Status: Complete.... ?
Beautiful Scars
Chapter 5
Benedict was still shocked. To think that Athena was an orphan… he was so angry to think that someone had hurt her when she was younger, and was proud of her strength to get away. What resolve! All the same, he ached for her. To not know any family would be horrible, but to be bounced around from house to house was unthinkable. His protective nature increased tenfold.
He mulled over what he now knew of Athena while they sat in silence. Ben knew, without a doubt, that this woman was different than any he had met before. She interrupted his thoughts when she playfully hit is hand and started writing.
You’re turn! Unless you’ve had enough? He read it and looked to her. She had a look of anxiety that clearly told him she hoped he wanted to continue. “Thank God. I don’t want to go…” he thought to himself.
“I haven’t had near enough. You?” She shook her head and smiled. “Good! Uh, were did you go to school? You know I went to Manchester and Harrow. It’s only fair…” Ben smiled as Athena nodded in agreement and wrote.
You are so right, Ben!
Benedict couldn’t help but notice his enjoyment at her merely writing his name. “I wonder how it would sound if she said it…”
I got my Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate in Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge. Before that, I graduated high school at 16. I skipped a few grades. I worked full time for the next two years to save up for England. I got a scholarship, and flew on over! It’s been amazing. I belong to England, even if I’m American.
This information impressed Ben even more… she must be a genius! What was even better, however, was her love of his land. It made him unexplainably peaceful.
“Incredible! Cambridge is fantastic. I almost went there myself. I was almost a lawyer… that’s what my parents wanted. But I had different plans.” He watched Athena shoot him a questioning glance. “Yes, they approve of my acting. More than that, actually.” Athena smiled. That smile told him that their friendship was underway.
“You!” he reminded her.
Right! Um…. She put the pen to her mouth in thought. Ben watched the action like a hawk. Hard one here. Favorite place in the world?
Ben stopped to think after he read. He’d seen the best the world had to offer in so many places. He’d been met on every continent with screaming fans and five star services for years now. He knew so many waited their entire lives to have just one of his many life experiences. But this question brought only one place to mind.
“When I was very young, in my backyard, my dad built a swing. It’s in a willow tree. I go there, even now, when I want to really feel like myself.”
He shut his eyes and travelled back to his swing. He was eight years old, and wore his overalls and favorite red shirt. He was gently rocking in the soft breeze and looking up into the willow branches. They looked like green raindrops falling on his small blonde head. While reaching out to touch the branches, he heard is mum sing his name. She gave him a chocolate biscuit, and pushed him in beautiful, real tranquility.
He opened his eyes to the present, only to see Athena watching him with a gentle expression on her face. It was as if she knew what he was thinking… like she could feel it too. He gave her a small smile, which, after she returned it, erupted into a deep laugh.
He mulled over what he now knew of Athena while they sat in silence. Ben knew, without a doubt, that this woman was different than any he had met before. She interrupted his thoughts when she playfully hit is hand and started writing.
You’re turn! Unless you’ve had enough? He read it and looked to her. She had a look of anxiety that clearly told him she hoped he wanted to continue. “Thank God. I don’t want to go…” he thought to himself.
“I haven’t had near enough. You?” She shook her head and smiled. “Good! Uh, were did you go to school? You know I went to Manchester and Harrow. It’s only fair…” Ben smiled as Athena nodded in agreement and wrote.
You are so right, Ben!
Benedict couldn’t help but notice his enjoyment at her merely writing his name. “I wonder how it would sound if she said it…”
I got my Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate in Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge. Before that, I graduated high school at 16. I skipped a few grades. I worked full time for the next two years to save up for England. I got a scholarship, and flew on over! It’s been amazing. I belong to England, even if I’m American.
This information impressed Ben even more… she must be a genius! What was even better, however, was her love of his land. It made him unexplainably peaceful.
“Incredible! Cambridge is fantastic. I almost went there myself. I was almost a lawyer… that’s what my parents wanted. But I had different plans.” He watched Athena shoot him a questioning glance. “Yes, they approve of my acting. More than that, actually.” Athena smiled. That smile told him that their friendship was underway.
“You!” he reminded her.
Right! Um…. She put the pen to her mouth in thought. Ben watched the action like a hawk. Hard one here. Favorite place in the world?
Ben stopped to think after he read. He’d seen the best the world had to offer in so many places. He’d been met on every continent with screaming fans and five star services for years now. He knew so many waited their entire lives to have just one of his many life experiences. But this question brought only one place to mind.
“When I was very young, in my backyard, my dad built a swing. It’s in a willow tree. I go there, even now, when I want to really feel like myself.”
He shut his eyes and travelled back to his swing. He was eight years old, and wore his overalls and favorite red shirt. He was gently rocking in the soft breeze and looking up into the willow branches. They looked like green raindrops falling on his small blonde head. While reaching out to touch the branches, he heard is mum sing his name. She gave him a chocolate biscuit, and pushed him in beautiful, real tranquility.
He opened his eyes to the present, only to see Athena watching him with a gentle expression on her face. It was as if she knew what he was thinking… like she could feel it too. He gave her a small smile, which, after she returned it, erupted into a deep laugh.