Chapter 320 Breaking Down
Alicia's room was cute.
It wasn't as pretty or as spacious as Esme's bedchambers, but it had a unique feel to it that Rey felt it would be ridiculous to compare the two.
Her room was painted in pure white, with hints of blue here and there.
Rey already knew this, but Alicia was a minimalist—barely having anything of note in her room.
It had a simple design, and her bed also appeared very simple, though incredibly spacious.
'I bet Snow sleeps right next to her.' Rey thought to himself.
Seeing as the rabbit instantly hopped to the bed once they arrived in the room, he knew his theory was spot on.
The most pleasant thing about the room for Rey, however, was the scent.
'Smells like Alicia… all around.'
Rey wondered if he was being a creep for thinking thoughts like this. He couldn't help it, though.
Every whiff he took reminded him of the girl who was right beside him, and it honestly felt like he was close to her at all times.
"Sorry if it doesn't meet your expectations. It's nothing special, really." Alicia broke Rey out of his thoughts, causing him to return to reality.
"O-oh, no! Not at all!"
Rey's expression had been blank since they entered, so Alicia must have taken it to mean that he was unimpressed with what he was experiencing.
However, it was the opposite that was true.
Because he was so captivated by what he was seeing, and so excited to be in her room, he refused to let his overflowing emotions burst out.
As such, he ended up looking blank.
"It looks so pretty and simple. So comfortable…" Rey leaked out a small smile, casting an intense gaze on Alicia.
"It smells like you, Alicia."
"W-what?!" Alicia's cheeks began to show signs of pink.
Rey was either blind, or he wasn't paying attention, because he didn't stop.
"I'm serious. Honestly, I just feel like closing my eyes and sleeping here."
"C-come on, don't exaggerate!"
At this point, Alicia had to look away, pretending as if she was staring at something on the wall that simply wasn't there.
"Y-you really aren't disappointed…?" It came out as a whisper, barely a murmur, but Alicia asked the question.
Rey answered almost immediately.
"I'm not disappointed in the slightest." As Rey said this, Alicia turned back to look at him.
"Your room is pretty. Just like you."
Both of their cheeks turned red, and they silently soaked in the intensity that kept on rising at an astronomical rate.
"T-thank you…"
"Y-you're welcome…"
No one knows how long this awkwardness lasted. However, by the time they both came to their senses, it was pretty dark out already.
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"… And that's what happened."
Alicia told Rey everything—from start to finish.
She told him how she was tricked by Billy from the Library, and what transpired in the juice shop, up till when they were both kidnapped and nearly sold into slavery.
The worst part was being in that darkness, feeling the taste of despair as her body refused to listen to her.
The overwhelming fear was too traumatic for her.
"If I had stayed there a day or two longer… I think I might have gone mad."
Alicia had never experienced such despondency. She truly believed her life as she knew it would come to an end, and she could do absolutely nothing to stop it.
"I… I was scared, Rey! I'm still scared!"
She ended up collapsing on his chest as they both lay down on her bed.
Yes, they were both filthy as a result of the Dungeon—Rey more filthy than her—but none of them cared.
Alicia simply rested on his broader chest, and he wrapped his arm around her… something he never thought he could do.
She didn't complain. In fact, she drew even closer to him.
"Anytime I look at Billy, I feel such rage and fear. I can't ever forget and forgive him for what he put me through." Her voice was quaking, oozing out emotions in all their purity.
"I fear the darkness now. I just… I feel a lot of sensations from back then that are still real to me now."
The same Alicia who would often laugh and joke was also the one going through so much pain.
Rey stroked her hair, looking at her as she tightly shut her eyes and cried.
'I really don't know what to say to her…' His thoughts trailed as he felt a tiny pang within his heart.
'At the very least, I'm happy she was able to finally tell me all this.'
As for how to respond in an empathetic and totally relatable manner, that was completely lost to him. The only thing he could do was to remain quiet and listen to her.
It was painful, but Rey had no other choice.
'This is the only thing I can do for you.' He smiled sadly at the girl who cried her eyes out on his chest.
'I don't think Billy scarred you to this extent. I didn't know you were this badly affected by everything…'
Rey had thought he already knew everything about the incident, but he was dead wrong.
Just as Billy surprised him with his intentions to change and grow, Alicia also shocked him with the tellings from her perspective.
It was no surprise which one he resonated with the most.
"Thank you for telling me all this, Alicia." Rey finally spoke after the room was silent for too long.
Only sounds of the girl's sobs filled everywhere, which meant he had to say something.
"You've been through too much. You endured it all. I really don't know what to say to you right now, but…"
Rey narrowed his eyes and cursed himself for being so impotent when it came to properly expressing himself—
especially in moments like this.
Still, he gave it his hardest.
"… You did well, holding on for this long."
He didn't mean that in any superficial way. Rey genuinely respected Alicia for her challenges and how she chose to handle them.
It was this respect that prompted him to utter those words.
"I now understand." He could see her eyes slowly open as she looked at him.
"Whatever it takes, Alicia… let's find a way to get you back home."
More tears fell from her eyes.
"R-really… Rey?"
"Yes." One of the things that stung Rey's heart the most was the dangers that Alicia had to go through in this world.
They wouldn't have happened back on Earth.
Alicia had constantly told him of how she missed her life on Earth, but he always shoved it at the far corners of his mind due to his opposite viewpoint.
But now…
'I can no longer stand you getting hurt like this.'
This was the only way he could think of to save her from the constant threats and dangers that were waiting for her in this world.
—The only way to help her!
"Let's do it together. We'll find a way back home, Alicia. No matter what it takes."
She nodded at him and whispered the word "Thank you, Rey."
He could only smile and nod.
'Don't thank me yet, Alicia.' The thoughts in his mind responded to her show of gratitude.
"I'm sorry for burdening you with all of this."
'No. I should be the one apologizing…' Rey felt yet another pang in his heart as he sank into her teary eyes.
He couldn't help but feel guilty.
'Even though you've told me this secret… I don't think I can tell you mine.'
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
In case some of you are wondering how Rey's replica can display such emotions, you should know that it's actually Rey.
It'll be explained next chapter.