Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Nightmares

~“I warned you about flirting with him,” Johnathan growled in my ear before his fist collided with my cheek.”~

~“I wasn’t flirting with him—he just needed help,” I whimpered.”~

~Johnathan scoffed and reeled his leg back before kicking me in my stomach, making me whimper in pain.”~

~“So you’re a whore and a liar,” Johnathan spat as he wrapped his hand around my neck and started to lift me off the ground.”~

~I started to sob harder as spots clouded my vision and the sound of my heartbeat became sickeningly loud.”~

~“I’m sorry. I won’t talk to any boy besides you again, I swear,” I croaked, trying my hardest to keep my eyes open.”~

~Johnathan didn’t respond but instead squeezed harder. I heard him take a deep breath before his grip loosened, and he slowly guided me to the floor and squatted in front of me.”~

~I sobbed as I took in deep breaths and blinked hard. When I had calmed down, Johnathan reached for me, and I flinched, thinking he was going to hit me again.”~

~Hurt flashed in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. Johnathan reached out again and gently cupped my face in his hands.”~

~“I’m sorry I hit you, Luna, but I love you and I don’t want to lose you. Promise you won’t leave me,” Johnathan said.”~

~“I love you too, Johnathan. I promise I won’t leave,” I said, noticing the vulnerability in his eyes.”~

~“Just stay away from him and any other boy—they aren’t good enough for you, just me. It’s me and you forever,” Johnathan whispered in my ear before he pressed a rough kiss on my lips.”~

~I flinched from the pressure but kissed him back deeply. After all, I loved him more than anything.”~

~I felt his hand wrap back around my neck, and he pulled me away from him. I watched as anger started to cloud his eyes and his grip on my neck started to tighten.”~

~I sobbed as I tried to fight against his grip, only angering him more and making his grip tighten.”~

“LUNA!”

“LUNA!”

“LUNA!”

“Luna, wake up. It’s just a dream,” I heard a voice say softly.

I sat up with a start and flinched away from the figures standing over me.

One of the figures flicked on the light, and when my eyes adjusted, I saw Giovanni and Alex looking down at me with worried looks.

I sniffled and wiped the tears off my cheeks before leaning against the headboard of the bed. They shared worried glances before slowly and cautiously taking seats on opposite sides of me.

I hugged my knees to my chest and put my head on top of them as I started to think about my nightmare.

“My dream was about Johnathan,” I croaked, picking my head up and staring at the door.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Alex asked.

I took a deep breath and slowly nodded my head.

“Back when Jonathan and I were together, he said that I wasn’t allowed to talk to any boys because they would just try to use me for my body and try to take me from him.”

“One day we had a new student, and he asked for help to find the cafeteria, and I smiled and showed him the way. Jonathan saw us walk in together and saw me laugh at a joke the boy said.”

“He was telling jokes the whole way there and I didn’t even crack a smile, but that joke—it was so stupid I had to laugh.”

“Jonathan got mad, and when I went over to his house that night, I got to see how mad he was.”

“It wasn’t the first time he hit me, but it was the first time I actually thought I was going to die. The first time I thought he was going to kill me,” I said softly.

Giovanni slowly reached over and wiped the tears off my cheeks and sent me a small, reassuring smile, but I could see the anger in his eyes.

“Is this because of your mom?” he asked, taking my hand in his and rubbing circles on the back of it with his thumb.

“I think so. I wasn’t having nightmares before—I was just paranoid that I’d turn a corner and he’d be there, but that’s it,” I admitted sheepishly.

“You were telling him that you loved him in the dream. Were you just saying that, or did you mean it?” Alex asked.

“I meant it,” I whispered honestly.

“Luna—”

“Stop, Alex. I already know what you’re going to say. At the time I did mean it because I thought I deserved it.

“Every single time he hit me, I would spend hours apologizing ~to him~ no matter how badly ~he~ hurt ~me~ because I thought I deserved it and I loved him.

“The good outweighed the bad in my mind because he made me feel wanted—he made me feel like there wasn’t anybody better than me,” I said, getting out of the bed.

“Luna—” Alex said.

“I was weak and stupid, I know. It’s my fault you ended up in the coma and almost died. I should never have called you and just faced the music.

