it starts and ends with the jordan's

Chapter 12

[Hero's POV]

I woke up with Jo's head on my chest. Honestly it was the best feeling ever. I could smell her hair as I laid there. Her hair always smells like a mix between vanilla and coconut. It's a weird combination, but on Jo its addicting.

My alarm goes off and Jo practically jumps up. I lift her pillow to find my phone beeping. That must have been really loud for her, it was basically under her body. 

I turn off the alarm and grab her wrist pulling her back into the position we were laying in before. Her head hits my chest and I play with her hair. I feel her heart beat against me and I can't help but chuckle. It must have really caught her off guard because her hearts racing really fast. 

"It's okay love just go back to sleep." I whisper in her ear as I wrap my arms around her waist.

Jo falls asleep for another half hour and I just lay here with her on top of me admiring her every feature. Jo has a small button nose, long natural eyelashes, rosy pink cheeks, plumped lips and she tends to fall asleep with a smile plastered on her face. 

I stare at her until I notice her smile has disappeared and she's now groaning. I just brush it off and try to fall asleep until I hear her soft voice laced with fear. 

"Stop, stop touching me! Hero make it stop." She says still sleeping.

"I did this, I did it to myself. He said I was asking for it. If I didn't lead him on he would never chase me because I'm bigger than the girls he's usually attracted to." This sentence absolutely shredded my heart up and spat it out. She better not think she's to big. Her body is perfect just like the rest of her.

I stop a realize she's reliving the club night. It's been haunting her when she sleeps. I feel my heart break into a thousand little pieces but I have to stay strong. She can't see me upset when I wake her up or else she'll just be more worked up. I calm myself down and wipe the tears from my cheeks before waking Jo up.

[Josephine's POV]

Hero's alarm woke me from my first peaceful sleep ever since the night at the club. Every night since then it's haunted me in the form of a dream. It feels more like night terrors because the dream is so clear and vivid. It's not even like I can comfort myself by saying it's not real, because it is, I lived it just recently and who knows if it was the last or not. 

Hero pulls me back down on to his chest and starts to run his fingers through my hair. It feels so nice when he does this it almost puts me to sleep instantly. 

"It's okay love just go back to sleep." he whispers in my ear. 

I get butterflies. I feel my cheeks shine with a red glow. I love the little things he does. They're so small he probably doesn't even realize he's doing them. The way he called me love calms me in a way nothing else ever has. I'm starting to fall for Hero. Falling for him quickly and I'm scared the quicker I fall the more painful hitting the floor will be.

His hands wrap around my waist and he starts to massage the small of my back. I'm nervous to fall back asleep and risk having nightmares but I can't keep my eyes open the more he rubs my back. Just like that Hero can get me back to sleep in 3 minutes.

*Nightmare start*

The door opens and I feel my heart sink into my stomach. Foot steps move closer and quicker. The footsteps that had changed my mindset of myself for the rest of my life. My back slams against the cold wall. The wind is knocked out of me but I can't manage to replenish my oxygen. My lungs don't want to work due to how much my body is shaking. Shaking in fear.

"You tried to leave me after your little tease on the dance floor I see..Well I don't do the teases Josephine. So let's finish what we started."

I can't speak again but he slides his hand up my dress and smashes his lips against mine. I don't kiss him back, I can't move. He swipes his tongue along my bottom lip requesting entrance into my mouth which I quickly decline. 

After my rejection he moves down along my neck leaving hickeys where ever he can. After what feels like hours of this middle aged man attacking my neck and shoulders he reaches more my panties.

"Stop please stop." I whisper unable to breath.

"You brought it upon yourself Jo. This is your fault and you know it. So shut that pretty mouth of yours and suck it up. Do you understand me?"

"Do you understand me!?" He yells in my face when I don't respond.

"Yes." I cry and he continues where he left off. That is until Hero bursts into the washroom.

"Stop, stop touching me! Hero make it stop." I cry out for Hero. 

Hero punches the man in the face and he rushes out of the washroom. Hero walks over to me and picks me up.

I wrap my legs around his waist and arms around his neck. I lean my forehead against his. Immediately feel safe.

"What the hell happened love?" 

"I did this, I did it to myself. He said I was asking for it. If I didn't lead him on he would never chase me because I'm bigger than the girls he's usually attracted to."

*Nightmare ends*

I am woken by Hero shaking my shoulder with one hand and brushing through my hair with his other.

"Jo please wake up, It's not real I promise just wake up." 

I jump up and try to catch my breath.

Hero instantly sits up with me and pulls me onto his lap. He leans his forehead against mine just like in my nightmare. He rubs my back trying to calm me down. I burry my face in the crook of his neck while tears run down my cheek.

"Hey look at me..." Hero takes my chin making me look up at him with tear filled eyes. "don't cry your gonna make me cry Jo." He wipes my tears away and kisses my forehead. 

"He just won't leave me alone. Every time I close my eyes I'm right back in the washroom and he's there." I whisper while sobbing.

"I know love I'm sorry I wish I could take the dreams away from you and give them to myself, I really do." 

I look down at the tank top I'm wearing and notice how tight it is. I move my hands from Hero's shoulders to hide my stomach. I hug my waist with both arms and Hero looks down at my actions. 

 He takes me hands off my stomach. "No that's not happening. You are absolutely perfect Josephine Langford. You hear me? You did not bring it upon yourself and you are not bigger than other girls. You are exactly who you're supposed to be and you are not going to hide it. I won't- no can't let you hide how beautiful you are." 

His words sink deep into my brain engraving them so I'll never forget. I have always hated my body. Since the first time I went to a pool party for school. I remember wearing my dress until I was ready to jump into the pool so no one would see me. I never told anyone but hearing Hero says this is just so fitting it's as if he lived in the dream with me.

His words overwhelm me with happiness, love, support, acceptance... literally every good emotion in the books. I cry harder and wrap my arms around his neck pulling myself as close to him as possible. I am left speechless I can't comprehend words right now. All I know is that I'm full on sobbing in Hero's arms and he's sitting here let me go on about my dumb nightmares. 

He holds me in his arms and whispers reassuring things in my ear until I'm asleep again. Thankfully I am blessed with a dreamless nap.