It was time to open her soul...

It was time to let it out...

Alex placed her head in Chanyeol's lap, as the latter looked at her with his soft gaze. His hand gently went through her hair, curling her locks around his fingers. With her other hand, he held her, gently caressing it. She was silent, distant. Her body was there, but her mind was somewhere else. He wished he could read her mind. He wished he could take away her pain and her worries.

“Baby…” He whispered, gently squeezing her hand.

“Hm?” She blinked. “Sorry… I got lost in my thoughts.”

“It’s alright,” He replied softly. “I’m worried about you.”

“It feels like I will explode any moment…” She mumbled.

“Talk to me, baby girl.”

She sighed and sat up, looking at him. “I don’t even know where to start from, my life is a ing mess! You already heard enough… I don’t want you to be bothered with it.”

He cupped her cheeks. “I want to be part of that world, no matter how messed up it is.”

“Yeol…” She mumbled.

He leaned closer and kissed her forehead. “It’s alright, baby girl.”

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. “No matter what my twin and I did, it was never good enough for them. They wanted us to follow the rules, but even then, they would find something that was not to their liking and they would nag about it.”

He listened, caressing her back.

“I didn’t want to live like that, so I became a rebel. I refused to do what they said, and they started the drama. They blamed everything on me. It’s true that I told Chris that she needs to fight it and that she can’t allow them to control her… but in those cases, she was different. She wanted peace and therefore, she tried to be a good daughter,” She sighed. “But there is so much a person can take, right?”

Chanyeol nodded. “That’s right.”

“A few months before the accident she found out that she was pregnant,” Alex gulped, making a pause. “They made a huge fuss over it because she was 15 and according to our co-called father she was a and he won’t have it in his house.”

“What happened next?” Chanyeol asked slowly.

“Diana and I begged her not to do it. We tried to plead with her to tell Giacomo and to ask our aunt and uncle to help… but she was scared. She was afraid of what our parents might do to her or to the others… I don’t blame her though… she was only a child… but I can’t help but wonder at times if maybe her life with be different if she decided to keep the baby…”

“Mhm…” He listened carefully. “I’m sorry, baby…”

“She was a ing wreck that day,” Alex continued. “Those screams… I will never be able to forget them. Never. After that, she changed. She started to rebel even more than I did. She started to push us all away. That’s when the fights increased, around that time, they also found out that I had a boyfriend and that added more oil to the fire. They scared the hell out of him and he ran off.”

He sighed, running his hand through her hair.

“There wasn’t a day when we wouldn’t fight or argue over something. It only added more stress to her and she had crazy thoughts. She wished that her life would end and that the drama can stop once and for all. I stood by her side and supported her the best way I could. Everyone did… but the problem was that we all saw a change, but she refused to talk about it. She didn’t let anyone in… even when she talked to me… it was like she was trying not to worry me… she was trying to assure me that everything was alright, but I knew she was lying.”

“Oh, baby…” He sighed.

“Then tragedy happened… it was the day when we decided to run away from home…” Her voice cracked. “I can never forget that day no matter how much I try.”

***

“We need to get away as far as possible!” Chris said as the girls walked through the woods.

“Pa Jean will help us,” Alex said, following her sister.

The two started running all of a sudden, wanting to escape as soon as possible. They both knew that their parents would figure it out sooner or later and that they will go looking for them, so they didn’t have much time to waste.

“I hear cars!” Chris said. “This way, follow me!”

Alex followed and soon they arrived on the side of one of the main streets. Chris looked both ways and took Alex’s hand but suddenly things went horribly wrong. Alex found herself on the ground suddenly as people started to gather. Lifting her head up she felt dizziness, but she was looking for her sister.

As she looked to the side, a horrible scene appeared. Chris was under the wheels of the vehicle. Alex’s eyes teared up and she crawled over, holding her hand, but there was no reaction.

“No… no… NO!” Alex screamed.

***

His heart shrank in his chest and he hugged her tightly.

“I was taken to the hospital after that and due to shock of everything that had happened, I passed out. Later I was told that I woke up 48 hours later.”

He caressed her cheek.

“Did they visit? No. Uncle, aunt and the others did,” She shrugged. “Then the funeral came… and just went down… They started accusing me of killing her and just pointed fingers at me. Pa Jean jumped in together with my uncle. That night I spent at Diana’s house… I can’t explain the emptiness I felt. It was like a part of my heart was ripped out and I can say it is.”

“Did you stay with them?”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t. I was underage and by the law, I had to go back home, sadly. Pa Jean wanted to do it his own way, but I didn’t want him to get into trouble with the law… and with Chris being gone… honestly I lost all motivation, I was a living wreck. No emotions. No tears. Nothing. Empty soul… during that time, they locked me into a mental institution.”

“How long did you stay there?”

“Half a year or so and then I returned back home,” She continued. “They all thought that I was still under medication and they did what they wanted. That’s when I learned a few things about them, especially the woman who was my mother.”

Chanyeol thought about it for a moment. “Is that the secret you mentioned today?”

