All I Need [DreamNotFound]

9 - Just Say You Love Me

The flirting only progressed from there. Dream would grab my hand, tease me with I love yous and was constantly trying to get me to say it back. I was growing irritated at the time if I was being completely honest. It felt so fake, the way he would tell me he loved me. It was all fake in my book. It was a joke, a tease. Something to entertain him while he was driving. I would pity him for now, let him make fun of me all he wanted while on this road trip. Mainly because it kept him distracted from the pain he felt and this was the best I could do at the moment. But then it grew, and every time he would do it,  it made me feel hurt. Pained. He didn't really love me, not the way I wanted him to. I didn't want to listen to his music anymore, it was too happy, too much for me. All this smiling I had to keep up with was so much exertion. I didn't know how he did this so often, I didn't want to be fake around him. Act like I was ecstatic. I wanted to be there for him though, so an hour of listening to my own music wouldn't hurt. 

I threw my head back on the seat and closed my eyes. Listening to the soft music ringing through my ears. It calmed me. I was tired, and keeping up with Dream was a lot. I loved him, so much. I wanted to be there for him, and I was going to be. I was going to support him through all of this. That is until I felt like he went too far. 

...

"Hello Sappy Nappy," Dream said. "Also you're on speaker, say hello to George."

"Ello George." Sapnap mocked. I smiled. We were taking a break and eating food in a subway parking lot. We were about two hours out from Iowa so we didn't mind stopping for just a few moments. 

"Ello Sapnap!" I said, popping the 'p' in his name with a little more exaggeration than usual. 

"I just wanted to call and make sure that everything was okay, you holding up okay Dream?" Dream took a breath. 

"The best I can be at the moment. My Aunt texted me this morning telling me that he was probably going to be in the hospital for a few months." he had told me that, the moment that he had gotten the text this morning. It was better than what we were expecting and Dream was excited about that. I took a bite of my food and then a drink of my water. Dream looked over at me a let out a small giggle. 

"That's good. Well, I'm here if you need it." Dream was still giving me a weird look, but I tried to focus on Sapnap's voice. It seemed rougher and not as clear as it usually was when we talked over discord and weren't using expensive mics. "Bye Dream." I heard the phone call click to an end. 

"What? Why are you staring at me?" I asked, beginning to be self-conscious. My face was red and I knew that was a fact. Dream leaned over to me, cupped my face, and wiped my lip with his thumb. He leaned in close to my ear. 

"You just had mustard on your face is all." His breath on my skin made my skin melt. How could he do this to me? Make me fall apart right in front of him like it was nothing. He had gone too far, he knew something I didn't. And it killed me. 

"Dream," I said, softly pushing him away from me. He grinned, a grin I haven't seen before. Like he liked what he saw, it sent butterflies to my stomach. 

"Sorry, sorry." I looked out the window and didn't speak for the rest of the drive. He continued to send me worried glances, and a few times he asked me if I was alright. I responded with a weak nod and a soft, 'mhm'. He knew that something was off but I didn't care. 

We signed in, walked into our hotel room. There were two full-sized beds and a T.V at the foot of them. Dream said that he would wash up, get some sleep, then go see his cousin the next morning. "George," He asked, walking over to his side of the room and placing his bag on the bed. I looked up and made eye contact. "I love you," His tone was soft and warm and it was the type of tone I had never heard him take. I responded with a chuckle and a shake of my head. I could feel his hurt eyes on me. 

"George. Can you at least say it back?" I looked up at him again. 

"Why? I know you're only joking..." Those were the first words I had said to him since earlier today. I wondered if it stung him to hear them as much as it did for me to say them. By his expression, I guessed it did. 

"I can't tell if you're kidding. You know those bits are only for videos. Why won't you say it back?" I could hear the anger rise within him. 

"I already said why dream. Now drop it." I said, just as vicious as he had sounded. 

"I know you're in love with me why won't you just say it?" He yelled at me. And I didn't even notice the tears on my face until Dream's eyes softened. "That wasn't supposed to come out, Im sorry-" I grabbed my phone and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind me. 

I couldn't stop the tears as I walked down the hotel steps. Iowa was different, mainly fields and only a city every once in a while. Even their cities were sparse. I guess I could go for a walk, but other than that there wasn't anything else to do. I hadn't brought down my wallet with me, I had only grabbed my phone and I wasn't ready to walk back up there just yet. I contemplated in the hotel lobby for a moment before pushing the doors open and walking into the cold night air. 

XXX

1K words 

Like one more chapter peeps. Sorry, my books are always short. Love you all!!