Beautiful Scars

Heartening Mistakes

Ally's eyes fluttered open. She had been in a deep sleep. She could never remember her dream; just that it had been something peaceful. For a moment, she was completely disoriented. And then, the room came into focus, her senses awakened and memories from the night before crashed over her. Instinctively, she turned her head away, snuggling closer to the person who lay beside her. Louis, she thought. Once again, the thought of him comforted her fears. Sun streamed in through the window's cracked shades and she wondered how late it was.

As her thoughts pieced together and reality settled, Ally suddenly realized that she had not woken up on her own accord. There had been something... was it knocking? that had awoken her. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she sat up and noticed a figure standing in the doorway. It was a girl who looked part disgusted, part betrayed and mostly, horrified. A girl, who had every right to be every one of those things. A girl, who now turned her back on the couple in the bed and sprinted from the room.

Shock-driven adrenaline coursed through Ally. She shot a look to see that Louis was still fast asleep and then tore out of the bed, running after the girl. Ally was able to see the hotel room door slam shut as she entered the sitting room. No, no, no this is all wrong, she thought. This was not supposed to happen. How could I have been so stupid?

Not slowing down, she threw the door open and ran out into the hallway. "Eleanor!" she called to the girl's retreating back. "Please, Eleanor, wait!" She ran after her, desperate to explain.

Suddenly, Eleanor stopped running. She froze in mid stride, but did not turn around to face Ally. Ally stopped running too, a good fifteen feet between them.

"Why are you running after me?" Eleanor spoke slowly and coldly, enunciating each word. Ally paused, surprised at the question. "Isn't this the part where my boyfriend tries to run and fix things while the girl gets to sit in the bed, pretending to be all distraught when really she is only thinking about what a lucky bitch she is?" Finally, Eleanor turned around. Her eyes met Ally's and Ally immediately wished they had not. Eleanor’s eyes were rimmed with tears but the look she was giving Ally was not one of weakness. It was one of pure loathing and a promise that she would regret every mistake she had ever made.

Ally swallowed and, finally finding her voice she said, "Eleanor, this is not what you think it is." At that, Eleanor made a face that blatantly showed disbelief. Ally continued, searching for the right words, "I would never, hell, you don't know me, but Louis would never do that to you. And you know that." Tears began to fall from Eleanor's eyes and she stubbornly brushed then away. "Please." Ally cast a wary glance at the nearby hotel rooms, but their doors remained closed. "Come into the hotel room and I'll explain everything."

Eleanor was shaking her head, confusion and distrust shown on her face. She took a step back, but Ally refused to let her get away.

"Louis is hurt," Ally blurted out. Eleanor froze, giving Ally enough time. "I was attacked last night and he saved my life. See this scar?" She gestured to her face. "It would have been a lot worse if your boyfriend had not come. But he got hurt too. Worse than I did."

Ally watched as Eleanor's expression changed into one of desperate concern. No matter what happened, they would always love each other. "What..." Eleanor began but Ally cut her off.

"He's okay," she reassured. "But he needs you. Come with me and I'll explain everything, but we really should not be talking out here.

Silence fell between the two girls. One, with her borrowed pajamas and filthy hair, thrown into a world she knew nothing about. The other, with her designer clothes and braided hair, trying to regain her footing in a world that had always been so static, torn from under her. Ally waited, until, slowly Eleanor began to nod. Whether it was the fact that Ally had no real reason to be lying or pure curiosity, it did not matter. Eleanor walked down the hall towards the other girl. Ally tried to give her a reassuring smile, but Eleanor refused to acknowledge it. Understandable, Ally thought. Neither said a word until they were back inside the hotel room. Ally quickly peeked into the bedroom to check on Louis. He was in the same position as before, breathing deeply and still very much asleep. When she returned, Eleanor was sitting on one end of the couch. Feeling that she was unwanted to share the seat, Ally was forced to sit in the high backed wooden chair which did nothing to help her sore body. She fought back a grimace as she sat down. Her legs protested greatly, the pains from yesterday had turned into incredible soreness.