Chapter 16

Drystan could never have imagined that Galene had just asked him to stay the night. His eyes blinked faster as he tried to process what she just meant.

"That's... Astraea about that..."

Before he could even finish what he was saying, Galene had already opened the door for him. He couldn't outright say no especially not to Galene.

"Then pardon my intrusion"

The silence welcomed them and Drystan wanted nothing more than to drag Galene away from there. He didn't know why she lived alone but that place didn't scream like home.

Drystan let out a sigh when he saw how Galene was trying to wipe away her falling tears. He closed and locked the apartment door behind him. He then faced Galene to which he cupped her face

"Can you stop crying? I told you I could never hate you"

"It's because you sang that song"

Galene's tone rose up a little higher than what she had intended but Drystan just chuckled. It reminded him of a sulking child.

He pulled Galene into a tight embrace which Galene didn't pull away from.

"I'm here okay, I'll listen and if you still don't want to tell, I'll just stay by your side."

Galene felt grateful but more than anything she felt those stupid butterflies in her stomach again. She sniffled again before burying her face in Drystan's chest.

Drystan tightened his embrace as he felt that it was what Galene needed the most.

He kissed the top of her head once more before remembering about her earlier proposal.

"And I do love you, but I think us sleeping together is a little too early"

Galene instantly stopped crying and looked up at Drystan whose whole face was now turning red.

"Did you misunderstood me just now? I didn't mean it in that way, stupid!"

Galene made sure that the doors were locked before she stomped her way to the bedroom. She wiped the reminders of her crying session as embarrassment started to take over.

Drystan blinked faster once more when he realized that what he was thinking was different from what Galene had meant. His face instantly turned red when he realized what he had just thought.

"Hey, anyone would misunderstood it if you say it so bluntly like that"

Drystan followed Galene but stopped halfway through when he saw the piles of comforters and pillows lying around. He stared at the empty bed, bared from pillows, comforters and bed sheets.

"Can I ask what this is?"

Galene sat at the edge of her bed before staring at her little space.

"It's my panic area"

Drystan's eyebrows creased as he sat right next to Galene.

"Panic area?"

Galene nodded, she fiddled her fingers as she let out a deep sigh.

"Sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me and I start to panic. Being in an enclosed and tight space helps me calm down"

Galene stole a glance at Drystan and saw that he was staring at her intently.

"Go on, I'm listening"

Galene smiled sadly and felt another tear escape from her eyes.

"I don't know where to start Zael. That's why I thought you should just see and hear it first hand"

Drystan couldn't understand what she had meant but when what seemed like minutes had passed and the loud banging on the door started, he finally understood.

"GALENE DAMN IT!! COME OUT NOW BEFORE I RIP YOU APART! HOW DARE YOU HIDE FROM YOUR OWN FATHER!"

Drystan saw how Galene flinched and trembled from the very moment the loud banging and shouting started. His eyes never left hers.

That's why when Galene was about to go to her panic area during the loud angry burst out of her father, he did what he thought he needed to do.

He grabbed Galene by her waist and made her sit on his lap as his wide arms enveloped her tightly.

"I'm here, don't worry"

Drystan tightened his embrace when he felt her cling to his shirt. His chest heaved up and down as the shouting outside got louder.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT!! YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN BIRTH TO YOU. YOU WON'T EVEN OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOUR OWN FATHER!! COME OUT NOW!"

Galene started trembling very hard, it was then that Drystan carried her and sat by her panic area. Drystan never not once loosened his embrace on Galene.

"GALENE!!! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR YOU'LL GET ANOTHER BEATING!"

Drystan was now flat-out angry. Now he understood where the bruises and wounds came from. He also now had the gist of why Galene was scared when El raised his hand on her.

He was angry and yet he tried very hard to calm himself down because of Galene. He glanced at her and saw that her head was buried on his shoulders.

He caressed Galene's hair as he quietly started to sing again. Galene's comfort song now made sense too.

"You and I'll be safe and sound"

As Drystan sang to her ear Galene could feel everything fading away. Her whole attention was on Drystan's soft voice.

She felt herself tearing up and right then and there, she cried herself to sleep while in the arms of the person who made her feel safe and sound.

Drystan didn't know when the shouting and banging stopped but at some point it did and when he looked at Galene, she was already sleeping in his arms.

He let out a sigh as worry started to rush over him again.

Was this what she had been enduring for a long time? By the way, Quincey had talked about it earlier it seemed like this had been going on for quite some time now.

Then, is this trauma? Is Galene traumatized by the constant physical abuse that's why she panics when this happens?

It's possible and he experienced that himself first hand. He let out another sigh before staring at Galene's sleeping face.

He kissed the remaining tears on her face away before planting a short soft kiss on her lips. He knew he was breaking some rules here but he couldn't care less.

"Sleep tight my love, I'll be right here"

He whispered to her as he succumbed to sleep.

Galene stared at Drystan's sleeping face. She felt uncomfortable with his sleeping position but she was scared that she might wake him up.

At some point, her panic attack subsided and it was a first. It was the first that she had calmed down while she was with someone else. After weeks of torture, this was the first peaceful sleep she had.

"Just how could you love me so much?"

Galene wanted to know why, when, and how Drystan fell in love with her. But she's too scared to even ask.

In just a short moment Drystan became her beacon of hope. She pondered on the possibility of him and her being in a relationship.

She smiled as she thought of how they were going to go on one more date. She was looking forward to it but at the same time, the fear was starting to envelop her once again.

Galene closed her eyes and savored this short lived moment of her life. For she know that the moment she wake up, there was a huge chance that everything would go wrong.