Chapter 195 (1/2)
Kyle reached out his hand and gently wiped off the stray tear that escaped the corner of Noah’s eye; his light touch softly caressing her cheek, as if Noah was as fragile and frail as glass.
Staring deeply into her eyes, Kyle’s voice rang out, the deep and gravelly sound breaking the tense silence. “Were you dreaming?” He asked, concerned.
Unbeknownst to herself, Noah’s eyes started tearing up as she looked away, avoiding his gaze. “Yes,” she stuttered; her voice strained due to her uncontrolled emotions.
Immediately after she said that, Noah grimaced, not expecting her voice to turn out like that. Clenching her fists, she forces herself to calm down, even if her heart beat resounded loudly in her mind.
Like a ray of hope slashing through a desolate grey sky, Kyle’s arm snaked itself around her waist, grounding her back to reality. With a quick tug and a bit of maneuvering, Noah found the side of her face resting against his chest, her head just under his chin, listening to his heartbeat.
This is nice, she thought, gradually calming down as she listened to the rhythmic sound, a light blush coating her cheeks.
A moment after sensing her calm down, Kyle spoke out, his curiosity momentarily conquering his mind. “What was it about?”
Hearing this question, Noah quietly pressed her forehead against Kyle’s chest, her free hand tightening its grip on his clothes. “I…” she began, her voice wavering and tiny. Steeling herself, she continued, “It was from a long time ago. About the things that happened when I found my body.”
Sensing her growing distress, Kyle moved his free hand to the top of Noah’s head, stroking it gently in an effort to comfort her. As he continued the motions, he quietly thought to himself, his shoulders dropping as though he had just sighed. I shouldn’t have pried. My curiosity and impatience isn’t as important as her emotional state. He mused to himself, frowning.
With an audible sigh, Kyle rested his chin on Noah’s head, looking grim. In a serious tone, he said, “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to. Just tell me when you’re ready. Waiting won’t be difficult for me.”
Speechless, Noah could only nod, hiding the small smile that formed on her lips away.
As silence enveloped the room yet again, Kyle’s hand moved to her back, alternating between stroking and patting it lightly. In a soft voice, he said: “Do you want to go back to sleep, Noah? Just try to rest and not dream, I’m here.”
Hearing his words, Noah squeezed his arm, smiling softly. She felt her throat constricting, as though a stone suddenly found itself lodged inside. Just like that, Noah’s eyes started tearing up, causing her vision to become hazy.
Pushing herself away for a small fraction of space, Noah looked up at Kyle’s face. Although his face was bleary, just looking at his direction gave Noah strength.
“It’s not that I can’t sleep… It’s just that I ran into my mom on the way to find my body.” She shared in a small voice, her bottom lip quivering slightly.
Seeing her like this, Kyle froze while staring straight at her. I knew it’d concern her family, he thought to himself, resisting the urge to cup the side of her face with his palm.