PART I
                  -Secrets-

He's not like the boys on the covers of magazines
He's not like the boys you believed would be waiting for you at the end of the aisle
He's one of his own
You weren't expecting him, you didn't even know that a boy like this existed
He's broken every measly expectation you've ever set
But there are some things that must remain under lock and key
He can't know about the one time in fifth grade you broke your best friends arm on purpose so that you could take her spot in the school play. She would have done a much better job in that god forsaken role.
He can't know about the time in seventh grade when your sister's boyfriend took you into the guest bedroom and did unspeakable things to you. You still can't enter that room without having to hold back tears.
He can't know about the time in ninth grade when you opened up your parents liquor cabinet and tried to drown your sorrows in the burning taste of whiskey and ***. You passed out on the floor and almost didn't wake up.
He can't know about the scars, mental and physical, that have haunted you everyday since the day you were born.
This pain is a burden you must bear alone, you would never force even an ounce of your sorrow onto his flawless, muscular back.
You will keep all of it bottled up, because he is the best thing that has ever happened to you, and you can't afford to scare him away.
So stick on that smile and giggle when he says something cute.
Because you're never gonna find another man like him.

                    PART II
                -Revelation-

It was well past midnight when the two of you finally stumbled back into your apartment
You've been sharing the same bed for the past three months
Even though he still doesn't know about your past
And you thought that you'd like to keep it that way
But tonight you weren't so sure
There was something about the way the moon reflected off of the deep pools of his eyes
Something about they way his laugh got a little huskier after he'd had a drink or two
Something about the way he danced with you, always keeping his hands in a respectful place
Something about the way he opened doors and picked up the tab and looked at you like you were the most ******* beautiful thing he had ever seen
It all made you want to spill the truth
Maybe the extra fruity cocktail had given you courage, but no matter what it was, as soon as he had tucked you into bed, all the emotions spilled out.
You told him about your past, about all the horrific events that had shaped you, about all the terrible choices you had made
And when you were done with your story, he held you while you cried

                  PART III
               -Discovery-

He pulled away for a moment, allowing you time to get yourself together
After you had wiped your tears on the bed sheets, you turned to him in wonder
He was still there
He hadn't gotten up and left like you expected.
He had stayed by your side and didn't look like he was leaving anytime soon
Then he told you his story
He wove a tragic tale of a young boy living under the dictatorship of an awful mother
He would show up to school each day, beaten and bruised, and no matter how many times people asked what had happened, he always had an excuse
Because even though his mother rationed his food and locked him in the closet when the dishes weren't perfectly clean, he still loved her with all the love his little heart could put out
But he survived, somehow he made it out of that house alive and had hope for a better tomorrow
And now it was your turn to hold him as he cried

                   PART IV
              -Acceptance-

When both pairs of
eyes were dry, and all the old, broken truths revealed, you curled up in each other's arms arms and gently fell asleep
The next day when you woke up, it was as if nothing and everything had changed
No words were exchanged, the only movement was you shifting to rest your head on his shoulder
The two of you stayed like that for many long minutes, until your stomachs growled in unison, begging for breakfast to be served
And you continued on without another mention of the past
Though the two of you both carried a piece of the other, and had a newfound respect for the other member of your pair

                    PART V
               -Knowledge-

And this is how your story ends
With the knowledge that if your love is really true, you will be accepted for who you are
No matter how tragic or awful your past
There is always hope for the future
As long as your love remains true