Going to sleep at night and forcing yourself out of bed in the morning became hard to do once your parents had died. The days grew longer and your dreams became smaller. You had always thought your parents would be around. They would see you graduate from high school and help pay for college. Your dad would walk you down the aisle at your wedding and your mother would cry tears of joy when you gave birth for the first time. They would retire and live a long, happy life somewhere. Only that didn’t happen. They never had the chance to retire. You wouldn't have them at your wedding. They couldn’t help you pay for school and they missed your graduation. A part of you died when you had lost them.
“I’ll even pay for it myself! Please, just let me go.” you begged your parents.
“Prom isn’t for another 3 months. Why do you have to go tonight?”
“Because y/bf/n finally agreed to go dress, shopping with me and if we don’t do it tonight, I know she’ll back out of it.” you desperately told your mom. Your parents share a look before your mom speaks up.
“Fine, you can go, but you have to be back by 10. You still have school in the morning.” She told you, smiling. You let out a squeal of delight as you hugged your mom before kissing the side of her cheek the doing the same to your dad.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You shrieked out before running up the carpeted stairs to your bedroom. You immediately pulled out your phone to call y/bf/n. As you talked to her, you got ready, throwing on a pair of jeans and a cute top your parents had gifted you for Christmas. You tug on a pair of sneakers and grab your favorite purse before running downstairs. You were about to run out the door when your mother stopped you.
“Hey, remember what I said.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Be home by 10. Love you!”
“Love you too. Stay safe!”
“I will!”
You quickly drove over to your friend's house to pick her up. The two of you chatted away as you drove to the mall. Once you got there, the two of you went from store to store trying on anything you deemed prom worthy. By the end of the night, you had both found your perfect dresses for the special occasion. You quickly paid for the two dresses before heading out to your car. When you got in and turned it on, you glanced at the clock to see it was already 9:47. Crap. You still had to drop off y/bf/n and then drive home. There was no way you were going to make it in time. You had no idea how you didn’t get pulled over as you sped to y/bf/n house, dropped her off and then sped home. As you pulled into your driveway, you looked over at the clock again to see that it was a quarter past 10. Please don’t be mad, you thought to yourself as you clambered out of the car, grabbed your dress and walked inside.
“I’m sorry, I know I’m late-” you stopped mid-sentence when you saw the state of your kitchen. Dishes were smashed everywhere and silverware was scattered throughout the room. You cautiously walked further into the house, not hearing any noises. The radio was off. The Television was dark. There wasn’t any music playing and you couldn’t hear your parents talking. What was going on? “Mom? Dad?” you yelled out, but there was no response from either of them. Both their vehicles had been in the driveway when you got home, so you knew they weren't out. “Hello?” you called out again. Where could they be? You tried to think rationally as you climbed up the stairs to see if they were up there. Maybe they were playing a joke on you? You look around upstairs, going through every room and spot where they might be hiding. You started to panic when you finished searching the last room, with no luck. Your heart rate climbs and your palms get sweaty as you think of where they could be. There was only one place you hadn’t looked for them yet, the basement. You tried to calm yourself down as you opened the door to the dark basement. You slowly make your way down the old wooden stairs. What you see at the bottom was traumatizing. Nothing could have prepared you for what you found.
“Were you in the house at all when your parents were killed?” you can hear the police officer but can’t comprehend what she’s saying. You can see the red and blue flashing lights, but you can’t focus on them. You know you’re sitting on the cool pavement of your doorstep, but you can’t feel anything. Everything is numb and the following days are a blur. Nothing seems real. Time doesn’t exist anymore and light and darkness smear together. Your body is no longer a priority and your health doesn’t seem to matter. The only thing you know is that your parents are gone, and they’re never coming back.
You don’t know how long you’ve been in bed for. Days. Weeks. Months. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. You knew someone had been living with you, taking care of you, but who, you weren't sure. When you were awake and life wasn’t a total haze, you remembered different foods being placed on your nightstand, your pajamas had been changed, a pile of sympathy cards seemed to grow every time your eyes opened. Sometimes you could hear voices talking downstairs, other times it was as quiet as the night you found them. Dreams turned into nightmares and tear-stained cheeks became normal. You felt like you were stuck in an endless loop that you would never escape until one day you did.
