Beautiful

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Elle's POV

•Weeks later•

After admitting our love, things have been pretty calm. We've been showing our affection more often. And life is great.

But we have a risky plan now.

After several other basketball games, and winning them, Zayn, my mum, and I have been growing closer and closer. Which hopefully is a good thing. But anyway, it was planned by my basketball team and some guys from school to throw a huge party by the lake. Almost like where I first met Zayn. This is, however, for sending us to a huge championship tournament in a few days. Might as well live it up for a moment.

But of course, my mum found out because Charlotte never shuts up. So she told me I couldn't go. So we've argued back and forth all night. Even now.

"Mum, it's just a party. I'll stay with Charlotte!" I plead.

"No means no! I can't have you spending your time with God knows who and risking something," she says.

"What if Zayn was there?"

"Still, no! He may not want to play your body guard."

"Mum!"

"No!" she says sternly. I turn and stomp upstairs, acting as pissed off as I can. She sighs and goes to another room. I sit in my room, trying not to laugh because regardless of her decision, I'm going out.

I change into my other outfit and wait until I know she's gone for work. After a good half hour, Zayn texts me that he's here and outside.

I walk across my room and quickly go downstairs. I grab the key off the counter and walk outside.

"Hey," he says quietly. I smile as I see him. I close the door and lock it again. He smirks at me. "Sneaking out. You naughty girl," he says. I laugh.

"Guilty as charged." He leans down and kisses me longer than expected. "We better get going. They'll be waiting on us."

"Or we could just stay here." He chuckles and grabs my hand to intertwine our fingers.

We walk to the lake's beach, welcomed by a huge fire and partying teenagers. Though we weren't just going for the party. All we wanted to do was be on our own. I like it better when it's just us two.

But that doesn't exactly happen.

Once we arrive, they start up a ball game. You have to identify your team members by a glow bracelet. And the loser's team gets thrown in the lake. The normal rules. And of course it's girls against guys.

My team starts out winning with a fairly high score. Then the guys decide to kick it up a notch and stomp us.

I pushed my whole way through this game like I usually do! So did the rest of them! How we lost I'll never know! I guess because we're so short compared to them.

As soon as they call it a win for the guys, they all pick us up and throw us over their shoulders. Zayn, being the gentleman he is, scoops me up bridal style and walks me out to the dock. I hold on around his neck and feel the heat he's radiating.

"You aren't going to throw me in, are you?" I ask.

"Sorry, babe. Rules are rules," he says with a grin. I kiss his cheek and he meets up with the others.

"Okay guys! On the count of three!" someone says. They all count together as I prepare myself for the cold water.

When they throw us, we all scream. They laugh and we all plunge under. I resurface and push my hair out of my face.

"Not cool, guys. Not cool," Charlotte says.

"Come on in!" Jennifer calls. They shake their heads.

"We're good," one calls back. I look behind them and notice one of our injured players who sprained her wrist is walking up behind the boys. She pushes one in and everyone laughs. The girls cheer as the boy resurfaces.

"You got me, Katie," he says. She smiles. Then the rest of them shrug and take a running start. They jump in together.

Zayn immediately swims behind me until he can stand and grabs my waist. I turn around and see his smiling face. I stop trying to float since he's holding me up. If I tried, I wouldn't be able to touch the bottom without going under. Oh the positive things of having a tall boyfriend.

"We should do this more often," I tell him. He smiles and agrees. "So since it is late..." I start.

"It's up to you."

"Why don't we go back to my house? I'm in desperate need of someone to hold me when I go to sleep." He laughs. He allows me to climb on his back and he piggybacks me out of the water. We sit by the fire until we're dried off before leaving everyone else playing truth or dare.

He carries me upstairs as soon as I close and lock the door back. "Someone's a bit eager," I say. He laughs and sets me down in my door way. He goes off to get another shirt and a pair of shorts.

I change into some old spandex shorts and begin to take my shirt off. I catch my reflection in the mirror. I look the the small scar running across my abdomen. I remember how I got that and shudder. It's such a horrible reminder. And I've never told anyone about it. If I told Zayn, he'd be really upset. I don't want him angry.

I trace the small line over and over, remembering the pain and fear that took over my body. He clears his throat behind me and I nervously try to hide it. He walks to me as I fumble with a shirt. He holds my hands still and examines the scar.

"What happened?" he asks gently, noticing the pain in my face.

"I... I don't want t-to talk about it," I stutter, pulling the shirt down over my head.

"Elle."

"No! Please." He sighs and we walk over to my bed. He tucks the blanket up to my chin again before climbing under the sheets himself. I turn off the lamp and roll over. He puts his arm around me and places his hand on my stomach. I jump at the gentle touch to the spot I'm insecure enough about.

There's no sense in hiding it or lying to cover it up. I'm just not exactly ready to admit why or how I have it. Some things just don't need to be shared. This is something I'm too scared to share. But I remember the words he spoke. "Tell anyone, and I'll come back to kill you."

But that was years ago. Does it matter now? Maybe. But I've been paranoid all my life about that one incident.

"When you're ready, I want you to explain why you were hiding it," he says in my ear. "I want to know why you flinch every time I touch you there."

"But I'm scared..." I say as I roll over to face him. "I've never told." He looks at me with empathy in his eyes. He's gone his whole life hiding one big secret. Well actually his whole life is a secret.

"Don't be," he says.

"But... I don't like t-to remember it. That's why I d-don't want to tell you." I continue to stutter and then begin to sob quietly. I remember every little detail. And I don't want to. I want the memory to fade and eventually be forgotten.

He pulls me into his arms. I place my head on his chest and let him try to comfort me.

"Shh... I know, I know, love."

In a world of people who don't understand anything, I think I've found the one person who actually understands. Even more, he understands me.