“Spencer,” I woke up to Jaime kneeling by my bed, petting my hair. “It’s okay, it’s just a nightmare,” he said softly.

My eyes adjusted to the dark. “A nightmare,” I repeated quietly. I was having a nightmare.

“I heard you crying,” he said gently, delicately touching my cheek with his hands.

“Crying,” I repeatedly lowly. Yes, I was crying.

But I wasn’t having a nightmare. I was asleep, but my mine forced me to think about my past. I wasn’t dreaming, I was remembering.

“I guess talking about… I guess I just… I guess because I was thinking about everything earlier, it remained tainted in my mind,” I slurred my words from tiredness and restlessness.

“It’s okay,” he said, smoothing out my hair. I was not sure what exactly inspired me to do this, but I opened my arms for him. I couldn’t be lonely tonight. I needed to feel safe. “That’s what I’m here for,” he said quietly, accepting my wordless request.

I slid over a little so he had room, and he slipped in next to me. I could feel myself start to fall asleep almost instantly; his arms wrapped protectively around me, my head nestled into his chest, his steady breathing calming me down. An odd, unfamiliar feeling showered through me. I liked Jaime, and I like him a lot. Where would I be without him?

My eyes were heavy, and they closed immediately, but not before spotting something through the window. Someone. Could it be him? Was Drew Sanders finally back? He stood directly parallel to the window, his eyes clearly staring in. He was only ten feet away… but I was way too tired to think anything of it. Surely, he wasn’t really there. Surely, this was just my imagination. I tucked my head into Jaime more so I couldn’t see through the window, and, with that, I was asleep.


~~


“Spencer?” I heard my name being yelled. “Where are you?” Jaime screamed. I opened my eyes. How did I get in the kitchen? Why couldn’t I see anything?

Oh, shit. Maybe I actually did see Drew Sanders through the window. Oh, my God. Jaime. My worst nightmare, coming true. Although, all of my worst nightmares came true.

“Jaime!” I screamed back, but my voice was scratchy and my lungs were clogged with smoke.

I stumbled around hopelessly through the dark and the smoke and the heat. I let out a quiet shriek when I ran into someone. “Come on,” Jaime said, gripping my upper arms desperately.

The fire wasn’t completely spread, yet, so we were able to make our way out of the burning house quickly. I didn’t even have time to cry.

But then I snickered in my head. Ha! Drew Sanders, you failed yet again. I wished that I could scream those words. I wished that I could show him that I was stronger than him, that I could and would resist him.

These feelings of strength and confidence, however, ended quickly as Jaime and I watched his house slowly crumble before us. At this point, the tears were silently falling down my face.

I didn’t even know what to say, so I just hugged Jaime tightly. He wasn’t hurt, I wasn’t hurt, and that was all that mattered, for now, at least.

Jaime put his strong hand on the back of my head and rubbed my back as I cried into him. Why was he the one comforting me? I should be running away. I should not have stayed here. Everything that has ever felt right turned out to be so wrong. So fucking wrong.

He thought I was upset because of what just happened. Yes, I was upset, but not for his reasons. Drew Sanders’ imminent presence overwhelmed me. I thought I was done with him. Naively, I thought that he was going to leave me alone. I thought that, because I was with Jaime, he would leave me alone. I thought that there was something about Jaime that repelled Drew Sanders. But no, Drew Sanders was here to stay. He never left, and he never will.

“It’s okay, it’s just a house, sweetie, but are you okay? Are you hurt?” he pulled back from the hug to look me in the face. I nodded. His face was charred but he wasn’t burned.

Hell is everywhere.

“Don’t say that,” he murmured, holding me close again. I said that out loud?

We stood there for some time. We were numb and tired. The fire department showed up eventually, giving both Jaime and me breathing treatments. We didn’t say much; we just sort of neutrally sat on the edge of an ambulance watching the smoke continue to rise into the dark night, but Jaime held my hand the entire time.

"Jaime I have to tell you something," I said hastily, unable to control my words. I couldn't keep this inside any longer. He needed to know. There was no other option. I’ve been holding on to this for too long. He needed to know that this was my fault.

"What is it?" He asked after a cough. I hated seeing him like this: charred, beaten up, hazy with smoke...

I took a deep breath. "There is somebody—” I shook my head. I didn’t know how to say this without sounding… crazy. “There is somebody that is trying to kill me," I said finally. The words felt false in my mouth. I didn't like the taste.

