How to Love the Stars | Ghost (Simon Riley)

Chapter 27

Althea watched Ghost as he slowly but surely regained his strength, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. The hours seemed to blend together as she tirelessly alternated between attending to her own health, retreating to her room for medication, and caring for him. Despite the physical exhaustion, a warmth blossomed in her heart, and she couldn't deny that she relished every moment of it. The experience of nurturing someone back to health brought her a kind of joy she hadn't known in years.

Honestly, she had actually enjoyed seeing the invincible soldier, the infamous Ghost without his mask on. It was surprisingly easy to read his expressions. Every twitch of his mouth spoke volumes about what he liked and didn't like. 

It was a stark contrast to her life in the Belgian special forces, a world where respect had been bestowed upon her solely because of her status as the general's favored companion. The atmosphere within the ranks was often laced with a toxic undercurrent of judgment and unwanted attention. Althea vividly remembered her first days in the camp, walking through the sea of male soldiers, their stares like scalding daggers on her back. She knew she was under constant scrutiny.

There had been one soldier, though, who had approached her without the knowledge of her connection to the general. He had been her first friend, and for a brief moment, she thought they'd forged a genuine bond. But that illusion had shattered all too quickly. In a reckless drunken stupor, he had attempted to use her for his own desires, and when she refused his advances, he had turned aggressive, trying to overpower her. She had defended herself and knocked him unconscious, but the betrayal had cut deep. The one person who seemed to genuinely seek a connection had deceived her, revealing his true colors when temptation and alcohol clouded his judgment.

As Althea tended to Ghost, she couldn't help but see traces of that betrayal in the eyes and actions of other soldiers, their once-friendly smiles turning into sinister leers. Their physical contact made her skin crawl and filled her with discomfort, and eventually, Althea started to have trouble making eye contact with her teammates. 

Strangely, when she looked at Ghost, his mask brought her a sense of comfort. His gaze, though hidden behind it, seemed kind and understanding. The mask had made him stand out, shielding his face and removing the extra anxiety that she felt in the pit of her stomach when she looked at the others.

Inexplicably, she found herself drawn to him, the fluttering in her chest impossible to ignore. It bewildered her, this inexplicable connection she felt with him. She had believed herself strong enough to avoid making the same mistake twice.

Althea glanced at Ghost, his eyes meeting hers over the rim of the teacup she had carefully prepared for him. She observed as he sipped the tea, and something about the scene struck her deeply. The emotions inside her grew even more complex. She felt vulnerable, a sensation she hadn't experienced in a long time, and it scared her. This fragile connection she was building with Ghost had the power to both heal her wounds and open old ones, and she didn't know how to navigate it.

Althea was almost sad to see him get better. Throughout the day, Althea alternated between running to her room for medication and tending to Ghost. If she said she didn't enjoy it, she would definitely be lying. Having someone to take care of again made her happy in a way she couldn't describe. The hours blurred together in a mix of laughter and peaceful bliss. 

Perhaps it was because of the lack of eye contact (or possibly the merciless way she slaughtered others on the battlefield), but it had really been a while since she had really talked to someone. She hadn't really had a conversation in a surprisingly long while.

As a woman in the Belgium special forces, she was only treated with respect because she was the general's prized possession. If anyone tried to hurt her, they could risk huge trouble, maybe even facing expulsion from the military. That didn't stop some people from trying her though. On her first day, she walked through the camp, finally a new recruit. She could feel the stares of men burning into her back, searing her skin with their judgment. One day, there was a soldier there who didn't seem to know who she was, or how close she was with the general. He was the only one who dared to talk to her.

He was her first friend, but he was also her first enemy. Weeks later, when Althea thought they had made a solid friendship, he had gotten drunk and tried to use her to get laid. When she refused, seeing how intoxicated he was, and generally not having any attraction for him at all, he started to whine. When she clearly voiced how she didn't want him, he pushed her against a door, trying to overpower her, all the while yelling about how she had led him on, how she wanted it. He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her violently. However, he was so intoxicated it wasn't difficult to immediately knock him unconscious.

But that first person who seemed to genuinely want to form a connection with her had deceived her so easily, showing his true colors once he had gotten a bit of alcohol in him. He never talked to her again after that. Seeing him the next day, the side of his face bruised and bloody, she felt nothing but cold anger. From then on, she had made sure to stay away from all the other soldiers, punishing everyone who tried anything with her. It was better to make the risk higher than the reward when dealing with people of this type. She tried to pretend it didn't hurt her, but his face, the kind smiles, and the shared jokes had really cut her deeper than any knife could.

She could see bits of him in other soldiers, their friendly smiles turning into predatory leers, their physical contact making her itch and squirm. Somehow, when she saw Ghost, his mask brought her a bit of comfort. When he looked at her his eyes... they were so kind. Despite herself, she slowly found herself being drawn to him, yet she didn't know why. It didn't make sense to her, this fluttering in her chest when he looked at her, the happiness she felt when she was with him. She had thought that she was strong enough to not make the same mistake twice.

She looked over at him, sipping contentedly at the tea she had brewed for him perched gently in his hand. She had truly never felt like this before. She had truly thought that she had built impenetrable walls around her heart, but somehow, Ghost's presence was slowly chipping away at them. It was a vulnerability not only she hadn't believed herself capable of feeling, but hadn't allowed herself to feel.

As Ghost sipped the tea, his eyes locked onto hers, and Althea couldn't help but feel exposed under his gaze. She knew that he couldn't see her face, but his presence felt like it was peering into the depths of her soul. It was a sensation both unnerving and strangely comforting. Instead of feeling intimidated, or the usual discomfort, his gaze made her feel like there was someone that was watching her back. And that scared her.

In quiet moments like these, as they shared a simple tea, Althea found herself wanting to open up to Ghost, to tell him about her past, her fears, and the pain she had buried deep within, which scared her even more. It was strange to her how he could make her want all these things. A part of her still clung to the shadows of her past, warning her not to trust too easily, not to let her guard down completely. She had learned the hard way that trust could be a dangerous thing. 

A/N: Hello! Does anyone have any music recommendations? I'm literally out of songs to listen to.

Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!