BENEATH HIS MASK

CHAPTER 26

I bent over to him and examined him closely. The cut on his lips was starting to heal, the bruises on his jaw line were starting to fade. His forehead was sweaty and his hair was tousled. He seemed to be asleep but he was frowning in his sleep.

I run my fingers in his tousled brown hair. I had no idea it would be this soft. I continue to thoughtlessly run my fingers in his hair and i could see him relax and his frown disappear.

"damien, i know that you have a hard time letting people in and i'm sure you have your own reasons for it but...... but i want you to know that you can trust me. i'll be there for you." i say smiling at him "because you have managed to come through for me in ways no one else has even though you never had a reason for it, you did anyway and i guess i just want to say that.............."i take a deep breath before i finih my sentence " i'm here to stay until you push me away." I say looking at him, his eyes still shut but his lips in a straight line. I shake my head at my foolishness.

"i guess i should save all this and tell it to you when you are awake huh. That is if i ever have the guts to." I say as i caressed his forehead with my fingers. I then stand up and head over to my bedroom to try... to get some sleep. But thoughts about damien kept flooding my mind. i had so much to ask him but i kept wondering, once he sobers up in the morning, would he answer any of them and even if he does would it be honest?

Questions flooded my mind which i tried to push away in the hopes of getting some sleep which seemed like wouldn't be happening anytime soon. I was currently sleeping on cindy's pillow as i had earlier placed my pillow under damien's head.

"this thing is too soft damn it." I say and covered my face with one of my arms. I don't think i will be getting any sleep tonight. I decided to go get a glass of milk to help me sleep. I was on my way to the kitchen when i collided with a hard chest at the entrance of my room, making me fall flat on my back.

"ow."

I look up to see damien looking at me wearily as he extended his hand. I give him a soft smile as i accept it.

"you ok?" he asks and i knod my head in response. He knods his head and stands still silently.

He was probably standing too close to my room and given that the lights were out, he probably didn't see me coming. I start to reason out but then it crossed my mind 'what was he doing in the entrance of my room in the first place?' i look up at damien and as if he could read the confusion on my face, he cleared his throat and tried to maintain eye contact as he attempted to explain the situation.

"well, i was going to knock but you left your door open so." He said as he sctratched the back of his head. i cross my arms as i look at him as if to say that does not qualify as an explanation.

"well, it's just that i.. i don't know i......i guess i just wanted to see you. i don't know why......i guess i just wanted to ask you something." He said with emabarassment edged in his tone and a faint shade of red crossing his cheeks. It was the first time i have seen damien embareesed and i couldn't help but giggle. He looked like a teenager who was caught crushing on his teacher. He looked at me intently as i tried to stop giggling.

"what did you want to ask me?" i finally ask once i stopped giggling.

Damien remained quiet for a while, just looking at me intently dead in the eyes before he raised his question.

"did you mean what you said?" he asked me seriously.

"i'm sorry?" i ask confused.

"when you said you won't leave unless i push you away, did you mean it?" he asked looking at me right in the eye with unimaginable seriousness and what seemed to look like.....hope maybe?