Within Temptation

Chapter 8: Strange but familiar dream

I walked down the stairs barefoot of my house quietly as I heard a noise. A faint noise that made my arms fill with goose pumps and my heart beat hard against my chest. I looked around as soon as I step out of the last step. The living room was empty but I felt a wind of cold against my skin making me shiver. I breathe out and walked toward the hallways that lead to the kitchen. I heard the sound once again but this time more clearly, it kind of sounded like footsteps. I reach back with my hand and turn on the lights of the hallway.

“Hello...” I whisper barely to myself as I looked from my back and back to the kitchen. I heard the footsteps once again this time making a louder noise against the hardwood floor. “Dad it’s that you.” I asked wanting to know as I feel myself tremble even more. But this time it wasn’t from the cold but from fear of what that sound might be. I took a deep breath and took even faster steps toward the kitchen.

I walked into the kitchen and turned on the light on the wall next to me and nothing was there. I looked and looked and still nothing. I feel a sudden gust of wind from behind me and turned around. “Hello.”I said in a shaky breathe and nothing. Silence surround all around me until a thud make jump and turned around. I breathe out when I realize it was the leaves of the tree moving against the wind hitting the window.

I smile in relief telling myself that I was been silly. When all of the sudden something cold as ice took a hold of me from the behind bringing me back close to its hard strength body. I tried to cried out but couldn’t when its hands were covering my mouth. I tried to break his hold but it was so much stronger more than humanly possible.

Then I feel something wet caressing my neck that I feel a deep sense of fear underneath my skin. Once more I tried to break the hold somehow I manage but was pulled back once more. Then something deep and pointy bit my neck. I scream in pain under my predators hand as I feel tears flowing out of my eyes. As seconds pass by, something hit me this feel familiar, maybe a little too familiar. I feel the cold gentle lips of my predator sucking my neck. Then something passed through my mind before I could stop it. What’s this thing sucking my blood?

Beep Beep Beep

I wake up breathing hard as I immediately sit upright and turned off the alarm clock. I move the covers aside as I feel myself shivering still feeling the fear of my dream. I walked toward my mirror and move my hair aside and nothing. No marks. No nothing. I breathe out as I shook my head still with my hand on the nape of my neck. I slowly stroke my neck then I reach up slowly and move my hair back then as I put my arms down. I looked down at the scar on my arm. The scar that I have as long as I could remembered. I touched it as I run my fingertips gently against the teeth marks and it was cold. Ice cold.

Without a warning, the door of my room swung open and my dad came in standing in the doorway. I turned around to face him trying my best to change the expression on my face from a terrifying one to a calm one.

“Everything okay?” he asked concern eyeing me up and down. So much for fooling my dad, I should have known he knew and read me like an open book.

“Yeah.” I said while nodding my head trying my best again to sound honestly.

He walked into my room and toward me. “You look kind of pale. Are you running a fever?” He asked as put his open palm on my forehead.

I pulled his hand away. “No fever, dad. Bad dream.” I said one hundred positively.

“Oh. Want to talk about it?” he asked looking at me curiously.

“I rather not, it was way too weird and I don’t really remember it.”

“Ok. I’ll see you downstairs for breakfast.”

“Ok.”

He walked out of my room looking back at me then close the door behind him. I breathe out feeling relief.

Minutes later, I ran my fingers through my wet hair as I took a cold shower to wake me up. What was this dream about? I couldn’t help but wonder about the familiar feeling then went right through me as soon as I feel that thing bit my neck. My skin started shaking and I put my hand on the wall to keep myself in balance. I lay my head against the wall hugging myself as my head started spinning in circles. I wanted to know what this was. What this some sort of memory of what happened to me? Was I finally remembering things that happened to me years ago.

“Oh god, please help me.” I said praying to find the strength to find the answers to everything.

