parents died, I promised myself that I'd always protect, that I'd always be there for you no matter what but as years went by I started to realise that there are some things in this world I can't protect you from, bad things like-"
She pauses and looks me in the eyes and I look back at her waiting for her to continue.

Tears begin to form in her eyes and I start to get worried.

"Your nightmares." She says quietly. "I tried, I'm trying so hard but everyday I feel like I'm failing you every night I would hear you scream I can't help but blame myself for not finding you earlier, if only I had been-" She chokes on a sob and I walk across the kitchen to hug her.

"She would've still been here if only I came a little earlier, you would've still had both your parents and you wouldn't be suffering right now." She cries out.

"It all my fault, I should've seen the signs, she was my sister for godsake."

I pull back slightly and shake my head.

"It's not your fault, you didn't have any idea of what could've happened that night, please don't blame yourself." I sign and wipe her tears afterwards.

I didn't want Alex to blame herself for a mistake I made. She didn't know what was happening but I did, she didn't see what was happening but I did, yet I did nothing to stop it.

The night went on Alex and I stayed in the kitchen for a few minutes with her talking about some stuff to take my mind of the nightmares and stuff but she started getting tired and went back to her room but not before asking if I wanted to sleep by her tonight I shook my head knowing that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

I silently walked into my room and close the door and layed back down on my bed not closing my eyes and just staring at the ceiling.

*•°•*•°•*

"Morning!" I hear Maggie's cheery voice sing when she enter the kitchen like she normally does.

"Are you ready?" She asks when she sees my breakfast plate is already empty and I nod my head but before I exit the house I hear Alex say something extremely horrible.

"Connor why don't you give Steph and Maggie a ride today." She says coming down the stairs with Lindsey in her arms, smiling at Maggie and greeting her.

"Who's Connor?" Maggie asks and just then he appears furiously typing on his phone.

"I've got plans." He mutters not even looking up.

"Well cancel them, cause it wasn't a question it was an order." Alex says in a stern voice.

"Alex come on seriously!" He whines looking up from his phone.

"Don't Alex come on me, I'm telling you to take your cousin to school and that is what your gonna do." She says sternly and Connor groans out a 'fine'.

"Oh, so these are the cousins that Alex was talking about." Maggie whispers to herself.

Minutes later were in Connor's car driving to school, Maggie has texted Jake and told him to leave without us.

"So, who are you?" Connor asks Maggie who is sitting in the back seats.

"Oh, I'm Maggie I live next door and I'm a friend of Steph." Maggie says with a big smile her voice cheery as it always is.

"Wait, you're actually her friend?" Connor asks looking really surprised.

"Yeah." Maggie says sweetly.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?" She asks confused.

"Why would you wanna be friends with her I mean all she does is glare at people all day?" I look away from him and out the window not in the mood for his bulllshit.

I slightly look at the rear view mirror and see Maggie's expression fall.

"That's a very rude thing to say, especially about your cousin."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Connor glance at me before glancing back at the road.

"Stephanie doesn't care, see?"

"I'm friends with her because I chose to be and because she's really nice and she's very interesting to hang out with." She says her voice no longer cheery.

Connor snorts. "I've known this girl my whole life and let me tell you there's nothing interesting about her."

I bite my bottom and play with my fingers feeling a hurt by his words.

Connor always has been like that, that's why we're not close because he's an ass.

Maggie doesn't answer and I glance back at her to see her glaring at Connor.

"Your an asshole." Maggie says and my eyes widen in amusement.

"What did you just call me?" Connor asks but I know he heard her.

"You need me to spell it out for you?"

I shake my head amused when I see Connor glare at her but doesn't say anything back.