Faking Smiles

I'm running.

I'm panting.

I'm screaming.

I don't know why I can't stop.

I don't know why I can't look back.

I don't know why I'm so scared.

I trip over a branch and fall to the ground. I notice that I'm in the woods. It's dark and I can't see anything.

How did I get here?

The next thing I know, I'm being picked up and someone is throwing me over their shoulder. I stop screaming, but I'm still so scared. Somehow, I know that something bad is happening. I just have a really bad feeling.

I'm thrown onto the floor of some cabin in the middle of nowhere and look into the face of the person who has taken me.

Dad?

I wake up in a sweaty heat with my throat noticeable dry.

"Rose? What's wrong?" I look to my left and see Oliver sitting next to me, right outside my bunk. "You were thrashing and screaming. What happened?"

I crawl out of my bunk and into his arms. That's when I realize I'm crying.

We stay in that position for a long time. He keeps his arms around me and rubs my back while I let the tears fall into his shoulder.

The next thing I know, I wake up back in my bunk. The thing that's different is that I have arms around me, Oliver's arms. I start to get up, but his arms just tighten around me and eventually I just give up and get resettled with my head on his chest. It's actually really comfy.

I know when we both get up, I'm going to have some explaining to do and I'm definitely not looking forward to that.

Last night was terrible. I haven't had a nightmare involving my father in a long time and I was starting to get use to it. I hope these don't start to reoccur that often. I'd rather not explain this all to Oliver.