I sat there, extremely confused with Daisy sitting in front of me. Wyatt was dismissed and the principal was talking to Callum in the hallway.

"Are you okay, Clara?"

I nodded at Daisy. "I just don't understand. How can I not remember the dream? Any of it? I always remember my dreams," I frowned in confusion.

Because they're always too scary to forget.

"Maybe it's best that you forgot it. You won't be overthinking about it now," she shrugged, rubbing her eyes from sleepiness.

"Daisy, you can go back to your room. You don't have to babysit me," I chuckled.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded reassuringly.

"Okay, night," she said while going to the door.

"Night," I smiled at her.

She knocked on the door twice before coming out. Their voices stopped as she opened the door and then when she closed it behind her, they resumed. They're too faint for me to hear.

I leaned my head back against the headboard and closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. The door opened minutes later and I sat up, opening my eyes.

"Clara," principal Michelle sighed. "I'm a little worried about you."

"I... wish I could reassure you but I really have no idea what happened," I admitted. If it was anything like my regular nightmares that I get every once in a while, then no doubt, she has a reason to worry.

"I feel that someone should stay here with you tonight to make sure you're okay. Maybe the stress of moving and joining a new school is overbearing."

"Daisy already left though. It's okay, really. I can manage," I smiled.

"I wasn't talking about Daisy. I meant Callum."

I blinked in utter shock, looking back and forth between the two.

"He's not staying here with you every night, don't worry," she chuckled and I relaxed in my seat. "But I'm giving him the spare key to your room."

"Oh," I said, dumbfounded.

"His room is close to yours, so if anything happens, he can get to you before me. And he won't have to pick a lock this time." She turned to glance at him. "Give her your number," she nodded.

I hesitantly handed him my phone and he typed it in. I saved it under his name and dropped him a text so he had my number too.

"And I think you should stay back from your classes tomorrow."

"Principal Michelle, it's really not that big of a deal."

"We've only ever had one student who woke up screaming like that," she said. "And that was... a pretty big deal," she mumbled.

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

"But if you still wish to attend classes tomorrow, you can. Just make sure you're with Callum."

"Isn't Daisy enough?" he sighed, finally saying something.

"Daisy can't do what you can," she replied, shooting him a pointed look.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? It's like they keep talking in code.

"You were able to calm her tonight, surely you can do it whenever needed. I'll head out then. Make sure she's okay," she said to him before seeing herself out.

One beat. Then two. Then three.

"You don't have to take care of me," I cleared my throat, breaking the silence we were dwelling in.

"She told me to," he retorted.

"Okay, but you don't have to listen to her."

"I'd like to listen to my principal. I can decide that for myself, thanks," he replied.

"She's asking you to be like... my security."

"I have no problem with that."

"Since when is it good for your reputation to help me?" I lifted a brow at him.

"I'm not helping you. I'm just doing what the principal asked of me. And this isn't my first time taking care of a new student," he rolled his eyes.

"If you're so nice then why is everyone so scared of you?" I blurted out.

He sat beside me, turning to look at me. "Are you?"

I blinked.

"Scared of me?"

"No," I scoffed.

He shot me a pointed look.

"I feel like I should be though," I cleared my throat. "You can go now. Thanks for calming me down, I guess."

"I'm not leaving till you fall asleep."

"Well, I can't fall asleep with you here just watching me," I argued.

He scanned my room and then walked to the desk, grabbing the copy of Serpent & Dove that I had been reading. "I'll keep myself busy, don't you worry." He went and sat in my desk chair, spinning it around so it faced the bed and so he could still see me.

"You are acting like literal security," I pointed out.

"That's fine," he said, opening to the first page of the book.

"You can go," I groaned.

"I'm aware of that."

"Callum."

He closed the book and looked me dead in the eyes, lifting a brow sharply. "Yes?"

"You don't have to take care of me."

"I already told you, I'm just—"

"I don't want you to take care of me," I cut him off.

He narrowed his eyes at me slightly, "And why not?"

"Because I don't know you."

"We have plenty of time for that." He leaned back in the chair, looking at me through his lashes as he tilted his head back. "But for now, you should sleep."

"But—"

He huffed, wheeling the chair to the foot of my bed and then grabbing my ankles, pulling me forward slowly. I grabbed the sheets to keep myself away. He glared at me and I let go. He pulled me closer until I was just a few inches away from him. He looked into my eyes and I held my breath. "You can keep breathing," he smirked.

I resumed my breathing and found that we were breathing in sync.

"You will go to sleep, Clara. And you won't ask me to leave."

I don't know if it was the way he said it and the way his voice sounds, or something else. But I felt the desire to do just as he asked. To blindly... obey. "Okay," I mumbled.

He blinked and leaned back. "Very well. Goodnight."

"But wait, won't you get sleepy?" I asked, scooting back to my spot.

"I don't sleep much anyway," he shrugged.

"Why not?"

"There just happen to be some things that keep me up."

"Like what?"

"Like the frustrating thought of you not listening to me. Sleep," he said sternly.

"Jesus, okay," I huffed, turning my lamp off while lying down. I rolled onto one side, still looking at him.

He opened the book and started reading. And I kept staring. His eyes lifted to mine over the book. They looked so green, even in the dark. He raised his brows at me in question.

"I don't want to sleep just yet," I admitted, even though exhaustion was hitting me hard right now.

"Why not?" he asked, putting the book on my desk.

Because I'm scared.

I have no idea what happened, but it sounds bad. I don't want it to happen again.

"You don't have to be scared," he sighed.

My brows furrowed in confusion.

How does he know I'm scared?

"I never said I was scared," I mumbled.

"It's written all over your face. Your eyes show how tired you are but you're lying there and staring at me. It's obvious, you're scared to fall asleep."

"You're very good at reading people," I nodded.

"Thanks," he chuckled.

Oh, he has a cute chuckle.

He stared at the ground, biting back a smile. He cleared his throat, looking up at me. "You don't have to be scared to fall asleep. If anything happens, I'm right here."

"You can leave after I fall asleep," I reminded him.

"That's my choice."

After a minute of silence, I broke it again. "Why are people so scared of you?"

He sighed, clearly getting frustrated with me. "Because I killed someone," he deadpanned.

"That's not funny!"

He rolled his eyes, "Clara Desmond, go to sleep. Right now," he said slowly. "If anything happens, I'll wake you up, okay?"

"Okay," I sighed in defeat, closing my eyes. "Night."

"Sweet dreams," he said under his breath.

I woke up very early the next morning because I just felt uncomfortable. I glanced at the time on my phone.

It's five in the morning, why am I awake?

My body was aching and exhausted, I'm not going to those stupid classes today.

I looked to the front, seeing him passed out in the chair. I feel so bad. He's sleeping in a chair instead of his comfortable bed because of me. I wanted to wake him up and send him back to his room, but he looked like he was at peace and was in a deep sleep, so I didn't do that.

I just closed my eyes and forced myself to go back to sleep.

When I woke up at nine after that, he was gone. I don't know if he went for his classes or if he's tired and knocked out in his own room and skipping classes today like I am. But whatever the case may be, I have to find him today and thank him. For calming me down, for reassuring me, and for staying with me. The whole night.

I can't believe he did that. I can't believe he did it for a complete stranger.

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