I cringe as I keep my eyes on the ceiling. I was hoping he wouldn't bring this up again.

   "As I said I thought we weren't a couple, let alone telling you about this... In fact, are we even a couple? I mean since day one you have been giving me mixed signals."

  "Are you talking about since freshman year or since I asked for your help for Mr. Young's class?"

   I sit up. "Wait, are you saying you liked me ever since freshman year?"

   "Whoa, I never said that."

   "It sounds like it... Well, do you?"

   "Do I what?" He asks annoyed. His eyes look ice cold.

    "Liked me when I was a freshman? Since that day you bumped me on the shoulder?" My words come out with a sharper tone than I'd intended.

  "I don't even remember that," he says, running his hand through his black hair.

  "Then what do you want from me, Chris?" I press. "Just sex?" I feel my temper is starting to flare, and I glare defiantly at him.

  "No... I meant what I said earlier today. I told you I just don't want sex from you."

  "You told your sister we were dating. Was that a lie?" I say each word carefully to keep my anger at bay.

  "No... Well, I-I don't know," he stutters.

  "What do you mean 'you don't know?' Are you just playing games with me?" I ask and he just stares at me. "If it is, I don't want any part in this, Chris," I say, throwing my legs over the side of the bed and standing to my feet quickly. I was already walking out when he stops me by placing his hand around my wrist.

   "Sussianna, wait," he says and I look at his hand holding onto my arm and then look back to his intoxicating eyes.

  "Let me go," I narrow my eyes.

  "Can you just stop running from me?" He asks as he lets my arm go.

  "Then talk to me."

  "Alright... As long as you come back to bed... Please," he begs.

  I huff but do as he asks. I swiftly sit back on the bed when Chris cautiously sits beside me. "So talk," I say eagerly.

   "I don't just want to be friends with you. As I told you before I want you," he hesitates. "I want more," he admits, speaking in a rush.

   Our eyes meet and he pauses for a while. The electricity I feel inside me begins to change the atmosphere as he gazes unbendingly into my eyes. It was not until my head starts to swim that I notice I'm not breathing. When I exhale, breaking the silence, he closes his eyes and looks down at his hands. 

   "Look, as you know I am not very good at this but I will keep repeating myself if I have to. I don't want anyone else but you. I will be devoted to you if you are willing to agree to be mine... Do you remember when I was pouring my heart out to you? I meant what I said and still do." He lifts his glorious eyes to mine and I can't speak.

   Yes, I do remember what he told me, and I loved everything he said to me, but my subconscious still warns me that he doesn't date. However, I have to ask, "So you would date me?"

  He nods. "For you, I'm willing to try it."

   My stomach fills with butterflies and my head starts to spin. The air between us shifts and Chris's unguarded compassion hits me hard.

   He moves closer to me and grabs my hands into his. He gently strokes his thumb over my palm. I look up into his pale-blue eyes that betray his feelings despite his attempts to hide them. I could get lost in them and stay lost all night long.

   Eventually, I let out a sigh as I turn back to staring at our hands. He has said everything I wanted him to say yet I never thought that he actually would. I wanted Chris, more than anything I've ever wanted in my life, and Chris wants me too. I can't help to smile with glee.

   "Sussianna, did you think of what I said earlier? To being mine?" He looks at me with pleading eyes and my heart sinks.

   I smile as I look up at him and I gently place my hand on his face and brush my fingers over his cheek. "Yes, I have. I wanted to be yours for a while now."

   Good gosh, I can't believe I said that to him. A simple yes would have been better.

   His face lights up, flashing his brilliant teeth. Suddenly, knocking the wind out of me he locks his arms around my waist and pulls me into a skintight hug. My eyes fly open in shock.

   "I can't... breathe," I gasp from the lack of air. He lets me go quickly as I take in a deep breath. He clearly does not know his own strength.

  "Sorry," he says apologetically.

  "I take it, you like my answer," I say as I catch my breath.

   "You couldn't imagine how it makes me feel," he's grinning at me as he strokes his nose against mine. "So, what else should we talk about?... I'm new to this dating stuff," he flushes.

  "Anything you want," I grin as I lay back on the bed and cuddle myself with one of his pillows. Chris lays right next to me and his fingers graze my arm as he gives me a shy smile.

  "Well first let's remove this, so I can fully see you," he whispers as he yanks the pillow away from me and replaces it by wrapping his arms around my waist and he pulls me to his chest. "Much better."

   I nuzzle my nose into his bare chest, taking in his minty scent. "It's nice sleeping in the same bed together," I utter, and immediately I regret saying those words. I hide my face in his chest but he lifts my head gently to look up at him.

