Sunflower Fields

My favorite part of coming home to her was the way she swung her hips when she thought no one was around. She just looked so carefree, like nothing in the world could hurt her if she had a good song blasting through the speakers always plugged into the kitchen wall. "We'll name our children Jackie and Wilson raise em on rhythm and blues." The music filled the air as she spun with a spatula in her hand. I couldn't help but giggle.
"Baby! You're home!" She flung her arms around me, tomato sauce dripping down my back. Her lips found my neck. "Dinner's almost ready. I made spaghetti. Spicy just like you like it, Cass."
I brushed her hair back and smiled. She looked so happy I almost didn't want to tell her. "Ara, this isn't real." Her face fell. "I'm dreaming..."
"Cass, this isn't a dream. This is our future." She leaned forward and her soft lips found mine. “Don’t stop fighting for me, Cassia…”

I sat up in bed slowly, a sigh escaping my mouth. I'd never had dreams so vivid. I could smell her and feel the sauce drip against me. I pressed my fingers against my lips, deep in thought. I didn't know what to think. Part of me wanted to brush it off as just what it was, a dream. But the other part of me... I shook my head, climbed out of bed and tugged on my clothes. I wanted to get to school early to talk to Wyatt. I wanted to know what he thought of Mal.
"You're here really early." Wyatt laughed as I strode down the dark halls. I smiled and tossed my bag against the locker and sank down next to it.
"Well I had to get here before Ara. I needed to ask you something."
"Okay, but if you're about to say you're in love with me my answer is no. You're not really my type, Cass." I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, Wyatt, how will I go on?" We both laughed. "But no... What do you think Of Mal?" He looked up from his phone for the first time since I sat down.
"I think he fucking hurts her and so does everyone else."
We looked at each other for a long time, what felt like hours before Ara walked in eyes on the ground. I stood up and grabbed my bag before she could sit. "Ara, can I talk to you alone?"
"Okay." We walked around the corner.
"I know you're mad at me right now but I know what he's doing. We all see it. If you're scared we can find some help."
"Wait... We? Who's we?" She snapped, ignoring the rest of what I said.
"Wyatt, the other's from the table, we're all really worried about you." I took a deep breath.
"You've been talking to MY friends about me? You have no right." Her voice was getting louder.
"Ara, we're all friends. We just don't want to see Mal hurt you any more than he already has."
" Friends? We're not friends. If we were really friends you would trust me. I know what I'm doing. He needs me, Cassia. He needs me to save him." She pushed me.
"But who's going to save you, huh? Who's going to save you when he hurts you more than a bruise?"
"Just stay the fuck out of it. It's my life and as of right now, you're not a part of it." She stormed off as I fought back tears.
"I want to save you..." I whispered to the space she used to fill. I leaned back against the dark blue lockers and took a deep breath, trying to steady the tears.