Facade

Chapter 28

    I was happy and so was Alex, and that was all I cared about. It was all that mattered to me currently, so I let go of my previous life. I forgot about the life that was filled with nothing but lies and focused on the realest thing that lay next to me. In the bed we'd been sharing, I snuggled into Alex.

    He was sleeping peacefully and I had woken up recently after a sweet dream about us. It was of us swimming and laughing beneath the night sky, and I made a note to actually do that with Alex. Now that I was as free as a bird, we could do anything our hearts desired.

    I loved the idea of that. The idea of us doing whatever we wanted together was a dream come true to me, and I realized that leaving the castle was the best thing I'd ever done. It had given me this happiness and I never wanted to lose it.

    Alex suddenly stirred awake and I moved back to smile at him. He looked in a daze and my heart skipped a beat, knowing he was still tired from yesterday. We had gone to bed late, speaking about our dreams, so I felt guilty, knowing it was my fault.

    "Go to sleep, Alex," I whispered, patting his chest gently. "Rest."

    "No," he said, grabbing my hand suddenly, almost urgently. "Let me say something first and then I'll go back to sleep."

    I looked up at him, surprised by the urgency in both his voice and actions. Seeing his face, I saw that his eyebrows were furrowed. Worry clouded his eyes and I wondered what had happened.

    "I made mistakes," Alex said, looking down at me as he squeezed my hand. "A lot of them."

    "We all have," I said honestly. "It's what makes us human."

    "My mistakes will hurt the people I care about," he continued, ignoring me. "I... I'm worried."

    I had never seen Alex so worried. He was usually so calm and serious, but he suddenly looked freaked out. Seeing him like that worried me, but I had a feeling he had a bad dream. Knowing that, I tried to calm him.

    "Shh, Alex," I said calmly. "You are gentle. Your heart is kind. You could never possibly hurt anyone."

    "You don't understand," he whispered. "You have no idea."

    The words surprised me and unwelcoming memories flooded back to me. I had been clueless about a lot. His words had been true multiple times as I kept getting surprised, which left a bitter taste in my mouth. But seeing Alex looking so vulnerable, I only began to caress his cheek.

    "Sleep Alex," I said gently.

    And he did. His eyes fluttered closed and before I knew it, he was sleeping. His chest was rising and falling soothingly, and I watched him for a second, taking him in.

    What happened was surprising and out of his character, but I had a sad feeling that it was due to a nightmare. We all got them and they left us questioning everything, so I knew that was what happened with Alex. And because of that, I knew I should prepare a delicious breakfast for him.

    So moving away from his warm body, I got out of his bed. I stretched my tired body out and stood up, wondering about what I should make. As I went to his washroom, I debated between french toast or eggs. They were sadly the only two things I knew how to make.