Mission: Illinois (On Hold)

Nightmare

I was standing in the school parking lot, He was standing not to far away from me and I cowered back slightly. "Hello, Sang. It seems you're back. Want me to... Welcome you back?" He asked with a sinister undertone.

His laugh echoed around me as he disappeared  and Matt appeared behind me. "Matt, Oh my gosh, Matt!" I called out. Where were my boys? What was going on?

"Matt?" I called out again, but he didn't budge. Then he started walking, but not towards me. He was walking away. "Matt!" I called out to his fading silhouette, but he didn't even take the time to glance back at me. 

HIS laugh echoed around me and I twisted around to see him standing next to Matt behind me. They were both laughing at me. Then Matt stepped back and HE stepped forward. I would not speak his name. Not even in my thoughts.

"Well, well, well. Look's like your little bodyguard doesn't care about you anymore. No one's here to stop me from doing what I do best." His laugh was the last thing I heard before fear paralyzed me and I couldn't even process what was going to happen.

I bolted up in the bed; gasping for breath. I had one hand over my mouth as tears fled from my eyes and down my cheeks. I couldn't stop them.

"Peanut? Sang? You OK?" Nathan asked me in his sleep- garbled voice. He sat up and his eyes instantly became more awake as he took in my rigid state and the tears that were still falling.

"Sang? Did you have a nightmare? Are you OK? Do you want me to get North?" He asked but that snapped me out of it. I wiped at my tears and gave him a small smile. "No, no. I'm fine. Just worried about school." I stuttered slightly but I covered it up pretty well.

He didn't seem convinced but I acted oblivious to it. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. 5:28 AM. "I'm going to go freshen up. It's already 5:30 so I'm just going to get up." After a moment, he nodded slowly and pulled back the covers.

I quickly did my morning routine and quietly went down stairs. I don't think any of the boys are awake yet but I could be wrong. Nathan had taken up the bathroom after I got out.

I walked into the kitchen to see Owen and Kota talking quietly at the island in the middle of the kitchen. Why were they up so early? They were both dressed in their usual clothes for daytime. Both of their heads snapped to look at me when I entered the room, and they gave me questioning looks. I just shrugged and hopped up so I was sitting on the island between them since they had made room for me there.

"Why are you up so early?" Owen asked as they both stared me down. They probably noticed my puffy eyes then because they both stiffened slightly and went into what I call, 'protective mode'.

"What happened?" Owen demanded and I cast my eyes downward. He tilted my chin so I would be looking at him. I don't know why I always look down, he just picks my chin up. "What happened." It wasn't even a question anymore.

I gulped before answering. I wasn't scared, I was just really nervous. I hadn't had a nightmare in a whole year. "I- I had a nightmare." I stumbled over my words. "A really bad one." Nathan added as he walked in. 

Owen's eyes snapped up to his. They didn't try to do eye-talking around me anymore. That's what I started calling it. "About? Do we need to wake up North?" His voice was sharp and his eyes were calculating. Kota had stepped back to let Owen talk but now he was over by Nathan. I think they were making coffee.

"She said she was fine. Just worried about school. She didn't give me anymore information about it. All I know is she woke up, bolted upright and was crying when I woke up. She seemed almost paralyzed until I asked about North." Everyone's eyes were on me now and I was looking anywhere but.

"Asked about me? What's going on?" North asked as he walked in. He was just wearing a pair of sleep pants. Owen quickly explained what was going on and about the after-effects of my dream. Owen moved so North could take his place as he stared at me. The whole room was dead quiet as they waited for me to explain but that wasn't going to happen.

I couldn't- and wouldn't- tell them until I had no other choice. This wasn't that time. I tried to play it down.

"Really, it was just one of my nightmares. I'm just worried about school tomorrow. " North stared down at me. His gaze showed that he didn't believe it. "Baby, you don't react like that about school." He said in a tone that said it was obvious.

"Unless it's Ashley Waters." Gabriel said and it caused me to jump. When did he get in here? And how did he know what we were talking about? The other boys followed in behind him with Kota at the back. He must have awoken them and told them what's going on.

North shot him a look that clearly expressed, 'not the time.' His gaze then shifted back to me. "Sang, what has you so scared? You have never reacted like that." I looked away at the other boys' expressions. They all were worried and confused.

They were all surrounding me, standing around the front of the island where I was seated. They all had their arms crossed over their chests, too. That was slightly creepy.

"I swear, it was entirely because of school. I've been at this school before and I just don't know what to expect. It was just a really bad dream. You guys weren't there and a lot was happening. I had no idea what to do and it kind of terrified me. I swear, that's all." They still didn't look entirely convinced but their expressions' eased and they all moved closer to me. North jumped up on the counter and pulled me into him lap.

"Sweetie, We aren't going to leave you alone. Don't worry." Kota said softly as he grabbed my hand. I smiled at him. Let's hope so.

I know I told everyone that you would meet Matt in the next chapter but I dragged this scene out so it will actually be in two chapters! Sorry... But I might post the next chapter tonight!