Shadows in a Window // Luke Hemmings

chapter 21 • nightmare

Luke's POV:

I am pulled out of my sleep by someone tossing and turning beside me. First I jump, because there's someone in bed next to me but then I realise that it's Jessy. I just assume she's dreaming so I try to drift back off to sleep but I'm woken up fully when she starts talking.

"No. Stop." She sobs as she flinches in her sleep.

"Ryan please, don't touch me. Leave me alone." She pleas.

"Jess." I speak as I try to wake her.

I grab her arm lightly and try to shake her awake but as I do she lets out a scream and with all her strength she pushes me away, causing me to fall off the bed. The thud as I land on the floor wakes Jessy up and I watch her panicking and thrashing stop.

"Luke?" She asks as she looks over at me.

Her teary eyes shine like crystals in the moonlight.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here." I tell her as I watch her bottom lip tremor before she bursts into tears.

"I'm so sorry... I-I thought you were.." She goes to say but I cut her off, not wanting to hear his name.

"I know, but I'm not and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise." I tell her as I pull her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She apologises again.

"You don't need to be sorry." I reply as I dry her tears and place a kiss on the top of her head.

We lay back down but I pull her into a warm hug, trying to calm her down and make her feel safe. Her sobs eventually stop as she dries her eyes and sniffles slightly.

"Luke?" She barely whispers to me.

"Yeah?" I answer opening my eyes as I hear her voice.

"Can you please turn on a light?" She asks me as I reach over to the bedside table and switch on the lamp.

"Thank you."

"No problem." I reply as I wrap her back up in my arms.

I play with her hair, tucking it behind her ear and twirling it around my finger as I wait for her to fall asleep. Not allowing myself to fall asleep before her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessy's POV:

I managed to finally fall asleep after I basically punched Luke and pushed him off the bed when I had I little panic attack but the sleep doesn't last long. I end up waking back up.

I roll over to check the clock and it reads 3:08am. My heart is pounding in my chest and my mind is racing. This happens most nights. The horrible experiences I've had in my past catch up to me every night. I know at some stage I'm going to have to tell Luke everything but for now I can't. I don't want to.

The rest of the morning I lay awake, listening to Luke lightly snore and playing with his hand that is draped around my waist.

It's weird how quickly you can fall for a person. Less than a day ago if you had told me I would've kissed Luke and fallen madly I love with him I probably would've laughed in your face.

Finally the sun comes up and I roll over to face Luke. His blonde hair is shining in the light and for the first time I notice a few freckles across his nose.

"Are you staring at me?" Luke roughly speaks, not even opening his eyes yet.

"No." I smirk and blush.

"You so are." He says as he opens his bright blue eyes.

"Sorry." I apologise.

"Don't be sorry. It's cute." He tells me making me smile yet again.