Night Terrors

Chapter 7 {DANIELLE}

DANIELLE

Last night came flooding back into my mind when I woke up. After that argument I had with Nate, I just laid in bed the rest of the night feeling down. I try to stay strong, especially in front of him because I hate looking vulnerable in front of people I hate, but last night I just couldn't hold it in any longer.

I glanced down at my battery operated clock and saw that it was already noon. How did I sleep in so late? I guess the fact that I stayed up so late didn't help.

I went downstairs and Sam was home from his friends house.

"You're finally up, sleepy head." My mom greeted as I flopped down onto the couch. I felt dead.

I didn't say much before eating some cereal and going back up to my room, sitting in my window seat on the window that faced the ocean.

I watched as the waves drew themselves in and out. They looked so peaceful yet so chaotic. Something about the ocean has always held my attention. The way the waves collided with each other then collapsed as one was mesmerizing to me. I listened to the crashing of the water from the open window.

My mind strayed as I stared at the sea. It wandered off to the events that occurred last night, causing a tear to fall from my cheek. Instead of wiping it away I let it fall, not really caring.

The peacefulness of the sound of the waves was interrupted by the sound of a porch door creaking open. I looked to the left, towards Nate house and saw him walk out onto his porch in his sweat pants and no shirt.

I pulled my knee up and rested my chin on it as I looked down at him. I couldn't see his face, only his large figure lean over the railing. He stood like that for a moment, just staring out at the ocean. That was until I accidentally sneezed, causing him to look up at me, squinting his eyes to see. I was going to quickly just look away and act as if I didn't see him but when he turned, his bruised up face was revealed.

Who did he get into a fight with?

"You gonna sit up there all day and stare at me DL?" Nate asked in a joking manner, holding his hand up to block the sun.

I wasn't really in the mood to talk to him so I stood up from where I was sitting and moved to my bed where he couldn't see me from down there.

There was a sudden knock at my door and I turned to see my mom.

"Honey," she started as she sat on my bed. "Is something going on that I should know about? You've been sleeping in late, staying in your room all day, and sleeping in your brothers room. What's going on?"

I sighed and looked at the ground, trying to find a lie I could tell her. "I've just been a little afraid of the dark since the power went so I've been staying up late. That's all." I assured her.

She smiled weakly and said, "you can tell me anything Danielle, I'm here if you need anything."

She patted my leg and let go of her weak smile before walking out of my room.

I decided that I should probably do something today so my mom wouldn't think I'm some depressed mess so I told Sam I'd go swimming with him.

We swam for a long time then sat in the sand, just talking about non sense sort of things.

"Dani," Sam whined. "I want ice cream."

I smiled, thinking ice cream actually didn't sound half bad. There's an ice cream stand that always sits in a vacant parking lot right down the road.

We ran inside, throwing on some clothes over our bathing suits and grabbing some money before we took off down the road.

"I'll race you." I challenged Sam with an evil look.

Sam was fast, and he usually beat me but it's fun trying.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" He screamed, racing ahead of me.

I shook my head and laughed, running after him until we reached the stand. We both got vanilla cones and walked back to the house.

"Remember when dad used to take us here all the time and he'd always get us five scoops each and we'd race to see who could eat it the fastest without the ice cream falling off the cone?" Sam asked with a laugh.

I smiled and nodded my head. Of course I remember. My dad started that tradition with Nate and I when we were little, and carried it out with Sam once he was old enough to hold a cone on his own.

"I remember Sam." I stated with a small laugh.

We finally reached the front porch, and the sun was just setting. I went upstairs to my room after finishing my ice cream on the porch steps with Sam.

I sat in my window seat and watched the sun set. The orange and pink shimmers on the water mocked the sky. It was beautiful. I love watching the sun set above the ocean.

"Dinners ready!" My mom called from downstairs.

When I got to the kitchen, Nate's mom Amanda was leaning against the counter talking to my mom.

"I'm not really sure what's been going on with him lately, he doesn't talk to me." Amanda explained to my mom. I assume they're talking about Nate.

I sat down at the table and my mom eyes me for a moment.

"Sounds like someone I know." She hinted at me with a playful look.

Amanda laughed and went on talking, holding a glass of water in her hand. "Last night when I got home, I went up to his room and he was sitting there drinking with a bruised up, bloody face. He lied and told me he fell, as if he actually thought I'd believe it for even a second."

That kind of behavior from Nate is not surprising to me at all. He parties and gets into fights a lot.

"Well," my mom chimed in. "I guess sometimes you gotta give them space."

I tuned out the rest of their conversation and went upstairs to go to bed after eating. It was getting to be around 11:30 when I finally fell asleep.

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AUTHORS NOTE

Thank you all so much for reading!  Feel free to leave a vote and/or comment if you enjoyed it(:

Not much to say about this chapter.  Dani's being a bit naive about the fact that Nate didn't just get into any fight and get wasted for no reason. More Nate POV next(;