Chapter Seventeen- Blowing Raspberries

All your messages and comments are always so beautiful and @Vixen_Secrets_ story made me really emotional. 💛

Thank you for the amazing support that my books have received; those of you that I have interacted with seem really kind and cool☺️

I'm going to go cry in a corner now,

Hope you enjoy this chapter,

El x

[...]

Will's PoV

I giggle into the soft expanse of my pillow, playfully prodding at Freddie's hands. He squeezes my waist even harder, nuzzling his nose into my neck and blowing a giant raspberry on the skin.

"Freddie!" I complain loudly, acting as if the simple movement didn't fill me with intense joy.

"I loooove you" He coos, repeatedly kissing my face.

I snicker, crawling away towards the top of my bed; he pouts.

"Say you love me!", a fake frown is placed on his tanned face.

I roll my eyes, poking at his puffy cheeks and chuckling when he pouts even more, "I love you I guess"

"I knew it!"

Tackling me lightly, he blows an even bigger raspberry directly on my sensitive ear, earning himself a high pitched squeal. I'm flipped around and forced to cuddle into his toned chest in one, swift motion.

I pant slightly, the quick movement leaving me disoriented; my head pounding from the exertion. Freddie's beam quickly morphs into a concerned frown, the skin between his thick eyebrows creasing.

"Are you okay Will?"

I nod my head, but doing so only makes me dizzier. I raise my shaking hands to my mouth, covering it slightly to avoid throwing up.

The mood has gone from happy to agitated in only a few seconds.

Freddie fearfully calls for my mum, running his warm hand up and down my back- trying to provide some sort of comfort.

Mum rushes into the room, a worried look scarring her face. She's held that look ever since I came home from the hospital- as if she's terrified that something else is going to happen.

"Have a drink of water-"

She goes to pour me some, out of a small jug into a fresh glass. She used to do that for me when I was younger, scared that I would spill it.

I'm not useless-

I go to snatch the jug out of her hands, falling forward and clutching at my aching stomach for a moment, before straightening back up.

"I can pour it myself"

"But, the doctor said-"

"It's fine"

She nods, albeit apprehensively; passing the jug and glass to me with cautious hands.

I know that I shouldn't take it out on her, she only wants what's best for me, but I refuse to be treated like I'm fragile.

I look at my reflection in the mirror opposite my bed. I see a messy boy with messy hair and messy clothes; much like the boy I saw only a few months ago. Except, this time, he has a white gauze over his left eye and a thin scar trailing down to his chin.

He looks so foreign to me, yet he's who I am now.

Focussing on the task at hand, I squint my good eye slightly, before lifting the jug up over the glass. My breathing evens out and I relax completely before tilting it, my hands deadly still.

"Will-" Freddie warns-

Icy cold water gushes down, straight onto my lap- drenching my blankets and pillows.

I can't even pour a glass of water

An unrestrained sob escaped me, my knees diving up into my chest; my head resting pitifully on the top.

Freddie clutches onto my frail body, lifting me away from the soggy bed. I scream and argue until all the energy is drained out of me. We move into the bathroom, where he draws me a steaming bath.

Tears as cold as the spilled water slide down my cheeks whilst Freddie rocks me backwards and forewords in his arms. He tries to reassure me-

"Doctor Mitch said that patients often have trouble with depth perception. It's normal Will, you lost an eye; you can't expect-"

"There's nothing normal about me!"

I start crying harder, smushing my face against his chest. He brushes away my tears, placing a comforting kiss on my forehead.

"I love you Will and I'll love you no matter how many scars you have. You may not be normal, but I know countless normal people that aren't happy. They strive so hard to fit in, that they loose sight of what's important to them."

I nod, sighing softly onto his bare neck. I just hate feeling so broken-

Freddie starts to sing-

'There are moments when you fall to the ground

But you are stronger than you feel you are now

You don't always have to speak so loud, no

Just be as you are

Life is not always a comfortable ride

Everybody's got scars that they hide

And everybody plays the fool sometimes, yeah

Just be as you are'

Sniffing, I wipe my eyes on his soft, blue jumper and cling to his strong body. I can feel rough bumps on his torso from the scars, and it reassures me- in some kind of messed up way.

Freddie notices.

His face creases slightly, biting his lip in apparent conflict. He kisses me on the lips, the embrace lasting for only a few moments. His eyes shine with something unrecognisable.

He speaks, with true passion shining through-

"We're all a little damaged Will, it's what makes us human."

-He gently loosens his hold on me and reaches for his long sleeves, tugging on the material with shaking fingers-

"It's how we cope and progress with these scars, that determines the ordinary from the extraordinary."

-And he rolls them up-

"I have a feeling that we're extraordinary, don't you?"

My trembling hands reach towards his scarred arms, holding them gently.

A soft kiss is placed on both.

"Yeah, I do"

[...]

Author's Note

I don't know whether to feel happy; angry or sad after writing that...

Freddie finally showed Will his arms, which is an amazing development! Will hates not being able to see out of his left eye and it's going to make day-to-day activities rather tough.

What's your favourite TV show- I have to say that I'm a sucker for the classics (The Office UK, Derek) but I also love Black Mirror. I'm actually going to go watch the 'choices' one now 😊

Happy New Year everyone, I hope that you all had fun last night lol. I stayed indoors and watched the countdown on TV with my sister- which was cool. I always think that New Years is a bit anticlimactic but that's probably because we don't do much celebrating 🥳

Have a great day/ night,

El x