Wanders

Chapter 16

I am crying, torn between thinking I should go find wander boy right now, or stay at home for the rest of the week. Maybe things will work out? Do I wanna risk things getting worse around here, or do I wanna go live in a fairytale life?
"Eli wait." I call out to her as she is the last of my friends to leave the park. I stand up from the swings and run towards her.
"I'll walk halfway with you." I smile, deciding one more night wouldn't hurt at moms.
"I think Matthew and Oakley are honestly so cute." I say breaking the silence that has gone on for too long.
"Yeah I guess so." Eli kicks a rock in front of her and it clatters off the road and stops.
"You don't think they are?" I ask.
"I just wish I had someone to care about like that you know." She offers a smile.
I start to speak but I realize I'm home, "Well I'll see you tomorrow." I give Eli a hug and walk inside.
~ ~ ~ ~~
The walls around me seemed to drip and close in around me. I was swallowing the paint of the walls and my arms were cracking from pushing against the closing walls. I tried to scream but I'm swallowing too much paint. Everything is closing in. My knees are pressed to my chest and my arms are around my head. In kicking but now my vision is blurred by red paint. When did we paint our walls red? One more scream out for help and everything goes black.
I wake up sweating and tangled in the covers.
"No no no, just a dream, just a dream." I repeat to myself holding my arms close to my chest. I push the hair that's stuck to my skin off my face and take a deep breath.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." I tell myself not having anyone to comfort me in wake of my nightmare. I turn so my legs are hanging off the bed and I stand up. My legs are wobbly but I move forward.
I'm standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of water when my mother comes out.
"What are you doing?" She asks me with kind words.
"I had a nightmare. " I tell her.
"Hm, you know who used to have nightmares a lot." She said tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and leaning against the wall.
"Charley?" I asked, missing my brother.
"Honey.." my mother started but was interrupted by the famous Nick who was here to save my mother from a conversation with her 'horrible' child. 
"Isn't it bed time? Why are you up." Nick asks my mom hugging her from behind.
"I just got up to see what Finn was doing, I heard her up. " My mother replied in a soft voice.
"You know disturbing your mothers sleep isn't what we talked about the other night. You need to stay out of her life remember?" Nick looked at me.
"What?" I said shocked.
"I said, you need to let her get her rest. She's a busy woman. " Nick repeated kissing her on the cheek.
  Did I mishear him? Was I tired? I couldn't understand what had just gone on. I'm sure the nightmare just messed with my brain. I crawled back into bed hoping for a peaceful sleep filled with flowers and sunrises. I hoped for a better day tomorrow then what I have gone through the past week. My brain hurt.

I'm trapped in a nightmare again. Nick stands hovering over me. His dark shadow stands tall and I can smell the strawberry scent on his breath from the strawberry gum he always chews. His arms come falling down like long snakes biting my shoulders and when he opens his mouth his eyes turn red and he speaks.
  "You have to leave." He yells.