The Deal

Chapter 19 - Then She Burst Into Flames

"Look," he said eventually, uncomfortably picking at the rotting tabletop and avoiding my gaze. "I didn't realise that Warren knew about it. You and Damon, I mean. That's no excuse to keep going behind his back, though. He was really hurt by that."

"I know," I said softly, thinking back on that awful phone call he'd made to me. Charlie cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, looking up at me from under his lashes and resembling the awkward Charlie I remembered. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Or ignored you. It's just that everyone was talking about you and him, and I felt kind of, well, betrayed I guess. Why didn't you just tell me all of this from the beginning?"

"I told you, I couldn't," I replied, shrugging. "A promise is a promise."

Charlie studied me for a moment, before smiling hesitantly.

"Thanks for telling me," He said, turning to face me full on. "Eventually."

I smiled back at him, relieved.

"Thanks for giving me the chance."

Charlie opened his mouth to respond, but just as he did so Bacon returned, thundering along after some minuscule pooch that certainly had no interest in befriending my hound. I lunged for Bacon just as he passed; grabbing his collar and hauling him backwards to allow the tiny creature to escape.

I thought he was going to pop my shoulder out as I struggled to rein him in. Charlie nearly wet himself he was laughing so much.

"So," he remarked, grinning. "This is Bacon."

**

I was tired, sweaty, and not in a good mood.

Lucy was sat next to me, ogling the footy players and cheering them on as I continued to suffer in silence beside her. The gauze over my 'cut' was getting uncomfortable; any form of adherence it had once possessed had been sweated off, and was now flapping around under my t-shirt like a bloodied flag.

Lucy, however, was oblivious to this. I hadn't told her what had happened, and I hoped to keep it that way. I trusted her to keep it quiet, but for now I didn't want her to worry. I was doing enough of that for the two of us.

"I can't believe you forced me to come back to school on a weekend," I grumbled, glaring sullenly around the schools footy oval as our team went up against a St. Michaels.

I decided to lie down and wait for death, ignoring Lucy as she stirred beside me.

"Uh-oh," she said. I didn't acknowledge her. Was it possible for human flesh to melt off your body?

"Uh-oh," she said again, louder and more deliberately.

"What?" I mumbled; too busy seeping into the earth to bother opening my eyes.

"Damon's just arrived."

I shot up like I'd been tasered, dried grass clinging to my hair and sweat sticking my shirt to my back as I scanned the crowd in search of him.

Bingo.

I ignored the dull pain in my stomach from sitting up too quickly and watched as Damon walked towards the oval, alone, with dozens of curious eyes following his every move. The umpire blew the whistle and the crowd cheered, while Damon remained impassive; weaving his way through the scores of people and waving off his followers as they tried to fall into step beside him.

I watched, oddly transfixed as he turned to look across the footy grounds and his eyes met mine.

Holy –

"Is he coming over?" Lucy gasped; my panic bouncing onto her as she turned her horrified gaze to me. I too was struggling to breathe. "What are we gonna do?!"

"Nothing," I hastened to reassure her (and myself). "I'm sure he's just, like, taking a stroll or something."

She sent me a look.

The match was still in motion, with players sprinting up and down the field and struggling to score, and I could see people people's eyes flickering from the game to Damon, keeping tabs on him as he moved around the outskirts of the field.

I was a hot mess. Literally. I'd never sweated this much in my entire life. Even my knees were damp, for crying out loud. And what's more I'd forgotten to put sun block on and was pretty sure my nose was as luminescent as Rudolph's.

I was not in the mood for a confrontation.

Damon reached us the same time our team kicked the first goal of the last quarter. Everyone cheered, and I clapped numbly, trying to appear disinterested as he came to a stop in front of us.

"Can we talk?"

I looked up at him, shielding my eyes against the sun to meet his. He looked as impressive as usual; even more so thanks to the healing cuts and scrapes scattered over his golden skin.

Courtesy of Dex.

"Sure."

Lucy, whose eyes were almost popping out of her head, chose that moment to dither into life.

"Um," she said, a little nervously. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

I glanced back up at Damon, before looking back at Lucy.

"It can't do any more damage," I muttered, clambering to my feet and following after Damon as he moved towards the schools dilapidated playground.