As I finished getting dress for school I noticed that the window of my room was still open. I walked toward it and close it then locked it. I took one looked of myself in the mirror. I was wearing jeans with black converse sneakers and red shirt and my hair was down. I breathe out then pick up my book bag from my computer desk chair and walked out of my room right down the stairs into the kitchen.

“Chocolate chip waffles.” My dad announce proudly and smiling as he put a plate with the tree waffles on my place on the table.

“Aren’t we a little too old for these?” I asked as I pour syrup on the them and then took a bite out of one.

“No way.”

I laugh at that then stand up and walked toward the cabinet and put out two cups of glass and then open the refrigerator and fill them with milk. I walked toward the table where my dad was seated eating his breakfast. I put one cup in front of him and I sit back down on my chair and continue eating my breakfast.

“So, how is school?” he asked wanting to know as he looked over at me a few minutes later.

“It’s going great. Mr. Fallows said he was looking forward from more of my art work this year.” I said looking up at him.

He smile at that which it made me smile too.

“That’s good. I can’t wait either.”

“Maybe I’ll draw a picture of you in your eighties.” I said teasing him.

“Please don’t. I am 42 years old. I am not even near it yet. So spare me details, will you?”

“Whatever you say, dad.” I said holding my laughter.

After we were done and clean the dishes we both walked out the house together and headed toward our cars together.

“So I’ll be a little late tonight. Will you be okay at home alone?” he asked as he pulled out his car keys from his jeans pocket.

“Yeah, I am not a little girl, anymore, dad.” I said reminding him hitting the button to unlocked the door of my car. I open it and when I was about to step inside the car.

“You will always be my little girl, Hayley.” He said in honestly fatherly tone and I shook my head somehow feeling embarrassed and somehow happy because he was my dad and I love him very much.

“Aw, dad.” I said walking toward him and hug him really tight.

“I love you, sweetie.” He said as he hug me back then kiss my cheek.

“I love you too.” I said as I pulled away from my hug then wave good bye as he walked toward his car and open his door but before stepping inside he wave good bye then he step inside and drove away.

I walked back toward my car, step inside and drove away from the opposite direction that my dad went reminding myself to cook dad favorite dinner tonight mash potatoes with steaks and salad. Yum.

When I parked my car half hour later in the school parking lot and step out, I looked around for any sign of my friends when they landed on Reed who was leaning his back with his feet cross against the side of his car looking up at the sky with a bored expression on his face. He was wearing dark blue jeans with white shirt and black sneakers. At his appearance he made me feel breathless, sometimes I even wonder how did Reed manage to looked like incredible god like beautiful creature wearing just simple clothes that other guys couldn’t make look good.

I walked slowly toward him and open my mouth to said “Hi.” When all of the sudden he said “Hi Hayley.” Then he raise his head slowly and for the first time I notice the black sunglasses he was wearing were shielding his eyes from mine but somehow I could feel his eyes looking directly at me.

“Hi.”

“How are you?”

“Good.”

“Awesome.” He said with a devilishly smile on his face that made me smile.

He leaned his head back once again to look up and somehow I didn’t want any silence between us. It made me feel like he was mad or something.

“Is there anything I should apologize for?” I asked feeling shy of all the sudden wanting to know still looking directly at him.

He breathe out then raise his head then with his left hand remove his sunglasses. As soon as he did his beautiful eyes started glowing once the sunlight hit them locked into mine. It was like magnet pulling me in as soon as I stare into them. He raise his left eyebrow at me then smirk which I couldn’t help but blush a little. How did he even do it?

“I don’t know. It depends if you have done something naughty you like to talk to me about?” he said in a teasing tone.

I smile at that.

“It just yesterday you seem kind of angry when I asked you for a ride home.” I explained honestly.

“Please ignore my jackass attitude in the “near” future. It’s very common and rare at times. But no I wasn’t angry. I just didn’t want a ride home, Hayley. When I want one I’ll let you know first.” He said as he lay his head on his right hand while still leaning against his car.

I nodded at that. “Okay.”