“I did it to myself, and I should have accepted what came with it,” I said as a fresh new batch of tears started to run down my cheeks.

“Luna—”

“I’m sorry, Alex. I’m so, so, so sorry,” I whimpered as I sank down to my knees and cried.

“Luna, stop it, I’m not kidding. It was not your fault. I wouldn’t change a thing that happened.

“I’d give my life for yours in a heartbeat, and the fact you went through that and came out of this stronger just shows how strong you are.

“You aren’t weak or stupid, and don’t ever let anybody make you feel like you are.

“Also, I was going to say, abuse is not love no matter who it comes from,” Alex said, getting up and taking me into his arms.

I slowly wrapped my arms around his torso as I continued to sob on his shoulder. The door closed, and I looked around to see Giovanni no longer in the room.

“Do you think he’ll still want to be with me after all of this?” I sobbed as I turned back to look at my brother.

“Nobody is perfect, Lulu. Everybody has skeletons in their closets. If anything, I think he’s more mad that you loved somebody other than him,” Alex said, wiping the tears off my cheek.

“He doesn’t love me,” I giggled, playfully shoving my brother.

“Lulu, yes he does, even if he doesn’t know it yet—I can see it. You love him too,” Alex said, shoving me back.

We shared a goofy look before climbing back into the bed and turning the TV on to watch movies.

“I’m sorry for waking you guys up,” I said softly, putting my head on Alex’s shoulder.

“It’s only 10:30 p.m. We weren’t asleep—you just fell asleep early,” Alex said softly.

“What are we doing here?” I asked after a moment of silence.

“I didn’t want to be in the house with them any longer, and I figured you wouldn’t either,” Alex said, wrapping his arm around me.

I nodded my head in understanding as I thought back to how my mother had acted.

“Piccolo, can I come in?” I heard Giovanni ask from the other side of the door.

I tensed and quickly turned to look at Alex. “He’s back,” I whispered with a cheesy grin.

“He loves you,” Alex said with a wink.

Before I could protest, Alex kissed my cheek and opened the door for Giovanni to come in before leaving and closing the door behind him.

I bit my lip nervously as I leaned against the headboard and looked everywhere but at Giovanni, eventually settling my gaze on the TV.

I felt the bed sink and the rustling of a plastic bag, but I swallowed my curiosity and kept my eyes trained on the TV.

“I’m sorry I left, but I remembered you told me whenever you have nightmares you like to eat ice cream,” Giovanni said softly.

My brow furrowed in confusion, and I turned to see him pull out a tub of chocolate ice cream.

“What? You—you didn’t have to, Giovanni,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

“I know, piccolo, but I wanted to.

“I also remember you said you liked chocolate and coffee, but only if it was Häagen-Dazs,” he said before pulling out a coffee Häagen-Dazs and handing me both.

My heart melted, and I bit my lip hard as I looked up into his eyes and tried to fight the tears that were welling up in them. “Thank you,” I said softly.

He smiled at me and nodded before sitting beside me and leaning against the headboard. I moaned happily as I ate some of the coffee ice cream. He tensed, and his eyes darkened with lust.

I swallowed back a smirk as I locked eyes with him and did it again, liking the power I held over him. I watched his Adam’s apple bob slowly as he gulped.

“Piccolo,” he groaned in warning. I smiled shyly as I snapped out of it and gave him an apologetic look.

“Ice cream?” I asked softly. He smiled and nodded once before taking the spoon from my hand and scooping some on it and eating it.

My jaw dropped, and I scrunched my face up in disgust while he laughed.

“It’s not like I haven’t kissed you,” he teased.

As if to prove his point, he gently placed his lips on mine, taking me by surprise, though that didn’t stop my lips from moving with his in a passionate kiss.

He pulled away from me, and I made a sound of disapproval, earning a chuckle from him.

“It’s bedtime, Luna,” he said softly. The way he said my name made my core clench in need, and I bit my lip to hold in a moan that would beg him to take me.

His eyes darkened with lust again as if he knew exactly what I was thinking, but he slowly shook his head as if warning me.

I put the remaining ice cream into the freezer and turned off the TV before turning to face him.

He smiled at me and softly kissed my lips before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into him. I let his smell take over and took a deep breath before falling back into a peaceful sleep.