Ryder's POV

"No, no"

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room.

It took a while but eventually I realized that I was in Dori's room. Memories of last night flashed through my mind and I remembered how I had gotten there.

"Please stop. Please" I heard her mumble. I looked down at her beside me. I arms were cradling her small frame as her head rested on my chest.

But she wasn't laying still. She was twisting and turning and mumbling some incoherent words. She was having a bad dream.

"Dori?" I called her name softly. I moved a lock on her brown hair out of her face with my finger. Her beauty was truly fascinating.

"No!" She pushed me. "Leave me alone! Stop it!" She cried.

She began screaming and thrashing now.

What was she dreaming about?

"Dori calm down!" I shouted, trying to hold her down. "Everything's gonna be ok. It's just a dream. You're ok. It's just a dream"

By the time I was done talking, she had quieted down and layed still on her back. She was still sleeping, but sleeping soundly.

"That's it. Just sleep. Everything is going to be fine" I said softly to soothe her as I rubbed her back.

After about five minutes, she had completely stilled, which was a good sign, she was ok now.

But i couldn't help but wonder.

What the hell was she dreaming about?
:::::::::::::::*::::::::::::::::::*:::::::::::::::::

Dorian's POV

I opened my eyes slowly and was immediately greeted with Ray's of bright sunlight.

My head was pounding and memories of my dream started coming back to me.

Another nightmare about my father.

When were they going to stop?

I rubbed the sleep away from my eyes and came out of the bed. I headed to the bathroom and brushed my teeth then took a shower. When I came out, I searched my closet for a suit of clothes.

I found a pair of washed out jeans and a white tank top. I decided to wear those along with my converse.

I wanted to head over to the hospital to look for Kruz. I took up my phone to call Ryder and saw the time.

5:36pm!!

How the hell did I sleep through the whole day?!

I opened my room door and was about to dash down the stairs, but something stopped me.

That smell... Is that... pancakes? And bacon?

Who the hell is cooking?

James and Caroline had said that they wouldn't be back for another week. So who was cooking in my kitchen?

I walked down the stairs slowly and carefully. I didn't think it was my father who was down there. If he was in my house, he surley wouldn't be cooking... And come to think about it, I wouldn't even be alive.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and walked cautiously to the kitchen.

Maybe it's a homeless person who just wants something to eat?

I entered the kitchen and Immediately as I saw who it was, I mentally face palmed myself for my aforementioned idiotic thoughts.

It was Ryder.

Of course it would be Ryder. He was the one who brought me home. Of course there was a possibility that he would've stayed. But I would've never imagined him cooking.

I took a moment to observe him. I watched the way his arms flexed each time he flipped a pancake.  His dark blue T-shirt stuck to his very toned body.

Damn. He must live at the gym.

No! Bad Dori! Stop it this instant! Don't you dare start liking his toned ,muscley arms and his broad back and-

Stop!

I was practically eye raping the guy. And at this point, I was beyond grateful that his back was turned to me so he didn't realize that I was there.

Or, so I thought.

"You're awake" the sound of his voice laced with his native British accent brought me out of my thoughts. He still had his back turned to me. "It took you long enough" he turned around with a smile on his face, his dimples popping up.

I just stood there, speechless. How did he even know I was there.

"Your steps aren't very subtle" he said with a grin, as if he had read my mind. "Plus, I could feel your gaze burning into my back" he added. "I take it that you like what see" his grin turned into a smirk.

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. I felt the blood in my body rush to my cheeks. I hung my head in an attempt to hide my face. As embarrassed as I was, I didn't actually want him to know that I liked checking him out.

"I've seen better" Liar! You've never seen anyone as good looking as him. "Way better"

He chuckled at that. "Don't be shy princess. I know I'm good looking" he winked.

He winked.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "You wish"

He laughed again. "Whatever you say Dori"

I laughed at him. Then he handed me my plate. It had bacons, pancakes, eggs and strawberries. Then he set down a glass of orange juice.

I looked at everything then looked up at him. "Thank you" I said rather awkwardly. He did realize that it was evening, right?

"It's nothing. I thought you would've been hungry when you woke up" he smiled. I looked at the food again. He basically just served me breakfast.

He seemed to have noticed the confused look on my face because he said, "I know the food isn't exactly appropriate for the time of day, but it was all I knew how to cook" He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. I laughed at that.

"It's ok. I appreciate it." I gave him a smile.

He gave one back and we just stayed there. Staring at each other.

I eventually got uncomfortable and I broke eye contact.

"Umm..." I chuckled nervously. Trust me to make any moment awkward. "I should eat before the food gets cold"

He seemingly snapped out of his reverie and nodded his head. "Right. Yea, you should do that"

I took up my fork and dug into my food. Then I looked up and saw that he wasn't eating anything. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Aren't you gonna eat anything?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nah. I'm not that hungry" he replied.

"Oh" was all I said as I continued eating.

When I was finished. He offered to wash my plate. Of course I refused but he insisted saying that it's the least he could do.

"So Dori" he said as we sat on the couch together. I wanted to ask about Kruz but I decided to wait it out. He seemed like he wanted to say something important.

"Yea?"

He scratched the back of his neck seemingly nervous to say what he was about to say. This got me curious. What could've gotten this bad boy to be nervous?

"I umm... there's something that has been on my mind ever since this morning. I didn't want to bring it up but I just had to ask" he said.

I was confused and a bit scared at the same time. "Back at the hospital when we were talking to the doctor and you fell asleep, it seemed like you were having a bad dream" Uh oh. "I didn't think too much about it at first but then you had another one when I took you home. This time, you were thrashing and screaming. It seemed pretty bad and I eventually calmed you down but I couldn't help but wonder, what were you dreaming about?"

My mouth was as dry as a desert. A huge lump formed in my throat as I opened my mouth to try and form words.

Do I tell him?

To be honest, I did need someone to talk to about it. And he was my friend. I trusted him.

But then again, I really didn't want to drag him into the mess me and my father created. I didn't want him to be involved. I cared about him too much to do that.

But I wanted to tell him. I really did. I was tired of being depressed and sad and not having anyone to talk to.

Besides, he looks really concerned.

"It's quite a long story" I answered after moments of silence.

"We've got time"

I sighed.

Here goes nothing.

"It all began one night when my mom was on the job working as a stripper..."