'Stop. Stop it. Please! Don't touch me! Get away from me! Please!'
'Shut your damn mouth, Kylie. Get your ass over here. You know what will happen if you don't.'
My eyes widen in fear. No, please don't do that to me dad.
'Leave me alone!'
I run. My whole body throbs in pain. My limbs protest, my muscles scream in pain. I had to get away. I had to-
I'm tackled to the ground. 'Kylie, you piece of trash!'
Pain in my lower back. Absolute pain. Horrible, terrible, gut renching pain. He stabbed me with the fire poker. The burning fire poker. I can hear my skin and flesh sizzle. My dad's laughter.
I scream. I scream and I scream and I scream. Pure and utter agony. The pain from the steaming fire poker add to all of the bruises he had given me. On my stomach, my arms, my back, my sides. Everywhere.
'Stop screaming you worthless piece of junk! Or I'll do it again!'
But I couldn't stop screaming.
I feel him take the poker out of my back, feel him get off of me. I need to run, but I can't. I'm in too much pain. My skin burns.
For a moment, I think he's done.
But no. I'm kicked in the side. The poker pierces me shoulder. Farther than my back. Much more pain. It touches my bone. Cutting me, burning me. I scream even louder.
'You deserve it you-
I wake up. Screaming. Crying. My skin burning. Pain throughout my body. Lulu jumps off the bed. I'm in hysterics. I pick up my phone.
It's 2 A.M. I call Thomas.
I have to call three times before he answers.
"Kylie?" He says in a tired voice.
He hears me crying and hyperventilating and he immediately sounds more awake.
"Kylie? Oh my gosh, Kylie are you okay? What's wrong? Kylie?" He is now hysterical.
I could barely talk. Tears were streamimg down my face. I couldn't breath. "N-ni-nightmare. He wa-was stabb-bbing me wi-th the f-f-fire poker-r." That's all I could get out before I break down completely.
"Kylie. Kylie, I'll be there in ten minutes. My precious Snowflake, I'll be there as soon as I can. I promise."
Seven minutes later, I open the door, still crying a waterfall, barely able to stand. He immediately takes me into his arms, which was a good thing for many different reasons, one because I could not stand any longer. He closes the door with one hand, then he leans against the door with me, rubbing my back.
"Kylie. Kylie. Oh my Lord, Kylie, shhhh. It's alright. Let it out. Kylie, it was just a nightmare. It wasn't real. Shhh. I've got you. I've got you." He was trying so hard to stay calm and to comfort me.
"It b-burns!" I scream frantically. "M-my b-back! It BURNS!"
Still holding me up, Thomas turns me around and lifts the back of my shirt up. He puts his hand on my back, rubs it softly. He puts my shirt back down. Then he turns me back around. "There's nothing there. It's alright. It's not real. It's not real. I've got you." He hugs me tightly.
And like always, I feel safe. We stand there for a few minutes, me crying into his chest, him comforting me.
"I'm sorry." I whisper, the tears thinning. "I'm sorry."
"Sshhh. There's nothing to be sorry about. Sshhh. It's alright." He kisses the top of my head. I'm breathing heavily, my head hurts. "You're alright."
"Thomas. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Thank you." I rub my head against his chest.
His arms circle my waist, he lays his head on top of mine. "Anything for you."
"I won't be able to sleep now. I guess you want to go, right?"
"No way." He shakes his head. "I'm staying. I'm not leaving you."
"But you have work tomorrow..."
"That doesn't mean I can't stay with you. I mean, can I stay?" He asks.
"Please stay Thomas. I... if I'm alone... I don't know what will happen..."
"I'm staying. I'm going to keep you safe." His face brightens a bit. "How about tomorrow, I take you to the movie set! Yeah, that'd be cool, it'll take your mind off things."
"I have to work tomorrow though." I say sadly.
"When?"
"Nine to two."
"I'll come pick you up afterwards then. How does that sound?"
I smile. "It sounds great." And it does.
I let out a yawn. "Come on, let's go to bed."
We walk to my bedroom. Memories of my nightmare come to my mind. I stop and squeeze my eyes shut, shake my head a few times.
"Hey. Hey, it's alright. You're alright." Thomas says. I take a deep breath, open my eyes, and nod. I turn my bedside lamp on low. A nightlight always kept nightmares away from me.
We both get in bed. Thomas doesn't get under the covers though. I look at him. "You can get under the covers Thomas."
"I just wanted to make sure because, you know..."
"Well, you can. If you want, I mean."
He does, after taking his shoes and coat off.
I cuddle up next to him. "Can we cuddle?"
"Of course."
We stay in peaceful silence for a while.
"Kylie?" Thomas says in a careful voice.
"Yeah?"
"Can you look at me?" I look at him.
"I love you Kylie."
My eyes widen. He said it. He said it! He loves me, he loves me! I was shocked and excited and ecstatic at same time.
Tears off happiness fill my eyes. They spill down my cheeks, and I look him in the eyes and say, "I love you too Thomas."
His smile is so gorgeous. We press our foreheads together, both of us smiling like crazy. He wipes my tears away. "I love you so much." His words are full of passion.
I had forgotten about my nightmare.
He presses his lips to mine. He gives me soft pecks at first. It makes me giggle and him chuckle. He puts his hand in my hair, the other one cups my cheek. I put my hand in his hair, my hand cups his neck. Our lips meet once again, this time they stay together.
They move in unison. They move passionately. They fit together so well. I feel tingles throughout my body. I feel goosebumps rise on my arms. I scooch as close as I can to him. He rests a hand on my hip, putting his hand on my bare skin where my shirt had hiked up just a bit. I felt electricity where his hand touches my bare hip. Even more when he gently massages it with his thumb. My hand clenches at his shirt now. I was aware of everywhere he touched. I'd never felt this before. I never wanted to not feel it.
Our kiss had heated up. We were kissing more urgently, but it was still full of love and passion.
But unfortunately, we both have to pull away and breath. We are both panting. We look into each others eyes. We smile. And we whisper to each other, "I love you."
With my head laying on his chest and him rubbing my back softly, I fall asleep, completely content.
