Just Another Cabin In The Woods.

Ch. 24 Hopelessly.

*Elliot's P.O.V.* 

Some people say it'll take years for a person to change their whole demeanor. It took Alice three days. She was a completely different person. It used to be she was fine with talking to people, that she craved physical contact from Ryder. He'd brush against her and she'd blush so red. I used to wish she wouldn't, but now I wished she would. She stopped wearing bright colors, instead switching to jeans and neutral colored t-shirts. 

Ryder and her were dating, but he couldn't touch her. No one could. She wouldn't let them. If anyone got near her she'd get really jumpy, and sometimes, only sometimes she'd hold Ryder's hand. But that was her. It was obvious something went wrong in her temporary coma. It was like she was mourning something. Most of the time she was in her room, skipping meals, or at least not eating with us. It was like someone hit the off switch or something. She wasn't herself. 

Today as I walked out of the kitchen, I saw her. She was about to silently slip into her room. Pausing, she turned and stared openly at me. Slowly, Alice turned and walked back into her room. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, and slowly walked to my room. 

After a while of doing nothing, I decided to head to the roof for a smoke, and climbed the ladder. Opening the hatch to get to the roof, I saw Alice. The moonlight on her made her seem more pale which contrasted with her inky hair. She stared mournfully at the sky, and I stricken by her sudden beauty. Knowing I had to do something about her personality switch. 

Climbing out onto the roof, if she heard me, she gave no indication. Sitting next to her, and I swung my legs over the side of the roof and stared at her. "Alice?" I asked, she turned and looked at me. "What's wrong?" I asked, she let out a sigh, and slowly looked back up at the sky. "I'm not making the best of my situation." I noticed she was staring at that constellation she'd pointed out. 

Letting out a shaky breath, she pulled her legs against her chest and buried her face in her knees. She wore baggy grey sweat pants, a black t-shirt, and black socks. Her hair cascaded around her, and she shook with silent tears. I stared at her in surprise. "I tried to be so strong," She whispered. Slowly she looked up, and I froze in surprise. 

"What is happening to me?" She asked in a quiet, tiny voice that didn't belong to the confident Alice I knew. My eyes widened slightly in shock, "Alice..." I trailed off, trying to find the words. She wiped her tears and looked back at the sky. "Why is this happening to me?" She sounded so broken. 

"I just want to go home," she admitted, letting out a sigh. Speechless I asked, "Do you want a cigarette?" She chuckled a little, "Thank you, but no thank you." She answered, looking at me. Her dark, nearly obsidian gaze was striking. She gave me a small smile and looked up at the sky. 

*Alice's P.O.V.* 

"When I was asleep, I had a dream..." I trailed off, unwilling to make eye contact. It's silly isn't it? I'm mourning him when he's sitting right next to me. "Is that what's making you upset?" He asked, exhaling some smoke in the other direction. I nodded, he stared down at me tenderly. Not demanding answers, but just comforting me. 

"In that dream, you were there..." I trailed off, looking at him. "Please tell me you didn't dream me up as an asshole, I mean I know I am one," I smiled a little at his teasing. "No, quite the opposite. It was all too real. You, you helped me wake up," I explained, Elliot arched his brow slightly. "You helped me when I told you I was dreaming, but yet you were so sad. You said, well dream you said that he didn't just want to be a part of my imagination, so that I'd wake up and forget about him. Like I always did when we were younger. Just forget you and ignore you. Dream you said that you never wanted that. Ever. He pleaded for me to stay, you pleaded for me to stay," Elliot looked surprised as I wiped away some of my tears. 

"But he was the one to think of the idea for how to wake me up. In dreams if you fall down something you always wake up before you hit the ground. You, I mean he, told me that was my best bet. As we thought of it, the corpses of the kidnapped girls started chasing us. They were trying to kill us," I explained, Elliot stared at me in surprise. "You helped me to the well, and in the end, you were crying. You told me never to give up on you, to not lose faith in you just because you couldn't see your true potential." I looked back up at Elliot. "I promised him, then he pushed me down the well. Just before I was submerged I heard him let out a final gut wrenching cry as he was being murdered. He, you, sacrificed yourself for me." I stared at Elliot, who seemed frozen. 

"I know it was just a dream, but thank you. And I'm never going to give up on you." I admitted, he was still frozen. "Being shoved in this cabin with you, I was hellbent on pretending like you weren't even here. But from the beginning, you were the one who always noticed if something was wrong, you were the one who I told to the truth, you were the one I depended on and you're the one I depend on. I wanted to hate you but I trusted you, and you've been here. Somewhat begrudgingly but you still were. I could tell you anything and you would be there, you've been here for me," I wiped my tears away, and looked at Elliot. "And I've realized something. I don't hate you Elliot," his eyes widened in shock, "I don't hate you, I never have. I was just upset with you because I cared about you, I cared about you doing successful, hell I even tutored you just because I knew you could be better, and I hated it because I saw how beautiful, tender, caring, and smart you could be, how much you already are, but you never did. I have never given up on you Elliot, and I never will." 

He stared at me in shock, I gave him a small smile, "Thank you," I whispered, leaning in. 

*Elliot's P.O.V.* 

I was frozen in surprise. At everything she told me. At the fact that dream Elliot was right. I didn't want her to leave me behind. I didn't want her to leave me. I care about her so much. More than she knew. More than she could ever know. This whole time I've been helping her because I like her. My heart started speeding up as she leaned in. 

I didn't want her to leave. I wanted her to stay with me for ever. Maybe it's possible that I had feelings for her that I've been trying to shove aside. No, not just possible. I have feelings for Alice, I love Alice. My whole life I've hated myself because of what people told me I was, because of what people said I would be, but Alice was my rock. She called me dumb, but she always helped me. Fuck, she even sat me down and tutored me for four hours straight just because she said I was being stupid for not thinking I was smart. I didn't understand it at the time, but she patiently taught me and believed in me despite me not even believing in myself. 

She cared about me too. She did. And now it was impossible to deny my feelings. Impossible to ignore the fact I didn't annoy Alice so much because I hated her, it's because I needed a way to be around her. Even if it meant her hating me. 

As she got closer, my heart thudded faster in my chest. I thought she was going to hug me or something along those lines, but instead she pressed her lips against my cheek. She kissed my cheek. "I'll never give up on you Elliot." She whispered, My heart was basically combusting in my chest. Before I could say anything, she stood up. 

"Goodnight," She said, going into the house. 

All I could do was stare at that constellation, and absently touch my cheek. 

I was hopelessly in love Alice.