India

India laid still on her back as the droplets of water dripped from the tips of her hair, dampening the blanket beneath her. Alex's arms were wrapped around her closely, his tshirt covering her body. The back of the truck was far more comfortable than she'd first thought, and it touched her knowing just how much effort Alex had put into this entire thing.
She rolled over slightly, head resting on his chest as bright blue eyes raised to gaze up at the sky.
"What are you thinking about?" Alex asked gently, his gaze focused on nothing but her.
"Nothing really. Just life." She mused.
"Come on, I know your thinking face when I see it."
India chuckled softly, tugging the duvets up around them both.
"I was just thinking about how different you are than i first thought," She said gently.
"What makes you say that?"
"I dunno. The first week or so, i had my mind made up about you. Cocky, tall, handsome, great hair, it didnt take a brain surgeon to figure out you were popular."
Alex shrugged a little, wondering if his persona was really that easy to pick apart like she had seemed to do.
"The first week? And what do you think of me now?" He asked curiously.
"I think you're a close guarded secret that nobody has ever tried to unravel before. I think you're sensitive and gentle and loving, and i think you spend too much time trying to hide yourself behind the facade of someone you weren't meant to be."
Alex shook his head, a soft breath escaping his lips.
"Theres no hiding from you, is there?"
"Not true. You're just easy to read."
Alex grinned at that, his eyes disconnecting from hers to look up at the sky.
It was an entirely new experience for him to be this close to a girl and have no alterior motives whatsoever,
"Nobody's ever really taken the time to think of me that much." He said.
"I think about you a lot. You're quite fascinating."
Alex chuckled softly. "Me? Fascinating? Get lost. You're the interesting one here."
India rolled her eyes, smirking playfully at him.
"Its funny how we think of ourselves so differently than others do." She said. She had to be the single most boring person to ever grace the earth. Boring face, boring eyes, boring voice, boring soul. Boring, boring, boring.
"It is." He mused softly, his fingertips tracing small circles over her protruding hipbone. The gesture made her tense up just a little, but the feeling of heat that radiated from his fingers made her relax.
"Do you mind of i ask you something?" He asked gently, his other hand dipping under the blankets to hold her hand.
"Sure, i suppose not. What is it?"
"Why do you, um, why do you do this to yourself?"
"Do what?" She replied a little quieter, wanting to avoid this question.
"Hurt yourself. Not eat. Why?"
"Just do." She shrugged.
"There must be a reason."
She shrugged again.
"India come on, please tell me."
"I dont have a reason. I just dont like myself."
Alex frowned slightly at that admission. He always knew she felt like that. but hearing it said aloud made it so much more real.
"I like you."
"You dont have to wake up every morning and look at this though." She said, gesturing to her body. "You dont understand."
"You're right, i dont. Help me understand more. Please?"
India sighed, shifting closer to him. Alex slipped his eyes closed as he felt her breath hit his neck, her lips pressing there a few seconds after.
"Do you hate anyone?" She asked quietly.
Alex thought for a moment. "Sure, i suppose so."
"No, i mean really hate. Everything they do or say makes you want to punch them. You hate their voice, their smile, their eyes, the things they say, the things they do, absolutely everything. Theres not one thing about them that you even remotely like. You'd rather see them dead than have to be near them for too long."
Alex swallowed, not sure where she was taking this.
"I can think of one." He said quietly, eyes slipping closed.
"Take all of that hatred you feel, and turn it on yourself. The person you hate so much? Its yourself. And you're stuck with them. Thats how i feel about myself."
Alex stayed silent for a few minutes, his focus on her breathing and the distant hum of the city.
"It makes me angry that you feel like that."
"Why?"
"Cause someone has done this to you. Nobody is born hating themselves. Someone else does that to you, and i swear to god, if i ever meet who did this to you, i'll beat the living shit out of them." He said as calmly as he could, although all he wanted to do was scream.
"Its okay, Alex."
"No, its not fucking okay. Nobody deserves to feel the way you do about themselves, India. You wanna know what i see when i see you? I see the most beautiful girl in the entire world." Alex began, his voice filled with frustration. He shifted a little so he was hovering his torso and head over her, one hand on the pillows either side of her head.
"I dont see what you see at all. I see the total opposite. I see life, and wonder, and beauty. Everything you hate about yourself? Those are the things i love. I love your eyes and how the left one crinkles just a little more at the corner when i make you laugh. I love that your lips are a little too pouty all the time, its so damn cute. I love the freckles you have across your nose, that you can only see when you're this close. I love your hands and your arms and your stomach and your thighs and your shoulders and i love everything else there is to love. Every flaw, every error you see in yourself, those are the things i adore, and that i would never trade in for the entire world."
India looked almost emotionless, her arms curling up around his neck. Alex half expected her to say something, but the feeling of her lips pressedagainst his yet again made him lose his train of thought. All he could think, see, feel or smell was this girl.
Her lips moved perfectly in sync with his, a sense of urgency behind it, but not with any sexual hang ups. They both just needed to be close to the other, needed someone to care.
As much as Alex hated to admit it to himself, he knew all too well what India felt like. Not to the extent she did, but the feeling of self hatred was something he felt too.
"You're beautiful, Alex. Do you know that?" Her voice was quiet and smooth, breath ticking his neck and she buried her face there.
He stayed silent.
"You're gorgeous. Look at me." She murmured softly and leaned her head back, fingerss tilting his chin up to lock their eyes together. Warmth spread across his right cheek as she rested her hand there.
"You're beautiful. Beautiful heart, beautiful spirit, everything about you is breath taking."
"Beautiful isnt really a word used to describe a guy." He chuckled softly.
India saw straight though his feeble attempt at putting his walls back up. She'd already broken them down, a long time ago.
"But you are beautiful. I've never felt so safe with anybody before. Your eyes are the most perfect shade of caramel brown i've ever seen. And i love the way you get dimples when you smile enough. I love the sound of your voice, its the only sound that i'd do anything to hear. I love your hands and how they feel entwined with mine, or how they feel on my hips or my waist or my back. I love the feeling you give me when we're this close. I feel so safe yet like i could explode at any moment." She said the entire thing quietly, her hand never leaving his cheek.
Alex leaned down after that, his lips pressing soft kisses to every inch of her face. Their hands entwined together beneath the sheets, the world melting away around the two of them as their eyes connected again.
Alex had never been so sure of anything in his entire life. Those three words were on the tip of his tongue, just about to escape before she brought a finger to his lips.
"Dont say it. I know."
Alex kissed her finger softly, not breaking eye contact with her. So many words can be exchanged between those in love without either opening their mouths.
"I know too."