Believing Again

Chapter Twenty Six

All I could see was Dylan above me, putting his hand over my mouth, digging his nails into my flesh. I could smell the blood in the air as it stared to run down his fingers. I felt his other hand pull at my pants making me close my eyes and scream. I felt my body being shaken, making me jerk awake. I stared into Noah’s eyes. “Amira, it was just a bad dream.” I clutched onto him as he took me into his arms. My heart was racing, pumping excessively though my veins. He rubbed my back as I tried to calm down.

“Talk about, let it out. It’ll help.” I shook my head burying my head in his shoulder. I felt his body sigh, before he sat down on my bed putting me on my side. “Oh baby, that bad?” I nodded as I snuggled up to his side. I felt sick to my stomach, the dream flashing back to me. He rubbed my shoulder. “Well I’m here now, so I not going to let anything happen to you.” He pulled my blanket up over my shoulder cocooning him and me in it. I didn’t saw anything, he just laid there next to me comforting till he ended up falling asleep. I snuggled up closer and closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep again.

It took four or five tries before the adrenalin left my blood stream and I felt safe enough to fall back asleep. I woke up to careful movement on the bed. My eyes shot open and I sat up. “Hey, hey, go back to sleep.” Noah gently pushed me back down.  I shot my eyes over to the clock and rubbed my eyes. “Amira, sleep.” I shook my head. “You were up half the night, stay home.” I pulled the blanket back and shook the sleep out of my brain.

“So were you. I have to go.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“Alright, up, I’ll drive you on my way to work.” I felt like I was sleep walking as I made it to the bathroom for a shower. I had dark purple bags under my eyes and my eyes were puffy. I scrubbed my face and pulled my hair up into a bun. I walked down stairs twenty minutes later as Noah filled his coffee mug up.

“Where’s Jessa?” I asked taking the mug he offered me.

“She had some work to do so I promised to take care of you. She thought I was crazy.” He grinned at me. I smiled to think of her face when Noah said it. “Now come on, we don’t want you to be later than you already are.” He winked picking up his keys. My phone vibrated on my butt but I ignored it as we left. I was sitting at my desk when Gunner walked up to me.

“Amira, I’ve been texting you all morning.” I shrugged at him. “Amira?” He turned my face to look me over. “Rough night?” I nodded as he sat next to me and sighed. The teacher glared at him as he walked in and put his bag down on the desk. Gunner took my hand and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. Aspen rolled over on his side, as tired as I am, and fell asleep. I finished my work before the class was even over and watched Gunner take his notes. He amazes me sometimes at how he comprehends things some times. Gunner looked at me, feeling my eyes on him and smiled. One of my smiles, not for anyone else. I felt the butterflies in my stomach start to attack the sides as I realized how much I love this boy.

Everyone got up as Aspen nudged my foot. “I have practice now, Tinks, are you going to be okay?” I nodded to him. He took my face into his hands and pressed his lips to mine oh so softly. “If you need anything, you know where I’ll be.” He pressed his forehead to mine, before he picked up his backpack. I packed my things away and made my way to my next class when I felt someone grab me.

“What are you doing?” I stared at Scarlett. “Why are you with him?” I shrugged at her, shaking her hand off my arm. “You don’t deserve to be with him. You don’t deserve to be breathing the same air as him.” I backed away from her, clutching Aspen’s leash. I went to my next class and finished early again. Instead of waiting for the bell, I left early. I found myself sitting on the bleachers of the large ice rink that occupied the west wing of the school.

         Gunner was skating around gracefully with his stick in his hand, shooting puck after puck into the goal. He was a natural, damn good at what he was doing. No wonder the school was in the top ranking in hockey.  He took another lap before he noticed me. He came over and pulled his headphones off.

         “Hey, Pretty Lady. Long time, no see.” He pulled me to him and pressed his lips to mine. I giggled pulling back.

         “You’re all sweaty and smelly.” He smelled himself and pulled a face.

“I do need a shower. Its been a while since I got the chance to be here alone.” He stepped off the ice. “I’ll take a quick shower and then we’ll grab lunch.” He gave me another kiss.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” I blushed looking away. The air nipped at my skin causing Goosebumps to form all over them. I pulled on Gunner’s sweatshirt he left with his backpack next to me. It engulfed me and wrapped around me like a safety blanket. Aspen got up and growled at something. I looked over to see Dylan walking towards me, a smirk on his face. Dread filled me instantly making Aspen’s head pop up.

“How’s it going, Amira?” My knuckles turned white as I clutched it even tighter. “How are you feeling? I heard about what happened at the party.” I could feel Aspen growling at Dylan, showing his teeth. “What a shame.” He tried to come closer to grab me but Aspen lunged and snapped his jaws at him making him jump back as he nearly caught him. Relief flooded through my veins. He tried again making Aspen start to bark lunging at him again, this time more violently making me grab his collar as he showed him his teeth. Dylan stepped farther back trying to ask tough but I could see the fear in his eyes.

Gunner came running out of the locker room like the school was about to burn down. “What the hell is going on?” Aspen waged his tail looking for praise as Gunner put himself in front of me. His large frame made it so I couldn’t even see Dylan. I looked around to his jaw set in annoyance and anger. Something Gunner said something that must have pissed him off because his lip started to curl.

“This is not over, Byrnes. She will be mine, one way or another.” It happened in the blink of an eye, Gunner lunged and hit Dylan square in the jaw with his fist. Dylan fell to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.

“Come near her and I will kill you.” Dylan spit the blood out of his mouth. “Come on.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me away to leave the rink. We got out of the rink when Gunner pulled me to him, holding me tight. I clutched him tight. He kissed my head taking my face into his hands. “I will not let him hurt you Amira. I won’t.” He wiped the tears off my face.

“Come on, lets get out of here.”…

I sat on one of the chairs outside in the backyard with my sketchbook and my pastels covered the table. I was covered in different colors when Jessa sat across from me. “Hey, Kid. I was just going to see where you were.” I gave her a weak smile. My body was exhausted but my mind was wide-awake. “Everything okay?” I wish I just listened to Noah this morning. Jessa watched as I picked up the blue pastel Jessa stared at me. “Amira?” I accidently smeared blue down my hand.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” I put my elbows on the table. I felt sick. I felt exhausted. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. Jessa put her hand on my shoulder making me look up. She wiped the tear off my cheek.

“Go clean up, I’m going to make us some dinner.” She kissed my head. I stared at my picture, the sunrise with Gunner, his look as he watched the sun come like it was the first time he ever saw it. I left it there on the table as I went to go to my room for a shower.

I came down the stairs as Jessa put some sauce in a bowel for us. “Is Noah coming?” I asked sitting down.

“He has to work late. He’ll be here later.” I ate part of my food when the doorbell must have rang. Jessa got up and answered it. I put my bowl down and Aspen ate the rest before Jessa came back with Gunner. I put the bowl in the sink making Jessa give me a look.

“Gunner’s here to see you.” She smiled to us before taking her bowl and leaving.

“How do you feel?” He walked over to me taking me into his arms.

“Just tired. I just have to do my homework.” He grunted making me laugh. He hates doing homework. “Come on.” We sat on my bed, when the exhaustion finally hit me. Gunner was flipping through the channels when I snuggled up to his side. He pulled me closer and wrapped the blanket around me in a cocoon of safety, when my eyelids involuntarily closed and my brain finally shut off…