Bad Dreams //mgc

9.

* Cara's POV*

"She likes Calum!" I whisper to Michael after Regan closed her bedroom door. I bet she's jumping up and down right now because he hugged her.

Michael seemed surprised by my words. "Really? How do you know?"

"We've been best friends for 14 years. She's like a sister to me. Trust me. I know!" I giggle, and pull him over to the couch to sit down. I'm really tired, but I'm afraid to fall back asleep. After the long day I've had, I really don't want to remember any more of what happened that night. I just want to feel safe again and take my mind off things for awhile. Surprisingly, its this gorgeous stranger with green hair, tattoos, and an eyebrow piercing that makes me feel this way. Oh my parents would kill me!

"I think Calum likes her, too. I've never seen him so giddy around a girl before!"

I can't help but laugh. "If he's giddy around her, he better grow some balls quick! She'll eat him alive!" Michael practically chokes on his water at that. "Oh, love, then they'll be perfect for each other. Let's just sit back and enjoy the show!" he laughs. So he's the owner of that perfect laugh I heard earlier. Damn this boy is doing things to me I don't want to go through. Especially after TJs infidelity. Men suck, I remind myself. Michael included. I can't go through this again. Ever.

*Michael's POV*

She seems to be in a better mood. Maybe I can find out what's bothering her. No, I don't want her to get angry again. I don't want her to shut me out. Play it smart Mike. Let her lead the way. I just really want to get to know her better.

"20 questions?" I ask. I really do want to get to know her.

"Um..." Shit, this isn't going well. "On one condition?" she says nervously. Conditions? What the hell?

"What's that?" I ask anyway.

"Nothing too personal. Its been a long day." I can manage that, for now. Its better than nothing, right? "Deal," I say with a smile. "You want to ask first?"

"Um, ok?" she pauses, "full name?"

Talk about nothing personal alright. That's okay. Its a start. "Michael Gordon Clifford. You?"

"Cara Grace Davidson. Age?"

"19. You?" Boring details but its keeping her talking. I could listen to her talk for hours, so I'm definitely not complaining.

"19. Siblings?"

"Only child. You?"

"Two younger brothers. 13 and 5. Long story. I need a smoke. Be right back." she says and runs upstairs.

She really doesn't like sharing anything personal. This is going to be harder than I thought. But she asked me that question first. Maybe she wants to open up to me, but is scared. Patience Michael. Great, not my strong suit.

I rest my arms on my thighs and clasp my hands together trying to figure out what to say next that won't upset her when I hear the click of a camera shutter. I look upstairs in surprise as she takes a few more pictures of me over the railing. Um, ok, she likes photography. There's something, although I don't know squat about it. She comes down the steps with a nice expensive looking, camera around her neck, pack of cigarettes in one hand, lighter in the other, and heads to the back yard. I can't stay away any longer so I follow her out, grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch as we go. She keeps forgetting about the east coast weather, apparently.

****
We're now up in her bedroom listening to music. After sitting in the cold for too long, we discovered that we have a similar taste in music. Not many girls I've met have a love for all the different types of music I do, but so far, there hasn't been a single band that we don't both like. We're currently both lying in her queen sized bed, me with my hands behind my head, her hands resting on her tiny stomach. We're just lying here in a comfortable silence, listening to my Spotify playlist when Whitesnake comes on.

I should have known better
Than to let you go alone
It's times like these
I can't make it on my own

"TURN IT OFF! NOW!" she yells through sudden sobs. Oh shit. What now? Regan comes sleepily running into the room. "What happened? Are you okay?" she asks, running to Cara's side.

"Wh-white-sn-snake" is all she says and Regan looks to me with with a sympathetic smile and just shakes her head, returning her focus to her sobbing best friend. I don't know what to do or say at this point. I'm afraid of making it worse, so I stay exactly as I am, just listening to her heartbreaking sobs.

"What d-did I d-do wrong?" she asks through her tears. "Why does everything good have to fall apart?" and cries on her friends shoulder. Regan just rubs her back and let's her get it all out. "Three years! Three fucking years I wasted on his stupid ass," okay, this was a serious relationship, damn. "He couldn't even wait more three months. I hope she's a fat ugly cow!" I silently chuckle as I start to piece everything together. "She will be soon! Fucking bitch. And now she's getting MY life! It was supposed to be me marrying him, me carrying his baby. And now I have nothing. I'm just a worthless piece of shit." My eyes widened as I looked at Regan. Shit. I look down at Cara's left hand and finally see the diamond ring on her finger. Fuck. She was engaged and he cheated. No wonder she's been sobbing all day.

Anger starts building up inside me with all the pain he's caused her. No Michael. This isn't your problem. You aren't even supposed to know this! I look back at Regan and start to get up, but she looks scared, pleading me to stay. I soon figure out why.

"And YOU!" Cara starts yelling at Regan, "YOU KNEW! HOW FUCKING LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?!"

"He told me a month ago, when he moved in with her," Regan whispers back. Shit.

"A WHOLE FUCKING MONTH?! WE'VE TALKED AND TEXTED HOW MANY TIMES IN THAT MONTH AND YOU NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT TELLING ME? YOUR BEST FRIEND? YOUR SISTER? THAT HER FIANCÉE KNOCKED SOME BIMBO UP AND MOVED IN WITH HER?! GET OUT OF MY ROOM! NOW!"

Regan walked away crying, as she closed the door, she whispered, "I'm sorry" and left.

I was frozen in place. What do I do? I'm not sure what I should do, until I feel her lay her head on my chest and wrap her skinny arms around my waist as she sobs into my chest. I hesitantly wrap my arm around her, lightly running my thumb up and down her back until she quiets down and drifts off to sleep. I finally close my eyes and do the same.