The Unforgettable Echoes Of Love

Chapter 34

After yet another nightmare, I jolted awake, my heart racing as the familiar terror gripped me.

In the same  dream I had been having ever since we had arrived in Malibu, I found myself behind the wheel, hurtling toward an unknown destination before a violent collision sent me careening into death's embrace.

The worst part is that I would witness my own fucking death. As in, I could see my body getting ejected from a car and crashing against a hard surface.

As consciousness flooded back, I reached out, expecting to find comfort in Zyran's presence, only to encounter emptiness. Panic surged through me, propelling me out of bed, my trembling legs barely able to support me.

Grateful for the single-story beach house, I stumbled forward, feeling a presence behind me, its breath hot on my neck. The world blurred into a frenzy of red, my senses overwhelmed as I collapsed, screams tearing from my throat.

"Make it stop!"

"Raya!" Zyran's voice cut through the chaos, grounding me as he enveloped me in his arms, coaxing me back to reality, I hoped it was at least. "Raya, I'm here. Try to calm down, please."

"Have you...Where...Zyran..." I clung onto him, tears cascading down my cheeks. "Sshh, it's okay, I've got you."

"Don't ever, please, do this to me." After a little episode, I would always have difficulties talking or expressing myself correctly. He didn't know that but he stood by me anyway, which I was very thankful for.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm here now, breathe for me."

We stayed like this for an hour before going back to bed.

In his embrace, I found solace, grateful for his unwavering support even when I couldn't articulate my emotions. As we laid together, I realized the extent of my dependence on him, unsure whether it was a blessing or a curse.

******

2 days later

"Come on Raya, you've got to eat," Zyran said, his tone gentle as he handed me a bowl of cereal.

"I can't or I'll throw up," I retorted, frustration edging my voice at his persistence.

He rolled his eyes. "You only threw up yesterday because you ate a rotten apple. Not all food is poisonous," he explained, his frustration apparent too. Though he was right, I still didn't want to eat anymore.

Ever since the sudden episode two days ago, I'd been having this eerie sensation, as if a looming threat hovered on the horizon. I attributed it to my schizophrenia, but it persisted, refusing to evaporate.

When I refused to eat once more, Zyran pushed the bowl away, frustration evident in his actions. "I'm trying to take fucking care of you, but it won't work if you push me away like this," he blustered, his eyes narrowing at me.

"I don't need to be taken care of! You're my boyfriend, not my doctor. I need you to be there for me, not to tell me to take my meds or eat if I don't want to," I snapped, screaming in his face.

He scoffed before closing the distance between us, our noses almost touching. "I'm here for a reason, aren't I? What kind of shitty fucking boyfriend would I be if I didn't give a fuck about what you do or don't do? I love you, that's why I feel the need to take care of you. What part of that don't you understand?"