“No!”
I woke up immediately. Daniel’d just screamed.
“Daniel? Are you alright?”
“Don’t!” he cried out.
At first, I thought he was talking to me. Then I focused, and realized Daniel’s eyes were firmly closed.
“Stop!” He was begging to an imaginary figure in his dream. Tears streamed out of his squeezed eyes, flowing down his face. “Not him!”
“Daniel? Wake up! You’re having a dream! Wake up!”
He took a deep breath, and slowly, opened his eyes. For a moment, his expression was completely blank. Devoid of anything.
“Pass me the water,” he said, breathing shakily. I did as he said, keeping silent.
He drained half the glass, and steadied his breathing.
“Are you okay –?”
“I’m fine, Eric.”
I waited until he finished his glass.
“Daniel…what were you dreaming about?”
“Why do you want to know?” he replied, harshly, giving me back the glass.
“I’m your roommate, and you’re my dance tutor… I think we’re kind of friends now.”
“You’re not my friend, Eric. Don’t kid yourself.”
I swallowed. He looked scary…yet incredibly vulnerable at the same time. He was pale and shivering, a cold sweat on his brow. He caved into himself, and looked small. But it also looked so real. For the first time, Daniel looked like a real guy. Like he’d been acting the whole time, and suddenly his character had been wiped away, exposing his true self. The real Daniel.
“I care about you, Daniel.”
He glared at me, but now I wasn’t scared. Even though the muscles in his face were pulled into that emotion – anger, his eyes contrasted. He looked lonely. Just like a kid.
“Tell me.”
At first, I thought he would just tell me to shut up and leave me alone. But then he broke down.
“My brother. Three years ago.”
“What happened?”
“I was a stupid, drunk fifteen-year-old. I stole a car. My brother was in the car, and tried to stop me, when I crashed it. The wrong guy got put into a coma.” He laughed, bitterly. “Do you know why my roommates left my room? Because I had nightmares about it. Because I cried at night, after seeing my brother in the hospital. Because I was a ‘freak’.”
He turned away, but not before I saw the look on his face. It broke my heart, so much more than when Ben had left me.
“Oh, Daniel,” I whispered. I pulled his head into my chest, and hugged him.
“Eric?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t even like acting. I joined this business, so I could live Dean’s life for him. He’s meant to be the actor, not me.”
A tear slid from my eye, and brushed it away quickly.
“Your brother loves you.”
“How do you know that?” he asked, his voice harsh. He pulled away, and he glared at me, but this time it made me want to cry some more. “How do you know?”
Because no one couldn’t love you.
“Because he forgives you. He was your brother. He would be glad you’re the amazing actor you’re now. He would be happy for you. He would be proud.”
