What We Hide

Flashbacks

(Before Howard went to sleep)

Howard went to his dorm smiling because of Natalia. As he entered this room Daniel was sitting in front if Hus computer.

"What are you smiling about?" Daniel asked

" I'm not smiling" Howard said, not realizing he was smiling

"Yes you are. Your smiling about Natalia, aren't you?" Daniel asked

" About red? No, I don't think so" Howard said as he chuckled

" Red? Who the hell is Red?" Daniel asked confused

"Natalia. Didn't you know?" Howard told him

"Oh, so is that what you call her now." Daniel said with a smirk

"Yea, I call her that because of her hair." Howard said

" I saw her wearing your sweater today, what was that about?" Daniel asked

"Yea I know I let her borrow it since we were outside and she was cold." Howard said

"Howard, Natalia is not like any other girl that you've dated. Like Thea, Miranda, Cynthia, Jasmine, Chloe-"

"Yea I get the point Daniel I've dated multiple girls what does that have to do with anything?" Howard said

"That's not the point." Daniel said

"Then what is?" Howard hissed

"The point is that she is different and not like them." Daniel answered

"What do you mean she not like them?" Howard said annoyed

"She's been threw a lot of bad things and they way she acts. She is not very trusting toward others. And my question is: what if you end up hurting her?" Daniel said

"I won't hurt her because she and I aren't even dating or having any feeling towards each other." Howard said

"I've know you for my entire life and I know your pattern." 

"What pattern?" Howard asked

"Your dating pattern. I know how you start with every girl." Daniel said

"And how is that?" Howard asked

"You start flirting with them and then you give her something of yours like your sweater for example. Then you ask her for her number. Then you ask them on a date and when you get tired of them you dump them and move on." Daniel finished

"Between me and you Daniel. Natalia is different. She makes me feel different. I have never had this feeling but when I'm with her she makes me feel happy and I --" Howard said being cut off

"Wait, I though you didn't like her. You said you didn't have feeling for her." Daniel said confused

"I know what I said but when I'm around her I don't know, I get a tingling feeling in my chest." Howard said sincerely

"Howard? Are you in love?" Daniel said mockingly

"Shut up we have to go to sleep we have class tomorrow and I have on meet Natalia in the morning before class." Howard said avoiding  the question.

(In Natalia's room)

Natalia went to sleep and she slept peacefully for two hours and then I began. Her nightmare she was moving around and crying and shivering. Since Howard brought up he pat and her fathers abuse she couldn't shake the thought out of her head. It was more of a flash back than a nightmare.

Flashback.

Natalia was around 6 years old. She was in her room reading a book when she heard his voice, a deep and scary voice.