Aiden had been sleeping peacefully. Years of discipline and military-like training at the hands of his ’specialized’ teachers had taught him to sleep anywhere, anytime. He could shut down his mind and body at will. But that training also left him with a side effect—a sense of awareness that never completely shut off.
Even in sleep, he could feel someone watching him ,his senses nudging at him. His eyes snapped open, and on the next moment, almost jumped when he saw it—Serena, standing there, staring at him. In the dim light of the cabin, with only the overhead lamp casting a faint glow, she looked... like a ghost straight out of some horror movie. She was dressed in all white, the light catching her pale outfit just right to make her look like an other worldly spirit...
He sighed and took a deep breath, rubbing his hand over his face as he questioned her, "What are you doing?"
His words, however, were drowned by the sound of a thunderclap that made her jump in fright.
Aiden blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep as he processed the sight before him. Serena, still standing there like some eerie apparition, was now clutching her chest and almost trembling
"What are you doing?", he asked, now on alert. What could have scared her so much that she’d come here looking for him?
"Were you asleep?"
Aiden rolled his eyes at the question. What else could he have been doing at two in the night? "No, I was in a business meeting. A very important one." He muttered sarcastically.
Serena gave him a small, sheepish smile then. "Sorry... I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just... it’s storming outside, and I couldn’t sleep."
He propped himself up on one elbow, raising an eyebrow. "And you thought standing over me like a ghost to haunt me was the solution to this... predicament of yours?"
Serena shrugged," I was about to wake you up."
"Let me get this straight. You were about to wake me up because you could not sleep?" He asked incredulously.
She nodded and then hurried over to the bedding, sitting cross legged on the floor next to it." Yes! But it is a good thing that you woke up on your own. Now that you are up, you can help distract my thoughts.
Aiden fell back to his pillow and covered his eyes with his arm," I am not an entertainment device. Sorry. I will be sleeping now."
Serena sat there for a moment, staring at Aiden’s unmoving form. Determined not to be left alone, she leaned over and poked him in the side, only to be ignored by him.
Narrowing her eyes at his sleeping form, Serena was about to say something more another thunder clap boomed, the sound louder than before. Taking a deep breath, Serena pulled at his covers and slipped into the narrow bedding beside him.
As soon as Serena slid under the covers beside him, Aiden’s eyes snapped open, and before she could blink, he rolled over and jumped out of the bed, standing beside it with a look of shock on his face.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
Serena barely peeked out from the blankets, her eyes wide and innocent as she murmured, "I’m scared. And since you won’t stay awake with me, I had to find another way."
Aiden stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Another way? By sneaking into my..." he cut himself off, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Did she have no sense of self preservation. Even if he was not interested in her, he was a healthy male...
He looked around the cabin, trying to figure out what to do next when his gaze fell on the cabinet beside the wall.
"Where are you going?" Serena asked, watching as Aiden stalked over to the cupboard in the corner of the room. "Are you going to sleep in the cupboard?"
Aiden sent her a look at that before pulling something out and returning. Decisively, he pulled her out of the bed and towards the table," We are going to do this. If you’re scared and can’t sleep, we’re going to play something to keep you busy. But just so you know, you’re going to regret disturbing my sleep." He warned as he placed the few board games on the table.
"You’re going to play games with me? Now?" Serena asked as she looked at the chess, monopoly, Jenga and the pack of cards.
Aiden sighed, "Yes, now. It’s either this, or we can go back to bed. But we won’t be sleeping there." He added suggestively. "Your choice."
Hurriedly, she sat down at the table and asked," Which game should we play first?"
"I don’t think I know how to play chess." Serena muttered as she stared at the game, as if trying hard to remember.
Aiden shrugged," We can play Jenga."
The thunder sounded again, distracting her but just when she would have jumped, Aiden caught her hand on the table, his hand covering her wrist. With one hand, he then moved to set up the Jenga tower.
Serena’s gaze was however fixed on his hand on hers. She couldn’t help but stare at it as she realized that it was quite reassuring. She sighed when he moved his hand away from hers, gesturing for her to continue," Come on, ladies frist."
She reached out, carefully selecting a block near the middle of the tower. With slow precision, she wiggled it free, and placed it back up, " Your turn."
As they began the game, Serena still jumped at every little sound but the fear that she had woken up with, the feeling of being unable to breathe as if something was pressing down her and slowly receded. It was almost dawn when the thunderstorm finally receded, leaving only the pattering of rain on the window and the two of them returned to their beds to sleep.