After a few seconds of silence, I looked around and notice something was off. “Where is everyone?” I asked looking back at him.

“Inside. Eating breakfast.” He said with a bored expression once again.

“Aren’t you hungry?” I asked wanting to know that if he was that I could go with him.

“No, I am on a special diet.” He said with a sexy smile on his face looking directly at me almost if I was his food. His special diet.

Suddenly I felt a gust of wind move my hair and he stand up and slowly reach out with his left hand and move it back. As he did his fingertips gently touch my cheek sending shivers up and down my spine like an electric jolt just went through my whole body and I couldn’t move. He move even more closely as he fingertips trace down my cheek to my neck then down my shoulder pass my arm. He took a hold of it and slowly somehow without even looking manage to slowly pass his fingertips on my bite scar. At his touch something happened, something make my head spin around in circles almost as if I was dizzy.

Flashback

“No…No…no…please…don’t…” the little girl which was me said pleading with tears rolling down on her face in a dark room as something hold her arm in a tight hold. She tried to break her hold but couldn’t it was strong. Then he slowly reached down ignoring her attempts to break her hold and bite her arm as if he was hungry. Starving. He started sucking into her arm.

As seconds that seem to more than minutes, she started to feel faint when all of the sudden a gust of wind came into the room.

“What are you doing?”

The person that was harming her was pulled away from her in a second.

End of flashback

I suddenly feel myself fainting as my head started spinning in endless circles. I feel myself falling forward but two strong arms catch me and hold me.

“Hayley, are you okay?” Reed’s voice asked me but somehow I couldn’t hear it clearly.

I blink my eyes twice then looked at him. He was closely looking down at him with hard frown expression on his face but the emotions of his eyes show that he was concern whether he knew it or not.

“Are you okay?” he asked again wanting to know.

“What happened?” I asked wanting to know as he helped me to stand on my own two feet.

“You fainted.”

“I did.” I asked again wanting to make sure that I heard right.

“Yeah, do you want me to take you to the nurse?” he asked wanting to know pulling away from me as I finally manage to stand on my own.

I shook my head not liking the idea at all. “No, I am fine. It will pass. It just a headache that comes and goes whenever it wants.” I said trying my best to sound normal again but I guess it must have worked because Reed just nodded.

“Are you sure?” he asked again.

“Yeah.” I said smiling at him then started to turn away from him. “I’ll see you later, ok.” I said while looking at him walking away still feeling like a mess.

“Ok.”

“Ok.” I said smiling while looking away then when I looked away. I walked toward the front steps of the school still feeling dizzy.

I stop all of the sudden to take a deep breathe then to let it out slowly.

“What’s happening to me?” I asked to myself wanting to know.

I brush it off for the time being and walked up the stairs into the school building and walked toward my first class period. I sit down on my usual chair and lay down my head in my arms waiting for the bell ring. It only pass like five minutes when it did.

“Hey Hayley.” Daren’s voice said close to me filling my ears with his rich sexy british accent.
I nodded my head still feeling the dizziness on my head.

“Are you okay?” he asked this time even more closely as I feel his breathe on my face. His hand touch my face gently and for some odd reason it helped. It was making my dizziness go away.

“I am now.” I said honestly as I open my eyes and looked Daren kneeling closely into my desk chair with his hand still on my cheek.

“You two are so cute?” Ashley Carter said in a cheerful voice as she looked from Daren to me.

Daren instantly looked annoyed. “Don’t you have anything else to do?”

“No.” she said smiling even more. Somehow I wish I have the strength to smack that silly grin off her face.

“Then get lost. No one wants you.” Daren said truthfully still looking and feeling annoyed.
Her eyes went wide open in shock then walked away toward her chair at the other end of the classroom.

Daren looked at me again stroke my cheek once more then moves to his chair behind me.

“Thank you.” I whisper feeling better at the touch that somehow took away my pain.

“You welcome.” He whisper too in the most sincere tone that I have heard him said to me.

