Of course I left the keys outside, trusting that Dyson wouldn't be stupid enough to shut the door. Now, we’re stuck in the back room. At least we have some food. Like cookies.

“How can somebody be so stupid?” I muttered to myself, sitting against the wall. “My mom is going to freak.”

“Then call her.” He said in a duh tone.

I muttered a few choice words before pulling out my phone and pushing the center button. “Oh, that’s just great. My phones dead.” I said sarcastically. “Let me use yours.”

He forced a smug smile. “Mine died a few hours ago.”

"Can you stop being so happy about this?" I snapped.

I jumped a little bit when the lights started flickering out and finally completely running out.

“Looks like we’re spending the night in here.” He muttered.

My heart dropped to the depths of the ocean. I have to sleep in here? I can’t sleep without sleeping pills or I’ll have nightmares. Really bad, screaming, sweating, bawling your eyes out nightmares. This can’t happen. This isn’t happening.

“Well, you can sleep. I’m not sleeping.” I sighed, bringing my knees up to my chin. The room was completely pitch black and I couldn’t even see where Dyson was.

“You’re not going to sleep?” He asked incredulously. “You really are scared.” Now, he seemed amused.

“I am not!” I argued. “I-I’m just not tired.” I lied. I was actually exhausted but sleeping was not an option.

He laughed. “You were practically asleep at the counter for the past half hour of tonight.  You’re a horrible liar.”

“Okay, well if I fall asleep then neither of us are going to get any sleep.” I tried to explain to him without telling the whole story. He’d just laugh in my face and use this against me for years to come.

“Are you claustrophobic?” He asked.

“No. Are you?” I asked through the darkness.

He chuckled. “I don’t get scared.”

I raised my eyebrows even though he couldn’t see it. “Oh, really?”

“Really. Guys don’t get scared.” He said confidently.

I rolled my eyes at his attempt of masculinity. “Right. Well, goodnight.” I muttered.

“You really aren’t going to sleep?” He asked.

“No. I’m not.” I said firmly. “I’ve pulled all-nighters before.”

“Oh, I see. You just want to watch my sexiness sleep.” He said, I could practically hear the smirk on his face.

“Dyson, just go to sleep.” I snapped. “I can't even see you through the darkness. I don’t really want to talk right now so just stop talking.”

He sighed. “Okay. Fine. Wake me up if something exciting happens.”

And with that, silence filled the room.

“Don’t fall asleep. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t fall asleep.” I whispered to myself. I can’t go back to that night. I can’t dream. I just can’t dream. “Don’t fall asleep.”

To keep myself awake, I started singing. Singing always calms me down.  “I miss your soft lips. I miss your white sheets. I miss the scratch of your unshaved face on my cheek. And this is so hard because I didn’t see that you were the love of my life and it kills me…” I whisper sang a Kesha song to myself.

I only got to the second verse before I fell asleep.

I ran towards him. They can’t hurt him, I won’t let them! I kept running until I felt a pain on my cheek push me to the floor, one of them punched me. It didn’t stop me. I stood to my feet again, but he was gone.

“MASON!!!” I screamed. I have to save him. I have to! “MASON!!!” I screamed again.

“Tyler! Help! Ow, Tyler, I’m scared!” He cried from another room.

I ran for the hallway, but two strong arms were lifting me into the air around my waist. “MASON!!!” I screamed again.

The man was shaking me. “Tyler.” He said gently. “Tyler, wake up. Tyler!”

My eyes fluttered open and started to sting with tears. The man wasn’t shaking me, Dyson was. His hand was laying on my shoulder but I still couldn’t see him.

I shot up even though my body was still trembling. I didn’t bother wiping the tears that were running down my face since it was too dark to see anything.

“Th-that’s why I can’t sleep.” I said, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

“Are you okay?” He asked in a tired voice.

I started sobbing, I just broke down in ugly sobs. I didn’t care if Dyson laughed at me later, I didn’t care if he held this against me. I couldn’t help it. I had to cry.

