Chapter 8
It was late at night. Vi woke up, sweaty and nauseous, trying to calm her breathing so Caitlyn wouldn’t wake up. She got up quietly and opened the window a little, hoping the cool air would help. But instead of relief, she felt dizzy. Everything spun around her, as if she were still trapped in a nightmare.
"Vi."
"Vi!"
She heard her little sister's voice calling her name over and over again, echoing in her mind.
Vi knocked something over as she rushed toward the bathroom. One hand pressed against her mouth, the other held in front of her to steady herself and avoid hitting the walls. She accidentally slammed the bathroom door close as she made a beeline for the toilet. Kneeling down, she let everything out. She coughed and threw up again.
She spat and sat on the cold tiled floor, dragging herself away from the toilet. She took shallow breaths, cold sweat dripping down her face.
"Vi. Are you okay?" Caitlyn’s concerned voice called from the other side of the door.
"I-I’m f-fi-ine," Vi stammered, feeling a wave of nausea rise again. Before she could react, she launched herself toward the toilet once more.
"Can I come in?" Caitlyn asked, her hand already on the doorknob.
"N-No need. G-get b-back to bed," Vi muttered, sitting farther away from the toilet. She ruffled her hair, trying to ease the tension in her body.
"Vi?"
Caitlyn called again, her voice laced with worry.
"I’m fine," Vi replied with a sigh. She closed her eyes, feeling the silence on the other side of the door. But as it stretched on, her ears began to ring. She coughed a few times and spat whatever was left in the toilet.
"Violet, please," Caitlyn's voice broke through, full of desperation and sleepiness.
Vi flushed the toilet, but Caitlyn didn’t wait for an answer. She just opened the door and stepped inside. Vi leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit on the cold floor. Caitlyn grabbed a towel from the nearby shelf and handed it to her, then sat down next to her in silence.
Vi curled up slightly, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her arms on them. She lowered her head to rest on her arms. Caitlyn stood up and soaked the towel in cool water. She walked back to Vi, sliding down beside her again. Gently, Caitlyn lifted Vi’s hair and placed the damp towel on the back of her neck.
Vi's breathing slowed, and the tension in her body eased as Caitlyn rubbed her back in comforting circles.
"S-Sorry," Vi whispered after a few minutes.
Caitlyn stopped rubbing her back and gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Don’t be."
Vi let out a shaky breath, her body relaxing under Caitlyn's touch. Caitlyn, feeling drowsy, blinked longer than usual, her eyelids heavy with sleep. Vi sat up, breaking the moment. Caitlyn rubbed her eye, trying to stay awake.
"Nightmare?" Caitlyn asked, her voice soft.
Vi leaned her head on Caitlyn’s shoulder. "Yeah."
Caitlyn didn’t press her for more. She knew the answer would always be the same: Nothing to worry about.
Vi had opened up once about her nightmares—the ones that haunted her after losing her friends, Vander, and the hellish first weeks locked up in Stillwater.
"Should we go back to bed?" Caitlyn mumbled, stifling a yawn.
Vi nodded, slowly getting to her feet. Caitlyn helped her up, guiding her back to bed. As Caitlyn settled under the covers, Vi went to the bathroom to wash her mouth. By the time she returned, Caitlyn was already drifting to sleep. She felt the mattress dip slightly as Vi crawled in beside her.
"Goodnight," Vi whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Caitlyn’s cheek. She closed her eyes, hoping to stay asleep for the rest of the night.