My Hero|| n.m ♡

17

  It didnt take me too long to fall asleep. My bed suddenly felt more comfortable then it ever had before. Crazy I know. But that fact didnt keep the bad dreams away. I was back at the mall except this time I was by myself. I was shopping around and had a bunch of clothes in my hand. I was making my way back to the dressing rooms when I felt someone staring at me. I looked around but there was noone else in the store besides the sales lady. I turned back around and slipped into a dressing room. After putting the clothes into a pile I realized I wasnt alone in the room and was pushed into the wall. I went to scream but a hand covered my mouth. It was him. It was Trey. Dressed in the same thing he was wearing when Id seen him earlier, and he still had that smirk on your face. "I missed you Aubree, how much did you miss me?" He asked and I shook my head trying to get his hand off my mouth. I started thrashing around trying to get him off me long enough to scream for help but he wouldnt budge. I closed my eyes and moved my face away from his. When I opened my eyes again we were no longer in the dressing room but we were back in my room at my parents house. Trey was gone. I was alone in my room, just looking around. Then I heard my brother screaming "Aubree!" I jumped from my bed and ran towards his room. "Brandon!" I yelled and tried to open his bedroom door. "Aubree! Help!" He was screaming and I couldnt get the door open. "Brandon! Brandon Im right here!" I yelled banging on the door. "Aubree run hes coming for you!" My brother screamed right before the door swung open and there was Trey again. "Brandon!" I yelled again trying to look around Trey for my brother. Trey pushed me into the wall again and slapped me. I shrunk to the floor with tears streaming down my face. When I looked up the scene was different once again.

I was chained to a wall. I looked up and on the other side of the room I saw my brother. and my father. and Ryder and JJ and Nate was there too. "You son of a bitch!" My father yelled while trying to get out of the chains. "If you touch her I swear to god Ill make your life a living hell!" he added. Trey just shook his head and made his was over to me. "My life already is a living hell." He grabbed me by the hair and pulled my hair hard. "Get your hands off her!" I heard JJ yell this time. "Why are you doing this?" I spoke up and Trey just shook his head. "Aubree Aubree Aubree. Dont you see?" He pulled a gun from his pocket and held it under my chin. "If I cant have you in my life, noone can," "Aubree!" I heard my brother scream before I heard the gunshot go off. I sat up in my bed sweaty and out of breath. I looked around my room before putting my head in my hands. I felt something touch my back and I jumped out of bed. "Woah Aubree its me," Nate held his hands up in surrender. I put my hand over my heart before sitting back on my bed. "Im sorry" I panted. Nate crawled next to me and rubbed my back. "You dont have to apologize," I nodded. "Yes I do," I stood up and walked over to the window before looking back at Nate. "You have no idea what your getting yourself into." I said and placed my hand on my forehead. "I can take care of myself Aubree. I can also take care of you. But I need you to tell me whats going on so I can do that." I ran my hands through my hair while pacing back and forth.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Nate asked after a few minutes of watching me pace. I wanted to tell him. I really did. But how could I tell him my deepest secret? Noone besides my parents and Ryder knew about my stalker. I took a deep breath. "Let me in Aubree, cause Im not going anywhere." I nodded and rubbed my hands down my face, continuing to pace. "Does this have anything to do with why you were upset earlier?" He asked and I nodded. I couldnt find my voice. Not yet. I looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Okay. Im gonna try." I whispered to myself. I shook my hands out before walking over to my bed and sitting against my pillows. I turned my body to face Nates on the bed and leaned my shoulder against the headboard. "Okay, Im gonna tell you something that nobody except my parents and my cousin know and its not something easy to say so just, bear with me a little bit." I said looking down. Nate stuck his finger under my chin and lifted my face to look at him. "I like you alot Aubree, whatever you tell me, Ill be right here." I smiled at him. "I like you too Nate." I nodded and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

I looked down at my lap, taking a deep breath, before I started to tell him. "So uhm, this isnt easy for me to talk about, at all, and uhm I dont even know where to start," I shook my head and ran my hands through my hair again. "Aubree just breathe. Why dont you start with why you were upset today?" I nodded and rubbed my hands together. "Okay so uhm today I went home, and I barely do that because Im not comfortable there, but I promised my brother Id try and go home more and I had plans with Parker so I went and--" Nate sat up straight. "Wait! Whos Parker?" Nate interrupted making me chuckle. "Parker is a friend. My brothers friends older brother to be exact." I got serious again. "Uhm Parker and I took my brother and his sister to the mall and uhm, I felt like someone was watching me. I felt uncomfortable. I hadnt felt that way since high school." I shook my head. "What happened in highschool?" Nate asked and I held up a finger. "As we were leaving the food court I saw him," I got tears in my eyes just thinking of his face. "Whos him?" He asked with a confused look on his face. I took a deep breath. "He's my stalker, Nate. I saw my stalker today."

