Broken Love // A Falice Story

Chapter 21

At exactly seven o'clock FP made his way upstairs and knocked on Alice's door. He made sure once more his clothes looked good and just as he brushed something off his shoulder Alice opened the door. "Wow."

"Thanks, you're wow too." Alice chuckled. She smiled at FP and looked him up and down just as he did the same with her. "Where are we going?" She asked curiously and FP smiled.

"Surprise." He took her hand in his and walked with her down the stairs. Alice had on a tight and short black dress and black heels. Her hair was falling onto her shoulders in golden waves and her red lipstick made her eyes seem even more blue. "That's why I have this." FP held up a white handkerchief.

"Interesting." Alice went with FP outside and he only covered her eyes right before he helped her into the car. "So no hints?" She asked after a while of driving but FP didn't say a word.

It was only almost an hour later that the car stopped and FP finally took off the handkerchief. Alice looked around. They were parked on the edge of the road near a closed restaurant. "It's eight, I don't know why, but this seems to be closed."

"'Seems' being the key word." FP smiled as he got out of the car and before Alice had the chance to he opened the door of the car for her. 

Then FP and Alice walked to the restaurant's entrance and took out of his pocket a set of keys. "How?" Alice asked. "I didn't hear you leave the house and we had lunch together."

"Secret." FP smiled and held the door open as Alice walked into the restaurant. There wasn't a light turned on, but it wasn't dark, the middle of the room was lit by candles placed on the table and on the floor. 

"You didn't." Alice looked at FP with a smile plastered on her face and FP shrugged his shoulders.

"I did." He laughed and led Alice to the table. Just as they sat down a waiter came to them with two burgers and sat them on the table. "Your favourite." FP sat when Alice laughed seeing the food. He figured that if before she didn't like anything better than burgers her taste didn't change.

"I love this." Alice smiled and bit into her burger as the waiter poured some wine into their glasses. "Dressing up to eat burgers, best date ever."

"I did my best." FP joked and Alice shook her head in amusement. "I really appreciate this."

"I know." He nodded and watched Alice take another bite as he did so himself. "So, tell me more about you, how about why you got into psychology?"

"Well at first I wanted to be a teacher, but then I thought that working as a therapist in a school would be better for the kids since their mental health isn't something people think about often unfortunately." Alice sighed. She remembered her day as a student, high school and even levels below. It must've been written all over her face since the next question FP asked was about her past.

"How was school for you then? You're cool to hang out with now." FP said and was glad to see Alice smile for a moment before she dove deeper into it.

"Sucked." Alice let out a bitter chuckle. "From first to fourth grade it was fine, but the moment I got in fifth grade and until eight I changed three schools. I was bullied because I was quiet and I liked to study and I didn't fight back so I was the obvious target. Then in high school there was this theatre club where we danced and sang and acted, we were made fun of by most people but we won a lot of competitions and we had fun together. I value the friends I made there and those hours spent with them were amazing, but the moment we stepped out of our group we were all targets. Food was thrown at us, juice, sometimes even chairs. We stood up for ourselves as much as we could have and in college I was finally appreciated for being me. I didn't change, but they were all just nicer than high school." 

"I'm sorry, but it made you the wonderful woman you are today." FP said and Alice nodded, he was right. Those moments that made her feel hopeless , she'd never forget those, but at the same time she'd never forget the way back to the light and the people that helped her. "It must've been hard for a teenage girl to go through that."

"It was." She sighed as she took a sip of wine. "I even tried to end everything a few times, but I'm glad it didn't work. Because I wouldn't have met you." Alice tried to get all cheesy, but her last sentences made FP ask himself a question about Alice and he needed to hear her answer. 

"You're not thinking of committing suicide now are you?" FP was genuinely worried that after everything his parents and him had put her through she might've been thinking of that and the thought of it scared the hell out of him. 

"No." Alice shook her head in all seriousness. "If there's something I've learnt is that suicide isn't an option. I mean it is, but it should never be the case. That's what I fight for, that's what I want to fight for."

"Then I'll fight with you for as long as I can." FP said and Alice smiled hearing that. 

"Good. But enough about me, let's talk about you now."