K A I R A

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Thank you for getting KAIRA to 1k reads!!!

As an apology for the inconsistent updates and a thank you, I bring you our boy's pov...enjoy (hopefully)🌚

· N A T H A N ·

I stepped out of my room into the dark hallway, ridiculously drenched in my sweat and with a racing heart. Sleep wasn't coming anymore; the dreams...no, the nightmares clogged up the back of my mind. My body felt so heavy, and I prayed for daytime to come by, more than any guard on his night shift would.

Finally getting to the kitchen, I made a beeline for the fridge and retrieved a carton of milk. I chugged it, sighing as I rested on the cool refrigerator.

I knew not sleeping was going to ruin school for me tomorrow or today, whichever it was. And writing tests with eyes that threatened to close wouldn't be the most ideal thing. I just wished for something to give me a peaceful sleep. Was that too much to ask?

"Nate, is that you?"

I pushed myself off the fridge, startled by my aunt's voice. Lola turned on the lights without any warning, my whole body reacting negatively like I was some vampire.

"You could've said you were about to turn the lights on," I whined as I rubbed my eyes, grabbing a stool to sit on by the island. "And yes, it's me."

Lola shook her head and dragged her feet into the kitchen. She was holding a mop stick. A fucking mop stick. "A normal human being and member of this household switches on the lights. For goodness sake, I could've hit you."

A lazy smile found my lips. "But you didn't, and you asked if it was me."

"Children of nowadays and trying to be smart." She got to me and flicked my nose. "You're always doing this."

"What exactly? Being in the kitchen, or not turning the lights on when I'm in the kitchen?"

"Both."

True. Ever since I got here, I've never had a peaceful night. There was no relationship between that and my aunt or cousins. In fact, spending time with them magically made my days better. So no, it painfully had to do with me and the things my brain still clung unto. My mom and I thought that changing the setting would help me overcome this, but I was beginning to wonder if it even helped.

I had these dreams that made me get up around midnight. Sometimes it happened, other times it didn't.

Despite my aunt bugging me with questions about my nightly trips to her kitchen, I lied that it was just a habit. Truthfully, eating was just my idea of a getaway. If she knew that, she'd end up worried, and worrying her was the same as getting my mom worked up.

I let out a long sigh, lying again, "It's just a habit of mine."

Lola leaned forward. I knew she wasn't gonna have that as an answer tonight. She was just like her sister in that aspect. She'd look at you with those unbelieving brown eyes till you spilled your guts to her. She probably learned that from my mom.

"I-i'm serious," I gripped the milk carton, not looking at my aunt again for fear that the truth might slip. "That's the truth."

"How come Nini said something different?"

"Mom said something different?" My eyes shot to hers, and she wasn't smiling. Her brows were drawn close in worry, her eyes searching my face. C'mon, not this. "What did she say?"

"I want you to tell me yourself."

"I don't understand," I pretended not to know what she meant.

"Demilade, you definitely know what I'm talking about." When she called my native name like that, I knew I had to tell her the plain truth, no mincing words. Being in denial never helped me around aunt Lola. "Tell me the exact reason you have sleepless nights sometimes. First you say it's because you just feel like it, then you say it's a habit.