When Tom got the call that your parents had been murdered, he dropped everything to go be with you. He had only met you once when you were a baby, but he knew your parents extremely well and was the emergency contact if anything ever happened to them. He had hoped it would never come down to that, but it had, and he knew you needed him. The elderly neighbor next door had stayed with you overnight as Tom got on the first flight to your town. He had arrived early in the morning, dark bags under his eyes and hair disheveled. Your neighbor had told Tom about your current state and the police had informed him about what had happened. As soon as the elderly woman had left, Tom rushed upstairs to your room. The door was only open a crack as darkness spilled from the room. Quietly, Tom pushed the door open to find you curled up in a ball on your bed. Your curtains had been drawn closed and your room was stuffy. As Tom grew closer to you, he noticed your tear-stained cheeks and flushed skin. A lone tear spilled from his eye as he observed your damaged state. No child should have to find their parents murdered, let alone both of them. Tom let out a quiet sigh as he quietly shut your door and returned downstairs. The day had just begun and Tom knew it was going to be long.
Tom had cared for you day and night. After the third day of you being in a vegetative state, Tom sought the practices of a doctor. The doctor explained that what you were going through was normal after what you had been through. He had advised Tom that the only thing he could do right now was to be there for you so that’s what he did. He explained to your friends, coworkers, and neighbors that you weren't up for visiting. He wrote out thank-you notes to all of those who sent their condolences. He found your parents' will and took care of their wishes. He always made enough food for the two of you just in case you woke up and were hungry. He changed your pajamas every few days and would run a warm washcloth over your body to help your hygiene. Each day Tom noticed you eating more and more of the food he brought you. Each day, you seemed to keep your eyes open for a little longer. Each day, you started to communicate with him better and then one day Tom came into your room and you weren't in your bed.
The first thing you remember feeling after your parents' death was the cold porcelain of the bathtub. You had no idea how you had got here, but you were currently laying fully clothed in the bathtub as warm water surrounded you. You stared blankly up at the ceiling as the water from the faucet continued to rise around you. Your arms floated in the water, your fingers slipping through the water's soft touch. Your breathing evened out as you slowly closed your eyes. The next thing you knew, you were choking on air as blue eyes bore into yours.
“Oh, thank God you’re okay.” The man said, resting back on his haunches. “You gave me quite a scare.” You looked around in a dazed state. You were still in the bathroom, but now your soaked body was on the floor.
“What happened?” you weakly asked Tom.
“I went to your room to check on you, but you weren’t in your bed. That’s when I heard the faucet in the bathroom running. I knocked on the door and you didn’t answer. When I got in, the water was almost above your head, about to spill onto the floor. You weren't breathing.” He told you, eyes filling with tears. “I thought I had lost you, too. Your parents would have been so disappointed in me, I’m sure they are.” He says, dropping his gaze to the floor. You look at Tom, shaking your head.
“No, this was my fault. I shouldn’t have closed my eyes. I’ve just been so out of it since… since that night and you have been nothing but kind to me.” His eyes meet yours once more and you give him a slight smile. “I’m sorry I’ve been so distant. It’s just been hard. I just never would have thought… that they would be gone.” You tell him, choking out the last part. He smiles apologetically down at you, giving your hand a soft squeeze.
“Let's get you in some warm clothes?” You nod your head in agreement as Tom gently helps you up from the floor, wraps a towel around your shoulders and walks you back to your room. Tom grabs a pair of pajamas from your dresser drawer and hands them to you before turning his back to you as you slowly peel the wet clothing off and put the dry ones on. Once finished, Tom helped you over to your bed and tugged back the covers as you got in. You pulled the blankets up tight to your chin as you burrowed into your warm cocoon. “Is there anything I can get you? Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Tom asked. You gave him a soft smile, shaking your head no.
“I think I’m just going to sleep. Thanks, though, for everything.”
“Of course Y/N, sleep well.” With that, he left the room, softly shutting the door behind him.
By the end of the month, you weren’t sleeping as much and started to eat three meals a day. You were able to take care of yourself and started hanging out with Tom more. Before you knew it, the two of you were spending every waking moment together. Just being in Tom’s presence made your day 10 times better. Your friendship soon blossomed into something more, both of you too nervous to admit it. You started online classes at your high school as Tom looked for small acting roles around the area. Even though life without your parents was still something that caused you sadness, you were grateful for Tom to be there in your life every step of the way.
