A Brighter Tomorrow

• f o r t y f o u r •

"Chiseled from darkness and woven from gloom, we're the pallbearers of inevitable ruin"

❃ B l a z e ❃

Sweat beaded at my forehead as I read with shivering hands, trying to distract myself from the ugly nightmare.

It was 3 AM and after jolting awake, I couldn't sleep again.

I could still feel it, Aiden's hands on my skin and the pain searing through my entire body. I had thought that if I just pretended like he hadn't violated me that afternoon, then it would slowly fade away. Of course, it didn't.

The first nightmare had started the night of my birthday, four days ago, after Rafael and I had kissed. It was the same thing since then- distorted images of that afternoon, Aiden's merciless eyes and blood.

I glanced at my phone on the table. Instinctively, I ran my fingers over my wrists and sucked in a sharp breath. If I wanted to, I could find a blade. No.

Picking up my phone, I opened Rafael's contact. My fingers hovered over the screen as I stalled. It was the middle of the night and things had been weird between us for the past few days. I could just hang up if he didn't pick up.

Yeah, I'd do that.

I listened to the silence and was about to cut the call but Rafael's abrupt voice on the other end spoke up.

"Blaze? Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?" he asked gently and I sighed.

"A nightmare." The past.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Yes." I was surprised by my answer and there was momentary silence.

"I'll be there in ten. Don't get out of the house until I'm there, okay?" I heard shuffling on the other end.

"Why?" I asked solely to distract myself from the blades that were stashed in my closet.

"It's 3 AM. I don't want you to get kidnapped and sacrificed by some cult," he muttered and I smiled.

"You're paranoid, I'm pretty sure no one would abduct me from a suburb." A slow grin spread across my face when I heard his disapproving grunt.

"You never know these days."

"You sound like an overprotective mother."