A Wrench in the Gears [Damien Haas]

11. It's been too damn long!

Heyyy, guys! We're back.

This is probably the sweetest chapter that I will write for the entirety of the book, but you guys can be the judge of that. I am trying my hardest to write smoothly and capture each character's thoughts, so I apologize for any inaccuracies.

Whose line is our chapter title? That's right, it's Courtney Freaking Miller's!

Anyway, how are you guys? This chapter will be in Damien's Point of View.

See you!

-/-/-

I have embraced the BPD twice, and she is everything to me. After seven weeks since the moment we met at the Staples Center, I know that she really is the BPD: Best Person for Damien.

"Happy birthday, Damien!" she greets me as she opens the door, still in her pajamas.

"Thank you so much," I reply as she lets me inside her house. "Mm, what's that smell?"

"The greatest breakfast you'll ever have, that's the smell," she answers as she leads me towards the dining room. "Ta-da! I spent most of the evening buying ingredients and most of the early morning cooking. You can say I'm Masterchef material now, and that's not all. You're gonna get a lot of surprises today!"

Here's how Jade's house looked. It was pretty simple: the living room was to the left as you entered, the kitchen and the dining room to the right, and the stairs just as you enter the house. The bathrooms and bedrooms were upstairs. I had gone to the twins' bedroom already, but I hadn't seen Jade's room yet. This house is what I'd call a dream house, because it's perfectly proportioned (thus architecturally pleasant) and it has the BPD living in it. Her mother barely comes home as she lives with her boyfriend now, so it's only Jade that stays in this house.

Since the twins died, the house has felt a little lonelier, but Jade has found ways to lighten the mood. First of all, she did a general cleaning with Shayne and Courtney, whom she loved being with. After that, she had Ian and Lily help her out with new furnitures and fixing. Jenna and Chris were busy preparing for their wedding, but they managed to help Jade out with the yard and the plants. It was hectic for her, but she seems happier after her brothers passed away, and it made me feel happier.

"Japanese food is actually really simple compared to other cultures," she says as we eat Chicken Katsudon and Yakisoba noodles. "I've watched enough Shokugeki no Soma to know how to cook."

"You watch anime?" I ask in shock.

"Yeah, why?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, in shock even more. "Oh, look at all the time we could have spent watching anime. I can't believe you, the serious, authoritarian journalist, watch anime."

"Well, it's awesome," she answers, laughing. "I mean, look. I learned how to cook through anime. How is that not awesome?"

"I've actually gone to Japan before," I tell her. "Amazing. I'd go back in a heartbeat, but work's too important right now and besides, I've been saving up for a house."

"Ooh, investment," she remarks. "For what?"

I hesitate a bit but tell her anyway, "For the future. I've always wanted to have a family of my own anyway."

She looks away for a moment, gazing at the newly painted walls of the dining room. "That seems nice."

"How about you?" I ask, treading carefully. "Any plans for the future?"

She shrugs. "I'd want that kind of dream too, but right now is still kind of difficult for me."

I assure her, "I understand."