The Girly Watch Remade

Chapter 10 Rewind

Brian Wiser's Point Of View

A streak of warmth rolled down Brian's face. His expression contorted in surprise as a sharp pain shot through the nerves in his cheek. He raised a hand to clutch at the stinging area, then lowered it slowly to stare at the dark red stain on his palm with wide eyes.

His eyes started to mist over as painful tears pooled up. His jaw clenched before the first teardrop began flowing down. Anger crept into his features.

"Do you think you're the only one who's been forced to do things they regret?"

Brian's fist tightened before dropping back to his side. "I never wanted to see you again. I hated seeing that war go on. I watched families being ripped apart. I remember scavenging for scraps on the streets I grew up on, using sharpened poles to move soldiers' corpses out of the way. Because of you, I had to abandon my own home."

He stepped towards Amelie, blood now covering the left side of his shirt collar. "For years, all I wanted was to hurt you. And then I saw you on TV as the face of reformed prisoners. I just wanted to see you pay."

His voice grew quieter. "But then you spoke. I saw the fear in your eyes. The guilt over everything you did. I saw the same pain, the same anger that I felt towards your existence. Except yours was turned inward, against yourself. It dwarfed anything I could dish out."

Brian placed his hands on Amelie's shoulders, eyes wet . "I meant what I said before. I can't stand knowing the hatred I felt towards you was nothing compared to what you had to live with alone. I don't know you, and you don't know me. But you've obviously tried to change. I don't want you blaming yourself anymore for things you couldn't control. Even if we never see each other again, even if I'm just some raving lunatic, I want you to let go of that past. So why don't you?"

Amelie's features softened, the sincerity in Brian's words seeming to get through to her. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Brian shook his head. "Don't be. I told you I never needed your apology."

Amelie sighed, closing her eyes briefly before pulling a small handkerchief out from somewhere on her outfit. "Merde. You're bleeding," she said, grabbing Brian's wrist and half-dragging the taller man along as she led them out of the ballroom.

They moved quickly down the hallway, Amelie's heels clicking on the tiled floor as she guided Brian elsewhere. Her brow was furrowed in determination as she kept a firm grip on his wrist, the pristine handkerchief clutched in her other hand.

Amelie didn't speak again until they reached a more secluded area, like a quiet sitting room or parlor. Only then did she release Brian's wrist and motion a hand for him to sit.

"Hold still," she said briskly, using the handkerchief to dab at the wound on his face. Her movements were efficient but gentle as she worked to dab the blood up from the small cut.

An awkward silence fell between them, the only sounds being Brian's occasionally hissed breaths and wincing when Amelie's ministrations pulled at the torn skin. After a moment, she broke the quiet.

"You're right, what's done is done," she said evenly, not meeting his eyes. "I can't change the past. But I am trying to..." She trailed off, shaking her head slightly. "You understand."

Brian nodded slowly, still not making eye contact with Amelie as his brow furrowed in thought. He stared out the pane glass window, his eyes focused on some distant light outside.

"I liked the play," he stated simply. Amelie hummed in acknowledgment.

"Merci," she said quietly, gripping his face gently to keep applying pressure with the cloth, though he tried to pull away from her sensitive touch.