[ððððððð ðððððð-ððð : ðððð ððððððððððððð]
" ððððððððð, ð ððððð ðð ðððððð'ð ððððð ððð ðð ð ðððð. "
â¯â¯â¯
"ððð'ð ððð ðððð ðððð ðððð ð ððð ðð ððððððððð." Mei followed him out of the room and into the hall.
"What."
"Why are you in America!" She grabbed his arm to turn him toward her.
"Forget I said anything, Meili-"
"But why." She cried, "Do you know why I'm here? Because being in our home was too hard. Being in that house was too hard. I couldn't leave my room. I could barely breathe." Hot tears streamed down her face as the memories came flooding back, "Whatever you've been through, I can understand, Sebastian, I was alone too. I couldn't talk to someone without breaking down. I became so sick of crying I decided to feel nothing anymore because it became too hard." She stepped closer to him.
"I have nightmares still from that night. I wake up screaming because I think my wrists have been slit open. I have memories that aren't mine of blood dripping from my wrists, and when the incident first happened I saw blood everywhere whenever I went into the kitchen." She told him her story and he could tell she wanted to see the pity in his eyes, but they were cold and unyielding with no emotion.
"Please," She reaches forward and grabbed his hands, "Please trust me, Sebastian, I'm selfish and self centered and a spoiled rich girl, but like you said before, right? People like us stick together because we're the only ones who understand each other." She held his hands tighter, "We haven't known each other for long, but I think... you should tell me. You know I'd find out sooner or later."
He watched her closely. His eyes traveled over her pale complexion, her brown hair, her sad eyes, and down to her red lips which spoke words he didn't comprehend.
He stepped closer to her, closing the gap between them, and slipped an arm around her waist. Then he quickly looked down the hall and pulled her back into his room.
"Shut up," He murmured, "Shut up for one second." He wanted to trust her so badly, but he knew what people could do with secrets. She stayed quiet as he quickly closed and locked the door then pulled her over to his bed.
"I'm only going to tell you once so listen carefully," He eyes searched hers for any warning signs, "I don't know if you knew this, but obviously I'm from Spain. My father is a Marquis and an my mother an well known aristocrat. Last year she held a charity banquet at our house and one of the other noble ladies pushed me into a room..." He trailed off looking away from her. Mei set a hand on his shoulder.
"What happened?"
"She forced me have sex with her." He waited for her to gasp, he waited for her to be disgusted, he waited for anything. For a reaction, but all she did was grab his shoulders and pull him tightly toward her.
"Continue." She whispered into his shoulder as her right hand settled at the back of his neck.
"A week passed and I tried telling my mother about it. She didn't believe me. She brought my father into it, and do you want to know what they told me."
"What."
"They said that I couldn't be raped because I was a man... because I supposed to be able to defend myself, but the lady had said to me if I made a scene she would ruin my family's reputation... and I-I couldn't let her do that." Meili felt his tears on her bare shoulder.
"I believe you, Seb." She pulled away from him and put both hands on his cheeks, "You are so brave, and it's shame on them for thinking that way."
"I'm the coward. Not you-"
"That's not true." She wiped some of her own tears away, "I was wrong. You have a good reason for hating our money and all this power. It's the reason for all our problems, isn't it?"
He didn't answer instead he pulled Mei back into a hug.
"I know you hate living like this. You said you enjoy the money and the lifestyle, but you have to ask yourself... is it worth it? Is any of this worth it? Because I don't my think it is. I'd rather be alone then have to be alone in a crowded room."
He was correct once again and Mei knew it. She was practically in his lap now, his arms wrapped around her waist. If this was any other situation she'd almost take advantage of it... but it wasn't. She couldn't put walls up when she begged him to take his down.
"Sometimes, I think my mother's death was my fault." Mei found herself saying, breaking away from her thoughts.
"And you think that because?"
"I should know why my mother killed herself, but I don't and that's the worst part. I have no idea why she did it. I should've known her well enough to know why she did it. I should've saw it coming-"
"Should've... that's a dangerous word." He cut her off, "I should've done this... I should've done that... you can't change your past, Mei. Don't you think I wished I just told that lady no?"
She thought about his words carefully. What was he? A philosopher? Why was he always so right about everything?
"It's easy to live in the past and forget the present." She murmured, "That was the advice I gave Ella a few days ago. I guess I wasn't following it myself."
He studied her face, tucking her long brown hair behind her ear. She was impossible for him to read.
"You're being weird."
"What."
"You're being a weirdo, sweetheart."
"Expand on that idea."
"Usually you're so cold and icy with no emotions like some sort of robot. Now you're crying and... touching me. It's weird."
"It's weird that I'm touching you?"
"Usually you only do that when we're..." He pursed his lips like she was just supposed to get the hint.
"Yeah, well you're being weird."
"How?"
"You cried, Mister Know-It-All!" She pointed a finger at him, "Like a little girl!"
"Oh, so I'm a little girl now?"
"Yes!"
"Well, you kissed this little girl so that must mean you're a... pedophile."
"No!" She gasped, covering her mouth, "How dare you!"
Mei pushed Seb's shoulders and he fell backward into the bed. He started tickling her, and she screamed loudly.
"Damn, shut up." He covered her mouth with her hand. She was laughing still and smiling this wide smile that lit her eyes up. He watched her until her laughs turned into the small giggles.
"Come on, let's head out. Your shoot's in an hour, right?" He asked. Her smiled faded and she nodded. They got up from his bed, "Alright, let's go."