She nodded. “She had a lover and she killed him. I saw it, but I pretended that I didn’t. I could have used it earlier, but I didn’t. Why? I decided to let it go and move on with my life and I did. Uncle was a huge help. He would come every day and take me somewhere, we would talk and you know, just relax. Diana was there as well, the girl went back and forth between two countries.”

“I see…”

“I then started working and after the drama with them, I moved out. I tried to continue living my life and for a while, I managed,” She said. “I even started a relationship… but my happiness was short-lived. Once again they found a way to screw me up, so that relationship ended and I decided to keep a low profile… I just tried to avoid the drama, because I am ing sick of it… maybe it doesn't make any sense, but it’s just one of those moments when you get tired of it all… and well the rest you know. I received the invitation for this court , then you came into my life… and here we are…”

He smiled slightly and cupped her cheeks. “You are the sun that entered my life.”

She blinked her tears away and crack a smile on her face.

“I will help you get through this period, you are not alone, baby.”

“I’m sorry I ruined the mood…” She mumbled.

“Never,” He whispered. “I am glad you told me and trusted me with it.”

With that, he pulled her closer, and their lips met.

“I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you, too.” She murmured.

He then suddenly got up and picked her up in a bridal style. “It’s a long day and my baby girl needs her rest.”

“You too,” She whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He smiled and walked over to her bed and placed her down, once tucked in, he joined her in bed. Alex turned to the side and faced him, as he took her hand and kissed it. Talking to him felt as if a large stone fell off her chest and it sure felt good. Chanyeol motioned her to come closer and she did, once snuggled against him, she closed her eyes and yawned, allowing sleep to take over her.

Chanyeol held her close, thinking about everything she had told him. She was a fighter. A person who hid all her pain behind that bright smile. Only the strongest could do that and for that, he admired her even more. It made him want to be her rock. Her sanctuary from the wind and rain. Her reason to smile and he will do whatever it takes to protect her. There was nothing and nobody that he feared.

“I will always be there… always, my princess,” He whispered.
 

"You barely ate," he murmured. 

"Sorry, it's tasty. But... I..." 

He wiped his lips and moved his chair next to her. "Relieve yourself," he whispered. 

She gulped. "Are you sure?"

"I am," he whispered. 

She nodded and took a deep breath. 

She felt the same when she got the news that Christina died. The same void that invaded her heart. Same void when Alex ran into her arms seeking a safe haven. That night they both cried. Jean, her father was broken. Giacomo? Diana saw him falling to his knees clutching his heart. Marino continued insulting Alex and Giacomo and her father lunged toward them like a lion. Not even the police could stop them. 

"There's no one like them two. I am an introvert, I hold many things inside. And meeting the twins felt like finding my squad to hang out with," she murmured, “I befriended them, I bonded fast with Christina. She was... like a tomboy, she’d poke fun at me for being quiet.” 

He chuckled. “Baekhyun is like that with me. Please, resume.” 

She pursed her lips. “Her parents never asked how she was? Or how did her day go? They demanded results. They controlled every aspect of her life,” she said, “each time we talked, she’d cut the call short. At first, I didn’t understand why, but within time, I figured it out. She was to them a slave.” 

***

“Hey...” Christina answered.

“Hey, I called because you called me earlier. Sorry, I--” 

“Yeah, yeah. I understand. Um...Dee?” 

“Yes?” 

“I can’t talk right now.” 

“Why? You said you will be free.” 

There was a pause. “I am doing something for--.” 

A voice from the background was clear like a tear. “With who you are talking to. Get your back in here! Your mother can’t do everything by herself!” 

“Yes, father.” Christina submissively said. 

***

“Some people don’t deserve to be parents...” 

She nodded. “Yeah... it was pretty bad when she was visiting me, it’s bad,” she whispered, “she always checks her phone, certainly not because she was invested in the phone but out of fear. It was becoming her habit, and it always upset Alex,” she continued, “that’s how arguments with parents originally started, Alex wouldn’t shut up. That is not in her character.”

Memories of good times, Christina's laughter, and Alex's smile scorched her heart. It's like she traveled down the river Styx - the river of lost memories. It was painful bringing back the past. If her parents were level-headed, they wouldn't have to go through this. On top of that, her father is coming. She knew how much he solidarized with Marino. He adored both twins. 

And Giacomo. 

"Christina was submissive, she was powerless to them. Both were headstrong, impatient, at times neurotic," Diana said, "each time she didn't do something according to their wishes, she'd tried to explain herself, but they'd cut her in." 

He sighed. "You said only when Alex raises her voice, Christina is able to speak her mind.." 

"That's true," she confirmed, "Christina's biggest support was Alex. They are one person. One soul. Each time, she was sad, Alex couldn't focus on anything else. My dad was the same as uncle Pierre, but he died. When he died, my dad explained it left a huge void in his heart." 

"Of course, it's the twin bond. Nobody can understand it," Jongin said, "some people take it lightly like her parents." 

Her heart. Her emotions were reaching their peak. Tears began to fall. 

"They don't und