𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀

𝟏𝟎𝟎

"𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚗𝚎-𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚂𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐"
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ
𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴' 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

     NIGHTMARES SEEM TO NEVER END.  Dreams come and go, but nightmares come unannounced. You do not get to choose your nightmares, they choose you.  And no matter how much you try, they will always be there, lurking in the darkness, waiting to creep into your sleep.

Noah was used to nightmares.  They hid under her bed constantly.  But these nightmares are different.  They feel so real that she expects to wake up in the hospital, suffering from the injuries at the hand of the Reaper.

The teen wipes her forehead with her shirt.  She sits up, peering around the room, surprised to be in a calm space alive.  Suddenly, she jumps at the sound of Emily's alarm going off.  The teen calms her heart as she hears Emily turn it off and roll over to face her.

"Good morning, bub," Emily says with a yawn, "You coming with me to work today?"

"I don't know," Noah shrugs.

"Maybe you should come," Emily suggests, "Spend some time with Penelope or just sit at my desk with me."

"I don't know..." Noah mumbles.

—
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘶

"You know how you've always wanted to see one of my plays?" Penelope asks.

"Yeah," Noah replies.

"We're doing one tonight," Penelope beams, "A one-time showing of Pirates of Penzance.  In honor of Haley."

Noah peers up at the words.  A one-time showing.  Haley gets a one-time showing.

"I'll have to think about it," Noah says as she sinks into her spot.  She would do anything to be at home in bed with Sergio.

"Oh, c'mon!" Penelope pleads, "It'll be fun...and it's for Haley."

"Is this you guilt-tripping me into seeing the show?" Noah asks with a small smirk.  If she does not make a joke, she will frown the whole day.

"Not guilt-tripping," Penelope shakes her head as her face forms into a serious expression, "I want you to come.  It would be nice to look into the audience and see a familiar face."

Noah thinks to herself as she plays with the hole in her jeans.  It would be nice to get out, Noah thinks to herself.  But it would be even nicer to just go home, she continues.  But Penelope wants you to go, she argues.  I'd do anything for Penelope, she finds herself coming to a conclusion.

"What time does it start?" Noah questions.

"Promptly at seven!" Penelope chimes and sees the teen nod.  The blonde launches out of her chair and into the teen's arms.  Noah embraces Penelope, one of the only people she has genuinely hugged since the funeral.

"I'll put my best acting on just for you," Penelope mutters into the embrace.

—
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴' 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

"Noah, are you sure you wanna go tonight?" Emily asks as she sits on the teen's bed.

The mother admires her daughter who is staring at her reflection in the mirror.  The teen holds up different necklaces, battling in her mind which one goes best with her outfit.  Noah opted for a green sweater, black pants, and her well-broken-in Doc Martens.