Because You're Beautiful
The memory of the fire lurked deep within Caroline's subconscious. The image, the very thought of the night her everything was destroyed spurred flames to engulf each and everyone of the dreams she'd encountered since. Beads of sweat trailed lazy patterns down her forehead as her eyes flickered feverishly under the cover of their lids. A gasp from her lips echoed around the private hospital ward as her eyes opened, wide to the white ceiling above her.
The tears came instantly, yet she could barely feel them on her skin. The bandages absorbed the moisture. She sobbed bitterly, her fingers feebly pulling at the clothe bandages around her head, nothing to be shown from the neck up. She often wondered. Who's cunning idea it had been to save her from the burnt ruins of her home. Who's cunning idea it had been to save her from dying. Dying along with the rest of her family. But no, someone cleverly thought she's much rather survive, with nothing left to live for.
"Carrie?" The brunette moved her head towards the doorway, her smile hidden behind her bandages as her eyes landed on the young man stood in the entrance to the room. "I brought you your 'delicious' cuisine, courtesy of the matron down the hall." He rolled his eyes and gestured towards the cup in his hand, a large straw protruding from it.
"I don't feel like eating, Doug." Carrie whispered raspily, a month and her voice still hadn't overcome what smoke inhalation had done to it. Dougie sighed and sat down beside the bed, placing the cup on the cabinet.
"You have to eat." He ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair, looking up at her with the striking blue eyes she often found herself lost in.
"I have my bandages off today." She mumbled, glancing down at her hands as his fingers weaved with hers perfectly. She knew it was just friendly, and that's all it ever would be. She would have given anything for him to hold her, kiss her…
"But that's awesome!" Dougie grinned. She smiled sadly up at him. She couldn't understand how he was always so optimistic, ready to laugh in the face of anything that threatened to be less than cheerful. "I get to see how gorgeous you are."
"Shut up." She felt her eyes burn with hot tears. He squeezed her hand, confused by her swing in mood.
"What did I say?" He asked.
"I have third degree burns all over my face, Dougie." Carrie spat, an underlying sorrow in her tone as she spoke. "What makes you think anyone will want to look at me? Why did someone decide that they should save me and everything will be okay? What idiot thought I'd want to spend a month in hospital like this, waiting to look in the mirror and find out I'm as ugly as I think I am?!"
"I did." Dougie pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the burns he'd received earlier on that month. Carries jaw became slack as she eyed him carefully. "I.. Oh, God. Carrie, I'm so sorry." The boy stood up quickly, his hand leaving his companions immediately as she watched him leave the room, not daring to look back.
It had been a week since Dougie had last visited her in hospital, and her face had finally been free to feel the air upon it. The mirror lay smashed on the floor at the bottom of her bed, and her pillow became home for all of her cried tears. Never, had she felt so alone in the world. Carrie's brown hair lay sprawled underneath her as she slept, a frown knotted in to her brow, and her nose wrinkled with distress. A hand slowly entwined with her own, and fingers brushed stray strands of hair from her face. The skin still red and sore in certain places. Dougie looked down at the girl lying before him.
He hadn't met her before the fire. He remembered the flames licking the walls where the windows had smashed, the call of a woman as she cried out for her daughter to be okay. Telling Carrie he helped out at the hospital had been easy. He didn't want her to know what he'd done for her at first, to know she was okay was fine enough. The greatest reward. He never expected feelings to blossom from the encounter.
His lips brushed hers gently, she relaxed, waking slowly to fid her lips moving in time with his.
"God, I love you." He murmered, eyes closed as he pulled away.
"Why?" She whispered, sitting up. She placed her hand to her chest, her heart beating at such speed, with such passion, excitement.
"Because you're beautiful, Carrie. Everything about you. You're a beautiful person, and you're gorgeous. I don't understand how you can't see that for yourself. Because I'm lucky to have even met you." Dougie moved himself to perch on the edge of the bed. "I'll never regret pulling you from the fire."
"You think I'm beautiful?" She wheezed. He nodded, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "More than beautiful. You're perfect." He leaned across again as she edged forward, their mouths meeting once more. Carries arms snaked around over Dougie's chest, her hands finally meeting behind his neck as he pulled her closer by her waist.
"Doug?" She mumbled against his lips. "I forgot to say thank you."