The Deal

Chapter 27 - Fake it 'til You Make It

{and after all this, I know she'd probably hate me.

Confidence - OCEAN ALLEY}

Chapter 27 - Fake It 'til You Make It 

"Hell no."

Damon rolled his eyes, blocking my escape route with his arm and leaving me trapped at my front door.

"If it comes down to either me getting in your car or missing school...guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Don't be an idiot," he griped back, ignoring my snort of derision as he rapped his knuckles against his car door. "Just get in."

"I have no plans to die today, Damon," I snapped, folding my arms and fixing him with my most powerful glare. "And I'm not just talking about your shoddy driving."

He didn't even acknowledge my sledge – to preoccupied with luring me into his car to berate me for calling out his abominable driving skills.

"You're overthinking this."

"And you're not thinking about it at all."

"Just let me drive you to school, Anna."

"I'd rather not."

"Anna-"

"No, Damon."

"Goddamn it!" he half-hissed, half-shouted, dragging his hands back through his hair out of sheer frustration. I tried not to notice how attractive the action made him look. "You're gonna have to face them all sooner or later."

"Later is fine by me," I said frostily, going to duck under his arm only to jerk away when he moved to block me with his entire body. It wasn't normal how easily he managed to coerce people into doing his bidding - I, for one, physically couldn't bring myself to meet his eye, knowing that if I did - I'd be giving up the battle. 

"Move, Damon," I grit out, channelling my annoyance over his ease of manipulating me out under the guise of just simply being annoyed by his annoyingness. Although even as I snarled at him, I'm sure he caught sight of my cheeks reddening over our sudden proximity – something that didn't seem to bother Damon in the slightest. 

In fact, I don't think he noticed; too busy brooding over something else to notice my preteen reaction.  

"If this is about you still caring what other people have to say about you, then we might as well end things now."

I looked up at him then, into those damning eyes darkened by his furrowed brow. He seemed serious, cautious almost. 

My chest tightened.

"What do you mean?" That hopeless little part of me reached out, arms outstretched, sensing that this unattainable man was was about to pull away from our solitary shores. 

"I mean that if you can't see past a few ruffled feathers to focus on this-" he gestured between the two of us, frown deepening. "Then what is the point of us even trying? This won't work if your too busy trying to placate everyone. They don't deserve it. Remember, this is new to me too, and we'll both be talked about regardless of whether or not we're seen together – surely, you see that?"

I jerked my head up indignantly, ready to defend myself even as my rational brain realised that he was right.

He was watching me carefully, regarding me through guarded eyes.

"I need to hear you say it," he pushed, after I just gaped at him, not saying a word. "You said you wouldn't give up on me, but this right here sure feels like it. So, tell me – are you?"