Looking at them, if she wouldn’t have told him that she went through the rebellious phase he never would have recognized her; at parties, homecoming, prom, sleepovers, sporting events, no matter what it was she was seen in short-shorts or miniskirts with low-cut shirts and tube tops, the dresses were unbelievably short and she always managed to keep herself looking unmistakably bored. What really surprised him though were the guys she was with, he could recognize them all – future business heads, all extremely good looking and influential and yet, in not one of those photos did she look remotely happy.
Picking up the box he walked out to the living room and began spreading them out – again and again he noticed the same things, she had told him before that she was unhappy, but it was really unbelievable how honest she was really being, even when she was at the formal events with Olivia, only scowls could be seen on her face. He wanted to hug her, make her see that she was beautiful. The guys that were in the photos had a possessive grip on her, eyes looking at her as some prize and not as a human being.
Rory walked through the front door of the apartment after running off to get dinner, and throwing her coat off on a chair she glanced into the living room and saw Jay hunched over the couch looking at something. Walking over to where he sat she saws the photos she had overwhelmingly tried to hide, and grimaced. Gently greeting him, she noticed the look on his face as he turned to greet her.
Seeing her standing there he felt awful, he betrayed her trust and saw things from her past that were none of his business. He opened his mouth to speak but she sat next to him before he could and gently kissed his lips. Pulling away he looked at her, he had no idea what to say… Was she ever truly happy before? Did she ever have fun when she wasn’t forcing herself to? No, he’d have to start with something simple, “You know you’re beautiful right?”
She looked down and blushed; of course she did, now at least. She nodded, not trusting herself to respond verbally, looking down she saw the photos, these were the years she wanted to forget, the years that she was taken advantage of then thrown to the side.
He looked at her strangely, unsure how to continue, she looked hurt. Did she not want him to find these, no, it wasn’t like she was sad or hurt in that way, it was more of a reminiscing sadness. Reaching his hand out he grabbed hers, “You know,” he smiled and used her own words “you aren’t alone anymore; you don’t have to do this by yourself.”
She looked up at him and bites her lip, “It was awful…” looking down at the charred photos she scowls, “these guys were forced to date me… Olivia and their parents pushed us to do it, although they didn’t have any problem with it – three of them cheated on me… The other one only wanted to get in my pants.” He looked up at her, unable to believe someone could do that to her and gently kissing her cheek and rubbing her hand he ushering her continue. She sighs and looks down, “I was never happy… I was more or less miserable because it was nothing I ever wanted to be. And then… I met you, you were so aggravating. You were cocky and arrogant and so unbelievably brash and impulsive. And unlike any other guy I’d ever met.” She kisses his neck gently. “It was because of you I was actually happy, actually able to laugh without it being forced-”
Cutting her off before she could continue, he kissed her so deeply, he wanted her to know that she mattered, that her happiness mattered, and there weren’t enough words in the world to describe that to her.
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