When Love Walked In

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The ride to school was only fifteen minutes but it felt like an eternity to me. Being inches away from Damien is nerve-wracking. Especially when he’s so damn relaxed. Does he not realize how tense I am over here? The silence is ringing loud in my ears and I scramble for something to talk about, and come up empty.

“Hey, Amber. When’s your birthday?” Damien asked all of a sudden.

I wasn’t sure I had heard him right. “When’s my birthday?”

“Yeah. My birthday is February 8th. When’s yours?”

“Oh. Well, mine is in December. The 31st actually.”

“Really? So you celebrate your birthday and Christmas and new Years all around the same time?” Damien said.

I didn’t answer. How could I explain it to him?

Damien’s tone softened. “Hey. What’s wrong?”            

“The answer to your question is no. Mama and Papa are always invited to big dinner parties and important events that are always out of the country so they’re never here to celebrate it with me, anything. Not even my birthday.”

It was silent in the car and I felt bad for making things uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—“

“No, it’s okay. I’m glad you told me.”

After a beat, I turned to meet Damien’s piercing gaze. “This year, you won’t be alone,” he said. I was so focused on Damien’s every word that I hadn’t even realized we had already gotten to school until someone rapped sharply on the passenger window. I jumped and turned to face whoever had scared the heck out of me.

“Hey. Anytime would be great for you two lovers to get out of the car before something weird happens.”

I groaned. “Taylor. Why’d you scare me like that?”

She only grinned and opened the door for me. “Don’t you be all ‘Taylor’ with me. I saw what was going on. But I really don’t  think the school parking lot is really an appropriate place for this.”

“What are you talking about?” I said in uncertainty.

She winked and put her hands on her hips. “Oh, Amber. I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

I actually did know what she was talking about but I was in complete denial about the whole thing. “Whatever you’re thinking in that head of yours, the answer is no.”

Meanwhile, Damien had gotten out of the car and was soon join by the Blackjacks. “Uh, ladies, care to enlighten us?”

Taylor and I threw them a quick “No!” and continued to argue playfully.

We immediately made our way to the main entrance to escape the cold and biter November chill and were engulfed in a warm embrace of heat upon entering.

Taylor sighed. “Much better. Now I feel happy. Forgive me for being rowdy, Amber?”

I pretended to contemplate the thought of forgiving her and sighed like it was such a hassle. “Well, I guess I have no other choice. You’re forgiven.”

In response, she squeezed me in a hug.  I laughed and gently disentangled her form my being so that I could take off my jacket. But then suddenly, Taylor grabbed my wrist and pushed up my sleeve. “Amber, what the hell happened to your arm?!”

I was confused at first but then I saw for myself what got Taylor so riled up. Along the length of my right arm were four, long red line. The angry red against my skin made my pale complexion look even whiter than usual. The four red marks that Courtney had engraved late last night with her manicured nails. The same arm, I now realized, Damien had grabbed this morning to get me to go into the car with him.