“Come here.” Dyson said softly, finding my hand in the dark. I was too weak to say no, so I let him pull me into his warmth. I laid my back against him so that we were spooning and I let him wrap his arms around me as I cried.

“I’m sorry… that I… woke you… up.” I said between sobs.

“It’s fine. I’ll make you pay for it in the morning.” He joked.

“What time is it?”

“Our phones are dead.” He reminded me.

“Oh. Right. Are you tired?” I said, calming down and hiccupping from crying so hard.

“After waking up to you screaming and thinking that we were being swallowed into the depths of hell? Nah, I think I’m good.” He said softly. I felt his lips pressed against the side of my neck as he spoke, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up on edge.

I sat up again and wiped the tears away from my face. I could hear Dyson sit up too.

“Do you have some kind of wire?” He asked, full in thought. I heard him jiggling with the door handle as well. As if it would just be magically unlocked.

“I have some bobby pins. Why?”

“I think I can pick the lock.”

I rolled my eyes and let out another hiccup. “You couldn’t have thought about that earlier.” I asked, pulling a bobby pin out of my soft blonde ponytail.

“Hey, at least I thought of it.” He growled. I searched the air aimlessly for his hand and finally found it, then put my bobby pin gently in his palm.

“You can do it in the dark?” I asked as I heard the jiggling of the knob again.

He chuckled. “Of course I can do it in the dark. That’s how you’re supposed to do it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Pervert.” I muttered.

He chuckled again and I heard the door swing open, but barely any light filled the room. I could now, however, make out Dyson’s muscular figure in front of me.

“This is where you thank me and gravel your gratitude at my feet.” He said confidently.

“Oh, sure. That’s going to happen when I get a pet t-rex.” I muttered, passing him and moving behind the counter. I cursed myself for how shaky my voice still sounded from my episode.

“Oh, you love me. You can stop denying it.” He said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes. My heart aches for you, Dyson.” I said sarcastically.

“So what should we do?” He sighed.

I shrugged. “Let’s just avoid each other until the sun rises. Then we can figure out what the hell is happening with the mall and how to get out.” I muttered, leaning against the counter and sitting on the floor. I could feel myself dozing off as my eyelids got heavier.

“Do you really think that sleeping is a good idea right now?” Dyson asked, hovering above me.

“I’m tired.” I croaked.

“Well you’re not sleeping.” He said firmly.

“Why do you care?” I murmured with my eyes closed as my head fell sideways and rested on my shoulder. Then suddenly… BANG!

It played in my head and I could see it so vividly.

I gasped and shot up to my feet with my eyes wide open.

“What’s the matter?” Dyson asked in an annoyed voice.

I tried to blink the memory away… then BANG!

Every time I blinked, it would happen again. “No, make it stop.” I cried.

“Tyler?” Dyson said, now sounding more worried than annoyed.

BANG!... BANG!.... BANG! It happened every time I blinked, every time I closed my eyes. BANG!

“No! Go away!” I yelled as I started sobbing again. I just wanted it to stop. I wanted the sound of his cries to go away. I wanted the blood to go away. I wanted the bang of the gun to just get out of my head. I just wanted it to stop. “Stop! Go away!” I screamed, clutching my hands in my hair as I sobbed.

“Tyler, calm down.” Dyson said calmly beside me.

“Make it stop! Make it stop!” I pleaded, continuing to rip my hair out of my head.

I was surprised when I felt his arms wrap around me tightly. I immediately broke down and just sobbed into his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” I sobbed. “Mason, I’m so sorry.”

The next thing I knew, my eyes were flopping closed as I cried myself to sleep in Dyson’s arms. Of all frikkin people… it had to be Dyson Becker.

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Okay, so I'm finally actually uploading this story :P 

I know this chapter is a bit weird. But it will be better after this one. :3

I'll upload twice a week: Wednesday and Sunday

So.. yeah. Comment, let me know what you think and such <3

And vote.. please?

I hope you enjoy the story :D