"Your-- Your what?" He asked shocked. A tear slipped down my face and he quickly wiped it away and held my hand. "He-- he was my teacher in highschool. Well he was a substitute teacher and he uh- he took a little too much interest in me. Every where I went he would be there too. I didnt even realize it until my best friend JJ pointed it out and then I started seeing him everywhere too. Outside my house, at the supermarket, he even showed up to a couple of parties JJ threw. Thats when I knew something wasnt right." Nate just blinked at me, waiting for me to continue. "He uh-- it went pretty far one night," I started shaking and voice was trembling. "I was out with JJ, we went to the movies and JJ noticed Trey was there and he went over and said something to him. Telling him to cut the shit and leave me alone. Enough was enough. Trey didnt like that so after the movie he followed us back to my grandmothers house and he--" I looked down. Nate's thumb started stroking my hand. Trying to comfort me. "He waited for JJ to pull away from the house before he-" Nate spoke up then. "Aubree he didnt put his hands on you did he?" I put my head in my hands. "Oh my god Aubree." I shook my head. "My dad wasnt there from work yet and Ryde,r I guess he heard a noise coming from outside so he came to check it out. He knocked Ryder out and pushed me against the side of my grandmothers house. Ryder woke up just in time and got him off me," The tears were freely flowing now. I unconciously brought my hand over the scar on my chest. "He- uh he" Nate shook his head. "Its ok, babe. You dont have to say anymore." He wrapped his arms around me and shh'd me. "I wont let anything happen to you Aubree, I promise." I wrapped my arm around Nates waist and said "I need to finish," Nate took a breath and nodded. I pulled away and leaned over to turn the bedside lamp on. Once I was facing him again I pulled down my shirt and showed him my scar. Nate got wide eyed and reached out to touch it. "Aubree" My name fell from his lips in a whisper. I shook my head and tried to talk through the tears. "Ryder didnt get up in time to prevent this," I said pointing to the scar, "But he got him off me in time to prevent any other permanant damage he couldve done." Nate nodded. "Thank god."

I nodded. "Thats why I dont like going home. Hes everywhere. and now he knows where I am. He tried to get in to the building tonight. That was my mom that called before. He was downstairs. He's around here somewhere." I said pointing out the window. "He knows Im here" I added and Nate looked at me wide-eyed. "Why didnt anyone call the police?" I shook my head. "Nothing wouldve happened. He just got released from jail." Nate took my face in his hands and said " Yeah and the first thing he did was come after you. That has to be violating his probabtion or something!" I wiped my eyes and leaned back against the headboard and took a deep breath once again. He just sat there shaking his head."Home is where your supposed to feel safe. Noone should have that taken away." I just licked my lips and looked down, trying to get some control on my breathing. Nate put his hand on my leg and asked. "Whats going on in the head of yours?" Another tear trickled down my face before I replied. "He saw my brother today," I looked over at Nate. "What if he goes after my brother to try and get to me. He's crazy, Nate." He shook his head. "Noones gonna let him near your brother. and Im not letting him near you, Aubree." I curled my legs underneath me. "I was doing so good. Getting over it. I was feeling better. and now hes back." Nate smoothed my hair and rubbed my back. "It will be okay. Dont let him get to you. Show him that your over it. Show him he cant get to you anymore." I nodded and gave him a small smile. "Thats what everyone keeps telling me. But that doesnt seem too easy right now." Nate just shook his head and tapped me on the nose. "You need to be more positive, pretty girl." I opened my mouth to answer him back, when I heard a knock at the door. I jumped slightly and my head whipped to look at the door. My hand flew to cover my own mouth and I looked over at Nate who was already on his feet, ready to face whoever was on the other side of the door.

"Aubree! Its me open the door!" I heard Ryder shout and I ran to the door, throwing it open. Ryder instantly pulled me into him and hugged me tight. "Holy shit, Aubree! Where the hell is your phone I've been trying to get a hold of you all night! I was worried shitless!" He said yelling at me. "It mustve died." I mumbled and Ryder hugged me again. "I know you told your mother you werent alone but I just wanted to make sure you were okay and then you werent answering your phone and-" Ryder looked over and saw Nate standing there shirtless. Ryder gave me a questioning look. "Oh sorry uhm-, Ryder this is Nate. Nate this is my cousin Ryder." I said introducing them awkwardly. They shook hands and Ryder nodded at him. "Thank you for staying with her tonight man. She looks pretty shaken up." He said rubbing my arm. Nate just nodded. Ryder took a deep breath. "Okay, let me get back to Lana, she doesnt know Id left. But I couldnt fall asleep until I knew you were safe and sound." I nodded and hugged him. "Thank you Ryder." He kissed my cheek and opened the door. "Charge your phone." He gave Nate a nod before leaving and closing the door behind him. I ran and locked the two locks before leaning against the door and placing my hand over my heart. "Lets get you back to bed." Nate said pulling my hand but I shook my head.

"After that dream I wont be able to sleep."I said turning off the bedside lamo and crawling under the covers. "You can sleep if you want." Nate shook his head and leaned on his elbow. "Wanna tell me what happened in your dream?" He asked and I shook my head before whispering "He had my brother." I looked over at him. "Thats all that happened?" I shook my head no. "First he cornered me in a dressing room. Then he had my brother locked in his room. Then he had my brother, my dad, Ryder, JJ, even you," Nate raised his eyebrows "Me?" He asked and I nodded. "You were all chained to a wall and he had you guys watch. He said "If I cant have you in my life noone else can and then he," I shook my head "He shot me Nate." Nate shook his head. "Aubree it was just a dream. Hes not gonna get to you." He said, "How can you be so sure?" I asked and his reply was simple. "Because I'm with you now and Im not gonna let anything bad happen to you." I raised my eyebrow. "With me, huh?" He just nodded. "Oh yeah." I smiled at him and closed my eyes. "Well since your with me, will you come with me to my parents barbeque next weekend?" I asked and he nodded instantly. "Id love to." I couldnt help but laugh. "You dont even want to think it over a little bit?" I asked and he shook his head no. "Whats there to think about? Your gonna be there, so I wanna be there too." I pulled the blanket up to me chin and rolled on to my side, my back facing him. "Oh thats corny." I mumbled before closing my eyes falling asleep to the sound of him laughing.