Page 98 of Beneath the Blue Moon

***Ethan***

She finally fell asleep, after talking to Sandy and crying

her eyes out. It broke my heart to lie here and listen to her cry for hours,

but what could I do? If she needed me, she would have told me, right? I didn’t

want to risk her pushing me away again. I haven’t heard a sound for the last

two hours, but God knows I won’t be able to sleep tonight. It’s already 3:00 a.m.

I punch my pillow and turn onto my side, my only thoughts of Casey.

A piercing scream has me out of bed and in her room, my

heart beating dangerously fast. She’s sitting up in bed, tears streaming down

her face. I sit on the side of the bed and pull her into my arms, stroking her

hair.

“It’s okay. It was just a dream. I’m here.”

“It was… so real,” she chokes out between sobs.

She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me down to the

bed. I position myself behind her, tucking her into my body. With her head resting

on my arm, I feel the warmth of her tears as they trickle down. I pull her closer,

and she nestles into the embrace.

I’ll get you for this, Stone. Your death will be long and

painful.

After a while, she turns in my arms with a sniffle. Looking

up at me with wide, innocent eyes, she gives me a weak smile.

“Thank you. I’m okay now. You can go back to your room.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

For the first time in a long time, she doesn’t argue. She

sighs, slides her arm around my waist, and nuzzles my chest. Also for the first

time in a long time, I close my eyes and sleep comes easily.