"Spencer, I think I figured that out already," he said gently, squeezing my hand, although I could sense the stress in his voice. He nodded over to his house, his house that was nearly flattened, the burnt pieces of wood blending in with the omnipotent night.

"No, Jaime," I said probably a little too harsh. "This person has been after me my entire life," I said. I shook my head. Why did this sound so stupid, despite the fact of it being so real?

"Why didn't you tell anyone, Spencer? This is serious!" He said. Although the words sounded dumb in my mouth, at least he could sense the real gravity of the situation.

I shook my head again. I did that a lot—shaking my head as if doing so would shake all of the bad memories, the reality, the darkness away...

"I-I was scared. I still am. He's a monster. H-he killed my parents, and since then he's been after me," I stared to cry again. Everything was coming out. Every single ounce of the truth was sizzling on the tip of my tongue.

"You could have died," he said severely, placing his hands on both sides of my face. It was funny, really, because he had no idea that he was supposed to be the dead one. I suppose that was one spark of the truth that he didn’t need to know. Drew Sanders wasn’t exactly out to kill me; he was out to torture me, to fuck with my feelings, and to kill anyone I loved. Yes, loved.

"So could have you," I said equally as grave. He had no idea how much I meant those words. "His name is Drew Sanders, and I've never reported him, until now," I said quickly.

"It's okay," he said softly, brushing his hands gently through my hair. "I can't even imagine what you've been through, so I understand that this is hard for you. But I'm glad that you're reporting him now," he said, lightly drawing circles on my cheek with his thumb.

"I'm dangerous," I said.

"No you are not. The person who stalks you and tries to kill you is dangerous," Jaime corrected. I shook my head.

"I can't believe I willingly stayed with you, even though I knew that you wouldn't be safe with me," I said, blinded by my tears. "Why aren't you mad at me for that?" I asked. Why wasn't he angry that I consciously put him in danger? How was I more mad at myself, even though I knew what I was doing the entire time, and how was Jaime not as mad, even though he was the one that was blind sighted by my dangerous past?

"I can't be mad at you, Spence, because you did nothing wrong. You are scared, and sometimes when you're scared you don't think right. It consumes you," he said softly.

"Jaime—"

"No. I can't be mad at you for something that isn't your fault. And I can't be mad at you because... I-I love you," he said in a whisper.

"You can't love me, Jaime," I said, leaning closer to him.

"Yes I can. And I do," he said more confidently. “I know I’ve only known you for a few weeks, but it feels like it’s been a lot longer than that, probably because I’m always with you. Everything is just going by fast, and then this happened. I just can’t help it,” he explained. I couldn’t stop my heart from fluttering. He was right. He was always right. We’ve spent so much time together, we might had well have been together for a few months rather than weeks. I guess when bad things happen you get closer to someone in a shorter amount of time.

"I love you, too," I said quietly. "But that still doesn't change the fact that everyone I love, everyone I stay with, gets hurt," I said truthfully. Fuck, I love this Jaime Preciado, but I couldn't let myself indulge in these feelings any longer. I had to leave.

"Don't you dare run away Spencer. Don't you dare try and leave me. I will protect you, don't your dare try and leave for my sake," Jaime said firmly, gripping me tightly. “We can be in this together, I can help you. You don’t have to hide from this… this. You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” he said definitely. With that, he leaned in and softly planted a kiss on my lips. I lost my train of thought for a moment—what was I afraid of, again?

"Jaime! Spencer! What the hell happened here? Are you guys okay?" I turned to see Vic racing over to us, and I was brought back to the reality of the situation.

"You talk to him, Jaime. You tell him everything," I said. "I'm going to talk to the police," I added.

He looked at me significantly, and then I turned away.

What was I about to do? Talk to the police for real, or run away?

I guess I'll let my legs do the deciding, because when I use my head it contradicts my heart, and I couldn't bear to think or feel.

Notes

Woo! Two chapter in one day! I'm back! ;) (even though they are shorter and whatever) (I hope you know that although the chapters are coming out fast, that i'm not rushing too much and genuinely putting effort in/thinking about things) (idk)
Note: i'm going to be ending this one soon... you will NOT be expecting the ending.
HOWEVER i may have accidentally grown attached to the characters, so a SEQUEL is in the works >:)
(Is it okay to write a sequel to a short story? idk nor do i care it's happening okay okay)

Hi so i enjoy the comments and subscriptions and rates! it all keeps me going!!
maybe you'll get lucky and i'll squeeze in another update before i leave for 2 WEEKS :(