𝐁eyond the Lens - b.e

53 -

Ellie was on the floor, curled up against the door of her room, her hands tightly clasped around her head as if trying to protect herself from the whirlwind of emotions overwhelming her. The tears flowed uncontrollably, forming burning streams down her cheeks, flushed from pain and anger. She hadn't cried like this in years. The last time she had felt this helpless was when she learned of her mother's death. That same abyss opened beneath her feet once again, that same feeling of emptiness, of total abandonment.

She hated herself for being so stupid. Why had she hoped? Why had she believed, even for a second, that her father had changed, that he wanted to make amends? The truth was harsh: he had never really wanted that. All this time, she had been nothing but an obstacle to his new life, to that perfect new family he had built for himself. Ellie's throat tightened further as the darkest memories resurfaced. Her mother's death, her father's cruel abandonment, a childhood torn apart by grief and loneliness. She had faced it all alone, and today, it felt like everything was crumbling all over again.

Lost in this inner chaos, Ellie didn't even react when she heard two knocks on the door. Her heart raced for a moment, convinced that her father had turned back, that he had returned to try to justify himself again, or perhaps to make the situation even worse. She held her breath, trying to make as little noise as possible. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to hear another one of his pathetic excuses.

Two more knocks echoed, a little more insistent this time. Ellie angrily wiped her eyes, trying to brush away the tears and the memories piling up. She painfully got to her feet, staggering slightly under the weight of the emotions that had drained all her energy.

"Go away!" she shouted in a broken voice through the door, her throat still tight from sobbing. She hoped that shout would be enough to drive her father's shadow away. The silence that followed was heavy. A few seconds passed without her hearing anything from the other side. Ellie felt her body relax for a moment, but then another series of knocks came, this time even more persistent. It was too much. She couldn't take it anymore.

Taking a deep breath, Ellie grabbed the door handle and yanked it open, ready to shout again. "I told you to leave!" she began, but her voice broke in an instant, her expression shifting from anger to total surprise.

Standing before her wasn't her father. It was Billie.

Billie's expression was frozen, marked by confusion. Her wide blue eyes looked at Ellie with palpable concern. She immediately noticed Ellie's red face and tear-streaked eyes, and without wasting a second, she spoke, her voice filled with worry.

"Ellie? What's going on?" Billie asked, her gaze quickly scanning the room, searching for an explanation. "The guy who just left your room... did he hurt you?"

At those words, Billie's voice rose a notch, as if she was preparing to chase after the man, ready to confront him. Ellie opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. Her whole body seemed to collapse beneath her, and before she could control herself, she burst into tears again.

Her body shook uncontrollably as she collapsed to the floor once more, her legs unable to bear the weight of her anguish. Everything was crumbling again, and this time, she couldn't do anything to fight it.

"Ellie!" Billie rushed to her, quickly kneeling by her side. She placed a firm but gentle hand on Ellie's shoulder, repeatedly calling her name with calm insistence. "Ellie, Ellie, what the hell happened?" she asked, her voice betraying the urgency of the situation. She was trying to stay calm, but worry was eating at her.

Ellie tried to speak, but her trembling voice only produced unintelligible sounds. "Go... go..." she managed to stammer between sobs, but Billie, of course, didn't listen. She wasn't going anywhere, not until she understood what was going on.

"Ellie, talk to me. I'm here. What happened with that man?" Billie pressed, her eyes filled with even deeper concern. She was confused, lost in a whirlwind of questions. Who was that man, and why had he made Ellie cry like this?

Still curled up, Ellie let out the answer, her voice barely audible through her sobs. "My father..."

Billie froze. "Your father?" She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She vividly remembered their conversation in Portland. Ellie had talked about her father, about how he had disappeared from her life after her mother's death.

Billie, unable to comprehend how such a situation had come about, looked at Ellie with deep sadness. She felt powerless, but she knew she couldn't leave Ellie alone in this state. Without saying another word, Billie gently wrapped an arm around Ellie's shoulders and carefully lifted her.

"Come on, let's get you to the bed," Billie said in a soft but firm voice. Ellie, too exhausted to protest, let her guide her. Her legs were still trembling, but Billie moved her slowly, making sure she wouldn't collapse again. They both sat down on the bed, Ellie still trembling with irregular sobs.

Billie lay down gently, pulling Ellie against her, offering her shelter from the storm of emotions raging inside her. Ellie found herself lying back to front, her head nestled under Billie's chin, while Billie stroked her hair soothingly.

"Shh... It's okay, I'm here," Billie whispered over and over, trying to calm Ellie, as if comforting a child waking from a nightmare. Every touch, every word was filled with tenderness and kindness. She knew Ellie needed comfort, even if words probably didn't mean much at this point. She rubbed her back slowly, her hand sliding gently over her shoulders.

"I swear, Ellie, I don't understand what happened, but I'm here, okay? You're not alone anymore," Billie continued, her voice softer, almost like a murmur meant solely to calm Ellie.

Ellie didn't respond, or rather, she couldn't. She was too tired, too broken to say anything. Her entire body gave in, resting against Billie's, clinging to this comforting presence like a lifeline.

After a few minutes, Ellie's sobs began to subside. Her breathing became more regular, and her shoulders stopped trembling. Billie's soothing touch, her warmth, and her comfort seemed to calm Ellie's inner turmoil, if only for a moment.

"I'm so sorry for what happened with your father..." Billie murmured, her fingers continuing to trace calming circles in Ellie's hair. She wasn't asking any more questions, understanding it wasn't the time to force Ellie to relive what she had just endured. Billie respected the silence, simply accepting that she was there for her.

Slowly but surely, Ellie's breathing grew heavier and slower. Billie felt her body fully relax against hers, and she realized that Ellie was finally falling asleep, exhausted from the day's events.

Billie kept gently stroking her hair, watching over her as she drifted into a restless sleep, her mind likely still tormented by all she had gone through. As for Billie, she lay still, her arms around Ellie, refusing to leave her alone.

The only sound in the room was Ellie's steady breathing. And in that silence, Billie made a promise to herself to stay there for as long as it took, ready to protect Ellie, no matter what.