The Call Of Thalassa

“If the ocean can calm itself, so can you.

We are both salt water mixed with air.”

-Nayyirah Waheed

The black veil of the night had shed deep darkness on the large meadows around the village. Τhey were filled with beautiful fragrant flowers from one side to the other. Aileen could smell their wonderful tantalizing scent even from where she stood. Next to the edge of the great cliff where the staircase leading to her personal paradise was carved onto the stone -a secret beach that no one else knew about.

The light of the bright circle of the moon was the only light source there was. The glittering stars looked like beautiful fireflies as they glittered in the black sky. The light was enough to enable the young girl to see the familiar path she wanted to follow, allowing her to distinguish the silhouette of the stairs in the darkness of the night.

Not that Aileen was afraid that she would stumble and fall into the void. She had made the same journey countless times since she discovered her safe haven. She knew the way like the back of her hand.

She had resorted many times to this small isolated beach since she had found it. She had visited the peaceful place quite often when she felt that her feelings were suffocating her and she wanted to spend some time alone.

The sea always calmed her with the sound of waves bursting with force on the shore and the feeling of sand between her fingers. The crystal salty waters helped her clear her troubled and confused mind and put her thoughts in a logical order. The endless blue of the ocean and the look of the sunset or dawn on the horizon gave her hope.

Hope that life is a vast journey with many opportunities to change it and make it better in the future, leaving behind the painful memories.

Her soul was at peace every time she saw the familiar rocky beach. She felt like she was entering a room that only she was allowed in, where she could be her true self. The one who doesn’t hide her true feelings from her friends because she doesn’t want to worry them.

The one that’s not always smiling, but is still being chased by the ghosts of her past. The one who’s afraid of rejection after her father’s disappearance, but who’s also afraid of love, after the pain she felt when she lost her mother -a very important and beloved person for her.

This was her refuge, the place where Aileen could take off her happy mask and express herself freely. And for this very reason, the little redhead had not mentioned to any soul the existence of this beach.

So, who was the person approaching her with slow but sure steps, when she was about to go down the secret stairway?

Did they know about the existence of her beach, the only thing she had kept for herself?

Perhaps, he had seen her go down the first step and freaked out? Caught her red-handed?

And if so, who?

Everyone was at the Festival of Honor, whose music sounded faintly even from where they were. What sane person would leave the joyful atmosphere of celebration, where there were plenty of drinks and food, only to follow a small girl? Aileen was sure she slipped unnoticed by everyone else, and even if someone saw her leaving, he wouldn’t care.

A glimmer of moonlight suddenly illuminated the black figure that was coming towards her, allowing her to distinguish some of its characteristics. It was definitely a male from the muscled volume and height of his form, although she had already understood it from the male voice that had called her name just a few moments ago.

The moonlight allowed her to distinguish the sharp angular corners of his face and his messy short dark locks. A pair of dark eyes were riveted on her, watching her every move like a predator watching its prey before attacking it.

Aileen knew this predator very well; she had been several times his unsuspected victim during her short life. Her emerald orbs grew large with panic and fear and the hair on the back of her neck rose in attention as she recognized the familiar face of her tormentor approaching her.

She felt a tremor penetrating her spine as Alastor Steel grew closer and closer to her panicked frozen form. Weren’t her friends supposed to slow him down so she could run away unnoticed? Looks like they didn’t do a very good job at keeping him as far away from her as possible.

But who could blame the poor girls for their weakness to stop him? Such arrogant and selfish people, who are always used to getting what they want, don’t understand what it means to say “no”. They become even more stubborn and push things and situations until they get what they want and their dreams turn into reality.

Alastor had always had his eyes on Aileen. She was like a coveted prize to him which he absolutely had to win-like an object that he wanted to have in his possession. In his eyes, she was not a free woman with her own opinions and the freedom to choose what she wants.

And the more Aileen distanced herself from him and tried to hide away, the closer he got. And as she continued her tactics, he changed his methods and became demanding and violent. If she couldn’t accept him when he was well mannered, she would be forced to accept him with the use of violence. Anyways, she would become his.

“Well well well...”

His voice was like nails on sheet metal in her ears, making a shiver run down her spine. It disturbed the peaceful and silent atmosphere of the night, as well as the serene interior of her inner world.

Inside of her, Aileen was frantically screaming and crying in misery, begging herself to escape from the person standing in front of her while she still had the chance.

But from the outside, she took a deep breath and held her head high, not wanting to show any kind of weakness in front of him. Predators have always searched for their victim’s vulnerabilities that would make it easier to catch them. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“What do you want from me?”

Her question was simple and understandable. The young girl didn’t want to be around him for longer than what was necessary and had no appetite to participate in his strange games. Coming straight to the point, she wished that God would take pity on her and that soon enough she would be in the warmth and safety of her home.

“Straight to the point, huh? Why so fast, baby girl? Are you trying to run away from me? Again ?”

Alastor spat the words out of his mouth like they tasted bad. He was now standing right in front of her petite form with his infamous smirk on his face as he watched her every move carefully. He would be damned if he let her slip away from him once again without first speaking to her.

“What do you want?“, Aileen repeated, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible.

