Little Roadside Cafe

Mirror Shards

Warning! THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES ADULT THEMES THAT PEOPLE MIGHT SEE AS SENSITIVE! PLEASE READ WITH DISCRETION!

These might include things such as:

- Assault
- Implied R*pe
- Implied Self harm
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*click*

I turned on the lights as I tried to regain my composure. What happened was sudden, and if it were any other person, they'd run away from experiencing this while they can since Tea's on the ground unconscious. I would too, but..

I think there's a lot more to him that needs to be uncovered, and that I think, what he needs is to be heard.

I'm scared, but I snapped out of it, and called the hospital.

8pm, 3 hours later.

The nurse said he was awake, and said I'm okay to enter the room and talk.

When I entered his room, I saw him looking out on the window next to his bed. The moonlight shines over him; eyes looking afar, full of gentle elegance.

I sat down next to his bed, though, I'm still silent, unsure how to start this conversation.

Tea sees me on the window's reflection, and asked,

"Why?.."

I couldn't say anything.

"You should've left after I tried to hurt you."

"I felt like.. you needed help."

Tea fell silent for a while.

"Get out. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to soften up to me and-"

"No."

Tea turned around and looked at me. The way his face looked, it didn't look like he was offended, but surprised.

"I want to hear you. Please, let me help"

Tears started to run down from his eyes again. Embarrassed, Tea covered himself quickly under the hospital blankets and cried.

"I'm... Sorry."

It was muffled, but I could still hear him.

"I... Thought that my life was over."

"...What happened to you, Tea?"

Tea took of the blanket halfway through his face, and looked at me with teary eyes.

"Before that, what did you tell the doctor?"

"I said that you passed out after hyperventilating."

Tea's face looked even more surprised. Like he'd never met someone like me before.

"Can you trust me a bit more now?"

"O..okay."

Tea sat up, still covering himself with blankets. An awkward silence befell for a while, but eager to know more, I started to talk.

"Tea.. what happened to you?... Did people do bad things to you?"

Tea gripped his hand, and he looked angry. He remained silent for a while.

"I'm sorry for asking.. You don't have to answer it-"

"I... Have been.. touched wrongly.. before.."

He said.

"..A lot of times. Some, forced themselves on me.. Some slithered their way in by getting me drunk..

Some acted gentle, kind, caring at first, saying they weren't like the others, but once they got their way with me, I got treated like I'm some sort of reusable toy for them to pleasure themselves with. Every single one of them, different kinds of scum.

Even if they didn't physically violate me, their eyes.. their gazes.. the way they looked at me.. not once have I been looked at like I was a human being before by them...

Despite how different they all are in the way they defile me, there is always.. always one thing they all have in common...

They all said I was 'beautiful'..".

Tea rambled on, and the words he says, horrified me. I wanted to say things but, I felt like I shouldn't say anything.

"Mister Cola...

Is it wrong to be beautiful?"

My eyes widened in shock by his question.

"Is it wrong to have a body like mine?

Is it wrong to have huge legs, to have wide hips, to have a small waist, to have smooth skin, fluffy hair, pink lips?

These things, those people always point out and compliment me on..."

I'm speechless..

"I.. there's nothing wrong with having those features..!"

"If that's so, why is it because of them, this always happens...?

If this is what it means to be beautiful, then Cola.. I don't want it anymore. I don't want my legs, I don't want my hips, my skin, my hair, my waist.. I don't want it. Sometimes, I look at myself in the mirror, and wish I was strong enough to break it by punching it and stab myself with one of the mirror shards.... I.. I don't want to be beautiful anymore."

Our eyes locked to each other as he said that. I did not feel anything other than disgust and pain, and moreso that I too... Have seen him that way.

"I'm sorry Tea. I didn't know you had to suffer all of that.. Is this why you said your life would be ruined if you let me go?

Were you scared I'd report you?"

"Well.. yeah.. and much more.. I was scared people would hear about it, people would look at me like I was a slut, while those who hurt me would look at me in approval.

The thought of that is so fucking infuriating it makes me want to rip everything to shreds. I still don't trust you, the reason why I'm telling you everything is that partly because you're willing to listen, but more than that, if you're planning to betray me, at least I've said my side of the story, and hopefully this will weigh on your conscience somehow.. If it doesn't.. then I guess it's over."

This guy.. he's been through a lot.

"How are your parents? Where are they?"

Tea's hands gripped even harder.

"Okay, I won't pry any further. I promise I'll protect your secrets no matter what.."

"Again, I still don't trust you. I can't be so sure you're not one of those slick fucks who try to get me to open up?"

"Then in exchange, I'll tell you a secret of mine...

Tea. Do you remember.. 13 years ago?"..