“I still don’t think this is a good idea.” Tom told you as he sat on the edge of your bed, watching you style your hair. Y/bf/n had come over to visit you and Tom quite a lot since your parents' death and a month ago, she had brought up prom. With everything going on in your life, you had forgotten about it. You really wanted to go with y/bf/n for the night just to dance the night away, but Tom was a little uneasy. You had been out in public since that night, but not without Tom by your side. Since the police never found your parents' murderer, anyone who looked your way for a second too long set you off. Before you knew it, you would be in the middle of a panic attack which Tom had to calm you down from. Without Tom, you weren’t even sure if you could survive from one, but you knew you couldn’t live the rest of your life in fear. So that’s why when your friend told you it was only two weeks away, you told her to buy the tickets as you were going. When you told Tom about it, he at first said no, but after some persuasion he finally said yes, though he still wasn’t too keen on you going.
“I’ll be okay Tom.” you told him, not taking your eyes off of your lips as you applied a thin coat of lip gloss. “I want to tell my kids someday about my high school prom.” Tom let out a sigh, standing up from the bed and walking over behind you. He gently rested his hands on your shoulders as you did a few last-minute touches.
“I’m so proud of you Y/N, and I know your parents would be too.” Tom whispered into your ear. You turned to look at him, tears in your eyes. “Hey, no crying, pretty girl. Don’t want to ruin your hard work.” Tom teased, smiling at you. You quickly wrapped your arms around Tom’s torso.
“Thank you Tom,” you whispered, “for everything.” Tom gently enclosed his muscular arms around you, resting his chin on top of your head. The doorbell ringing pulled the two of you apart. “That must be y/bf/n.” You told Tom.
“I’ll go get the door. You put that pretty dress on, then come downstairs.” Tom told you, you smiled up at him before he walked out of your room, shutting the door behind him. You slipped on the beautiful y/f/c dress before looking at yourself in the mirror. You glanced down at the small photo of you and your parents, your heart aching a little at the memory. It had been last summer vacation where you all went to Florida. The day had been incredible and the evening perfect. You missed them so much, but knew they were looking down on you, proud of the woman you had become. You let out a much needed breath before slipping on a pair of heels and walking downstairs. As you descended the stairs, you heard Tom and y/bf/n talking by the front door. When they heard you coming, they looked toward the staircase. You watched as Tom’s mouth dropped open, your friend gleaming next to him. “Wow. You look… wow.” You giggle at Tom as your friend nudges him a little to help you down the last couple of steps. He gently takes your hand as you reach the last step, before you look up into those brilliant blue eyes. The two of you were so lost in the moment that y/bf/n had to clear her throat rather loudly from the doorway, grabbing your attention. You smiled at her sheepishly as Tom apologized, cheeks blushing furiously. You walked over to her as Tom got out his cell phone, snapping photos of you and your friend together. After a few photos, your friend spoke up.
“Hey Tom, let me get a few of you and Y/N.” You smiled at your friend as Tom gave his phone to her. You stood side by side, both smiling, your friend about to take the photo, but then stopped. “Ya know, you could at least act like you enjoy each other.” She tells you, rolling your eyes. Both you and Tom blush before he wraps a warm hand around your waist and you lean into his touch, bringing up your hand to place on his chest. You breathed in Tom’s cologne, closing your eyes as he looked down at you.
“Are you alright my dear?” he whispered to you, not loud enough for your friend to hear. You gave a small nod before he pulled away from you.
“Y/bf/n, do you mind giving us a minute?” Tom asked your friend.
“Of course! I’ll meet you out in the car y/n!” Once the door had shut behind her, Tom took your hands in his, looking you in the eye.
“If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, you call me, okay? I’ll get to you as quickly as possible.” he told you before bringing you in for a hug. He could tell you were nervous, gosh he was, but he also knew you needed to do this. Tom slowly pulled away, but not before giving you a quick peck on the cheek. “Go have fun. I’ll be waiting for you when you get home.” You gave his hand one last squeeze before heading out the door.
As you sat in the passenger seat on the way to the prom, you couldn’t help but worry a little about tonight. What if this was a bad idea? What if he finds me? Your friend notices your breath quicken as your hands smooth out the invisible wrinkles on your dress.
“Hey it's gonna be alright. I’ll be right by your side the whole night.” You look over at her, giving her a quick smile as she grabs your hand. “We are going to have a great time!” she tells you confidently.
“Thanks.” you tell her softly.
