A/N Hey everyone, this is my new story, hope you all enjoy it :)
Chapter 1
'Hello, gorgeous' Aden smiled cheekily as he rushed into the kitchen with the dirty dishes he had just collected. Belle smiled back before following him to start her shift.
"So I was thinking…" Belle began as Aden turned round to face her, "You know, tonight…"
"Tonight what?" Aden asked confused, they hadn't got anything planned as far as he knew.
"I thought we could…you know…" Belle stopped, her cheeks burning red at what she was implying.
Aden caught the gist of it, and inside he recoiled in horror, "Ermm…" he seemed lost for words, "Belle, I thought we were taking it slow…" he trailed off knowing that it had been a couple of months since they first got together.
"We are." She assured him smiling, "It's just… well you don't seem to want to… its' like you're not into me or something…" she looked away ashamed, afraid to see his reaction.
Aden stood there watching her stumble over her words until she got it all out, " No, I am into you Belle, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me," He smiled at her, "I just didn't want to rush you, but if you're sure… then I suppose tonight is good." Aden gulped at what he had just said especially when Belle lifted her head to grin at him,
"Great, you'll come round later then."
"Yeah sure…" Aden replied before heading off to get orders. He inwardly groaned, he'd been dreading this day for weeks but he knew it was gonna come sooner or later, maybe, he thought, maybe with Belle it'll be different. He smiled at that and focused on enjoying tonight and not letting the past drag him down.
He arrived at her house at 8pm, Belle eagerly dragged him into her bedroom; no one else was in so there was no one to disturb them.
"So…" Aden attempted to start the conversation as he looked around her room, admiring the photos of her stuck to the wall.
"Let's just get on with it" Belle suggested pushing him down onto the bed, she leapt onto the bed and began passionately kissing him while fumbling for the buttons on his shirt.
An uncomfortable feeling was beginning to rise in Aden; he could feel himself starting to sweat as the fear built up. There's nothing to be scared of Aden told himself, its Belle, its Belle… He focused on that but it couldn't stop the memories from re-emerging.
"Belle… No…" Aden pleaded as she slowly began to undo his shirt. He forced himself to enjoy it, he told himself that this was a good thing but he surrounded by the haunting memories from past…
***
The door creaked open and a shadow cast itself on the bedroom wall. Aden watched as an 8 year old version of himself cowered under the blankets; fear burning bright in his eyes… The shadow became real as it stepped through the doorway and slowly advanced towards him…
***
"No… Belle, Stop… Belle… S…Stop…" Aden gasped. Belle took no notice of him as she turned his head towards her so she could kiss him again. Aden returned it not wanting to hurt her feelings, but inside he felt physically sick. It was like he was reliving those dark days of his childhood again, the fear began to take hold of him…
Belle started to move her hands lower until they finally rested on his belt where she fiddled about with the buckle. Aden's breaths were coming in ragged gasps now but Belle appeared oblivious to it. Aden meanwhile seemed to be trapped in the past as he was forced to relive his darkest secrets…
***
He pulled the covers up closer to him, a single tear falling down his cheek as his grandfather came to sit on the bed beside him.
"Aden…" He taunted; his voice striking fear into the heart of the young boy.
"You're useless, you know that?" his grandfather sneered. "You're weak and pathetic; no wonder your mother killed herself, just look at you!!"
Aden whimpered pitifully, tears streaking down his face,
"It… It's… not my… f… fault…" He stammered; the pain his mother's death had caused him evident in his eyes.
His grandfather laughed, a hard cruel laugh,
"No, Aden. It's ALL your fault! And now you're going to be punished…"
Aden tried to resist but to no avail; his grandfather held him down as his hand snaked down the innocent child's body.
***
He was pulled out of the flashback as Belle removed his belt. The feeling of the scared little boy stayed with him though and as Belle went to unzip his trousers; Aden couldn't remove the image of his grandfather from his mind. He was there taunting him, telling him that he was worthless, useless, that everything was his fault. And in that moment all the anger, all the shame, all the fear that had been building up inside him, exploded.
"GET OFF!!" Aden screamed, frantically trying to push Belle away. For the first time she seemed to hear what he was saying and looked up confused. Aden quickly scrambled off the bed, grabbing his belt and shirt, replacing them on him. His breathing was rough and irregular, the fear still prominent in his eyes.
"What is it Aden?" Belle asked, she knew something was very wrong, he'd never reacted this bad to anything before.
"I…I… Can't do… do this…" Aden replied, his voice wavering as he tried to steady his breathing.
"Aden, look at me" Belle said forcefully as he maintained his gaze at the floor, he looked ashamed. Why? Belle wondered. Aden didn't move as he heard what Belle said, avoiding her eyes completely.
"Aden, what's wrong?" She asked again, concerned. He looked distressed almost, he was pale and shaking, the ragged gasps of his breathing filled the room.
"Nothing's wrong Belle!!" Aden shouted at her. His defences were up; he wasn't going to let himself be so exposed as he was before.
"Aden, obviously something is…" She looked at him sympathetically; he caught her expression and his blood boiled, he didn't want her pity, it made him feel weak.
Belle could see Aden begin to tense up so she decided to tread carefully…
"Aden…" She began softly but he cut her off.
"I… can't… s…sorry… Belle… I… c… cant…" He stumbled; his eyes held a look of unbearable pain and tears trickled down his cheek. She reached out for him but he turned and ran, leaving Belle alone and confused…
Aden kept running until he reached the beach where he stopped to regain his breath. He stood there for a moment until all the fear and emotion of the last few hours came flooding back. He'd never felt so sick in his life… well not since…
He felt the bile rising in his throat and he couldn't hold it back. He violently threw up then stumbled several yards further down the beach before collapsing in an exhausted heap. He broke down then, sobs shaking through his body, tears endlessly dripping down his face.
It was a while until Aden finally regained his composure and headed back for the town; he was going back to Belle's, he couldn't leave her just like that with no explanation, she was probably blaming herself, he had to go and explain it to her, ALL of it. He gulped, the fear once again rising in him, he'd never opened up to anyone in the ten years since it began and he wasn't sure he could start now…
He never noticed the dark storm clouds fast approaching Summer Bay…
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