Changing You ✦ 𝑍.𝐷.𝐻.

Chapter 27 {Z}

"Zachy, are you awake?" Reese asked softly, her head popping up from behind the door.

"Yeah," I breathed out, calming down again. I leaned over and put my phone away, turning on the lamp on my nightstand.

"What's wrong?" I asked as the light fell upon her troubled features.

She stepped inside my room and closed the door behind her. "I can't sleep," she mumbled. "Can I stay with you?"

A faint, soft smile formed on my face. "Of course, come here." I scooted aside in my single bed and lifted the covers up, giving her space to climb in.

She hopped in silently. As her head immediately found her way onto my bare chest and her arm draped over my stomach, I placed the covers over her before wrapping my arm around her waist.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "How come you couldn't sleep, love?" I asked, going through her hair with my other hand.

"Bad dream," she answered softly.

"Do you wanna tell me about it?"

She hummed a soft yes in response and turned onto her back, causing my arm to fall off her waist.

"Ow! Reese, careful," I hissed, pulling a face as she accidentally leaned on top of it.

Startled by my sudden outburst, Reese sat up. Her brown eyes were filled with worry as she scanned over me. "What happened to your wrists?" She reached for my right arm, her fingers tracing over the fresh bandaid carefully.

"It's fine," I said, forcing a reassuring smile onto my face. "I uh, just got into a fight with a bad person."

Her big brown eyes turned to meet mine. "Does it hurt?" She asked softly.

I shook my head. "Barely," I lied, feeling her soft touch on my skin as she placed her hand in mine.

"Have you been crying?" She asked carefully, making my eyes snap up to hers.

"Wha-, no, of course not," I said immediately, lying again, as I pushed myself up against the headboard of the bed while facing her.

"Yes you have," Reese stated, looking me straight in the eyes. There was nothing but sympathy showing in her chocolate brown ones, that were an exact copy of our mom's. "Your eyes are red and puffy and you sound different."

I opened my mouth to speak up but closed it again, deciding it was no use denying it.

Reese was always the one who saw through me.

She was the only one who knew how I really felt while my dad was away and Ryan was busy with school.

She noticed everything, which I hated sometimes. I didn't want her to worry about me; it was my job to worry and take care of her, not the other way around.

"It's okay to cry, Zachy," she said softly. "You don't have to be strong all the time."

That's when I couldn't hold back anymore.

With a tear streaming down my face I pulled her to my chest, burying my head in her shoulder and wrapping my arms around her back tightly.

I felt her smaller arms tangle around my neck as she climbed onto my lap. With silent tears rolling down my cheeks I pulled her even closer to me, biting my lip harshly to prevent sobs from falling out of my mouth.

Reese didn't say anything. She didn't ask why I was crying or what made me so upset, she just held onto me. And in that moment, that was exactly what I needed.