Torn » h.s./marcel

Chapter 25: The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 25: The Truth Comes Out

Marcel's POV

I found it very difficult to concentrate on anything other than Allie in her undergarments. I tried convincing myself it wasn't any different from a bikini, but it didn't work. This felt different. I wasn't sure if it was a good different or a bad different or somewhere in between.

"Please, for me?" Allie pouted, her bottom lip jutting out, her big brown eyes even larger than usual. She looked irresistible. How could I say no?

"Okay," I mumbled.

I turned so that most of my back was facing her. My fingers trembled a little bit as I lifted my shirt over my head. I didn't want to show her, she would judge me....

I glanced at Allie. Her jaw was on the wooden pier and her eyes were wide. Uh oh. That wasn't good.

"What the hell are those?!" she exclaimed, gesturing to my upper body.

"It-it's not what you think," I squeaked out. I hugged my body so she couldn't see them very well. It didn't help much.

"I sure think so," Allie retorted. "I mean, I SEE tattoos! Doesn't that mean that they ARE tattoos?"

"They aren't tattoos," I shot back. Technically, that's what they were, but I hated that word. I preferred "scars".

"Uh, are you an idiot? Of course they're tattoos!"

"Okay, they're tattoos, but I don't call them tattoos!"

"What are they called, then?"

"I call them--"

I stopped myself in time. I didn't want to tell her. I couldn't tell her. She couldn't know anything else about me. I'd already revealed too much.

"Marcel," Allie murmured. "I don't know why you are hiding these things from me. We're friends. I don't hide anything from you."

"I doubt that," I muttered, looking at the wood beneath my feet.

"Well, this sucks," Allie stated loudly.

She heaved herself out of the lake and sat beside me. My heart raced in my chest. When her wet hand touched my dry one, it nearly exploded.

"What sucks?" I asked.

"Secrets. I hate secrets. I want to know you, Marcel. You know me. Why are you lying to me?"

I opened my mouth to protest that I wasn't lying to her, but I realized that wasn't true. I was lying to her. I was hiding the truth from her. And yeah, it did suck.

"Because you can't know," I whispered. "You'll judge me and hate me and... leave me."

To my surprise, Allie let out a small laugh. "Marcel, I seriously doubt that. I grew to like your nerdy side, so I'm pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me."

I doubt that, I thought again, but I didn't say that out loud.

"Marcel, you can tell me your deepest, darkest secrets and I won't tell a soul. You know that."

I nodded slowly. I did know that. She wouldn't tell anyone. But I was scared she would leave me. She couldn't leave, not when she just saved me from myself.

Allie grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her. "I'm not that ugly, am I?" she joked.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "You're beautiful."

I clapped a hand over my mouth and stared at her in shock. She did the same, except for covering her mouth.

"Wow," she murmured. She smiled at me. "Thank you. Now let's get back to the matter at hand. No more secrets. No more lies. I swear on my life, I won't hate you or leave you for what you know. Okay?"