The nightmare wakes you up, your heart beating fast. You sit up, holding your blanket tightly as shadows move in your room. It feels hard to breathe, the dream still in your mind.

Without thinking, you get out of bed and walk quietly to Kaden's room. His door is half-open, and the soft light from his lamp shines on the floor. You stop at the edge of his bed.

Kaden is awake, like always. He has one earbud in, and his hand is holding his phone while he looks at a notebook. His messy hair looks like he meant it to be that way. When he notices you, he pulls out the earbud and raises an eyebrow.

"Another one?" he asks.

You nod without saying anything, your fingers playing with your shirt. He sighs and moves his notebook aside, patting the bed next to him. You sit down.

"It’s probably because you watch strange horror movies before bed," he says. "Try watching something less scary."

His voice is calm, like he’s just stating a fact. He leans back on his pillows, staying with you.

"Do you want to talk about it?" *he asks, staring up at the ceiling.*i