Wait to start the song.

Josh was pulled out of his sedated dreams when his mom came in to check on him. He was too out of it from his pill to even open his eyes when he heard the door open.

"Hi, honey. Do you need any...." His mother's voice trailed off, but he wasn't sure why.

Sleep kept tugging at Josh, making him too heavy to move. He was so warm and cozy that he didn't even try to fight the heaviness.

"Hi, Mrs. Dun. Sorry. I was worried about Josh, so I came to check on him. I told him I'd stay until he fell asleep, but he kind of turned into a boa constrictor," Solána said quietly, making Josh suddenly aware of why his mother had been so shocked.

There was a girl in Josh's bed. She was wearing his shirt. He wasn't wearing a shirt. His head was still on her chest. This was full of misleading signs that his mother would take to mean that Josh had slept with Solána in more ways than one today.

"Yeah, he does that," Josh's mother said, her smile audible. "When did you get here? I didn't hear you come in."

"I came in through the window. Sorry. My dad would freak out if he knew I'd even let Josh look at me. He's terrified of boys being near me. Josh is my friend though, and I know he doesn't really have any others here yet. I wanted to make sure he knew he isn't alone here. I had to sneak in so my dad wouldn't know though," Solána explained.

Josh's mother replied easily, "Oh, I understand. That's totally fine. I appreciate you looking out for him. The move has been hard on Josh. He doesn't do well with change. He does better when he feels...."

"At home?" Solána finished for her.

His mother chuckled. "Exactly. This is actually the calmest I've seen him since we left Columbus. He looks very comfortable with you."

"I hope he is. I think he needs comfort right now. He'll like it here though. I'm sure he will. My friends all think he's wonderful. We're all looking out for him," Solána said as her fingernails soothed along his back again. "He's special. I've never met another boy like him."

"I really appreciate you and your friends looking out for him. I'll let you two get some rest. Panic attacks like that really drain him. He could sleep for hours. If you need me to come in and help you pry him off of you, just shout. It won't wake him up. Don't worry. He's a deep sleeper," his mother offered warmly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Dun," Solána replied politely, her fingernails continuing to raise goosebumps across Josh's back.

"Oh, please, call me Laura. Mrs. Dun makes me feel old," his mother joked lamely.

Solána giggled. "Okay, Laura. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she replied.

The sound of Josh's door closing was faint. He still couldn't lift his eyelids, but he could hear Solána humming quietly as she continued to soothe him. He really hoped the way he felt about her wasn't some kind of weird juju. He wanted it to be genuine. He wanted her to want him back too.

Start the song. It's Scarecrow in the Garden by Chris Stapleton.

It took a great deal of energy for him to open his eyes. She smiled when she saw him blink at her dazedly.

"Hey, you. Are you awake now?" She asked him sweetly.

He shook his head, letting his eyelids drop shut again. "Just needed to see you," he slurred out sleepily.

"Why? Is everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

He yawned, nodding weakly. "Mhm. Just like looking at you."

The girl beside him giggled. "You're so lame."

He smiled sleepily, once again finding it impossible to open his eyes. "So sleepy," he mumbled.

"Rest then. I've got you, baby," she comforted.

Her words seemed to work like a spell, instantly washing over him like a wave of melatonin. His body slumped into hers once again. Some part of him felt comfortable burrowing into her chest like he was trying to bury himself alive, his whole body begging to be closer to hers. He needed her close. He needed to know she was right here with him.

Just like the last time, Josh whined sleepily when Solána separated herself from him. He forced his eyes open, feeling them instantly fill with tears. She wasn't close enough at all. He needed her. He needed her to hold him and make him feel at home.

His thoughts fell silent, however, when she pulled her borrowed shirt over her head and dropped it onto the floor atop all of the other discarded clothing they'd shed. She eased him down to lay his head on her bare chest. She was so soft and warm. Touching this much of her made him feel like he was lying on a warm beach somewhere without a care in the world.

"Thank you," he whispered to her.

"No problem. I'm here to give you what you need. If you need to be close to feel comfortable, I'll do what I can," she said quietly.

He hummed a response, his pill leaving him too sedated to say anything else to her. He just wanted her to hold him and keep him safe. Despite all of the bad things that had happened since he'd moved here, he trusted Solána to comfort him today.

Once again, Josh dreamt about watching Solána plant yellow flowers in a meadow. They were both naked this time, but they made no attempt to touch each other. The thought didn't even cross Josh's mind. It was just comfortable to be vulnerable in the same space as her. They were completely bare with nothing to hide behind, yet Josh felt completely safe in her presence. Solána was right. He didn't need what the other girls were trying to offer him. He just needed to feel at home. Solána was perfect for him.

---

When Josh woke up again, it was because Solána was shifting him off of her. He whined nervously, pulling her close again. She hushed him gently, soothing her palm along his shaved head.

"I have to be home for dinner," she told him quietly. "I'll come back once my mom goes to sleep. I promise."

Josh whimpered again, burying his face against her chest. She couldn't leave him. Not now. He needed her. She was the most important person in his life right now. She was the only person who made him feel less afraid.

"Baby, I have to go," she reminded him carefully. "I won't be gone long. I can text one of the other girls to come check on you if you want."

