The babysitter

Forty-Two

Later that night after Christmas dinner we had watched a movie and decided to go to bed. But here I was five hours later, staring at the ceiling after a nightmare. It sent a shiver down my spin and chills through my body. It felt like my body couldn't decide between throwing up or sobbing. So I just laid there, staring at the ceiling. 

My hands itched to do something, get the nerves out. But fear still clung to me like a wet blanket. I tried to take a breath, but it was like a rain stick. Shaky and uneven. I couldn't get a breath to stay in or stay out. Unable to control my breathing, I sat up. Breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth.

I decided to go to the kitchen to get a drink of water. On the way there I saw Jason's light on, from under his door. I knocked softly on his door, then waited for Jason to open it. He looked tired and groggy, " Percy?"

" Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" I asked.

" No, I've been awake for a little bit. Are you okay, Doll? You look a little pale." Jason's eyebrows furrowed.

" Yeah, I'm fine. I was just going to get a glass of water and I saw your light and wanted to make sure everything was okay." I smiled. I started to turn back around when he put his hand on my shoulder.

He put the back of his hand on my forehead, " I'll go get your water, you just stay here. I'll be back." He sits me on his bed and walked out the door.

I looked around his room, it was still very teenager like. There was a couple posters of motorcycles and a bookshelf full of books. The desk was a little cluttered with a gun halfway reassembled with cleaning supplies surrounding it. On the bed was the book I wrote in notes for. I laughed, I don't even remember what I put for half of that book. For a chapter or two, it was just doodles.

" Here's your water." Jason handed me the glass, making me jump since I didn't realize he had come in, " Now, care to tell me why your up?"

" I could ask you the same thing." I counter, drinking the whole thing.

" Woke up for some reason and couldn't fall back asleep." Jason raised his eyebrow, " You're turn."

I rolled my eyes, " You're being childish, Jay."

He shrugged, " Maybe. But I already know why. I just want you to say it, Doll."

I groaned and fell back against the bed. " I had a nightmare. But don't worry it wasn't one of those fortune teller ones. It was just a bad dream."

" Do you want to talk about it?" Jason asked. I looked over and he pat the spot next to him.

I crawled over to him, to which he took my glass and set it on the nightstand. " No, not really."

Jason shrugged, " Alright, Doll. What do you want to do?"

I shrugged, " I dunno."

" Alright, well, I'm going to read. Do you want a book?" He asked.

I laughed, " I'd rather kill myself."

" What's so bad about reading?" Jason was offended.

" Dyslexia and ADHD." I shook my head with a laugh, " Those don't mix well with reading. Even without dyslexia it takes me a while to stay focused until I hyper fixate on it." I shrug.

" Can you do that? Not deal with dyslexia?" Jason asked, putting the book down. My face flushed a bit when I saw him close it. Something Annabeth told me a long time ago, that if someone closes a book to listen to you, you mean a lot to them. She was also trying to set me up with her brother who liked me a lot, but nonetheless.