Heal Me

Chapter 15

Damon went back to his car, leaning against it as Evangeline got ready. When she came out and closed the front door behind her, he watched her curvaceous figure walking towards him, dressed in a short dark burgundy coat and blue jeans. She was carrying a rectangular ivory wallet that had the same color as the silk scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. As she reached Damon's car, Evangeline breathed out in the cold late autumn air and locked her gaze with his. He sat motionless, staring back into her innocent eyes because he was too tired to even think about saying anything.

"I don't know what else to say..." she murmured after a few moments and looked down as if in shame. Damon closed his eyes tightly then sighed and went to open her door, just like he had done after the party.

"Just get in, Eva." he muttered and sat in the driver's seat. She did as he said because she knew he was angry and frustrated...

Damon started the car and drove straight ahead, slowly and carefully as always. There was an unbreakable silence between them as he focused on the road and Evangeline looked at her hands in her lap. But it was not a heavy silence, an uncomfortable one; just one in which neither of them knew what to say. She glanced at him once or twice and -to her surprise- he was not tensed up. For the first time, his muscles were truly relaxed and his knuckles were not white against the steering wheel.

Damon turned left and, seconds after, stopped and pulled over. Evangeline looked out the window to see where he brought her and a frown appeared on her face as she noticed that they were next to a Starbucks coffee-shop. She thought that Damon enjoyed silence and little unknown places where he could be alone. So why did he bring her here, at a crowded coffee-shop? But before she could even ask anything, he spoke:

"Wait here. I'll be right back." Damon said and got out of the car. Just a couple of minutes later, he was returning with a brown paper bag, which he placed between him and Evangeline. He did not waste one single moment and drove off.

"Open it and have one." he said impassively after a minute or two, nodding towards the bag. Once again, she did as he told her to and opened her mouth in surprise as she saw two large hot cups with what smelled like cappuccino. Her head snapped up at him, but Damon was concentrated on driving.

"Uhm... Damon, you didn't have to-" she mumbled as he was parking the car again, this time next to a set of stairs leading up a small hill.

"You bought me one... remember? Cappuccino, right? I suppose it's your favorite." he spoke softly and shifted in his seat to face her. Damon watched as a huge grin flowered on Evangeline's ever so soft pink lips and that made him want to smile as well. Although he did not have any idea why, he wanted it so bad... but he was afraid he could not do it. But he tried anyway... he tried to smile. And, choking back his tears and his pain, he finally did. Because it didn't reach his eyes it was not a true, whole-hearted smile, but it was for her... It was for her, although Damon did not realize it; he did not know it, but she had already glued together a few pieces of his heart, just like she promised.

At the sight of his full lips being tugged upwards, Evangeline's breath hitched. With that sad smile, he drowned in her gleaming brown eyes, filled with such surprise and confusion and joy and so many other things... But then he noticed that they were slightly filled up with tears as well and he could not imagine why.

"Uhm... yeah." Evangeline murmured, avoiding his gaze, then gulped and continued. "Yes, it is. Thank you. I'm glad you remembered..." she peeked up at him, still smiling.

"Erm... yeah. No problem." he looked down and took the other cup from the bag. "Cheers!" he raised it, making her laugh lightly then raise her cup too.

They both took a sip or two and kept the cappuccinos between their hands to warm them up.

"It's still hot." she noticed, licking her lips. Damon just nodded but took another sip anyway.