Demons

Chapter 11: Where I'm Falling

Chapter 11: Where I'm Falling

And I can see this unraveling

Your love is where I'm falling

But please don't catch me

If this is love, please don't break me

I'm giving up so just catch me

(Catch Me by Demi Lovato)

Rachel

"So where are we going first?" I asked, feeling the excitement rush through me.

Damian was walking beside me, the picnic basket in his hand. The smile was back on his face, and I wish it would stay that way. Damian smiling was... I didn't think it was possible for him to look more handsome. "Anywhere you want," came his reply as we climbed down the steps of the palace slowly. We were in no hurry. I think Damian was trying to enjoy the moment as much as me. "Although, I thought we could explore the forest and the mountains today. Last night, Diana mentioned a good place to have a picnic."

His words made me pause on the last step of the stairs. "Last night?" I repeated. "I don't remember her saying anything about a picnic."

"It was just the two of us. Right after you fell asleep," Damian explained, before grabbing my hand and pulling me along. We finally reached the doors leading out into the city, and I let Damian guide the way, since I was lost in thought. So Damian talked to the princess after I went to sleep. Did that have anything to do with his change of mood?

"Well?" Damian asked, squeezing my hand and drawing me back to the present. I looked at him to see he was staring at me with expectant green eyes. "Do you want to go to the beach instead?"

I glanced at the picnic basket he was carrying. Obviously, he wanted to have a picnic. That was his plan. To go hiking in the forest and find the place Diana was talking about. But he was still asking me what I wanted. The thought that he planned all of this out made me happy, and I didn't really care where we went today. "I think the forest sounds like a good idea," I replied with a smile.

Damian's answering smile was blinding. Before I knew it, he was pulling on my hand again and dragging me along. I let him. We didn't really talk as we made our way towards the woods, but this time, I liked the silence. It was comfortable. I was well aware of Damian's hand holding mine, and it made it, more difficult to come up with something to say. His shoulder would also brush against mine from time to time, since we were close to each other as we walked. "So where is this place Diana mentioned?" I asked when we were finally in the cover of the trees.

"You'll see. It's a surprise," Damian replied cryptically, but the smile remained on his face.

"I didn't imagine you as someone who liked surprises," I mused, looking straight ahead. If I looked at Damian, I would end up staring at him. At his eyes. His smile. The way his hair blew in the gentle breeze. And I would most likely end up tripping because of it.

Damian was quiet for a while, and I waited patiently. I didn't want to pressure him into talking, already knowing he had a hard time opening up. If I wanted him to tell me things, I had to give him time. "I don't actually," he finally said. "Like surprises, I mean. And I've never done anything like this before."

When I glanced at him to clarify what he was talking about, I saw him staring at our intertwined fingers. Ah. He meant he never did anything like this for a girl. Take her somewhere. Hold her hand. Prepare a picnic for her. "Then why me?" I asked, my heart feeling like it wanted to explode out of my chest. My words came out in a whisper, since my throat had gone dry.