05.

Michelle sat on the tree for hours, letting her tears fall. But this time it was like her tears were washing away the pain inside her heart and when she finally stopped crying she felt she wasn't hurting that much anymore. Somehow the wounds in her soul had finally begun to slowly heal. She wiped her eyes and climbed down the tree. On her way back with the corner of her eye she spotted a big lake. She walked closer and bent down washing her hands and her face, then she stepped into the water getting all wet. She started spinning around in the water with a smile on her face. She closed her eyes splashing water on her face and around herself.

Michael was resting in his room, but was feeling a bit bored so he decided to take a walk outside, even though it was getting really dark. He thought about Michelle and his promise to help her. He had already made a few calls and was sure he was going to find her father. Deep in thoughts he was about to walk past the lake when he heard laughter and turned around to see her in the lake, spinning around with a smile, water up to her waist and dripping down from her wet hair. He couldn't help the smile on his face seeing her so happy and his eyes travelled all over her. Her light skin looked like it was glowing, there were drops of water all over her face and her wet clothes were shaping her body and were almost transparent and he could see her beautiful slim figure.

Michelle opened her eyes and noticed him standing a few feet away and looking at her. She motioned for him to join her, but he shook his head.

She smirked and without any premonition whatsoever she splashed him playfully catching him completely off guard. For a moment his eyes widened in shock before a wild smile spread across his face.

"This means war." Was the only thing he said before he ran towards her.

She moved out of his way just in time so he almost fell down splashing water everywhere. He tried to reach for her but she escaped just in time splashing him again. He splashed her too and they both began to laugh. His laughter was soft and was the best sound she'd ever heard.

All of a sudden they saw drops had begun to fall in the lake and looked up to the sky simultaneously; it had begun to rain. Michelle laughed and spun around closing her eyes. Michael couldn't help but smile looking at her. Just as she was finishing her spin she slipped on something at the bottom of the lake and was about to fall backwards in the water but Michael grabbed her hand pulling her towards him in order to help her regain her balance and suddenly they found themselves inches away from each other, his hand still on her waist.

A piece of hair was falling down her face and he gently removed it with his free hand brushing her face slightly with the top of his long fingers. When they made contact with her skin she caught her breath in her throat. Her green eyes were focused on his brown ones. The space between both of them was closing slowly to the could feel his warm breath on her face and he could see every inch of her face. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would jump out of her chest and she could feel it was the same for him.

It was as if the time has stopped for both of them. They felt they were staring at each other's eyes for centuries but in reality they've been like that for only a couple of minutes. Their faces were too close yet neither would dare to close the space completely between their lips.

A thunder echoed loudly up in the sky causing Michelle to snap out of her trance. Red color rushed to the cheeks of both of them.

"Let's go inside." She said quietly and backed away.

He let go of her and she turned around to walk out of the water, but when she made a step forward she felt sharp pain to pierce her foot. She took her leg out of the water and saw her foot was covered in blood; when she had slipped out she had probably hurt her foot on something at the bottom of the lake. She put her leg back down, but before she could make even one step she felt she was lifted in the air; Michael had taken her in his arms.

"What are you doing?! Put me down!" She protested.

He shook his head holding her tight and started walking out of the water and towards the house carrying her bridal style. When he opened the door he walked inside the house put her on a chair and went to search for the first aid kit. He kneeled down but she stretched her hand.

"Give me that, I can take care of my wound by myself."

He shook his head and gently put his hand on her leg lifting it up a bit. She felt chills running up and down her entire body because of his touch; his hands were so soft and warm. He took the bottle with the peroxide and began cleaning and disinfecting her wound. He heard her groan quietly from the pain and close her eyes because of the hurt so he leaned forward and began blowing softly to cool the wound. Feeling his warm breath on her skin she opened her eyes in shock and surprise. When he finished with the disinfection he gently bandaged her foot and finally he was done. He then put back the first aid kit on its place and lifted her in his arms again, carrying her upstairs in her room.

He placed her on the bed and sat down on the chair next to it.

