Love at First Touch
Chapter 8 - The Confession
Even though Belle felt that Shawn's hidden past would affect her life and their relationship in a negative way, she couldn't help but keep a tight hold of his hand. Deep inside her heart she felt she needed to hold on to him as though these were their final moments together.
"We're here," said Shawn.
Shawn turned off his truck after pulling into the curbside of a secluded beach. The beach looked as though no one had been to it in many years. The sand was somewhat polluted from washed up waste and there were no signs of any human contact with the beach.
Shawn pointed to a bench and kindly asked Belle to sit. He began his story.
"10 years ago, when I was 13 years old, I came up to this beach to spend time alone away from my family. I lived a few blocks down and this was my closest getaway from reality. I used to skateboard to this place and walk down the beach towards that pier over there," Shawn said as he indicated with his finger towards the deck, "and I would lay down with my legs dangling over the edge. It was so relaxing and peaceful."
"Where do I come in? What does this have to do with me?" Belle interrupted and questioned as she sat there confused and uneasy listening to Shawn's story.
"One day, things changed. I left my skateboard on the pier while I walked down the beach, where I met some of my friends and ended up chasing them for about a block. After fooling around as children often do, I started on my way back to the pier. From a distance I noticed someone fall over the pier and land in the ocean. I quickly ran towards the deck and looked over the edge. I noticed a blond-haired woman floating in the water and she seemed to have drowned. I looked around the deck to try to figure out how this could have happened. I then realized that this person had tripped over my skateboard, which was now hanging by a wheel on the rim of the pier."
Belle gasps. She begins to violently shake her head in denial.
". So in a moment of despair and utter confusion, I picked up my skateboard and ran home. I didn't tell anyone what I had seen or heard, as I was terrified that I would get in trouble with the police. At 13 years old, things like this scare the shit out of kids."
"No. this can't be," Belle kept repeating.
"I watched the news that night and they said that this woman was standing too close to the edge and lost her balance. I felt relieved for an instant, yet the guilt quickly got the best of me. I went ahead and found out the woman's name and when she would be buried. The next 2 days were the worst as I anxiously waited the burial day. That day, I sneaked out of my house and headed towards the cemetery. There, I watched the whole procession, and that's where I saw you."
"I can't believe this is happening," continued Belle as she kept muttering words and sounds while Shawn was telling his story.
"I saw the pain in your eyes. in your tears. You reached over and placed a single red rose on her coffin. From that moment on, I made it my mission to look after you. to protect you from harm's way. To do anything in my power to make your life as happy as possible without you ever realizing someone was there, taking care of you. I did this because I felt that it was the only way I can make it up to her. When I grew older, I began falling deeply in love with you."
"You killed my mother. Your love for me is out of guilt!" yelled Belle as she pushed him away.
"No, Belle, my love for you is real. Even though I still feel horrible and responsible for your mother's death, it is completely separate from what I feel for you." Said Shawn.
"Please take me home," said Belle who was disgusted by what she had heard and couldn't even look at Shawn's face.
"Ok. I understand. I don't expect you to forgive me or to understand. Let me just say some final words before I take you home. I was 13 years old. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I made a mistake, and I'll probably end up regretting it for the rest of my life. However, I will never regret falling in love with you." Shawn grabbed Belle's hand and lifted it up to his heart. "I am so sorry. I mean that with all my heart."
Belle snatched her hand away and still couldn't look at Shawn.
Shawn stood up and walked towards his truck. Both of them got in and they drove off to Belle's house.
Upon reaching the entrance to the building, Belle jumped out of the truck and ran past the double doors. She banged on the buttons by the elevator.
"Come on. Come on." she said impatiently.
Shawn sat outside in his truck, staring at Belle in her time of angst. He banged his hands on the wheel as he got more and more upset at what he had done when he was a child and the consequences that arose from his actions.
** Ding ** the elevator signaled and opened. Belle jumped in. She turned around as she pressed the button to her floor. As the elevator doors were closing, she caught a glimpse of Shawn. Their eyes met and at that moment, Belle and Shawn realized it was all over.
