I startle awake, gasping.

I can't escape—he's holding me—no no no—let me go—

I let out a hard sob. "I-I didn't mean to—Please let me go," I cry, shielding myself. But Dad's holding me by my waist, and it's only a matter of time until he squeezes the life out of me.

My bodystarts trembling. I suck my sob back in, squirming out of his hold. When that doesn't work, I cry out again.

Please. Someone has to hear me. Just one person out of billions and I'll be so so so happy.

"Aaron—" I flinch, sobbing harder. I try again to escape, and this time I manage. I squirm away, shaking over my whole body and crying my lungs out.

I jump off the bed, collapse in the corner of the room and shield myself from Dad. My shoulders tremble along with my sobs, and I need them to stop. He can easily find me again, based on the loud cries I'm letting out.

When a shadow of a broad person lands on me, I flinch and press myself more into the wall. Please. Go away. Let it be over for today.

"Aaron, what's wrong? Bab—" "I can't handle more," I sob, hiding my face as I look over at him. It's dark in my room, but his broad figure is unmistakable against the faint streetlight coming through the curtains.

I drain out the voices as I rest my head on my knees. Who's he talking to? Are his friends here to beat me up, too?

"Seb, what's happening?"

"I have no idea, but he's freaking out."

"Step aside."

"I can handle it very well by myself, thank you."

"No, step aside. You're reminding him of a bad memory."

"I—why thank you so much, Ada."

"No, look at the scene you're creating! A muscled guy standing over a small boy, your shadow over him and all. Just step aside, please."

I sob. God, how I wish I could just teleport to Nina's—anyone's right now, really—arms and be safe. I just want to be safe. Is that too much to ask?

The shadow disappears and with that, part of the tension and panic in my head. I breathe out, blinking until I see more in the darkness. A smaller figure slowly makes their way to me, but it can't be Dad. It's not Nina either.

I catch sight of the floor and walls around me. That's not my wallpaper. I suck a breath in at the reality crashing down at me. I'm not at my parents's house. I'm not close to Dad. I'm not receiving any beating.

I'm safe. Happy, even, at some moments.

"Aaron?" Ada's soft voice is now closer. I blink up. Finally realize she's the smaller figure. "Can I switch the lights on?" she asks.

I nod, but realize she doesn't see that. "Y-yeah. S-sorry," I add, whispering. I hide my face in my hands. God, I'm such an idiot.

The light switches on, confirming my realization. Seb is standing a little further, watching me with wide eyes and chest heaving rapidly. Aiden is blinking at me from the bed, where Micah is also watching me with a shocked expression.

I wince. "I-I'm s-sorry, i-it's just—I'm s-sorry," I gasp, starting over and over again with apologizing. Gosh, this didn't mean to happen. Because I do feel safe with them. Safer than anywhere else.

Ada stops me harshly, pulling me to her roughly and keeping me tucked to her chest. I start nodding at her hushing words. Those soothing, soft and sweet nothings, which distract and calm me.

"Can I—" "Not now, Sebastian," Ada snaps, not even looking at him. I whimper, opening my eyes and looking at him over her shoulder. He seems frozen in place, eyes wide in horror and jaw slightly dropped.

"It's not his fault," I whisper, cuddling closer to Ada, who moves her fingers up and down my bad until I'm completely calm again. "It's not," she confirms, "but he's not helping, and I need him to stay there."

I blink against the heat in my eyes, trying to not start bawling like a baby. Of course, one glance at Seb's defeated eyes and I lose it.

My body starts trembling again, but not with fear. Not with panic or alarm. It's sadness and guilt.

I squirm away from Ada and run to Seb, my arms open in a hug as I sob desperately. He barely has time to open his before I crash into him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so—" "Say that one more time and I bawl," he threatens.

My head starts nodding. I suck in a deep breath again. "I-it's wasn't you—it was my nightmare. And I'm so used to sleeping alone I didn't expect any of you to hold me, so I panicked and assumed things. For that, I apologize," I whisper.

His eyes are still unsure, so I tuck away a strand of his hair and press a feather light kiss to his lips. "And I mean it," I add, retreating from the kiss and looking in his eyes again.

Those beautiful green eyes. They're so judging and intimidating to someone who doesn't know Sebastian. But for me, I see protectiveness and sweetness in them. Softness. They tell so much about him, yet so little. They tell me when he's upset, relaxed or tensed. They tell me when eh's doubting or one-hundred percent sure of something.

Yet, they don't tell me what exactly he's feeling. As of right now, is he still upset, or hiding it? Seb is good with that stuff. If he really puts effort in hiding things from anyone, his eyes get distant and hazy. Like mist clouding them and making it impossible to see through him.

Then he smiles, softly, gently, and presses another kiss to my forehead. "I trust you enough to tell me if something's wrong," he whispers, those gorgeous eyes softening around the edges and chasing any trace of something contrary to what I said.

"Aaron?" Micah interrupts our moment. I'm not mad, though. I give Seb another soft smile before turning to Micah and Aiden, still on the bed. "Can I get you anything? Some water? A hug? Perhaps some more strawberries?"

With the memories of strawberries and last night crashing down at me, the adrenaline subsides and leaves me with the same exhaustion as earlier. I wince when I see it's four am. That means I have three more hours of sleep before I have to get up, and those won't cover my tired limbs.

Aiden follows my gaze and gives me a smile. A smile. Aiden rarely smiles. He mostly smirks. but his smile? A thousand times more beautiful. It's the accent missing in his stunning face. It softens the sharp edges of his jaw and the glaring eyes, replacing them with little lights of joy.

"Today is an off day. You can sleep and rest as much as you'd like." My body collapses on the bed, curling up and locking down immediately. I can barely keep my eyes open, but there's two people missing on the freaking bed.

Micah notices my frown and kisses it away, covering my hands with his much bigger ones. I watch it with fascination. He has veins. I love veiny hands. Maybe it's because they're Micah's veins.

"I love your hands," I mumble, blinking against the sleep and starting to get into a rambly mode. So what I'm losing sleep? I can sleep the whole day!

Seb and Ada join in the bed, telling me to go to sleep, but oops! Too late! I'm wide awake, gushing over the hoodie I'm wearing. "Oh my God, this time it's white! I better be careful, because I'm really messy with eating and stuff. Stuf like . . . like . . . "I frown, not remembering any things I do that are messy.

"Painting?" Aiden offers. I smile, giving him a grateful look. "Yes! I'm the worst at painting, too. I'm also really bad at talking to people, but you're all very social so when we go out for a date, you order for me? Please?" I pout. Micah chuckles and secures me me in a tight hug from behind.

I laugh. "You're tickling me— No! Micah!No!" I scream. He's freaking tickling me even harder, with me squirming over the whole bed until the other three fucking assholes get a grip on me.

Now I'm being held against the mattress while going through torture all over again. I scream, kick, laugh, curse them out and plead, but nothing works. "Do you know what to say, baby?" Aiden taunts.

I scream, obviously not knowing and more obviously dying of this attack. "Say we're the best ever," Seb comments. "And that I have the biggest dick," Micah confirms.

"Y-you—" "And admit you only like my hugs because of the boobs," Ada snickers. I gasp for air, not escaping Micah's torture for even a second. "I—"

"And promise to wear a vibrator up your ass next time you're in a study class," Aiden adds.

Even though that idea makes me shudder, I whimper and nod. "Y-yes! All of that! Please!"

Fucking finally, I'm relieved from the tickles. I take a deep breath to catch myself, but end up closing my eyes and curling up.

Four bodies wrap around me, making me feel safe and comfortable. Secured. Solid.

Most of all, happy.