Chapter 25: His Other Side

His Other Side

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"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

-Maya Angelou

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"Stop! Please, stop chasing me!" I shouted at the man who was after me. He was wearing a black hoodie; his face was all black and he was holding a very long ax.

My feet started to feel numb after running for hours. It went on and on and I'm already running around in this seemingly endless empty black space in circles. 

If this is a nightmare, I hope it would be gone!

I really want to wake myself up but I couldn't. The nightmare is preventing me from doing it.

My mind was in total mess that I suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Oh crap, I can't stand up! It feels like something heavy was weighing me down, making my limbs numb from the pain it was causing me like it was real.

On impulse, I glanced back at the man, and there he is, already standing right in front of me. He raised the ax so high, the muscle on his arms bulging and contracting, and was about to swing it on me when I closed my eyes. 

Nothing came.

The presence of the man was gone, all gone and I suddenly felt relaxed. Why has my nightmare become like this? Become this worse? I inhaled a ton of air and suddenly heard something.

A hum.

The hum was angelic, deep, and throaty. It was beautiful to listen to and I would be glad to listen to it all day. 

I moved closer to where the voice was coming from, squeezing myself into something hard and warm. The humming stopped so I pouted. I shifted again but it seems to me that there is something heavy on top of my stomach, making it harder to move. I inhaled, capturing the intoxicating scent that was starting to become my favorite.

Mint and vanilla. 

Wait. Does this mean...?

I opened my eyes, adjusting to the dark, and slowly glanced up. The sight in front of me wanted me to squeak but I controlled myself and bit my lower lip, inhaling sharply and blinked numerous times. It is really him. It's...

Neal.

He was closing his eyes, lips parted. His fingers were caressing my hair gently and his right arm was tightly wrapped around my waist while I lay my head on his other arm.

He was so peaceful to look at. 

I don't really know and understand why I wasn't bothered. What's bothering me is that the position we are in right now felt really nice. It felt so satisfying being held in his arms. It was like he was the lock and I was the key that was made perfectly just for him. 

It felt like home.

I deeply sighed and stared at him. So he was the person doing all this, comforting me every time I'm having nightmares. The feeling of being safe and secured. 

It was all his doing.

Waking up late at night just to check up on me and chase my bad dreams away. And yet, I have been accusing him on my mind that time, where I saw him in my nightmare. How cruel of me to think of that. 

A sudden feeling of guilt crept up to me as I continued to look at Neal's gentle and angelic face.

But why? Why is he doing this when he doesn't have to? Is it because he already has feelings for me? 

No. That's impossible. Maybe he's doing it just because he felt pity for me. Yeah, that's it. I'll think of it that way. 

A man like Neal Valastro would never fall for someone as lame and plain as me. But even so, why would I care? Even if he did, I should not care. This isn't my priority. I'm just riding with the waves and see where it would take me. 

"Sigh."

I closed my eyes for a minute and stared at him again. His eyes were closed and his warm breath was brushing my forehead. Somehow, I wanted to touch his face. I want to run my digits into his silky hair, brush his long and dark eyelashes, his long nose, his lips, and his cheeks with my fingers.

Should I? Maybe this will be the first and last time that I can do this so there shouldn't be a problem, would it? 

My heart starts to beat a little faster at the thought. I raised my hand reluctantly up in mid-air, thinking if this is a very good idea and should stop but did it anyway and rested my hand on top of his head. His shoulders tensed up ever so slightly, his hand stopped from brushing my hair while his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, sending a weird feeling on my stomach. 

I started moving my hand, my fingers feeling the soft and lush locks brushing between my digits. He exhaled and relaxed. I continued what I was doing, enjoying the moment as if I had all the time in the world.

My fingers went trailing down to his cheek, slightly brushing them with my thumb. Still can't get enough of it, my thumb brushed the tip of his eyelashes when my fingers flinched when he abruptly opened his eyes.

We stared at each other, no one daring to say anything that could make the situation more awkward than it already is. His deep green eyes glowed beautifully in the dark as it gazed at me, piercing through my soul and into the depths of my heart. 

He moved closer, the tips of our nose touching each other. He closed his eyes and with his weary and soft voice he whispered, "continue what you're doing."

I looked at him with disbelief. 

My ears couldn't believe what he just said. Is this really Neal? Or is it because he is only exhausted that he is already saying something that he has no idea of? 

I mean, if this is happening, and even if that is the only reason, wouldn't it be a waste if I won't do it? Because if I'd think about it, if I would refuse, then there will be little chances that he wouldn't let me do this again, right?

So, why not?