When Love Walked In

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

On the way home, I thought a lot. I thought too much. I didn't want to think at all. Slapping Ky was like slapping myself. The pain reminded me too much. I couldn't think of that. Otherwise, I would drown in a pit of darkness.

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The car lurched to a halt. "We're here Amber," I heard Damien say. I tried to open my mouth to speak but no words came out. I couldn't speak.

Then I heard Gustavo say, "She fell asleep."

I felt something graze my cheek. "She cried herself to sleep," Damien said.

A minute passed before I felt myself being lifted and carried out of the car by a pair of strong arms. My head lolled to the side and rested against a warm chest. A heartbeat vibrated against my ears and I welcomed the soothing sound. "It's all because of that bastard," Damien said softly, lowering his tone.

"She was trying so hard," Gustavo said from far away, and I realized that it was Damien who was carrying me.

"What do you mean?" Damien sounded confused.

"She was trying to stay calm," Gustavo explained. "She didn't want to freak out and leave a bad impression on your family. She got scared when she slapped him. It's completely unlike her to turn violent. She's just not like that.

"If my hunch is right, I would guess that she thought about that time, and she didn't want to feel like that again," he continued. "When that . . . happened . . . she went through this crazy stage." He paused. "She fell into a huge boat of depression and isolated herself from the rest of the world." More silence. Damien and Gustavo were walking but now the sound of a door being open and shut and then the sound of footsteps across tile became more pronounced. "Her room is this way."

"Hey Gustavo," Damien said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me what she was like before . . .?" He didn't finish.

Gustavo seemed to be searching for the right words. "She was always smiling, and she loved to meet new people," He finally said. "Everyone enjoyed being around her."

A door clicked and I flinched against Damien's hold, holding him tighter. "Let me turn on a lamp," Gustavo whispered. I was falling, and I held on for dear life. "No, no," I whispered.

"She's having a nightmare." Was that what this was? I squeezed my eyes even tighter. Then I felt a hand gently brush against my forehead, and a soothing voice. "It's okay, I'm right here. You have nothing to be afraid of," Damien comforted me. He started humming a sweet melody and slowly I felt my body begin to relax. But I didn't let go of Damien.

"I'll go let her parents know she's alright," Gustavo said.

"Hey Gustavo," Damien said.

"Yeah?" he said back.

"I want to help her. I want to make her forget every bad thing that's been done to her. Erase every bad memory she's had. Get rid of all those bad things people said to her. I want to show her that she's beautiful. I want to show her that one moment in life doesn't define you. I want to make new memories with her." Then his next words made me stop. "I want to help her smile again without the painful memories bearing down on her shoulders."

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When I opened my eyes, Damien was gone. I shot up frantic, but remembered where I was and that I was safe. I took a deep breath and looked around my room. At the foot of my bed was my trench coat neatly folded, and I leaned over to search the pockets for my phone. I had three missed calls and at least ten frantic text messages from Taylor, a surprising missed call from Victoria, and a single text message from Damien. I immediately clicked on it.