I smile and breathe out as I put my head up and watched as Melanie walked into the classroom. She smile at me as soon as she saw me and walked toward the chair next to mine.

“Hi girly, how are you?” she said turning her body to face me while looking at me.

“I am okay. Now.” I said honestly as I looked at her. She was wearing jeans reaching her knees with a red shirt and black converse sneakers like me and her hair was down with curls. I smile at that as she looked from me to her clothes.

“Did we agree to match today? It’s not twin day, is it?” she asked with a frown on her face.

I chuckle at that. “Nope, it’s not.”

“Don’t worry, ladies. I still think you guys looked hot.” Daren said looking from me to her leaning closer to us in his chair. He wink at us and Melanie suddenly blush.

Somehow I felt like this was going to turned into something far more than friendship.

When class was over, I walked out of the classroom toward my second class. As I was almost there to the classroom, I walked into someone’s way. I looked and found out it was the boy from yesterday.

“Sorry.” I said feeling horrible that I wasn’t paying attention around me.

“It’s okay. Maybe tomorrow we will get it right.” he said smiling in a friendly way.
I looked at him and noticed that he was tall reaching six feet athletic build body with dark brown spiky hair and deep brown eyes along with soft tan skin.

“I am Casey.” He said introducing himself as he hold out his hand toward mine.

“Hayley.” I said smiling shaking his head.

“Nice to meet you.” He said then pulled his hand away.

“Same here.”

He shook his head.

“Do you need help?” I asked wanting to know. He looked kind of lost.

“Um, no. Not really but thanks.” He said as his eyes met mine once more.

“Okay. See you around.” I said then walked by him and walked into my class.

“See you.” I hear him said then breathe out somehow in disappointment. I stop myself in my tracks and turned around to face him once more but he was already walking away disappearing in the crowd. Somehow I felt like I was disappointed for some odd reason. I breathe out feeling confused then walked away continue making my way to the class.

The rest of the day pass more quickly than I thought possible and the next thing I knew I walked into my house closing the door behind me. I put my keys on the crystal red bowl on the table by the door. I walked up the stairs heading to my room wanting to get an early start on my homework.

At almost 7:15 pm I close my AP Calculus book and looked at the clock on my computer desk. I breathe out deciding to start getting dinner ready. I walked down the stairs barefoot and walked into the kitchen. I open the fridge and started my search for the steaks. I bump my head against the cold door when I couldn’t find one.

“Ow.” I said rubbing my head feeling the cold of ice when I hit my head. I walked out of the
kitchen and grab my keys on the table next to the door and walked out of the house locking
the door behind me.

I drove to the grocery store within minutes I arrive and headed inside. Once inside I headed toward the meat section and pick one pack of steaks after carefully looking through them. then I walked to the cashier available.

“Hey Hayley, how are you today, hon?” Mrs. Garcia asked me in politely friendly manner like
always.

“Good, how are you?” I said smiling at her as she scan the price of the meat.

“I am good. I see your cooking for your dad tonight.” She said as I handed her 20 dollar bill.

“Yeah, he is going to be a little late tonight.” I said as I packed the meat in one of the plastic bags.

“I am sure he will like it.”

“Well, I hope so.” I said as I took the change and put it on my pocket and started to walked away.

“Take good care of yourself. It’s very dark out there tonight.” She said in a motherly concern
tone.

“I will. Good night and take good care of yourself.” I said assuring her that I will be okay and waving good bye. After one last smile from her, I walked out of the store to my car.

I walked toward my car slowly as I looked around me. It was very dark and it was only 7:30 pm. I breathe out then suddenly panicked when I noticed two male figures next to my car.

I stop myself immediately as I looked more closely.

“Hey baby, it’s this your car?” one of them asked and from the tone of voice I suddenly realize that they were drunk.

“Do you mind if we have ride home?” the other one asked as they both walked toward me.

