Bonnie's memory resurfaced back to the present as she finished speaking about her abusive childhood. Emil almost got emotional at the way she was treated by her own dad, but managed to hold back her tears. In that shared space, Emil gained a clearer understanding of the roots of her resilience and ability to tolerate abusive behavior. The connection between her past and her experiences with Hayden became more apparent. It was clear to him why Bonnie tolerated Hayden's cruel and violent behavior towards her when they were together.
Emil: I-I really am painfully and extremely sorry to hear about your childhood, Bonnie.
Emil: You really didn't deserve to go through that...I-I don't know how else to put it.
Emil: What happened after your dad got arrested?
Bonnie: My aunt got full custody of me...
Bonnie: Some nights I'm scared that he will return and abuse me more...
Bonnie: The panic attacks, vicious nightmares of him near me, aching feeling in my chest, and fighting every thought that was killing my mind...
Bonnie: It just...It never, ever goes away.
As Bonnie divided into the remaining thoughts about her childhood, the weight of her emotions became too much to bear. She buried her face in her hands, tears welling up again. Talking about this in front of an empathetic, loving guy like Emil was making her more emotional than usual and she accomplished something she thought she never could. Opening up about her traumas. With warmth and tenderness, he wrapped his arms around her, offering a tight and comforting embrace.
Emil: How can a sweet ray of sunshine go through this torment all alone?
Emil: I'm not surprised that's the reason why you gravitated towards men like my bro...
Emil: To me, you're an angel who never got the happy ending she deserved.
Emil: But you must remember this...Never let a man cuss and raise his voice at you.
Emil: Never let a man raise his hand and hit you.
Emil: Never let a man hint to you that you're his slave.
Emil: Never let a man take control of your social media accounts.
Emil: Never let a man force you to do things you don't want to do.
Emil: And finally...Never ever let a man make you feel like you're a worthless, human being.
Bonnie: She wiped the tears from her eyes. Never again. I want to be far away from men like my dad and Hayden.
Bonnie: I hope I don't encounter a man like them again.
Emil: He touched her hands. Just believe in yourself and if you feel butterflies inside you, it's a sign to run away.
Bonnie: Umm...Emil? Can I ask you something?
Bonnie: The other day you said I'm your high school crush...Did you really mean it?
Emil: He ran his fingers through her hair. Do you really want to know?
Emil: I did...
He kissed her gently on the cheek to surprise her and she blushed when he did. This was the first time a gentle guy like Emil confessed to her in a genuine, chivalrous manner.
Bonnie: I...umm...uhh...
Emil: I'll give you more time to think about my confession if you don't have an answer now...
Bonnie: Emil, I-I liked you too.
Bonnie: But I was a bit too shy to approach you. 'Cause I normally never approach anyone.
YOU ARE READING
Fire Meets Ice
RomanceAlexa Winifred is a 22-year-old young woman had just moved from Denver, Colorado to Stockholm, Sweden to begin her first year at her graduate school in Stockholm University. She had hopeless experiences with love and an unstable relationship with he...
