Afraid • l.h

Chapter 48 • "Nightmares?"

Luke's POV

The beautiful woman who I have fallen deeply in love with hovering over me. Her blue eyes stare at me intensely almost as if they are trying to read my mind like a book.

"What's bothering you?" She asks.

Sometimes in relationships you have to lie or stretch the truth but there was no point in lying now, plus Tilly would soon figure it out.

"I'm afraid." I say.

"Afraid? Of what?" She sits cross legged on the bed.

"I don't want to worry you about it." I say.

But she soon replies, "Well I'm worrying now. Please, maybe I could help."

"No. You can't. At least not after tomorrow." I say and she tilts her head in confusion. "You promise you won't worry?"

"Not any more than I am now." She replies.

"Okay well... um... I get... nightmares." I say and she gives a small laugh. "It's not funny." I sit up with my legs over the edge of the bed and back toward Tilly.

"So serious nightmares?" She asks concerned.

"Yes. And the worse part is they are about you." I drop my head and hold back the tears. Flashbacks and replays of them in mind I feel a gentle touch on my shoulder.

"What happens?" She asks.

"Bad things. You don't wanna know." I say.

"Yes I do." As she sits on my lap.

"Well... they are mainly about you getting taking away from me in all kinds of ways." I subtly explain.

"Oh." She pauses. "When do you get them?"

"When I'm not with you." I reply.

"I'm sure you'll be fine on tour. You're doing the thing you love most with the boys, your three best friends."

"I know but I'm going to miss you so much." I hold back from crying.

"Me too. But this day is meant to be happy not sad. We're celebrating your birthday."

Tilly's POV

I finally choose an outfit after standing in front of my wardrobe for half an hour. Once I've slipped my black skater skirt and white crop top on I pull out a pair of wedges that I haven't seen in a while and strap my feet in them. Next I do my makeup and Luke watches me through the mirror intensely and fascinated. When I'm finally ready it's 6 o'clock and we have 15 minutes until we meet the rest of the group. It's going to be so different when they are gone for 3 whole months.

My and Luke slide into his car and drive down to the beach front in silence. Although it's Luke's birthday celebration not even he can be happy right now. Only Michael, Rosie and Ashton are there when we arrive and so we wait upon Calum and Grace who arrive a few minutes later.

Throughout the whole meal Ashton tries to cheer everyone up a little but it only works temporarily before we are reminded of how much we are going to miss each other. The waiter brings out Luke's birthday cake and we and the whole restaurant sing happy birthday to him.

As we exit the restaurant everybody heads to the beach where we sit in a circle and decide that this is when we talk about all the good times. It has only been 4 or 5 weeks that I've really known these guys but it feels like forever. They tell me about a lot of things where I wasn't there and some embarrassing stories about everyone right up until the point we leave.