sunsets // m.c [DISCONTINUED]

chapter 17

Reese let out a loud gasp as her eyes shot open, her body jolting which caused the whole bed to shake. After processing it for a few seconds, she breathed in and out heavily, her shoulders rising and falling at a quick pace. She pushed herself to sit up as much as she could, her arms shaking as she put weight on them. The small girl looked around her dim bedroom as her breathing started to calm down a little.

She had another nightmare.

It's been a while since she last had one, and she finally thought it was getting better. Turns out, the universe had other things planned for her. The brunette reached for her phone to check the time. Once the device came to life, the screen was quite bright, making her wince. She turned it down and let her eyes adjust to it, blinking a few times.

She sighed once she saw it was three in the morning. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to get up and go get a glass of water. Her throat felt like a desert and it was an unsettling feeling for her.

Her feet padded against the cold floor of the hallway. She made sure she didn't miss a step to avoid tumbling down the wooden steps. As funny as that probably would have looked, she thought, she didn't want to bring an injury upon herself. The stairs creaked slightly after each step she took.

Once she reached the fridge, she opened it and was greeted by the bright light as she grabbed a bottle of water. The cold feeling was somehow relaxing against the palm of her hand and her fingers.

She gulped a large amount of the liquid, feeling it rush down her throat. It felt soothing, making her heart calm down even more, luckily for her. The kitchen light turned on, startling the girl for a moment. She whipped her head around to face whoever was down there with her. A wave of relief rushed through her when she realized it was her mother.

"Can't sleep?" She asked her daughter, making her way over. The small girl nodded softly, not saying a single word. "It's okay. Dreams or nightmares?"

"Nightmares," Reese replied honestly, her voice slightly raspy. She cleared her throat as her mother sighed, approaching her.

The young girl put the cap back on her water bottle and set it on the counter as her mother made her way over. After eyeing her daughter for a few seconds, she smiled sadly before pulling her into a comforting hug. The sudden action caught Reese by surprise, but she eventually gave in and hugged her back. She was confused, no doubt about it, but it's been a little while since she last got the chance to hug anyone. If she had to be honest, she missed it.

Her mother rubbed her back in a soothing manner. Reese rested her head on her mother's shoulder, neither of them finding the words nor energy to speak at the moment. They decided to let it happen in silence.

Moments later, they pulled apart from the embrace. As usual, Reese tried to avoid eye contact. She looked everywhere else in the dim house except her mother's eyes.

"Do you want me to come stay in your room tonight?"

Reese looked at her mom, unsure. Seconds later, she shook her head no and let out a soft chuckle. "No, it's okay. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Her mother asked quietly. The small girl nodded her head once in an assuring manner.

"Positive."

The older woman decided not to argue. She nodded back before kissing Reese's temple softly. With that, she headed back upstairs, reminding Reese to turn off the lights before she headed up. Once the small girl heard a door close from the second floor, she hung her head, staring at her bare feet. For a moment, a flash of her as a child with a big smile spreader across her face appeared in her head. The thought made her vision get clouded with tears.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, deciding now was not the time. The girl lifted her head and exhaled, patting her cheeks softly to stop herself from crying. Her eyes shifted over to look outside through the sliding glass doors in the dining area where it was still dark, but the stars were slightly clear in the sky.

All Reese did was stand there, leaning against the counter as she stared at the sky. She couldn't bring herself to move a muscle, but she didn't care. She decided to stay that way for a few more minutes before heading upstairs.

The girl entered her room, dragging her feet as she walked over to her bed. She plopped down on the mattress, feeling the soft bedsheets under her. Her phone lit up, catching her attention. Confusion was clear on her face as she picked up the device, wondering what Mitchel could want this late.

Mitchel
Hey r u uo

Mitchel
Up

Furrowing her eyebrows, Reese quickly began to tap on the letters on her screen.

Reese
yeah, why? what are you up to?

Not long after she sent the message, the braided boy's name popped up on her screen, causing her to sigh. Since it was late, she had to make sure she whispered.

"Hello?" She said quietly as soon as she tapped on the green button.

"Hey," Mitchel slurred, dragging out the word longer than intended. He laughed after a while of saying it, sounding like a spray bottle. Reese tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Uh, are you okay?" She asked, letting out a soft chuckle from how funny he sounded.

"I'm Mitchel," he mumbled slightly. "What's your name?" Deciding not to respond, Reese bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She caught on to the fact that the Australian was, in fact, drunk. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

"I'm here," Reese whispered shakily, holding back her laughter. "I'm right here, Mitchel."

"Why didn't you speak?" He asked, dropping something which caused Reese to wince at how loud it was. "I wanna hear your voice."

"I don't know," she answered back after a few seconds of staying quiet. Somehow, she found this side of Mitchel entertaining. "Why are you up?"

"Because fuck time," the braided boy yelled.

"It's late."

"Who said?"

"Me, Mitchel. I said so."

All Reese could hear from the other end of the call was Mitchel singing – well, slurring – after a moment of silence. She wanted to laugh, but she knew she'd wake everyone in her house.

"Woooo!" He yelled, making Reese slap her hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter. After a while, Mitchel seemed to calm down a little.

"Mitchel, listen to me, okay? Go to sleep right now. You won't regret it in the morning," the small girl instructed, laying herself down on her mattress as she began to feel sleep take over.

"What happens if I don't sleep?"

"Headaches. Really, really bad headaches," Reese giggled.

"Can you talk while I fall asleep?" The braided boy slurred. Reese bit her lip, actually thinking about it. Moments of silence passed before a scream was heard. Then, the call went dead, cutting off Mitchel's scream. The brown eyed girl looked at her phone and laughed, deciding to shoot him a quick text to read whenever he wakes up.

Reese
hey, braid boy. you called me while you were drunk out of your mind. hope your hangover isn't as severe. let me know how you're doing whenever you wake up, you doofus. 🤦🏻‍♀️

With that, she turned her phone off and plugged it back into the charger before praying that she could get some rest. Finally, she closed her eyes as sleep took over her.