Chapter Fifteen - His Nightingale 

A few nights later, I wake up gasping for air with sweat dripping down my back. The familiar sight of my bedroom greets me and I sigh in relief before placing a hand over my chest where I can feel my poor heart beating erratically. I pant harshly before leaning over to turn on my lamp. These recurring nightmares about Seth are driving me crazy. It's either he kidnaps me, hurts everyone and then takes me or just straight up kills me. Each of them are equally as bad to dream about.

Sitting up I calm myself down before deciding to take a shower because the sweat is making me feel disgusting. Grabbing a new pair of pajamas, I make my way into the bathroom and turn the temperature to hot. The steady stream of warm water soothes my tense muscles and I take my time. By the end of it I feel wide awake and after washing my hair and body I turn the water off. I know I won't be able to go back to sleep just yet so I take the time to moisturize my skin, change and make my way downstairs.

All the lights are off in the house but it doesn't bother me much as I walk towards the kitchen. I make myself a cup of tea and quietly step outside on the back patio before taking a sip. I look around lazily and the night is calm with an infinite number of stars littering the sky above. A crescent moon peeks out from the dark clouds every now and then as they drift across the sky slowly.

My gaze flickers to the light from one of Ryder's windows and I catch the shape of a silhouette standing on the porch. I frown and watch as he steps forward but it seems as if he's staring right back at me. It's like time stops as we stand there in the night gazing at each other. I can see him clearly now and my eyes follow his arm that rises before his hand beckons me towards him with two curls.

My stomach flips in anticipation as I finish my tea and leave it on the table before making my way down the path to his cabin. Not once do his eyes leave mine. They watch me intensely as I step closer and closer until I'm walking up the steps and standing before him.

"Can't sleep?" He asks quietly and I notice that his voice is huskier than normal.

I shake my head and shrug halfheartedly. "I had a nightmare, you?"

"I did too." He murmurs with a faraway look in his eyes. He snaps out if quickly before nodding his head towards the door. "Come on."

I follow him in curiously to find the lights off but the television playing softly. There's a bowl of chips with salsa and a pack of double chocolate chip cookies on the coffee table which makes me smile at his choice of a midnight snack. As we take a seat on the couch he passes them over to me and I munch on the food while he picks out a comedy movie.

But then he switches it to a horror one before glancing at me. "You won't get scared right?"

"No." I chuckle as I nod at him to press play. "They're not really scary."

"True." He grins before draping a blanket over us.

"I never asked you but why do you not live in the main house?" I wonder curiously as I scoop some salsa onto my chip.

"I have regular nightmares because of some things that happened in my past. One of them being that I was involved in a major car accident." He explains quietly but his gaze is fixated on the television screen. "I was disturbing everyone daily so I asked dad if I could build a cabin and he helped me make this place. Although my family understood and said it was okay I still felt horrible for ruining their sleep every night."

"Oh..." I trail off with an understanding nod. "Well, you guys did a great job with the place."

"Thanks." He smiles before jumping visibly when a loud scream echoes in the room.

"Are you scared of horror movies, Ryder?" I tease as I burst into laughter over his reaction. "Do you need me to hold you?"

"Oh, shut up!" He grumbles under his breath but drapes his arm across my shoulders anyways.

I snicker before settling down again and focusing my attention back on the movie. We snack on the food while commenting here and there about the movie. It's about some paranormal activity that's happening in a house and these kids decide to figure it out. I mean, if that were me I would've hauled ass out of there as quick as possible.

"He's behind them isn't he?" Ryder states and snorts in amusement when that's exactly what happens.

"I don't understand why they didn't leave in the first place!" I roll my eyes as one of the teenagers gets taken. "This happens all the time. Surely nobody can be that curious to willingly put themselves in danger."

"The movie would've been a lot shorter then." He chuckles as he halves a cookie and offers me a piece.

"If paranormal activity started happening here would you run or would you try and find out who's behind it?" I ask as I take the half from him.

"The answer's obvious, Ella." He smirks with a mischievous gleam in his baby blues. "I'd stay."

"Lies!" I exclaim which makes him burst out laughing. "With how high you jumped over a scream there's no way you'd go searching for a demon or something!"

"Okay fine, maybe I wouldn't." He chuckles and I shake my head in amusement. "I bet Rome and Jude would though."

"Really?" I stare at him in a skeptical fashion.

"One hundred percent." He nods as he takes a sip of his drink. "Those two aren't afraid of anything. Nothing phases them, I swear."

I chuckle as we focus our attention back to the movie. But more than halfway through I feel Ryder's head drop against my shoulder. Peeking I see that he's fallen asleep and smile as I pull the blanket higher over him. I continue to watch the movie while moving onto the cookies because I don't feel that sleepy yet. I think the shower woke me up a little bit and the constant screaming of the kids in the film isn't making me want to sleep either.

But after twenty minutes I feel him jerk awake which makes me glance at him. I watch as he blinks sleepily and looks around. His brows furrow in confusion before realization settles in his eyes and he groans as he cuddles up to me again. I feel the arm that was already resting on my shoulders tighten while the other wraps around my waist. He basically pulls me into him. My eyes widen slightly at the action and I don't think he realizes what he's doing. But I don't ponder on it for long as I hear him mumble something under his breath and ask him to repeat it as I don't catch it.

"Will you play me something?"

"The piano?" I ask only for him to nod in response.

"Sure, any requests?" I smile gently as I get up and make my way over to the piano.

He shakes his head and lays down instead. His baby blues remain fixated on me and I feel a pang of nervousness. Taking a deep breath, I decide to play one of my mother's melodies. It's soft and gentle for the most part but there are times where it picks up speed in the best way.

Just like every other time I lose myself to the melody and the instrument. My fingers fly over the keys as the music echoes in the room. I close my eyes and a content smile blooms across my lips when I feel myself relax completely. Music truly holds the power to calm me down and chase my worries away. That's why I love being able to play and create melodies.

Eventually, I end the song and my fingertips graze the keys as I let go of them. Smiling, I open my eyes and turn to face Ryder. But I stifle a laugh when I see him sleeping. With a shake of my head I stand and stretch before deciding to head back to my room. But just as I pass by him he grabs hold of my hand. I yelp in surprise when he pulls me down onto the couch.

"Ryder, what –"

"Stay." He murmurs and tightens his grip on my hand when I try pulling away. "Please, Ella."

I stare at him as his eyes plead with me. I don't really understand why he wants me to stay. Sighing, I hesitate before nodding and watch as he shuffles over to make space for me. My eyes widen at the unexpected action because I thought he had wanted me to sleep in the same room as him, not literally beside him!

Nevertheless, I lay down and am slightly surprised over how comfortable it is. But as soon as Ryder drapes the blanket over us and I feel his entire body press against my back I tense in the realization that sleeping beside him will be quite difficult with how my tummy is instantly bombarded with hundreds of butterflies. Oh, this is not good at all, I think to myself.

As I'm conjuring up a plan to escape this situation his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me closer. I bite down on my lip as I feel his hard torso press against my entire back and his warm breath tease my exposed neck.

"Ella?" He calls sleepily and I feel his lips brush against my ear as he speaks.

"Y-Yes?" I squeak before silently cursing myself for sounding like a chipmunk.

I feel his body shake as he chuckles. "Stop overthinking and sleep."

I only nod in response before listening to his breathing until it evens out. Eventually, I feel my eyelids droop too until the dark abyss of dreamland takes me. And for the first time in weeks I sleep peacefully throughout the night. 

Update schedule is: twice weekly whenever I find time!

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