Girl With The Tattoos™

Fallen.

It was the type of dream that felt as though you were falling into complete darkness with nothing to hold on to.

A reflection of how she felt growing up. Having no one to depend on but herself.

With a jerk of her body, Na'imah shot up from her nightmare, breathing heavily. Her forehead was coated with sweat as her shirt stuck to her skin. Blinking her eyes, she adjusted to her surroundings, realizing that she wasn't in the familiar place that was her apartment.

"Where am I?" She whispered to herself, looking around at the empty white walls and windows with a view of the sun beginning to set. The floor was riddled with pillows, vinyl records, and books, while a lone heater sat in the corner. She took in the bed that she sat in, appreciating the softness it provided. The sheet and comforter smelt of a familiar scent she knew all too well as it clicked in her brain whose room this was.

"Hey, you're awake." His soft voice spoke up from the doorway where he leaned against the doorframe. She looked over his fit body in a simple white shirt and black jeans torn at the knees. Very JB-ish, she thought, smiling to herself. "Are you ok? You're sweating." He observed, stepping further into his room.

She probably looked a hot ass mess with her hair getting messed up while she slept. "I'm fine. It was just a bad dream." Taking the back of her hand, she wiped her forehead before sinking back against his pillows. "How long have I been asleep?"

He eyed her for a few seconds, not believing that she was truly fine. "Over ten hours," He revealed, joining her on his bed. "What was your nightmare about?"

"My childhood," She answered honestly, purposely ignoring making eye contact with JB.

Noticing her actions, Jaebum grabbed a hold of one of her hands and placed a kiss on her fingertips. "If you choose to, you can tell me whenever you're ready."

She softly shook her head. "That beautiful mind of yours doesn't need to be filled with the shit I went through, JB."

He looked away as a faint smile formed on his face. Her consideration was nice, however, JB was a grown ass man. Plus he felt as though if she actually spoke about what happened, she would gain some type of closure and he'd be here to lift her up when she needed to be.

"If you think I'll judge or look at you differently, you couldn't be more wrong." He told her with a tone of seriousness with that look in his eyes as he stared at her.

"You say that but you haven't known someone as messed as me JB. Don't let my pretty face fool you," She tells him. He didn't understand what she was trying to protect him from.

Pushing back the covers, she stood up on wobbly feet and started to search for her shoes. "What are you doing?" He questioned, grabbing a hold of her wrist.

"I'm going home, it's late and you probably have something better to do." She tried to pull herself loose but of course, he wasn't going to let up. "JB, stop. Just let me go."

"I'm sorry but I can't do that," He could tell that she was used to running away when things got uncomfortable, however, he planned on changing that pattern. He was someone she couldn't run from.

"And why not? I don't want to discuss my past, why can't you just accept that?" Her frustrations were showing on her pretty face so clearly but he could see the fear in her eyes, and that's why he refused to let her go. Maybe she didn't want to admit it but she needed someone.

Jaebum pulled her close to him, though she refused to look at him. "You're scared, I get it but you have to understand that I will never hurt you." She listened to his words, allowing his hands to cup her face, forcing her to look into his eyes. "You will always be safe with me."