The boy laughed at her trembling voice, taking in her scared expression that was mixed with determination and pride. This girl was a feisty spitfire that wouldn’t back down easily, even though he had her terrified of his mere presence. She was brave, he had to give her that.

“I am a simple man, babygirl. I just want to take what is mine”, he licked his lips and looked deep into her emerald eyes.

“And what do I have to do with this? Why won’t you let me be in peace?“, she asked confused by his behavior.

If she had even one chance to clear things up today, she would gladly take it. If having this conversation with him, meant that he’d leave her finally alone, then she wouldn’t run away without at least trying.

“You see, baby girl...“, he pretended that he was thinking hard as he took a few steps towards her.

“You have the only thing that I desire.”

He admitted to her as his eyes held a glint that had her confused.

Aileen furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at him doubtfully. Is he playing with her again? He surely couldn’t be serious since she had nothing in her possession that belonged to him. She should have never had this conversation with him, he is just bluffing.

“What do you want from me?“, she asked frustrated the same question.

He smirked at her and cocked his head to the side, before giving her the answer to her question.

“You. Just you.”

Αt first, Aileen thought she didn’t hear well, that her hearing had a problem. Surely, her greatest tormentor -the man who had made her life hell over the years- did not see her romantically.

A man in love doesn’t swear, mistreat, or threaten the girl he is in love with. Let alone mock, abuse, and bully her from her childhood years. There must be some mistake, but she had no intention of finding out. She just wanted to go home and forget about everything.

“I am going to go now.”

She mumbled after a few awkward minutes had passed.

The girl took a few steps to the right trying to get around his huge form as fast as she could. She didn’t dare look him in the eye, having in mind to get out of there while she still had the chance.

But it seems luck was not on her side, since a strong hand held her forearm with a strong grip, successfully stopping her escape route and turning her to face the male close to her.

“I will not be ignored, Aileen! Not this time !”

Aileen tried to free her hand from his forceful grip in vain. She was sure, that there would be purple bruises decorating her porcelain skin tomorrow in the shape of his fingers.

“You have already made me look like a fucking fool! I’ve tried all these years to gain your attention and your affection, but nothing seems to please you, does it? All you seem to do is disappear right before I got you in my grasp!“, he hissed.

Was this really happening? Was he honestly serious?

Aileen couldn’t believe in her ears as anger began fueling her. How dare he act like this, when he had made her life nothing but miserable all these years? Enough was enough.

“Attention? Affection?“, she laughed bitterly as she looked into his dark angry eyes.

“You were nothing, but a bully to me! You’ve abused and insulted me during all my school years. You treated me terribly, making me the joke that everyone laughed at. You marked my body with bruises and shattered my heart with your horrific words. You made me feel insecure about myself, you made me cry and you made me believe that I was doing everything wrong when it was you that had the problem!”

Alastor’s eyes widened at her words, not believing what came out of her lips. Aileen felt a weight lifting off her shoulders as the injustice that she felt all these years came tumbling out of her mouth.

“I love you.”

The three words that came out of his mouth weren’t exactly what she had expected.

When she saw him approaching her, she surely didn’t believe it was for a love confession. Not that it changed anything between them since the three words couldn’t go back in time and fix the wrongs he had done to her. Aileen shook her head negatively at him as he waited impatiently for his answer.

“This isn’t love. Lust maybe, but surely not love.”

Alastor’s nostrils fumed and his grip on her tightened as anger clouded his vision.

“Are you denying my feelings?“, he asked through clenched teeth.

“A real man can’t stand seeing his woman hurt. He’s careful with his decisions and actions, so he never has to be responsible for her pain.”

Aileen smiled as she remembered those words from a book, even though she was stuck in a sticky situation.

“What are you saying, woman? Speak clearly!“, he hissed frustratedly, shaking her frail form as he waited for an understandable answer.

“I’ll never love you. I’ll never be yours.”

The words were clear, the meaning understood.

Love is different from lust -it has a deeper meaning and greater gravity. Alastor took a deep breath at her unexpected words like a knife was driven into his heart. It was strange, how the man who hurt her physically and mentally, now was confessing his love for her.

“I can’t love the person who broke me. The one that made me shatter in a thousand pieces.”

Aileen tried to explain herself, but there was no need. It was pretty clear that she couldn’t love the person she hated.

She felt nothing, but fear and disgust for him, and could barely stand being in his presence. She knew that there were other people that had forgiven their tormentors and lived a good life with them, but this was not happening in this case. She wanted absolutely nothing with him and now she had made it crystal clear.

“Is this your final decision?”

His voice was hoarse like he was drowning with his emotions. It was like he was sure that she would return his feelings back, the rejection being completely unsuspected.

Aileen couldn’t bring her self to pity him or feel bad for hurting his feelings –if he had truly any and if he was finally honest. He had done a lot worse to her –things that she couldn’t bring herself to forgive.

“Yes.”

He slowly nodded his head, running his fingers through his messy locks. He let go completely of her bruised forearm, making Aileen’s eyes widen in surprise. Could he really had given up so easily? Was an honest conversation all it took? If so, she should have done this sooner.

“If I can’t have you, then no one else will.”

She froze in shock, not believing his words.

Things had just gotten worse at a brand new level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of chapter 9!!

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Until next time!!