Taehyung was munching on his pizza but his eyes were glued to the TV screen.
Ashley smiled at the sight. He was eating like a child. A little sauce was smeared beside his lips.
Ashley almost went to wipe that off him but suddenly stopped.

She sighed and called, "Tae?"

"Hmmm?" Taehyung still wasn't looking at her. The TV screen captured all his attention.

"You have sauce beside your mouth."

"Hmm," Taehyung agreed and reached for the tissue box on the table in front of him without even looking at it.

Ashley handed him the box. He took it and wiped the sauce off his mouth.
Ashley smiled. He was so innocent.

She remembered earlier the night. He didn't like the idea of a horror movie. Nor did Ashley. She was just playing with him. Apparently, he was scared of ghosts!!

Who thought this big kid was scared of nothing but ghosts?? He didn't believe in ghosts, but was scared of it anyway!

But he ultimately agreed to it.
It was pouring outside. A little unusual for late autumn. Ashley wrapped the blanket around her a little more. It was getting chilly.
The room was dark. But it was flashing brightly from time to time with the lightning outside.

A wet, sweet chilly wind was carrying the mild scent of jacaranda through the open window. Sounds of raindrops outside with the low sound from the TV was creating a distinguished aura.

Ashley concentrated on the screen.
But the boy sitting beside her in the dimmed blue light coming from the tv was distracting enough.

He was perfect in every sense.

Why would a boy like him want her?
She is no match for him!
She never considered herself worthless or lower than anyone, never let her self-esteem go down for mere looks or anything. She was a confident and positive person.
But they both were from a very different world.

They might have shared their perspective or thoughts a lot, but still, they were different.

She didn't think that she doesn't deserve him. But looking at his world, it seemed like there was beauty beyond imagination waiting for him.

She was worthy, but others were more compatible than her. Beauty, smartness, skills, or everything anyone could just imagine could be his if he wanted back in his world. Lots of celebrities, media personnel, or anyone.
They were way more beautiful than her, they had way more understanding of his world than her, way more connected to the passions they share, be that music, dance, arts whatever.

And here she was, a simple nerdy girl who was excellent at her work and that was all. Nothing more, nothing less.
So why would he like her? Does it even matter anyway?

Ashley came back to reality with Taehyung looked back at her with widened eyes. The end credits were shown on the screen.
"It wasn't horror! You lied!"

"You liked it?" Ashley smiled.

"I loved it!!" Taehyung's expression was in awe.

Ashley thought so too. Whiplash was her one of the most favorite movie too.

"I am now up for a horror definitely!" Ashley chuckled.

"Don't you dare do that," Taehyung pouted annoyingly.

"Awwww...are you scared?" Ashley teased him.

"Yes, I am!" Taehyung frowned. "Don't you know the rainy nights are the scariest? It's already a horror movie!"

"Oh come on!" Ashley encouraged him, "I am not a horror fan either. But you won't get to see it in more appropriate weather."

"No way," Taehyung declared.

They both were seen to be seated again in front of the screen just ten minutes later though Taehyung bickered continuously.

It wasn't long but Taehyung was already within his blanket just peeking his face out.
Ashley was enjoying it more than she thought she would. She found it quite funny instead.
But she couldn't but flinch at some parts.

The story was interesting. Despite the horror effects, she was immersed in the movie for an hour almost.

"Are you watching, Tae?" Ashley checked.

She was feeling amused already seeing Taehyung almost jumped a few times earlier.
And her heart almost jumped out of her chest the next second with a jump scare.

"Oh god!" Ashley leaned back at the couch, "it really was a terrible idea!"

She looked again at the screen and had the second jump scare instantly.

"Ok, enough. I am done," Ashley turned off the tv with the remote.

But Taehyung was surprisingly calm. He didn't even flinch in the last two scenes. Ashley was suspecting something.
She peeked at his face which was covered in a blanket from his head leaving the eyes out only.
And those were closed forcefully. His hands were covering his ears too.
He wasn't watching it all and wasn't even aware of Ashley turning off the tv.

Ashley chuckled and touched his shoulder, "Tae?"

Taehyung jumped out of the couch screaming, scared to death with the mere touch.
Ashley crashed on her couch laughing her heart out.

"My God Tae!!!" she couldn't stop her laugh, "It's the greatest thing I've seen in such a long time!!"

Taehyung was still puzzled about what just happened.
He thumped down beside Ashley,
"You scared me."

"You were cheating," Ashley counter-attacked him.

Taehyung took her hand and placed it on his chest. " See, you could have give me a heart attack lady!"

Ashley felt the rapid beating heart under her palm. She thanked that there was not enough light to see her already reddened face.
She gently pulled away from her hand and chuckled lightly, "and I was a doctor here to treat you!!!"

It was already near dawn when Taehyung woke up suddenly. The horror movie was not a good idea. He couldn't sleep well and that was enough to wake him up from a little unusual sound.
He tried to hear something and there it was again.
He was scared, but he went out of his room. It was a sound of a whimper? Or cry? What was that?
Taehyung stood there in silence to get used to the milky darkness around.
He heard that sound again and he was sure it came from Ashley's room.

He hesitated for a second but entered her room just after hearing the painful cry again. Was she hurt somehow?

He switched on the bedside lamp carefully. No, she was still asleep. But the pillow was already wet with her tears which were still flowing from the corner of her eyes. Was she dreaming?

Taehyung carefully touched her hands, "Ash....are you ok?"

The next very moment he discovered himself pinned to the bed with his hand twisted towards his back with Ashley's knees pressuring on his neck. She was as quick as lightning!

It was utterly painful and Taehyung could feel his shoulder joint twitched causing the shooting pain throughout his body. He couldn't breathe.

"Ash... it's me... it's me, Tae," Taehyung shouted as hard as he could vigorously tapping her thigh pressed against his back with his free hand.

There was a moment of pause and Ashley suddenly got away from his body.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" Ashley exclaimed with a totally puzzled look.
Taehyung grabbed his shoulder with his uninjured hand and looked at her.
Her face was full of fear and sorrow with awake eyes still glossy with tears.

"I am so sorry, Tae," Ashley again said apologetically, "I thought you were someone else."

Taehyung reached for her face and wiped her eyes, "I came to see if everything was ok. You were crying."

"It just.....some nightmares," Ashley sighed and went down from her bed,
"put off your shirt, you might need a bandage around your shoulder."

Ashley came back with the first aid box a few minutes later, "I said take it off Tae. Let me see it."

She helped him take off the t-shirt he was wearing and checked the injured hand. She proceeded to wrap a crepe bandage around his shoulder and silently muttered, "You shouldn't have come in. It could be worse."

"You know some moves!" Taehyung teased through his greeted teeth.

" Karate, 3rd-degree black belt," Ashley said again with a calm voice,
"been learning it for past few years."

"Remind me if I ever get on your wrong side," Taehyung chuckled.

Ashley didn't answer. She quietly finished up her work and again muttered, "I am sorry."

"I am ok," Taehyung smiled reassuringly. "You should go back to sleep."

"Good night, Tae."

Taehyung quickly placed a small peck on her cheek and got up, "good night."

Taehyung couldn't sleep the rest of the night. Does this girl go through her nightmares every day?
She seemed to be stuck in those dark days and living the same old nightmares every day.

He saw the inhumane fear in her eyes and the blankness afterward. It was painful. How could he make her dreams beautiful again?? Was it possible even?