The Truths that are Hidden Away [ANGST]

Part 11 ~ People do Care

Authors Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates to this story, I had a lack of ideas for this chapter and I've been busy due to school and getting used to being in a new school with a bunch of new things. Hopefully updates won't be as slow moving forward. Thanks for your continued support and patience! I really appreciate it, a lot more than you know.

The next morning quickly approached. Fiore woke up, surprised to see Alec wasn't up yet. She got up and got ready and all that, but still, Alec hadn't woken up. Fiore was beginning to get really hungry, but she didn't want to go to breakfast without Alec. She decided to wait for a while.

Fifteen minutes passed, Alec was still asleep. Shit. Fiore decided to just go to breakfast by herself. She exited her room and went up to get whatever was on the menu that day. Bacon and eggs. Pretty decent for this crappy motel. Fiore sat at a table by herself. If Alec wasn't with her she definitely wouldn't sit by anyone else. She began eating when suddenly, Tess and Lake approached her. Just great. More people Fiore was forced to talk to.
"Hey Fiore. We wanted to talk to you." Tess said. Fiore looked away.
"Yeah? What do you want?" She muttered. She hated eye contact.
"Are you doing okay?" Tess asked. Fiore looked up at her, quite surprised she cared enough to ask.
"I mean, as fine as I can be. After..." She paused when she noticed Tess's expression. She looked really upset. Tess and Lake sat down.
"Fiore...I've been where you are." Tess explained. Fiore looked shocked. Was she being serious? "It isn't worth it, Fiore. People do care." She said. Fiore was utterly shocked. She had no response. She looked away, thoughts clouding her mind. She knew people cared, but it never felt that way. At least, not in her home. Her parents never cared. It always seemed like they just wanted to forget about her. And when Fiore happened to need anything, her parents were pissed. It's not her fault. Why did they have kids if they didn't want to deal with them?
"Fiore?" Lake asked. Fiore snapped out of her train of thought.
"Hm?" She said. Lake and Tess exchanged glances, trying to think of what to say. Tess looked back at Fiore.
"Please remember that people do care." She said. Fiore nodded, still looking away. Tess and Lake stood up and walked away. Fiore continued eating, the words repeating in her mind over and over. "People do care."

Fiore returned to her room to see Alec still wasn't awake.
"Alec?" She called. Nothing. "Are you seriously still asleep!?" She asked. Still, nothing. Fiore groaned and sat on the bed next to Alec. She grabbed out her notebook and began writing.
"People do care. That's what Tess told me at breakfast today. I had to go alone because Alec slept in. He's still asleep. What's going on with him? I hope he's okay. Anyway, Tess and Lake talked to me at breakfast. I think they're trying to be empathetic. It's not really working. I get they're trying, but it isn't helping. It's all just lies. People don't care. Why should they? There's no reason anybody should care, so they don't. Whatever. I'm gonna try to wake Alec up. He can't sleep forever."
Fiore put her notebook down, her gaze turning to Alec. She gently poked his shoulder, nothing. She rubbed his shoulder, he moved slightly, but didn't wake up.
"Ughhh! Wake up already!" She violently shook his shoulders. That did the trick.
"Huh?...Fiore?" Alec muttered. Fiore's eyes lit up.
"Finally! You're awake!" She yelled. Alec looked really confused.
"What time is it?" He asked, looking at the clock.
"You slept for an extra hour!" Fiore teased. Alec rolled his eyes.
"Yeah yeah...Guess I was just tired." He said.
"Just tired!? You had me worried!" She said. Alec looked surprised.
"Really? You? Worried about me?" He teased. Fiore rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. I had to go to breakfast alone." She said. Alec looked intrigued.
"How was it?" He asked.
"Boring as hell. Some people tried to talk to me." She said.
"Who?" Alec asked.
"Tess and Lake." Fiore said. Alec shrugged.
"They were probably trying to be friendly." He said.
"I know. But it didn't really work, it was just awkward as hell." She said. Alec nodded.
"Sorry I didn't wake up." He said. Fiore shook her head.
"Don't apologize." She said. "I can't believe the show will be over soon..." She muttered. Alec nodded, having the realization that soon Fiore would have to go back to her awful parents, and Alec would have to go back to his lonely lifestyle. Not good for either of them. Alec didn't want to go back, he'd been so used to being with Fiore by now. He got so used to not being alone. He bet Fiore felt the same. "I don't want to go back." Fiore admitted, quietly. Alec nodded. He didn't either. "Actually...I can't go back." Fiore said. Alec glanced at her, concerned. "I snuck out of that shitty boarding school. How will I get back home?" She said. Alec had no response. He didn't know. She'd either end up completely alone, or getting ripped into by her parents. Neither option was pleasant to think about. Poor kid.
"What do you plan on doing?" Alec asked. Fiore shrugged.
"It's all I've been able to think about. I still don't have a plan." She admitted. Alec sighed.
"I wish I could help." He said. Fiore shrugged.
"It isn't your fault, it's mine. I was hoping I'd win. I'm not sure why, obviously nobody would trust me after what I did on our season. I'm surprised you're not mad at me anymore." She admitted. Alec sighed.
"I was. But it's in the past now. Nothing I can do about it, so why stay mad?" He said. Fiore smiled lightly.
"Thank you." She muttered, quietly. Alec smiled back. He gently grabbed her shoulder. She looked up at him, teary eyed. He pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're not mad at me anymore...You're the only person here who's cared." She whispered. Alec smiled, tightening the hug. Fiore thought about what she said, the same words repeated in her head.

"People do care."