"Thanks." She was the first to break the silence. "For taking care of me and bandaging my wound."

"You're welcome." He said giving her a small smile.

With the corner of her eyes she noticed the sleeve of her t-shirt on her left shoulder was wet thus glued to her skin and was shaping her shoulder revealing a strange form under the material. She quickly covered her shoulder with her hand and tried to mask her movement as if she was just stretching but Michael noticed that and the redness that covered her cheeks. He sat next to her on the bed and lifted his hand placing on hers. He pulled her hand down gently and reached to lift her sleeve when she caught his hand.

"Don't." She said and he could see the pain and the embarrassment in her eyes.

He smiled softly.

"Everything's ok."

She let her hand slid off his and he lifted her sleeve revealing big scar that contained a big mass and looked like a giant swelling. Her face was all red and she turned her head away avoiding his look. He dropped her sleeve and put his hand on her face, gently turning her head back so she could face him. The feeling of his long fingers on her cheek couldn't be described. Even though they were face to face now she still looked down. His hand slid down and he lifted her chin.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." He spoke softly.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"You're the only one who seems to think that way."

"I doubt that. But even if I was, it doesn't matter. Because that little scar makes you different than anybody else. It makes you unique."

He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Now, why don't you tell me how did you get it?!"

"It's a long story."

"I have plenty of time."

Michelle couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ok, well, it all started with the vaccines the first grades have to get. You know how kids are, they hate such stuff, so uh not long after I had my vaccination done I got this small formation, a bit larger than a normal pimple, but still small enough not to be noticed."

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before she finally continued.

"My grandmother however wouldn't stop talking about it. How it was ugly and had to be removed. So my grandfather who always listened to her every word took me to a plastic surgeon. He uh got my diagnosis wrong and made me go through a completely unnecessary surgery that instead of removing the formation only made it bigger and it continued growing ever since. The worst thing however is that after the surgery my mother went to buy chocolates and a bottle of whiskey to thank the doctor and he uh..well let's say he practically told her he worked for money not to get drunk. She didn't say anything just paid him off and took me home, but I could tell how bad she felt and how angry she was."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"A lot of years had passed after that until I decided to go to a dermatologist again. When I went through it turned out the diagnosis that surgeon had given me was completely wrong and the surgery had been completely unnecessary. In the end I was given the news that this..let's say scar couldn't be remove through a surgical intervention and my options were either to get it injected with steroids or try remove it with laser manipulation. However it was a bit 'too big' for those two options too thus there was certain risk for my health if I decided to go through any of it."

She finally lifted her eyes to look at his.

"So now you know the whole story."

He shook his head holding back the tears in his eyes.

"I can't believe the insolence of this doctor. Then again people would do anything for money, so I'm not really surprised."

"I wouldn't."

He glared at her.

"I don't care about money." She said sighing. "All my life I've been suffering through horryfing stuff and one of them is poverty. Like real poverty. We literally wouldn't have anything to eat for days but I didn't really care. Even if I didn't have anything to eat I didn't mind, because I didn't care about food. All I ever cared about and wanted really bad was for someone to care for me. I wanted someone to hug me and kiss my head and tell me everything would be alright and nothing was by my fault. But there never was such person."

She wiped her wet eyes with the back of her hand her hand sighing quietly to herself. He put his hand on her shoulder pulling her towards him and held her tight with his arms around her. Even though they were all wet she could feel the warmth his body was radiating.

"I care for you."

"No, you don't." She said burying her face in his soft wet curls. "But thanks for saying it."

"I do care you and I want you to be happy." He said placing one of his hands on her head, fondling her wet hair. "And I'm going to prove it to you."

Michelle didn't respond to that, deep in her thoughts. After he finally released her from the hug he stood up, wished her good night and walked out of her room. She changed her wet clothes with dry ones and laid under the covers her thoughts running wild. His last words repeated themselves in her mind and she couldn't help but wonder how he was going to prove her he cared.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face, feeling his touch still burning on her skin.