I started walking backwards as I keep my eyes on them. They were both seriously drunk and I think they didn’t even knew what they were doing.

“Oh come on, baby don’t be shy. We won’t bite.” The first one said.

Then out of nowhere as if it was meant to be, he appear in front of me almost too fast for me to see anything clearly.

“Reed.” I whisper to myself as his back stood in front of me.

“But I will if you lay one hand on her.” Reed said eyeing them deadly serious and somehow to me his words carrying a double meaning behind them.

I stood behind Reed not knowing what to do but at the same time I couldn’t help but wonder how did he even knew that I was here? How did he even manage to appear out of nowhere?

“We’ll we saw her first.” The man who spoke to me first said not showing any fear toward Reed.

“Really.” Reed said in a playful tone as if he was playing a game but somehow this game was kind of like the cat and mouse. The hunter and the prey and somehow that scare me.

Then all of the sudden both men cringe back and run away like the devil appear right in front of them.

“How did you…” I started to asked when I finally feel like I could breathe again.

Reed turned to face me. “Do you even know that it’s not safe for you to walk alone at night?” he asked and his expression told me that he was angry. Was he angry at me or with me?

“I was heading to my car.” I said pointing at my car a few feet away behind him.

“And.”

I suddenly feel myself moving back at his angry expression.

“You are mad at me.” I said knowing that deep down my heart it was true.

He breathe out then shook his head as he move his hair back with his right hand.

“Don’t do it again.” He said as if it was a warning of some sort then when I shook my head feeling terrified at his sudden attitude toward me. He breathe out once more. “I am sorry, Hayley. I didn’t mean to yell at you. Just don’t go out alone especially at night.” His said softly almost as if it was a whisper.

“Why?” I asked wanting to know staring up at him.

“Hmm. Let just say that I am not the most scary thing out there.” He said with dark distant expression reflecting on his eyes.

“You don’t scare me, Reed.” I said positively while walking toward him.

He looked at me and then his eyes locked with mine. His were reflecting confused and disbelieving at my confession and mine where reflecting honesty that much I knew. I reach out with my right hand to touch him and he suddenly move out of my reach. I put my hand down as I feel rejection washing over me then I shook my head not wanting him to looked at me this way.

“Just be careful.” He said then when I looked up again he had vanished in the thin air. Somehow I wasn’t surprise. He had that affect. That affect and something was telling that whole lot more power over me.

An hour later when I was about to finished dinner for my dad he walked in.

“Hey pumpkin.” He said as he put down his bag on the safa and headed toward the kitchen. “Umm smells good.”

“Yeah, I made your favorite. I figure since you will be coming in late that I decided to cook your favorite dinner.” I said as I put the set the clean plates on the table.

“Well thank you very much.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You have to try it first.”

“I am sure it will be great. Your cooking is always is.” He said smiling as he wash his hands on the sink.

“Thanks, dad.” I said smiling somehow feeling better since part of me was fighting in how to deal with Reed’s rejection toward my touch.

When I lay in bed that night writing in my diary about the dream that I had about how familiar and terrifying it was at the same time. How about how Melanie and I were wearing the same thing today? Well almost. How Daren touched made my dizziness went away as if it was never even there in the first place? About meeting Casey? How Reed was beginning to be something more in my life? I breathe out as soon as I was done and close it. I put it in the nightstand next to my bed and then open the drawer and pulled out Reed’s drawing. I looked at him. He looked so real. Almost like a god coming from another world. He was dark and mysterious. Rebel and sexy. I slowly trace with my fingertip his face. He was so masculine and so unnatural. Almost human. My heart started beating faster as I remember the way he catch me this morning when I was feeling faint. I smile at the thought. Somehow I knew that he was hiding something. But what was it? And the dream. The strange but familiar dream of that thing sucking my blood. What was that all about? Was it a memory? I pushed the thoughts away and layed down in bed and turn off the light. Tomorrow was another day for new answers haunting my past and part of knew my future was involved as well?