Twisted

Chapter 21: Spicy Sweetness

**As the Chapter title implies -
Some sweet fluffy spicy kissy stuff in this chapter. ** They needed some TLC after the Truman Train of this first half of the book. Promise it picks up into the regular story if TMR right away!**

I had been in The Resistance building a month now. It took me two weeks to stop waking up in a full blown panic attack. Every morning Gally would wake up to me trying to keep my sobs quiet. I still had regular night terrors. It would start with a dream or a small memory, nothing significant- like sitting in a classroom- and then it would turn into one of my fears from the Landscape or of Janson. Usually it was Janson.

Gally made sure I was never alone for long, if he had Resistance stuff to do he made sure Sophie and Magnus were with me. I liked Zayn, but I wasn't as comfortable yet with me. He was quiet, which was great, he didn't force me to talk, and seemed just fine when I was quiet. But it was hard to get to know someone when they didn't talk.

Sophie and I became quite close quite fast. She insisted on once a week girls sleepover. Gally just rolled his eyes and slept in the guy's dorm. Sophie was the sunshine my dark soul needed. Gally was the gentle tender love my trauma needed and Magnus was the steady piller my confused memories needed.

All of them together really pulled me out of the dark pit. I still flinched at almost everything, I panicked constantly and had clipping anxiety. But. I did feel like I was getting better. The bruises were fading, and because I didn't have new ones inflicted on me I started to look like myself. But now the scars were visible.

The one on my neck from Janson's ropes, on my wrists and ankles were the worst. Janson only used a wipe on my back once. And those long thin lines would never go away.

I was changing into one of Gally's big shirts for bed when I felt arms wrap around my waist. Warm lips kissed my bare shoulder

"Hey." He whispered against my shoulder.

I twisted around and wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed the top of my nose. His entense eyes stared into mine.

"I heard you laughing from down the hall. I missed hearing you laugh."

He smiled down at me. I pushed up on my toes and kissed him gently.

"I feel happy. I think. For now, anyways I feel happy."

"Good."

Gally just smiled down at me with such a gentle love it made my stomach turn with butterflies. It's always when I feel the most content and happy that my fears like to creep up. I guess it flashed in my eyes because Gally frowned and pulled away slightly to look at me fully.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

I lowered my head, my hair falling in my face. Gally turned us around and he gently pulled me, his hands on my hips to the bed, he sat down at the edge pulling me to stand between his knees.

"Charlie, Sweetie, tell me." He said gently, looking up at me now.

"I'm...I'm damaged. Inside and out."

"And so am I. What's your point?" Gally answered.

"I'm...I don't know." I whispered. I took a shuddering breath. "I just hate my scares. I hate that they remind me of him. I hate how everyone can see them. I hate how people stare...they see you and frown at me."

"No." He shook his head, his eyes were glassy as he searched my face, "your scares tell your story. Your scares show how much of a fighter and badass you are. Your scars..."

His voice caught and he closed his eyes for a second, and then opened them. He gently took my hands in his. A few tears slid over my lower lashes and slid down my cheeks.