Sensei's Pleaser

Night || Chapter 109

'Hi.' ~ Thunder.

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Lucas' POV:

     After Lyla had excused herself I found myself running my hands down my face feeling a little drained. Of course I didn't blame Lyla for how she felt, along with the trauma she endured but I couldn't lie and say it hasn't been hard.

Her nightmares were back, which was even more draining for us both. I knew she hated herself for these things but I'd always make it a habit of reassuring her I didn't mind. A hand on my shoulder pulled me out of my thoughts.

"So what's been up? You seem so out of it." Lorenzo pointed out as he poured us a drink.

"Lyla's been going through it."

"What happened?" As he slid a glass my way he asked. I'd always made it a habit of never relaying our personal issues but maybe he'd know a way of helping her that hadn't occurred to me.

"Ryan's out of jail and as you can tell Lyla hasn't taken the news well." He slowly nodded taking in my words and I took a sip of the drink he poured me. The burning sensation felt calming compared to what life had been lately.

"Her nightmares are back, she's had several breakdowns along with panic attacks, she's been out of it, I've heard her crying in the bathroom multiple times, she's been hallucinating, though I'm not even fully sure they're hallucinations..and I'm not mad," I sighed running my hands down my face feeling so defeated.

"I'm not upset with her I just," I sighed before continuing.

"I'm upset because I don't know how to help her. I installed security cameras around the house and a motion sensor but I haven't seen anything pertaining to Ryan even though she's seen him inside of the house, I just..I'm lost on how I can even help her through this mess." My eyes went to the glass I held and I could see my knuckles getting white from me squeezing it to the point of it almost breaking.

Lorenzo grabbed the glass from my hands causing me to snap back to reality. Truly as I squeezed the glass I pictured it being Ryan's neck as I watched the life slowly drain from his eyes and face for what he's done to Lyla. She was traumatized before but this just made her even more on edge.

"You can't do anything but hold her brother." My eyes locked with his and he sighed before proceeding

"I get that seeing her like this also fucks you up but you have to remember this isn't something you can control or help her with. All you can do is be there to hold her and let her know you'll always be there for her...let her come to you and open up instead of trying to make her open up, inevitably she'll open up to you but there's no guarantee, you just have to hope it happens sooner rather than later." I just nodded.

I got where he was coming from but hearing Lyla silently cry next to me in bed or in the shower was something I hated. It broke me every time and I felt so useless.

"Just give her time and space." I stared at the floor dozing away at all my thoughts. Lorenzo patted me on the shoulder after a bit since he was getting a call.

With a sigh I finished the drink and went upstairs where I basically froze by the door of our bedroom. Lyla was laughing, and it wasn't a fake one but a genuinely happy one. Slowly pushing the door open enough to look inside I found myself so lost in her smile and laugh.