Chapter 8 - The Confession
Even though Belle felt that Shawn's hidden past would affect her life and their relationship in a negative way, she couldn't help but keep a tight hold of his hand. Deep inside her heart she felt she needed to hold on to him as though these were their final moments together.
"We're here," said Shawn.
Shawn turned off his truck after pulling into the curbside of a secluded beach. The beach looked as though no one had been to it in many years. The sand was somewhat polluted from washed up waste and there were no signs of any human contact with the beach.
Shawn pointed to a bench and kindly asked Belle to sit. He began his story.
"10 years ago, when I was 13 years old, I came up to this beach to spend time alone away from my family. I lived a few blocks down and this was my closest getaway from reality. I used to skateboard to this place and walk down the beach towards that pier over there," Shawn said as he indicated with his finger towards the deck, "and I would lay down with my legs dangling over the edge. It was so relaxing and peaceful."
"Where do I come in? What does this have to do with me?" Belle interrupted and questioned as she sat there confused and uneasy listening to Shawn's story.
"One day, things changed. I left my skateboard on the pier while I walked down the beach, where I met some of my friends and ended up chasing them for about a block. After fooling around as children often do, I started on my way back to the pier. From a distance I noticed someone fall over the pier and land in the ocean. I quickly ran towards the deck and looked over the edge. I noticed a blond-haired woman floating in the water and she seemed to have drowned. I looked around the deck to try to figure out how this could have happened. I then realized that this person had tripped over my skateboard, which was now hanging by a wheel on the rim of the pier."
Belle gasps. She begins to violently shake her head in denial.
". So in a moment of despair and utter confusion, I picked up my skateboard and ran home. I didn't tell anyone what I had seen or heard, as I was terrified that I would get in trouble with the police. At 13 years old, things like this scare the shit out of kids."
"No. this can't be," Belle kept repeating.
"I watched the news that night and they said that this woman was standing too close to the edge and lost her balance. I felt relieved for an instant, yet the guilt quickly got the best of me. I went ahead and found out the woman's name and when she would be buried. The next 2 days were the worst as I anxiously waited the burial day. That day, I sneaked out of my house and headed towards the cemetery. There, I watched the whole procession, and that's where I saw you."
"I can't believe this is happening," continued Belle as she kept muttering words and sounds while Shawn was telling his story.
"I saw the pain in your eyes. in your tears. You reached over and placed a single red rose on her coffin. From that moment on, I made it my mission to look after you. to protect you from harm's way. To do anything in my power to make your life as happy as possible without you ever realizing someone was there, taking care of you. I did this because I felt that it was the only way I can make it up to her. When I grew older, I began falling deeply in love with you."
"You killed my mother. Your love for me is out of guilt!" yelled Belle as she pushed him away.
"No, Belle, my love for you is real. Even though I still feel horrible and responsible for your mother's death, it is completely separate from what I feel for you." Said Shawn.
"Please take me home," said Belle who was disgusted by what she had heard and couldn't even look at Shawn's face.
"Ok. I understand. I don't expect you to forgive me or to understand. Let me just say some final words before I take you home. I was 13 years old. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I made a mistake, and I'll probably end up regretting it for the rest of my life. However, I will never regret falling in love with you." Shawn grabbed Belle's hand and lifted it up to his heart. "I am so sorry. I mean that with all my heart."
Belle snatched her hand away and still couldn't look at Shawn.
Shawn stood up and walked towards his truck. Both of them got in and they drove off to Belle's house.
Upon reaching the entrance to the building, Belle jumped out of the truck and ran past the double doors. She banged on the buttons by the elevator.
"Come on. Come on." she said impatiently.
Shawn sat outside in his truck, staring at Belle in her time of angst. He banged his hands on the wheel as he got more and more upset at what he had done when he was a child and the consequences that arose from his actions.
** Ding ** the elevator signaled and opened. Belle jumped in. She turned around as she pressed the button to her floor. As the elevator doors were closing, she caught a glimpse of Shawn. Their eyes met and at that moment, Belle and Shawn realized it was all over.
