Alice
The screams the boy uttered, probably against my presence in that place, did not go unnoticed.
I could not help feeling completely stupid for having believed for one second that my life was going to change for the better, when I did not even know where I was or who these people were. Nor did I understand the tone of respect with which he spoke to me who seemed to be the king of that world. Nobody had ever treated me that way or begged me for anything, much less a king.
Tears fell down my cheeks without being able to contain them. I kept crying. How was I going to face this new reality?
Suddenly, the door opened again and the young boy and the king were still more petrified than usual to see that I was crying.
I sniffed and turned around on the bed so they could not see my face.
The shame grew inside me and I felt even more stupid to be riding a number right at that moment, already uncomfortable.
"Do you want to be alone?" I heard the voice of the king telling me behind me.
Without thinking twice, I nodded and closed my eyes with the intention of evading from that place for a while.
However, my freedom did not come as followed as I was supposed to at first, since the boy had to open his mouth and say the first stupidity that must have gone through his head: "She's crying."
It was an affirmation that at that moment I found unnecessary and unimportant, but that I would later understand.
"Son, I think we should leave Alice alone." I heard the king tell the young boy.
And then, the faint sound of the door closing made me, again, turn around in bed.
I stared at the ceiling, unable to avoid feeling lonely, sad and helpless. But those were only emotions that had been accompanying me throughout my life, therefore, they were not at all unknown, but had become part of my being and there was nothing that could separate me from them.
Another tear ran down my cheek and as a result, I felt weak. But I have never been strong. Deep down, I thought I was a coward for having run away, for having spent fifteen years of my life trying not to draw too much attention, hiding in the afternoons of those prying eyes that revealed to me that I was different.
I moved my head to one side and another quickly, trying to avoid those thoughts that tormented me day after day. Then I sat on the bed and took a deep breath. Just after that, I realized someone had left me clothes on a chair and it make me get up, curious. It was a top of a crimson tone, with embroideries that seemed to me to be of gold, together with wide pants of the same tone and decorated with precious stones. I opened my eyes widely, shocked by the costumes they wanted me to wear in that place. I did not know very well if I should be surprised that those clothes could be worth millions of euros on Earth or if I should be afraid that my frozen and pale skin would be exposed as never before.
I grabbed the top and pants and went to a huge, full-length mirror next to one of the windows in the room. Little by little, I started to take off my normal clothes. First, I got rid of my simple blue sweatshirt, my bra, my converse and finally my black jeans, keeping only my panties of juvenile drawings.
I looked at the silhouette that reflected the mirror, a fragile girl, whose skin looked sickly and with eyes that seemed to be dead watched me closely. I was thin, since I ate what was necessary and nothing else, and my practically white hair fell behind my back in the form of a waterfall. My lips were also pale and pretended they had no life or color.
I sighed with resignation. I hated my body. Why did I have to wear something to show it to all those strangers?
So I was, half naked with my "Snoopy" panties and looking at myself in a mirror with the intention of hating myself more, when suddenly and without asking, the door opened. I was speechless, completely paralyzed, watching that young boy who had dared to touch me and then seemed to hated my touch so much.
My eyes were coming out of their orbits and my cheeks were reddened by the embarrassment and discomfort of the moment.
The boy also seemed somewhat beside himself, embarrassed that he had not knocked on the door in a respectful way as any normal person would. Her whole face turned red in an exaggerated way and I was almost certain I had seen that his body was emanating a kind of steam.
I slowly reacted.
I put an arm around my breasts, imitating what girls used to do in movies and that I had never felt the need to do. Nobody had seen my body, never, not even my mother saw how I dressed or undressed.
And there he was. Petrified and unable to move his legs or his eyes.
A loud scream came from the deepest of my throat.