"Gallagher Girl," Zach mumbled, rolling over. You'd been sitting up against your headboard with a book in hand. You'd made sure your lamp was turned down low when he fell asleep. Was he supposed to be sleeping over in your dorm room? No. But it was senior year, you wanted to live a little.

"Yeah, babe?" You glanced down at him. His brows were pinched in discomfort. Zach hooked an arm around your stomach. He didn't respond to your question.

"Bad dream?" you tried coaxing a word out. But Zach remained silent. He just glared at the AC/DC poster on your wall.

This wasn't the first time he'd woken up upset. That was the whole reason Zach had started crawling into your bed at night in the first place. His dorm was too quiet, too cold, too empty. Zach usually enjoyed being alone, but not when it grew dark outside. That's when his brain got too loud and he could almost hear his mother having a breakdown outside his bedroom door, just like when he was little.

You were warm. You made nights easier.