This is book 2 of the A Rose by Any Other Name series.
It's been months since Derrick and Mike broke up, but, Derrick is still heartbroken. He needs to focus on rebuilding his life but it's hard when the magic federation is harassing him to join th...
wc: 3.3k Chapter song : Family Portrait by P!nk which probably explains Derrick's feelings a bit. #
There didn't seem to be any kind of security at the rec centre and I was able to go straight to the seating area that looked out onto the swimming pool. It was mid afternoon and the area was sweltering from the heat of the pool. I had no idea when or if Daria would be there.
There were plenty of parents and family members sitting as close to the edge as possible. But, I sat at the back, somewhat awkwardly, watching the different groups swimming. Did I even know how to swim? Suddenly, the little that I knew about myself became humiliating. It was pathetic that I didn't even know how I felt about so many things, like the fact I couldn't pinpoint anything about the core of who I was. Mike had never poked holes at the missing pieces of me me but lately Ira only ever highlighted them.
I shuffled around on the bench and leaned against a wall allowing the cool feel of the concrete to wash against my cheek. With every ensuing thought about learning who I was, my body got hotter and hotter. When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry and I began to feel dizzy. Slowly, I shrugged off my jacket but that didn't relieve the intense heat pouring off of me.
I knew I was having a magic reaction at the same time I knew I couldn't stop it. Fuck, coming here had been a terrible idea. Sweat was pooling under my arms and I didn't have the strength to leave, never mind calm down. My body was sluggish but my mind was spinning.
I wasn't sure how long I sat there before I realized someone came up to me. Everything was so incredibly blurry and hot, I couldn't think.
Then, someone's cool hands were on my face, on my forehead, behind my neck and in my hairline.
My eyes opened and there was a woman in front of me. She looked good for her age, only a few lines beginning to form around her mouth. Laugh lines. Her hair wasn't in a short bob, it was longer, dark and teasing her neck. And her face was just like the Facebook picture. High cheekbones, a small mouth, and that beauty mark under her eye. It was only in person I realized she had a sort of classic beauty to her.
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Maybe she looks sorta like this? This woman is a 1940s film star. Her name is Gene Tierney. But as for Daria, she kind of has a similar vibe going for her. A pretty face but she looks sort of...cold as well.
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With a couple more blinks, I realized it wasn't her hands on my forehead but ice packs.
Her voice was soft. "This used to happen when you were young, too. You hated moving around so much and after a while you would get these strange fevers. The doctors never really understood what was wrong, but I'd just give you an ice bath and you'd be brand new."
