The Stroud Family and I

Chapter: 4

Chapter 4: An Eventful Night

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My eyes snapped open in an instant, immediately recognizing Cleo screaming and crying in her sleep. I sat upright instantly while glancing at the alarm clock on my bedside table, which read three-forty three am. Shit. She's having a nightmare and I have to help her. I can't just let her relive horrible moments of her life, I know what the nightmare is about, it's the one she used to get right before she left California to go to Florida. She used to sleep next to me until eventually, the nightmares slowly went away, but now she is having it again, and I have to help her.

I know she doesn't want to talk to me, and I know she doesn't want me near her, but I've already done enough stuff to hurt her, this is something I can help her with. Making my decision, I rolled over the side of my bed and hopped out, walking straight over to my bedroom door. I walked across the hall to Cleo's room, where I proceeded to enter into, finding her rolling around on her bed covered in a light layer of sweat, making her long hair stick to her forehead. She looked so beautiful, even now when she looked in pain. Crouching down to her beds level, I hesitated for a few seconds, just staring at her. I know that sounds creepy, but I will never have the chance to just look at her again like this, not with her hating me now.

When I heard her whimper again, that's when I snapped out of my daze, stood back up and sat next to her on the side of her bed. I slightly shook her shoulder with my hand.

"Cleo?"

I watched as her eyebrows drew together in her sleep, then when I shook her shoulder again, her eyes popped open and she looked so terrified, I just wanted to cradle her in my arms forever. She immediately sat upright and a huge flow of tears began free flowing out of her eyes, she brought her hands up to her face and covered her face with them, and it hurt so much to see her shoulders shaking underneath her as she sobbed.

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My shoulders shook as I sobbed into my hands. I can't believe he came back into my room to wake me up from my horrible nightmare, risking me getting angry with him, even when I kicked him out not hours before. I don't care how angry I am at him right now, the fact he came back in here to wake me, shows he still cares, even if it's just a little bit. I dropped my hands from my face, only to see such a worrying look on Colton's face. His beautiful blue eyes were dark with concern, and it really struck a cord in my love sick heart. Without even thinking about my next move, my body involuntarily slammed into Colton's, gravitating to his warm embrace I've grown to love. His arms immediately encircled around my small frame, cradling me in his arms. I cried into his neck while he whispered into my ear about how everything was ok, and that he was there for me. I felt so much more safer in his arms, the way he held me is like he never wants to let me go.

A minute later, he pulled away and I looked at him as he wiped the remaining tears from my face. He presented a sad smile, then stood up to leave, but I grabbed onto his hand and pleaded

"Please. Please stay until I fall back asleep."

I begged with my eyes, silently pleading, until he curtly nodded and grabbed my desk chair and pulled it back over to my bed. I laid back down, pulling the covers back over me, curling into a tight ball. Colton hesitantly took my small hand in his big one and held onto it until I closed my eyes and attempted to let sleep take me over once again.

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Around seven-thirty is the time I woke up from my very bad sleep last night. I felt my hand interlocked with someone else's, and that's when I remembered that Colton came in last night to comfort me. His head was resting on his other hand in my desk chair that he pulled over last night, but his other hand was still tightly locked and intertwined with mine. Nervously, I attempted to slowly pull my hand out of his. He shifted and grunted slightly, but eventually, I managed to free my hand. I quietly crawled out of bed, grabbed my robe, and walked out of my room.