beautiful | daniel howell

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day ten: wednesday.
reason ten: your fears.

the next day elodie and dan were wondering down a winding dirt path that led them through a park forest. a canopy of leaves covering alomst every inch of the sky. the only light was the soft shafts that peaked through the small gaps, like a thousand diamonds. the light breeze hummed, intertwined with the fluttering shades of green.

"how could someone say that?"elodie gasped.

"it was coming from the mind of a six year old, elodie!" dan chuckles staring at her face- mouth hanging open.

"whether you were scared by a ladybird or not, he shouldn't have said that." she finally managed to choke out, holding back laughter.

"it flew in my face!" he exclaimed gesturing massively with his hands.

"i used to be scared of butterflies." elodie spoke calmly taking a sip of her strawberry milshake.

"then stop judging me." he whined.

"look at one of those things up close!"

the pair walked further down the path, enveloped in a 'heated argument' about how terrifying butterflies are. dan mostly stumbling over his words as he noticed the adorable way elodie would gesture with her hands at every word and then take another sip of her drink every time she made a valid point.

"whatever, they're scary, i'm not getting anywhere." he joked.

"nope." elodie said simply, taking yet again another sip.

"so what are you scared of now?" Dan asked showing his hands into the pockets on his blacks jeans, his shoulders hunched ever-so-slightly.

"are we going deep are still joking around?" she questioned raising an eyebrow.

"either. both." eyes flickering away to look at the floor below him trying to make sure he didn't put her off. something he realised he did a lot when they talked about more serious topics.

"spiders." she stated.

"too obvious. something more interesting. everyone's scared of spiders.

"dentists?"

"still too boring."

"only writing one word on a line!"

"that's not a fear elodie."

"yes it iss!"

"okay sure." he stated laughing at her.

"people leaving." she began. the mood changed and instead of elodie and dan laughing, their faces were straight. dan watched her intently, eyebrows furrowing, focusing on waht she was saying. "i was close to my parents, my mother especially. it's hard to get close to people because i always feel like they'll leave." she sighed looking dan in his warm eyes. "but for you, it's easy. it's easy getting close."

"because i don't have the intention of leaving. i never want to." dan reached for elodie's hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"i'm scared of saying goodbye. it feels too...permanent." and suddenly it clicked. dan realised in that moment why she had never said goodbye before leaving him. instead, she always said 'see you soon' or just pursed her lips and smiled. "which is strange because i'm always scared of leaving without saying goodbye. i never got that with my parents."

"then it's a good thing i don't ever plan on leaving you on your own." he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"and i hope it stays that way."

"reason ten. your fears. every single one of them. whether small or big, they're beautiful because they show who you are. they're a part of what makes you, you. elodie, you are beautiful."