Soon you're pulling up to the hotel the school had reserved for the special evening. You and your friend climb out of her car as a valet comes to park it for you. As you enter the large venue, the music grows louder and old classmates are talking and dancing. A few heads look your way as the two of you enter. You know the student body had heard of your parents passing and, of course, rumors had spread about you, but you tried your best to ignore it. Soon y/bf/n and you had found a group of friends she had grown close to with you being out of school. You recognized a few of them from your earlier years of high school as they introduced themselves. Before you knew it, you were letting loose, not worrying about your parents' killer at all. It felt good to be a normal teen again, living in the moment and spending time with your friends. After some up beat songs, a slow song comes on as y/bf/n and you leave the dance floor. Before you can make it back to your seats, y/bf/n gets asked by one guy in her friend's group to dance. She looks back at you to make sure you’re going to be okay before agreeing. You watch from your seat as the two of them dance. They look so happy to be with each other. This makes you think back to Tom. You missed him and wished he could be here with you. You pull out your phone and send him a quick text. Once the song is done, your friend comes back over, hand in hand with the boy.
“Hey girl, Wilson and I are gonna go get some snacks from the buffet table. Wanna come with?”
“I think I’m gonna go use the bathroom real quick. I’ll meet you back here when I’m done.” You tell them, standing up.
“Ya sure? I can go with you.” Your friend says, pulling away from Wilson.
“No, it's fine. I’ll be alright.” You tell her before heading the short distance towards the women's restrooms. You push the door open before letting it shut behind you. The quietness feels relaxing as you give yourself a moment to breathe. There seems to be no one else in here with you as you find a stall and lock it. Once you're done and washing your hands, the door creaks a bit. You look down at your hands running under the warm water, quickly glancing to the side to see if it's y/bf/n coming to check on you. When you see a pair of men’s shoes out of the corner of your eye, you don’t have time to question it before a firm grip is around your waist and a hot smelly hand covering your mouth. You raise your eyes to the mirror in front of you to see Wilson behind you.
“This was by far way too easy. Are you having a good time tonight Y/N?” You try to not let any fear show on your face as you meet his dark eyes in the mirror. “Father will be pleased.” He grunts out before he drags you out of the bathroom. You're ready to let out a muffled scream, but when he pushes the door open, there’s no one out there. It dawns on you that they must be announcing prom king and queen as suddenly there is a loud cheering from the banquet room where the prom had been set up. Wilson pulls you with him as your body tries to fight against him. You try to punch and kick him as hard as he can, but it doesn’t seem to affect him. “Don’t make this more difficult than it already is.” Wilson tells you as he leads you out a back door, a white van waiting there. He throws you in the back before quickly climbing into the passenger seat.
“Your parents took the life of my brothers. I took their lives and now I’m taking yours, too.” The man behind the driver's seat tells you angrily. Tears flow out of your eyes as you choke out a couple of words.
“Who are you?”
“My friends call me Shay, but others know me as Wraith.” He mutters darkly, turning around to look at you. You're helpless as he clambers into the back with you as Wilson watches from the passenger seat. He reaches into a pocket, pulling out a small knife. Your eyes grow large, about to scream out, but before you can, Wraith is securing a piece of fabric around your mouth. A makeshift gag. “There we go. Now this may hurt a bit.” He tells you before bringing the knife to your collarbone, skimming over the flesh just enough for blood to leak from your broken skin. You let out a whimper of pain as you uselessly fight against the large man. He slowly brings the knife up to your neck, smiling down at your weak form. “Don’t worry sunshine, you’ll see your parents soon.” As he raises the knife, ready to plunge it deep into your neck, the back doors to the van fly open. Soon Wraith’s body is removed from yours as you start into a fit of coughing, gasping for air from the lack of oxygen. The next thing you know, Tom’s eyes are looking down at yours. You watch as he looks back, yelling at someone to call 911. Tom looks back to you, arms soon coming down to circle around you and pull you up off the floor of the dirty van. Tears fill his eyes as he cradles you in his arms.
“I’m okay Tom.” you rasp out.
“Y/N, if I hadn’t gotten here in time you would be…” he trails off, looking away from you. You lift your hand up to cradle his cheek, forcing him to look back down at you.
“I’m okay Tom. You saved me. You got to me in time.” You reassure him as he holds you closer. He hugs you tight to his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.
You may not be better than okay for a long while, but you can rest easier knowing that those two scumbags were put away. Yes, your parents are gone, but they will always be looking down on you and living inside of Tom. You cling onto Tom like a lifeline, knowing you’ll always be safe when you’re with him.
