Royals

Shay

Shay awoke in the middle of the night, breathless and sweaty. An arm was pinning her down and she flailed to get out from under it, realizing a moment too late it was Ty's arm. She looked to Ty in a panic, worrying she'd woken him. When his breathing settled back into a regular pattern, she slipped out of bed and quietly padded into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, sliding to the floor.

Shay's body was shaking as she tried to calm herself from the nightmare that had woken her up. She shouldn't shake the feeling of Avery's hands all over her body, his weight holding her captive once again. She could see his eyes burning with darkness as they bore into hers. She tried screaming but it was as though her mouth had been glued shut. A knock on the door had her jumping out of her skin once again as she jumped away from the door.

"Just a minute!" She called out, rushing to flush the toilet. She splashed water from the sink into her face, trying to wipe any remnants of crying left from her face. "Come in, Ty."

Ty's curious head poked through the door as he opened it up. "Is everything okay? I woke up and you weren't beside me."

Shay nodded, smiling at him weakly. "I'm fine, just had to use the bathroom is all. Go back to bed, I'll meet you there."

Ty shrugged, pushing the door wider. "I gotta pee." He shuffled sleepily, yawning as he slipped his boxers off. Shay's cheeks flushed with color, Avery's length coming to mind as she saw Ty's. She quickly left the bathroom, rushing to her bed and grabbing her robe. She wrapped it tightly around her, tucking her hair behind her ear. She crawled back into bed, wrapping herself up in the sheets. Behind her, she could hear Ty get into bed beside her. He tried to pull her in close and she shied away from his touch.

"I think I'm going down with something, Ty. You shouldn't be near me."

She could hear the hesitation in his voice as he spoke. "Okay, Shay. Good night."

"Good night." She held herself still, willing him back to sleep. As she waited, a dreamless sleep overtook her.

The next morning, Shay woke up to sunlight streaming into her room. She squinted her eyes against the intruding light, blocking her face with her arm. Beside her in bed was a tray filled with various foods and a note sitting on an empty plate.

"Shay," she read quietly to herself. "You've had a rough few days, and I hope this helps give you a moment of peace from yourself. I love you." Blushing, Shay bit her lip, clutching the note closely to her chest. She brought a piece of fruit to her lips, savoring the taste in her mouth. She picked through a couple of fruits, mindlessly eating through the buttered croissants and jellied toasts. Once she had her fill, she took a long shower and found herself standing in the center of her closet, staring at the emptiness. There were only a few pieces hanging, all of them too familiar to what she'd been wearing when she was attacked.

She stepped back into her room, her eyes darting around as she helplessly tried to find an alternative that wasn't already packed away. She landed on Ty's clothes he'd slept in and only momentarily questioned what he was wearing today. She slipped into his jeans and t-shirt, feeling silly at how terribly the clothes fit her but decided something was better than nothing. Pulling her hair into a messy bun to sit at the top of her head, she exited her room, stumbling over the extra fabric at her legs. She listened for the sound of voices, following them in hopes to find her mother.

"Shaylee, what on earth are you wearing?" Tana stood, her jaw slack in surprise.

Shay shrugged, taking a seat on the armchair in the corner. "Have you found them yet?"

Tana narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "Shaylee, honestly, you cannot be seen wearing that clothing! You look absolutely horrendous."

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Thanks, Mother. I'm not leaving the castle today. I didn't have anything left to wear so I just took Ty's clothes. Where is he, by the way? He left me breakfast."