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“Don’t worry. I’ll take the couch. Or use the sleeping bag I brought,” Scott said as if he’d read my mind. Or maybe the fact that I was staring at the bed with wide eyes clued him in.
“Uh, I’ll take the couch. I’m shorter than you.”
“Let’s table this discussion for when we actually have to sleep.”
I nodded, and that was that. We donned our hiking shoes, grabbed our backpacks, filled our water bottles, and headed out into the wild unknown. I followed Scott’s lead through the trail, and I had to admit it was fun. The weather was cooling down, but it was still warm enough to not be uncomfortable. Scott was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, but he hadn’t commented on my long-sleeved clothes, for which I was grateful. Somehow, Scott always seemed to know what he should or shouldn’t say to me.
I breathed in the clear, woody scent of nature as we walked, appreciating its lightness and realizing why Scott—and his Pops—loved hiking so much. It wasn’t long before we reached the pond Scott had told me about. We settled down on some rocks that were set around the pond by other hikers, as Scott told me, and I dipped my fingers into the cool pond water, smiling to myself as I spotted some tiny fishes swimming around deep in the water.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Scott murmured, and I smiled.
“Yeah.” My voice was equally soft, but when I looked up, I found Scott gazing at me instead of the pond. My cheeks warmed, and I swiftly went back to looking at the water, my heart thundering in my chest even as I told myself that he was just talking about the scenery.
We sat there for some time, just letting the nature around us comfort us and wrap us up in a peaceful blanket. We didn’t talk, and I loved how easy it was to share that silence. I could hear birdsongs in the trees, and the leaves rustled sometimes when a breeze flew through them, but those were the only sounds I heard. I could easily imagine coming out there with my laptop and writing for hours without any care in the world. Not that I was working on anything at the moment. But maybe someday, I’d find the courage to write some of the stuff that swirled around in my head.
When the sun began setting, we reluctantly stood up and headed back to the cabin. I was already looking forward to tomorrow’s hike since Scott had told me there was a beautiful meadow near one of the longer trails and I was excited to see it. I was also feeling a little tired since I wasn’t used to so much physical exertion. I went on walks sometimes, but I hadn’t done any kind of exercise in the last year.Heused to force me to work out for hours, so I’d look like the perfect arm candy he needed. And just like all the other things he’d tarnished for me, working out had joined the ranks.
Scott offered to make dinner for us, and I agreed because I knew I was more likely to end up burning something with how tired I felt. Scott made some simple mac and cheese from the groceries we’d brought with us, and after a quick dinner, we decided to call it a night.
Despite my protests, Scott insisted I take the bed, saying he was completely fine with using the sleeping bag. I ended up agreeing with him simply because I was too fucking tired to argue. I changed into my nightclothes, wished Scott a good night, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow for the first time in years.
10
Scott
AfterLukewenttobed, I read for an hour or so before settling down for the night. Of course, the couch was fucking uncomfortable, so I unfurled the sleeping bag on the living room floor and climbed into it.
Today had been fun in so many ways, and I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. Luke had enjoyed the day as much as I did, even though the poor guy could barely keep his eyes open through dinner. Watching him at the pond, I’d been surprised at how many emotions had fluttered in my chest. I’d wanted to hold him tenderly, give him a soft kiss, and tell him that I’d always protect him. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt like that for anyone.
Even though I knew Luke had reservations and wasn’t looking for anything romantic at the moment, I couldn’t stop my heart from feeling things for him. I also apparently couldn’t stop my mouth from telling him he was beautiful, though the blush on his cheeks had made the slip worth it.
I knew I wouldn’t pursue him because I’d rather have Luke as a friend than not at all. I also didn’t want him to go back to being wary or afraid of me because I came on to him. I had no intention of being anything like the bastard who’d broken his heart.
Once I came to that realization, my thoughts calmed down a bit, and my eyes finally became heavy. Just as I started to fall asleep, I heard a shout ring out through the tiny cabin. My eyes snapped open, and I looked around, wondering if I’d imagined the sound. Just then, another shout came, and this time, I could hear the voice clearly.
“No! Please!” Luke’s voice cried out from the bedroom, and I was on my feet before he’d stopped shouting. I raced into the bedroom, switching on the lights on my way in. My heart was thundering in my chest as I scanned the room for a threat before my eyes fell on Luke, who was curled up in the bed, shaking his head from side to side. “Please don’t. Pleasepleaseplease.”
Shit. He was having a nightmare. I rushed to his side and leaned over, gently shaking his shoulder. “Luke, wake up.”
He shot up in bed and quickly shuffled away from me, curling his arms around his legs and burying his head between his knees. “No, please. I’m sorry.”
He was shaking so badly, and it broke my heart to see him like this. I stayed where I was, not wanting to scare him any further as I tried to think calmly. What should I do? “Shh, Lu, it’s okay. It’s me, Scott. You’re safe. It was just a nightmare. We’re in the cabin, remember? You’re safe.”
Slowly, Luke looked up, his eyes red and wet with tears. “Scott?” His voice was hoarse and so full of pain that I couldn’t stop myself from walking closer.
“Yeah, Lu, it’s me. You’re safe. It was just a nightmare,” I murmured softly as I moved to the side of the bed he was on. I didn’t go any closer, though, wanting him to have space.
Luke nodded woodenly, closing his eyes and then snapping them open again, as if what he’d seen in his nightmare was still lurking behind his eyes. “I can’t go back to sleep now.”
“Would you like some tea?” I offered, remembering the time he’d had an episode.
Luke nodded again, shuffling to his feet, looking so shaky that I wanted to pull him into a hug and hold him until he felt steadier. I settled for wrapping the blanket around him to stop his shivering and led him to the couch in the living room. “I’ll be just two minutes, yeah?”
I got the tea ready as quickly as I could, grateful I'd thought to pack some with the groceries. With two mugs of tea in my hands, I went back into the living room to find Luke staring at the wall and biting his lip in a way that made me think he was trying to stop himself from crying.
“Luke?” I whispered, not wanting to startle him. His eyes refocused, and he took the mug from my hand. I sat down on the couch beside him, making sure to leave enough space so he didn’t feel boxed in.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I offered in the same low voice as I took a sip of my tea.
