Beneath You're Beautiful (EDITING)

Chapter 10: Opening Up

A/N
This chapter contains some information that's quite deep so I'm sorry if it's too much.

* Alice's POV *

Thomas sat next to me and stared at the setting sun. I didn't feel the need to talk at that moment so we sat in silence for a while. My other friends would have bombarded me with questions, even though they know this was a time where I wanted to be alone, but not Thomas. Despite the confusion still placed on his face, he didn't ask questions, he just sat close to me in a comfortable silence. I would have sat like that for longer but I could see the curiosity burning in his green eyes.

"So I guess you want to know why I'm sitting here alone?"

He considered his answer for a moment, then turned towards me.
He was wearing a hoodie over his bare chest (he wore a short earlier in the day but I dunked him under the water, causing it to get soaked). His swimming trunks went down to his knees and he was barefoot. The wind blew his dishevelled brown hair while he stared at me for a moment. I was lost in thought about how much he suited the messy hairstyle when he opened his mouth to finally speak.

"I did...but now I think I understand."

"You understand? Enlighten me."

"Well, my guess is that it's calming to be here, quiet, which is what you need."

"Your right, I like to have a moment alone to cherish the beauty of things. I mean, look at that sunset, I feel like I'm in a Hollywood movie and this is where there's a happy ending and the credits are displayed."

"...you know, ever since I met you, I started to look at things more closely...clearly almost."

"What do you mean?"

"The way you see things...it fascinates me. You'll look at a tree as if it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen."

Wow, he actually noticed that.

"They kinda are...I don't know how to describe it. To me, trees are not only beautiful, but inspirational. You see, they stretch as high as they can to reach the sun and when a leaf falls from the tree, another one will grow and take its place- not wasting any space on the branch. Although, people would say that's just good photosynthesis and stuff but to me, it all symbolises so much more.

It saddens me to think that not many people realise how beautiful this world can be. You may go through hard times in life but that doesn't mean you should live in the shadows. I've learned from experience that you can't stay in the dark, you have to set yourself free and cherish all of the simple things in life. For me, the thing I cherish is nature, like trees."

I waited for his response after I had finished preaching. When he stared at me in silence, I began to blush. I had really made a fool out of myself this time...he must think I'm absolutely mad, but that's just the way I think, it's as if I see the world in a different perspective than most.

The silence dragged on but finally, Thomas began to smile.

"You know, your pretty cute when you blush."

My reddened cheeks turned a whole new colour, a deep crimson that flushed across my face.

"What you just said, that was really...enlightening. Quite inspirational actually."

"Yeh, I was thinking about being an inspirational speaker, talking to millions about how they should recycle more often."

The sarcasm dripped off my voice and we both laughed.

"Seriously though, that opened my eyes a bit. Your right, not many people realise how much they should cherish all of the little things in life. Now, I look at things and try to see what you see- beauty in everything. However, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"...what if someone doesn't know how to step out of the shadows and appreciate life?"

"You have to work it out for yourself. I used to be in a very dark place...I don't really talk about it but my point is that I know that you've got to try and figure yourself out, take a step back and really see the world."

"Would you mind if I asked you why you were in a dark place, or is that too much?"

"I don't know...I haven't talked about to anyone in so long."

"You don't have to, I totally understand if you don't want to talk about your past because I'm the same, I don't talk about mine to anyone."

"I guess we both hate to open up then."

He made a weak laugh while I made a feeble smile.

"There's something about you Alice, something that makes me want to open up but I just...don't think I can."

"...maybe we should try..."

"I'm sure that you know very well how hard that is to do."

"But maybe it's the right thing...I'm willing...I think."

"I've thought about this a few times, about opening up, but the subject just makes me feel bitter."

"Do you feel bitter when your around me?"

"...no?"

"Then maybe I can help."

"Maybe."

"I'll start then...what do you want to know?"

"Where did it all start, I mean, why were you in a bad place?"

This was going to be hard, I had never fully opened up to someone. I mean, of course I would casually speak of my parents being dead but I never went into detail. Though, with Thomas, it felt right. I felt like he could comfort me and I could do the same for him. This was a big step for both of us, we were finally opening up, unlocking the key to our book...our past.

I took a deep breath and began my story:

"It all started when I was almost 14 years old and I heard my mother screaming at my father. She had found out he was dealing drugs. Her plan was to leave my father immediately and take her with me but my dad wouldn't allow it. He promised he would leave the business but his boss wouldn't allow him. When we ran, they came after us."

I could feel a lump forming in my throat, this was indeed very hard to do.

"They killed my father and beat up my mother. I begged for them to leave her alone, which ended with me joining their business. I would help make the drugs and deliver them to the customers. Of course, they killed my mother anyway, which I found out later when I discovered her mangled, dead body. I could tell they had used her as a body to test on. They would give her new drugs and see how it affected her. Probably the drugs that I helped to make...I wanted to kill myself that night, but they weren't done with me yet..."

Thomas' eyes slowly grew wider and wider.

"As I got older, they would make me wear skimpy clothes so I could attract more customers. Obviously that lead to me being assaulted..."

A look of pain overcame Thomas' face, his mouth opening to gawk at me.

"Thankfully, the police did a drug bust and I was finally free. It had been so long since I had seen that light; they only put me to work at night and left me to sleep during the day. I was taken to an orphanage and then given to a nice family whom I live with now."

"So that's why you see the beauty in things, because you feel like you've been freed from that place?"

"Yes."

A/N
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