He shook his head, breathing in the gentle scent of sweetgrass and feverfew that was now clinging to her skin. He wanted her here so badly. How could he possibly survive without her? What if Gefjon was still watching him? What if those charred eyes were still fixed unblinkingly on him? His entire body was beginning to tremble. If Solána left, he'd be in danger again.

Solána's arms wrapped protectively around him when he started to cry. He couldn't even be embarrassed about crying in front of her because he was too scared. She hushed him gently, promising him that she wouldn't let anything hurt him. He couldn't stop crying though. He needed her. He needed her so badly.

The girl beside him hesitated before untangling their bodies. Josh started to panic again as she climbed out of his bed. Jim hurried to take her place, pawing at Josh's chest and trying to get Josh to roll over onto his back. He couldn't move though. He needed her to stay.

Solána pulled her phone out of her backpack before climbing back onto the bed with Josh. She climbed up so she was straddling his waist, one of her soft hands rubbing his chest gently. His breathing began to regulate as he watched her type on her phone. Before he could ask who she was texting, or how she even had service, she locked her phone and set it down on the bed beside him. She sat forward and connected their lips, kissing him deeply.

Her lips tasted like chamomile tea as she lowered herself down to lie with her chest pressed against his. A warm feeling of calm settled throughout the room as Solána continued to kiss Josh, her fingertips touching his skin so gently that it made him shiver. Her hands didn't go anywhere below his waist. Her only intention was to kiss the fear away, and it was working.

When her phone beeped, she guided Josh down to kiss her neck while she checked the response. He did so willingly, the taste of chamomile making him feel a bit drowsy. She allowed Josh's hands to travel down to her butt, resting atop it. He was careful not to leave any marks on her throat as he tasted as much of her skin as he could.

Solána set her phone back down before guiding Josh back up to kiss her lips. He was so grateful for her presence. He wanted her to stay here forever. She was so soft and warm and comforting. It was impossible not to want her to stay here forever.

When Solána broke the kiss, she maintained eye contact with Josh for a moment, and the intensity of her gaze made him feel like nothing could ever hurt him again. Even when she wasn't around, she'd be protecting him. Even when he couldn't see her, she was watching out for him. A little distance wouldn't hurt him. That was what she'd been trying to tell him all along.

"The girls are going to watch the house while I go home for a bit. You're safe here. You've got Jim and the girls, and I'll be right next door. You don't need to be scared, baby. Nothing is going to hurt you," she promised him. Her words were punctuated with one more lingering kiss to his lips.

This time, Josh allowed Solána to climb off of him and out of his bed. She tucked him in carefully, kissing both of his eyelids when they drifted shut. He heard her redress in the clothing she'd come in. He forced his eyelids open again when he heard her backpack unzip. He smiled when she slid his shirt inside. She smiled back at him.

"You know how I told you that we're only friends?" She asked him as she zipped her backpack up again.

"Yeah," Josh replied quietly.

She walked over to his desk, opening the ziplock bag of muffins she'd made him and taking one out. She carried it over to the bed, climbing up onto his lap once again. A smile played at the corners of her lips as she broke a piece off of the muffin and held it to his lips, which opened easily. He allowed her to feed him little bites, feeling even more comforted by the taste.

"I don't think we're just friends anymore. Do you?" She asked curiously.

He shook his head, relieved that she felt it too. The action made her smile. She gently brushed away the stray crumbs on his cheeks.

"Unlike Jenna, I want you to be of a clear mind if you decide you want to be my boyfriend. I think you need to be able to make that choice for yourself. Don't make any decisions right now, but I want you to think about it once I've left. You might feel differently after I'm gone," she told him sincerely.

Josh nodded, already very much aware that he wanted to be with her. He would wait though. He would think about it.

Solána pressed a few gentle kisses to his lips, cheeks, nose, and forehead before climbing off of him. She set the unfinished muffin on the table beside his bed. She laughed when he pouted.

"I won't be gone forever, Josh. I promise. I'll miss you though," she told him sweetly.

"I'll miss you too," he replied honestly. "Am I going to dream about you again when you leave?"

She smiled. "Would you like to?"

He nodded, pulling Jim closer. The dog made no complaints, simply snuggling up against Josh and closing his eyes.

"I can make sure you dream about me, but you have to let me do something gross first," she said with a devious grin.

"Okay," Josh replied easily.

She laughed, climbing back up onto his bed again. She situated herself on top of him again before holding his cheeks. "Open your mouth," she told him. He did so trustingly. Solána smirked briefly before spitting into his mouth. "Swallow," she instructed through a laugh.

Josh grinned as he did as he was told. Swallowing her spit didn't seem that weird considering he'd made out with her just moments before. He'd had her spit in his mouth already. He did find himself getting drowsier after he'd swallowed.

"Goodnight, baby," she whispered to him as his eyelids began to droop.

"Goodnight," he slurred out.

She giggled, her hands soothing along his bare chest. "Sweet dreams," she whispered.

He nodded just slightly before he was floating into a dream of yellow flowers, sunlight warming his and Solána's skin, and the scent of fresh herbs. He didn't feel Solána climb off of him or hear her leave through the window. He was fast asleep, dreaming of the girl he was absolutely certain he wasn't just friends with.