Chapter 12

Hey mum, hey dad, hi sis. Hey kiddo” I said rubbing the tombstone of my brother.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to make it. I haven’t really been doing well since the accident I mean how could I? I still have nightmares of watching the life drain from your eyes while I survived. I’m doing better now. The doctors said I can never walk again, but I am fine now. I met this girl. I am sure she’s the one. She’ll get to meet you soon. Maybe when I’m back “

I cleaned the tears that gathered.

“hear that mum? I’ve finally settled down. I love you guys. I’ll be going now, hope you don’t miss me too much. You guys are always in my heart.”

I entered into the car to pick up the love of my life and start living a new chapter of my life in a new place. I couldn’t wait.

Allison’s p.o.v

Three weeks.

It’s been three weeks.

I didn’t know I thought it would feel rosy from here on, but it was the opposite.

Ben rarely had time for me, and when he did? It was as though he was barely present mentally.

“Babe?” he called to me from the bathroom.

“Yeah?” I rushed to the bathroom to see him trying to get in the tub. “you know you can use the shower right? It’s much easier” i said trying to ease him into the tub, luckily, he still had on his briefs. I could not imagine how mortified I would have been if he didn’t have anything on

He said nothing to me.

“I know that’s not why you called” I said trying to change the subject. “What’s up.”

“I have a dinner this evening, for the opening of the new café we would be having very important guests. I would want you to dress nicely.” His eyes closed, he looked like he was soaking up the heat of the water, so I decided to not say any other thing.

I walked out of the room, usually, he would have the a dress ready for me.

Just as I suspected, one was in the living room.

I unboxed it and looked at it in horror. It was pretty no doubt but it was not something I could wear.

“ummm... Ben?” I walked back to the room to find him a dried off

“Yeah?” he looked absent minded, again.

“the dress. It’s beautiful...” I started not knowing how to explain it

It was a black strapless gown with the back opened for the world to see.

The dress was just above my knee and cleavage was just enough to be noticed but not enough to be distracting.

“I know, I had someone pick it out for you” he gave me a brief smile

“You know I can’t wear it.” I said putting it down on the bed.

“and why is that?” he looked genuinely confused.

“I am not ready to get stared at like a strange person. Every single person who is going me next to you ... “ I took in a deep breath. “my scars Ben, I can’t wear this”

He rolled his eyes at me as he wheeled himself out of the room and I followed closely behind him.

“You are perfect the way you are. Don’t you think you’re overreacting to the scars? I doubt any one is actually going to care about it anyway.

He sounded dismissive like he could careless about how I felt.

“Besides getting a refund is impossible since it was custom made” I swallowed my tongue at that.

I quietly freshened up and put on the clothes. It was beautiful but it felt so wrong wearing it. All my scars, from the smaller ones to the larger ones were laid bare for anyone who cared to see. My secrets and insecurities, everything was out there.

“Shall we?” he came from behind me

“Ben? Is everything alright?” he looked at me then quickly looked away.

“everything is alright.” He was lead inside the car by another guy since Arnold stayed back and didn’t follow us here.

“Before my parents died” he started causing me to be shocked. I never knew he was an orphan.

“My condolences” it seemed to have irritated him but I ignored him.

.”before my parents died” he said totally ignoring what I said to him. “It was my father’s dream to have a chain restaurant around England its just cafés now, but I have big plans later on.” I nodded, Mt heart swelling with Joy,

“He would be proud of you, I just know it.” I encouraged.

The ride was a twenty minutes drive and soon, we found ourselves coming down from the car. I was overwhelmed. As I stepped down from the car, I felt eyes on me. It was not in a good way either.

It was not the ‘her dress are so pretty I’m jealous’ stare. It was the nasty look of ‘what the hell are those disgusting things on your body.’

“Ben? I don’t feel so good, everyone is staring at me.”

He took my hands and stroked my knuckles gently. “it’s all in your head Ally, you look beautiful” I smiled at him taking the assurance although I was not even in the least assured.

We walked into the café and in deed, women who could have been mistaken for models were there and men who could be taken for Greek gods were there. Ben blending right in with his perfect face and charming dress.

On the other hand, I could feel the stares of people around me.

**

It was getting exhausting having to put on a fake smile and greeting everyone that approached us.

“I’ll go get us drinks” I whispered to Ben and excused myself from the men who have been with him, discussing nothing but business. I needed a break.

I grabbed out cocktails and was approaching when I heard what I had confirmed to be my biggest fear.

“your new babe?” one of the men said. He was in a grey suit that complimented his grey eyes although it could have either been contacts or the reflection of the lights.

“Yeah, she is” he sounded sceptical answering the question.

“I’ve got to say dude, this is a down grade from Emily” the other one at the left side said. This one was taller than the rest and he had looked at me through out the time we were talking, with dirty looks as if he was judging me, requesting why I should be in this type of place. “I mean come on, what even happened to her? She looks like she was clawed by a tiger.”

I stood still. The position I was in, they could not see me as they had their backs turned to me.

I waited.

I waited to Ben to say something, telling them I was not a downgrade, that my scars are beautiful, and they represented the struggles I went through, just like how he had been saying for the past five weeks we’ve been together.

“She might be a downgrade, but I love her, isn’t that what matters?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

I felt my mouth dry up as each word got registered in my head.