I hear little whimpering noises from the stunning blonde sleeping next to me. I hold her tight, trying to wake her from the bad dream I can see she's having.
"Paige…Paige baby, wake up " I kiss her gently on her neck.
She wakes up with a gasp. I can feel her heart beating a million miles a minute.
" Paige, are you ok? What were you dreaming about?" I ask. I can hear the concern in my voice.
"N…Nothing. Don't worry about it. It's fine", she replies. Her voice cracks, and I can hear her crying very quietly.
I brush a tear away from her cheek, and hold her even tighter. I was so worried. I hated seeing her upset.
"Paige, please tell me. You've got me really worried over here".
"Alex…there's something you don't know about me. Something that happened to me awhile ago. I…I don't know how to tell you. I hate talking about it," she says, and her sobs get a little louder.
"Oh baby, please tell me. I can handle it, I promise," I say in my gentlest voice, kissing her cheek.
" Promise?" she asks, sounding like a scared little girl. It breaks my heart.
"Cross my heart" I answer.
"Ok…well, a couple of years ago, I went to a party. There was this guy there I liked. He was a little older than me, but no biggie, right? So anyway, we were in his room, and he…and he..." she trails off, unable to finish.
Oh god…please don't let it be what I'm thinking. Please don't tell me he hurt my beautiful girlfriend like that.
"He what, Paige?" I ask softly, struggling to keep the panic out of my voice.
"He raped me", she finishes, her voice barely audible. With that, her sobs become loud, and she seems unable to stop.
Oh god. Poor Paige. What do I say to a confession like that?
"Oh baby… you poor, poor thing. How dare he. What a bastard..." Suddenly I realise that my cheeks are wet as well.
Paige must have heard my voice crack, and between sobs, asks "Alex, are you okay?"
"I just… I just don't understand how, or why anyone would want to hurt you, my beautiful, talented, amazing girlfriend, like that." I figure if I don't tell her all this now, then when will I?
" Oh Alex…" she says softly, her sobs quietening a little. "For all your 'I'm so badass' crap, you're one of the sweetest girls I know"
I smile, pleased that her mind is wandering away from that awful memory. I just had to see if I can get her to not think about it.
" I kind of have to be around you. You, Miss Michalchuk, make me sweet" I tell her with a little laugh.
Paige gives a little laugh. Perfect. This is what I want. Forget about that bastard. I sit up and stroke her gorgeous blond tresses. She rests her head in my lap. I kiss her forehead gently, wishing I could kiss away all the pain I can see in her blue eyes, and the wetness I can see on her soft cheeks. She tugs at my hair gently, bringing my lips to hers.
"Haha, spider-man kiss," I say after we break off.
"This is an interesting angle to see you from, Alex. You still look awesome, though", she says, her voice deceptively nonchalant.
"Oh really? I bet you have an awesome view of my boobs, hey?" I say with a laugh, before leaning down to kiss her forehead again.
"You know, you really are beautiful, Alex. And don't laugh it off, because I'm serious," she says with a heartbreaking amount of honesty. I know she's afraid I don't feel the same way about her.
"So are you, baby," I tell her softly, trying to put all the love I feel into that short sentence.
"Alex, I love you. Do you know that?" Wow…that was unexpected.
"I do, Paige. And I love you too. More than you can imagine," I tell her, allowing my façade to break. I see an enormous grin stretch across her face, and laugh at her cuteness. I lean down and give her another spider-man kiss.
"Do you feel better now, Paige?' aware that once again the concern is in my voice. She was such a damsel in distress, and I was her lady in shining armor. I just wanted to protect her and love her.
"Yeah…you always make me feel better," she says with that sweet little smile of hers. She always managed to make me buckle at the knees and melt like a wax dummy. It was infuriating, sometimes. Her and her charm always managed to break me.
She sits up and faces me, her feet on either side of my hips. I take her hands in mine and kiss them gently.
"Ha, imagine if all the others saw you like this. I have you whipped, girlie" Paige says with a devilish grin.
I launch forward and pin her gently to the bed.
"If you tell anyone…" I begin, before I see a frightened look cross her big blue eyes. I sit back, remembering what we had just been talking about.
"Oh my god, Paige, I am so sorry...Paige?" She's propped up on her elbows, and she smiles.
"It's ok, Alex," she says, and with that we fall back to sleep in each other's arms, our bodies fitting like puzzle pieces together.