Rules and Roses (Gal Gadot)

Chapter 10

TW: mentions of rape and attempted suicide

Once we arrived at Gal's house, I couldn't help but gawk over it. It was a decent-sized house for one person and it looked very luxurious. The inside of her house was even better. Everything in here looked so expensive and clean. It was well organized and everything was intricately placed. When Gal noticed that I was done looking around, she grabbed my hand and brought me to her room. She gave me a new change of clothes and said I could use the bathroom Thankfully she gave me a hoodie so it could hide all my cuts. When I put it on, I was engulfed with her scent and I was instantly calmed. I left the bathroom to see that Gal had already changed and she told me to sit on her bed. When we sat down, Gal made sure there was a little space in between us so she could see my face. If I had to guess she mainly did this to see if I was lying about something or not. When I was done looking around her room, I looked to her and saw that she was watching me with a small smile on her face. Looking into her eyes made me forget everything that just happened as I took in all of her beautiful features.

"I want you to start with telling me about that boy and what he was doing to you."

"Well his name is Nathan and I met him last summer. I think it was pretty obvious of what he was doing but I'll start from when I ran out of class." I shifted a bit and swallowed before I continued, "In class when I saw you staring at me, I couldn't help but notice that you were tired and how you didn't have a smile on your face. It made me feel guilty for affecting you so much by shutting you out so I started to panic and I realized I was going to have a panic attack. The only solution I could think of was to run and that is what I did. I went home and went straight to bed to take a nap. I then woke up because I had a nightmare and decided to go to the diner to clear my head. When I was in the middle of eating, I saw him sit beside me and put an arm around me. As I tried to leave, he pulled out a knife and told me to stay put. he then proceeded to put his hands in my pants and before he could actually put his fingers inside of me, you showed up and well I guess you know everything after that." When I was done talking, I had tears rolling down my cheeks and I was shaking a bit. Thankfully he didn't get too far because of Gal, who I was very thankful for.

"You don't have to push me out you know. I'm here for you and your problems aren't a burden to me. I want you to come to me if you have any and I want to make you feel wanted instead of alone. As for that Nathan kid, I would gladly beat his ass again but I have to ask do you want to go to the police about it."

"No. The last time this happened no one believed me and honestly I don't want to have to deal with the police."

"what do you mean last time this happened?"

Oh shit, I slipped up. what will she think if I told her the whole story about last summer? Will she be repulsed by me or think less of me? She grabbed my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, silently gesturing that it was ok to talk to her.

"Um well it happened last summer and ever since it happened, I've been having nightmares but Ivy and Connor have been helping me. They are the only people who know about what happened because I don't really like talking about it. Not even Dylan knows." She gave me a nod telling me that she was listening and that I should continue. "Ivy really wanted to go to this party that she had heard about and I decided why not. We went and got super drunk and just partied it up. I remember dancing and some guy came up behind me and started dancing with me. I then started to feel lightheaded and started getting dizzy. I guess he took notice of this and started dragging me upstairs and to a room. By the time we got there, I was already passed out. When I had woken up he um well was inside of me. I remember how much pain I was in because I was actually a virgin. Which I know is sad how a twenty-year-old was a virgin but I was wanting to save it for the person that I fell in love with but that was all ruined. Anyway, when I tried getting away he just hit me and eventually caused me to stop and just take it. When he finished, I realized he didn't wear any protection which scared the hell out of me because of all the things that could happen. He then put his clothes on and just left and when he walked out, I saw one of his friends give him a fist bump and said "she must've been a good one, Nathan" That's how I learned his name. The door then closed and all I could do was just lay there, numb to everything. When I looked at the bedside table, I saw a bottle of pills and without thinking I took them all. Ivy then came in and tried to get me to stay awake but I didn't want to wake up, I just wanted everything to end and all the pain to be gone. The next day, I woke up in the hospital with Ivy right by my side as well as Connor." At this point I was sobbing as I was remembering all the pain I went through. Gal also had tears running down her face as she pulled me into a tight hug. One of her hands was running through my hair as the other one was still held tightly around my own.

"You are so strong, you know that? I care about you so much and I can't believe what you have been through but now you have me and I'm never going anywhere and that is a promise."

When I was done crying, I looked at Gal and could tell she still had a question. "What is it?"

"When I grabbed your wrist earlier, you yelped in pain, Why?"

"Oh um well I um." I had no idea what to say and how to approach this. I didn't want to just come out and say oh I cut myself but I also didn't know any other way to say anything. Gal must have noticed this as she grabbed my wrist softly and grabbed the sleeve to her hoodie. She then looked at me, asking for permission which I shook my head yes to. As she started to slowly pull the sleeve up, my heart was pounding in my chest and I had to look away because I couldn't see her face right now. It was quiet for a little and no one moved until I felt her thumb softly ghost over the marks on my arm. She then softly put a hand on my cheek and turned my face to look her in the eye. She had a comforting smile which put my nerves at ease.

"You are so beautiful, inside and out. These marks change nothing about you, they just show how hard you have fought and how much this world doesn't deserve you. I wish you would've felt comfortable enough to come to me about this but it's ok that you didn't. I just want you to know that you can always come to me no matter the time or situation, I'm going to be here. I also want you to know that I am so proud of you. You actually remind me of a rose. On the outside you have thorns and you protect yourself but if you pick you the right way, you aren't sharp and as you get to know you, you realize your true beauty and how you are one of a kind. I would do anything to protect you and I will always be by your side. I love you Skylar, more than you could ever know"

After hearing these words, I knew exactly how I felt about Gal. Love. I loved this woman with everything in me and it made me realize how beautiful love truly was. I went and grabbed her cheeks with both of my hands and gave her a passionate kiss. She tasted like strawberries. I could also taste our salty tears, that haven't stopped falling since we practically got here. I pulled away and said, "I love you too, so much. Which is why I want you to be my girlfriend."

Her face lit up and she nodded her head as she pulled me into another searing kiss. My hands went into her hair as hers wrapped around my waist. She then flipped me over so my back was on her bed and she was on top of me. At this moment I felt so complete and loved. I knew Gal was my happiness and I have finally found the light at the end of the dark tunnel. My black and white life was now filled with colors. I knew that I found the person that I would do anything for and I knew I wouldn't be able to live without her. She was my person. I pulled away from the kiss and stared right into gal's eyes so that she knew I was being serious.

"Gal I want you to make me feel loved. I want you to make love to me and get rid of his touch on my body and replace it with yours."