  "I like it too," he smiles and my heart swells. "Oh, I forgot to ask, how was the blindfold?"

  I blush. Why does he have to ask that now?

  "It was fine," I say simply, but my voice betrays me and it's too coarse

  "Just fine?" He raises his eyebrow and smiles at me playfully.

  I hide my face in his chest from embarrassment and he laughs.

   "Don't be shy, especially after what we did..." Yeah, don't remind me. "And since we're dating, we should be honest with each other."

   I smile at his words, I just hope he really means that and doesn't keep secrets from me now that we're a couple. Distracting me from my thoughts, Chris pulls my head away from his chest and tilts my chin up to look at him.

  "Are you going to tell me or do I have to make you come again for you to answer me?"

  I gulp... Chris and his dirty mouth, but it still makes my inner thighs tingle.

  I might as well just tell him. I know he is not going to drop it.

   "Well, I have literally no experience when it comes to this type of stuff and I mean you have a lot and you know what you like," I answer. The image of him with anyone, especially with Meg makes me feel sick to my stomach.

  "Are you saying that you didn't enjoy it? If you didn't like it then we don't have to do it again."

   I shake my head. "No, no it's not that... I just..."

  "What is it, baby?"

  I don't know why but my heart flutters every time he calls me baby.

  "Just that you... You have been with other women."

  "Are you jealous?" He grins.

  "No!" My voice is too high proving I'm lying.

   He chuckles and then lets out a long breath. "Well as I told you before I have been with other women... But not in a relationship with anyone until you... Yet everyone is different and everybody has certain tastes. That's why I wanted to try the blindfold once to see if you would like it or not."

  "I more than liked it," I mutter to myself.

  "Is that a good or a bad thing?" He asks.

   I flush from saying that out loud and I want to smack myself on the forehead.

   I try to hide my face in his chest again, but he stops me by gently grabbing my hair and pulling me up to look at him. I sigh. "It was a good thing. I loved the blindfold and I wouldn't mind trying it again. There! Are you happy now?"

  "Yes, very happy," he says as he tucks my hair behind my ear before giving me a soft kiss on my lips.

   He lays his head on the pillow and wraps his arms around me when he starts changing the channels until he finds one of Friends where Chandler is proposing to Monica. I want him to hold me until I fall asleep; I feel comfortable in his embrace.

   We spend the rest of the night talking about a wide variety of subjects, including politics, sports mostly football and basketball. However, he talked more about basketball than I did, I knew a lot about football, but I hardly watched basketball. Then we went on about our favorite music as well as what type of cars we liked. Chris is actually really easy to talk to once you get through him behaving harshly. In fact, he's really nice when he's not acting cruelly towards me.

   I let out a yawn when Chris laughs. "Am I boring you, Sussianna?"

  "Hmm? N-no. No, not at all, I'm just-" I yawn again. "Getting sleepy."

   I start to close my eyes and I feel Chris reaches for a blanket to cover us. "Sleep well beautiful," he says as he kisses my forehead and I fall into a deep sleep.

   Ahhh! My screams bounce off the walls and wakes me from my nightmare. I'm smothered in sweat with the stench of blood mixed with liquor in my nostrils, and lingering dread of being killed, not only my parents' death but me as well. I'm momentarily disoriented before I remember where I am. Oh yes, Chris's bedroom... However, I'm not the only one who has woken from my nightmare. Chris was startled and flipped off the bed.

   I roll my body over to look down to see him laying on the floor and he's glaring at me, puzzled.

  "I'm sorry," I say apologetically as I climb out of the bed and help him off the floor.

  "What happened? Are you alright? Did I kick you or hurt you in some way when I was sleeping?" He asks, his voice hoarse from the lack of sleep.

  I smile at his concern. "No, I am sorry I woke you. It was just another nightmare. I didn't mean to frighten you."

    I drop down to his bed and put my head in my hands as I start to weep. I do not know if I am crying because of my nightmare which has been the same for a while or the fact that Chris got hurt due to scaring him from my screams.

  I feel Chris's arms wrap around me and rock me gently back and forth, saying, "Don't cry. I'm here."

  I know I am covered in sweat and I still see the image of my parent's blood on my hands, but with Chris holding me tight I feel safe. I do not care if I am smeared in sweat. I am just glad I am not alone tonight; I feel like nothing is going to hurt me not even the terrifying dreams that haunt me. Eventually, without realizing it, I fall back to sleep in Chris's arms- in a dreamless slumber.