Where I Was Before You

22. Pred Fred

I wake up, unexplainably calm. But when I touch my face I can feel the tears. I hadn't just been crying, I had been balling. My face was drenched. What the hell was that? I couldn't remember all the details, but I know I was sinking. Sinking in what? I wipe my face. Oh god, what was making me cry so much? I look down at my pillow and see half of it is drenched. Jesus. Thank god Freddie isn't-

"Good morning love!" Freddie bursts in the door. Which for some reason was open, regardless of the fact that I was sure I closed it last night... I feel the breath leave my lungs. Why? Why does this always happen?

"Ever heard of knocking?" I laugh off as I wipe the remainder of my tears away. Freddies face changes completely, and he immediately sits down next to me.

"Mandy, what's wrong?" He asks, obviously pretending to care more than he does.

"I don't actually know. I was crying in my sleep and I can't remember the dream." Freddie definitely didn't believe me. Not at all. But he still put his arm around me and held me in close.

"Whatever that nasty dream was, it can't hurt you anymore. But if it tries, you can always come sleep with me." I look up at Freddie and see his trademark smirk creeping across his face.

"Oh shut up you creep!" I yell as I push away from him and can hear him laughing at me, attempting to hurt him. I would never be able to. He was skinny, but he was strong.

"Oh, darling you're so easy to rile up! It's too much fun!" He cries through his chuckles. He had the most beautiful laugh I had ever heard.

"Ugh! You're such a weirdo!" I yell. I had to really try to be mad at him. As much as he frustrated me, I could never ever be mad at him. It took a lot of effort to pretend to be.

"If I'm the weirdo, what does that make you?" He asks, twirling my hair.

"You're still doing it!" I jerk away.

"What does that make you?" He persists, still twirling my hair, but looking very concentrated. Like his next action depended on my answer. I thought about it for a second. Thinking this might actually be important.

"I guess, if you're the weirdo, then, I'm a goblin."

"A goblin?" Freddie splutters. "Even if that made sense, Mandy dear, you wouldn't be a goblin!" Freddie scoffs as he finally releases my hair.

"Oh, is that right?" I question, a matter of factly.

"Yes! It's absolutely right. If you were any mythical creature, it would be the furthest thing from a goblin."

"Is that a compliment?" I ask, a little playfully. Which I immediately regretted.

"Oh yes," Freddie says, leaning over me. "I know how much you like them.." He stays there for 5 seconds, and like a timer, he yanks himself back and pulls me back into the conversation.

"If anything, you would be a siren dear." I'm almost disoriented from that. I didn't even have time to realise what he was doing, let alone try and pull myself away before he did it for me.

"What?" I choke up. And I'm guessing Freddie took that as a 'why'.

"Well, you're sweet, beautiful, sexy and irresistible. Tell me, have you ever loured a man to his death with your singing?" He asks, 100% serious.

"Quite a few actually." I joke. Then realising what he actually just said.. sweet, beautiful, sexy, irresistible. No. He was just doing it again, stop, you can't buy into this.

"Oh well, I hope I'm next." Freddie smiles.

"And you would absolutely be a Vampire!" I tease. Smashing a pillow into his side.

"And why would I be a blood-sucking immortal dear?" He teases, yanking the pillow from my hands.

"Well," I look at Freddie up and down. "You're very pretty, perfect for trying to catch prey. You're fast and smart, you can do things most average humans couldn't dream of. And you really do suck peoples blood, the only difference is, they don't want you to stop." I smirk. I except Freddie to tell me I'm stupid. But he has that hungry look in his eyes again. So I'm quick to react and I jump up and over to my closet.

"Help me pick out an outfit for work!" I ask, hopelessly. Freddie stares at me in amazement.

"You actually want me to pick out an outfit for you?" He asks as he starts to walk over.

"Yep, if you don't mind." I start flipping through my closet rack.

"And you promise you won't have any objections?" Ugh dammit. It was either this or predator Freddie, so... dammit. Why can't he stop this joke already? It's been a while, he doesn't have to keep pretending I'm attractive.

"Uh, yes?" I reply, in a questioning tone. Alright, let's get this over and done with. "Just remember to make it cool and breathable, it's summer for god sake."

"Oh, sweetie. That's the least of your problems." Jesus Christ, what have I done? I chuckle to myself. I keep flicking through the clothes in my wardrobe. Most of which are black and grey, but thanks to Freddie I have several rainbow items scattered in. I'm not sure why I was looking, it was obvious that I had no ultimate say in what I was going to wear today. To buy time I guess.

I heard Freddie walk over to me, and stop behind me. My breathing quickened. He reached out from behind me and grabbed my hand. I turned and saw the smile on his face. In the most casual, yet commanding voice I could image, he said, "Oh, and another thing, I'm doing your makeup."