Being in Love Is Never Easy

By: Sailorjj07

11. Sleeping Is Never Easy

A/n: I cannot believe it's taking me this long...I am SOO sorry you guys. I really am. I work on tryna finish this so yall aren't going insane cause of me.

Disclaimer: I do not own!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Actions

(Me!)

There was someone in her room.

Natalie shot up in bed, and looked towards her window. Someone was in her room with her.

"Natalie..."

"Who is it?"

"You know who it is, wench. Why are you talking to him?"

"I can talk to whomever I want. You have no control over me!" Natalie pushed herself further up against the wall and reached behind her. She had a flashlight under her pillow; it was always there.

"I have no control? Hahaha! You wish."

"Shut up!" Natalie reached for her flashlight and flicked it on with a click, her eyes widening as she saw Dex.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be."

Natalie shuddered as "Dex" took a step closer to her bed, and fought the urge to faint. Something was so very wrong with this picture.

"You're not real."

"You're joking right? Of course I'm real."

"You killed yourself!"

"And I came back from the dead." His smirk was toothy; was he a vampire or something now?

"This is all just a dream!"

"Natalie, why are you trying to convince yourself, honey?"

"Shut up!"

"Come here."

"No, get away from me!" Natalie was pressed up against the wall behind her bed now, resisting the urge to scream. She knew her voice was getting louder and louder, but at this point she didn't really care.

And where was Nadalia? Surely she would've woken up by now.

"No! No! No! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"Natalie! NATALIE, WAKE UP!"

Nadalia pressed her face to the computer screen, and tried to see as far into the corner of Natalie's room as she could. Natalie was thrashing about from side to side, bumping her head against the wall and nearly screaming. Nadalia knew Mom would hear her soon, and she didn't know if it would be good for her to find her.

"Natalie, please! I know you can hear me!"

Nadalia watched as some of Natalie's shaking calmed, but knew that if someone didn't wake her soon, she would go right back to where she was.

Nadalia knew she had to take extreme measures.

"Natalie, help is on the way...I promise."

The Next Day

He was in every corner. Every single corner that Natalie looked in, she saw him; she saw Dex waiting for her, laughing at her, and taunting her. It was all she ever thought about these days, and she jumped at the slightest noise.

"Nate?"

Natalie jumped slightly and then turned grinning sheepishly at Maylu. Lan gave her an odd look as he stood near them, with his arm around Maylu.

"Heh. Ummm, yes?"

"What's up?"

Natalie laughed nervously, "Nothing much. I was just about to start on my homework actually."

"Your homework? Nate, its freakin' lunchtime. You're kidding, right?" Lan couldn't believe it. Who would do homework earlier than it was needed?

"No, Lan. I'm a little behind since my little episode and I don't like that."

Maylu looked at Yai and both girls looked at her skeptically. Finally, Yai spoke up, "Natalie, are you eating right?"

"What? Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be eating right?"

"Oh, I dunno cause you're depressed?" Yai gave Natalie a disapproving look before handing her half of her bento box. "Eat, Natalie. And don't tell me no or I'll be angry with you."

Natalie chuckled nervously, "You wouldn't really get angry at me, would you?"

"Yes I would. Now eat!" Yai pointed at the food in front of Natalie and waited for her to start, handing her chopsticks too.

"Ok, ok. I'm eating, sheesh."

Natalie picked over the food, eating the wieners first before she moved onto the curry and fruit. Yai sat and watched her eat it, until all of the food was gone. Then she took the empty tray away from her, satisfied with Natalie's performance.

"Good. Now you can work on your homework, if you really want to."

Natalie shook her head, "No, that's ok." The purple eyed girl looked away from her friends' faces, pushing her hair out of her face before heaving a loud sigh.

"Where's Nadalia?"

Natalie looked down at her empty PET, tempted to sigh all over again. "She had to go run errands for Mom or something like that. I tried to ask Mom exactly what it was, but Mom wasn't at home when I left for school."

"Has she said anything to you since she left?"

"Nope, but I'm not too worried. Nadalia's a strong girl; she can almost take care of herself."

"Almost?" Maylu asked, bouncing her baby girl up and down on her knee.

"Yes almost, because everyone could use help from their friends," Natalie said, smiling widely at the group around her. Each one nodded (except Chaud, of course) and Maylu hugged her newest friend.

"You're definitely learning, Natty. You're definitely learning."

That Night

Natalie wished she could definitely learn how to sleep without screaming to wake her parents. Natalie found herself in the same position as she was the night before, except this time her flashlight was already on, and she shined the beam in every corner she heard a single sound it. She was going to catch him coming into her room.

"I know you're out there." Natalie whispered to herself, pushing herself into spot on her bed that was farthest away from the window. She shined her light back and forth, from one window to the next, and at both doors.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

This time he was sitting on the edge of her bed, mocking her as she shined the flashlight on him. He didn't even budge, but Natalie could feel his weight sitting on her covers. Natalie covered her mouth to keep from screaming, sitting rigid as she could.

"You won't take me alive."

"What're you gonna do? Kill yourself? I've done that before and trust me; it doesn't hurt after your dead."

"Go away!"

"But why? I want to be close to you, Natalie..." His voice was convincing and scary; Natalie could hear every breath he took as he sat on her bed.

"No! I don't want you near me! NO! STAY AWAY!"

"Natalie! Natalie, calm down!" The rushed whisper was calming almost, but the hand over her mouth made her scream all over again.

"Natalie! Honey! Stop screaming. Its ok, Natty. It's ok."

Two arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a solid chest...and the scent reminded her so much of Tory it was abnormal.

"It's alright. I'm here now. I'm right here, ok? Everything will be alright." Natalie could feel tears coming to her eyes. Even the voice sounded like Tory, but she knew it was only a dream. A bad dream gone good, but still a dream nonetheless.

Tears pooled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks like miniature rivers and still Natalie refused to open them. She was afraid to wake up; afraid to realize that this wasn't real either.

The person began to rock her slowly, from side to side, running hands through her hair and down her back, over and over again.

"Shhhh, its ok, Natty. I'm here. It's ok."

Natalie continued to cry because she knew this wasn't real. She knew no one was actually making her feel better and that fact alone scared her almost as much as seeing Dex did.

"Open your eyes, Natty. Look at me." The rocking stopped, and the voice near her ear moved slightly further away. With a slight whimper at being removed from her comfort, Natalie opened her eyes, still wanting to cry.

But what she saw brought another type of tears to her eyes.

"Tory." It was a soft, breathless whisper, and more tears began to stream down the young girl's face. Natalie cried in earnest, pushing herself against Tory so that there was no space between them as she cried all over him.

And all he did was smile and rub her back, speaking only a few comforting words now and again.

Natalie had no idea how Tory got there or how long he would be there for, but one thing Natalie did know...

She was glad to have Tory back.

End Chapter 11