Autumn POV:
As the weekend rolls around, I'm sitting on the couch just staring into space as I keep thinking about how weird it was to see Mattew again.
Normally when I see him, I would just be flustered over my words but he doesn't have that effect on me anymore.
Now all he does is just makes me angry, and seeing him yesterday just makes me want to bash his eyes out of his skull. I sign as thinking about him over and over again even after the split and how it will get me nowhere but misery.
Just as I got up from the couch, my phone rings and on the caller id, it shows Damian. I smiled to myself as I went to answer it.
"Hey" I said, as I'm trying to hide my excitement and smile.
"Hey, what are you doing right now?" He asked.
"Um, I'm- well- I don't know, I just been sitting on my couch and-" I mentally slap myself for fuddling over my words and making myself sound like a complete idiot.
He chuckles over the phone, almost like he's teasing me for messing up my words, he then asks, "Do you mind if I come over? I kinda miss you right now"
"Um, yeah sure, you can swing by I guess" I say "I'll send my address and apartment number"
"Okay, I'll be there shortly"
As he hangs up, I feel back onto my couch as I recall the most embarrassing reply I made to someone, humbling at its finest for me.
A few minutes goes by after our phone call and sending Damian my address information, my doorbell rings. I go to open it and there stands him, wearing the most casual clothes and a smile on his face, it made me smile as well.
I step aside to let him in, and his eyes scan the apartment. Before he got here, the place was a huge mess, so naturally I cleaned up quickly. He then walks over to the couch and takes a seat on it, he pats the spot next to him.
"Come, sit down and talk to me about your day" He smirks.
I rush over to him and take a seat next to him on the couch, my legs crossed as my body is facing towards him. Damian has his arm rested on top of the couch as his eyes are scanning my face, like he's trying to connect some dots.
"How was your day so far?" He asks, breaking the silence.
"Um, you know, I haven't really done anything so far, just been thinking" I answered.
"About what?" He ask curiously.
To this, I hesitate, I've been complaining about Matthew ever since we met that I worry that he might get bored of me once I stop complaining about him and we have nothing to talk about anymore. Plus what if he can't share his problems with me because of my struggles right now? I wouldn't want him to feel that way.
"Hey, you know you can tell me anything that's bothering you, right?" He said, grabbing my attention, he must have sensed my silence for hesitation.
"Well" I stated off, taking my eyes off him, "It's about Matthew"
I hear him sign, "What did he do"
"You don't have to listen if you don't want to, I understand it might be boring for you"
"No, in fact this guy is actually sounds interesting every time I hear about him" He pauses "It doesn't bother me at all"
He once again grabbed my chin to make me look at him. Now looking at him, he seems so genuine with his answer.
I pulled my chin away from him in a kinda joking way, not wanting him to notice the warmth creeping up on my face.
"Well, since the break off, I haven't seen him at all until yesterday, when I was getting a drink at a cafe, I was standing behind him in line and then he turned around" I pause, thinking back on how I should of said something, anything "I couldn't get a word out and he just left"
"Wow, doesn't even have the balls to say something" He says calmly.
"I know right? He could at least say 'hey, how are you doing' but nope, he runs off like a coward" I said.
"Would you want to see him again, if you have the chance?" Damian asks.
"I mean, why would I not? We were going to get married after all, if he doesn't want to spend the rest of our lives with me then I at least deserve a reason why"
"Wanting comfort from someone will only leave disappointment"
I tilted my head at him, "You've been through something that left you disappointment in someone?"
"I thought that it would ease my pain, but it only made it worse"
I watched him as he looked down from me, like he's imagining what that must have felt like, to be disappointed in the results you wanted so badly. Maybe his advice is best to follow, if I pressure Mattew to tell me what went wrong then it may not satisfy me well enough and will leave me with regret.
"Have you eaten yet" Damian says, changing the topic.
"No, I only ate breakfast today" I answered.
He got up from the couch and headed into my kitchen, "Let me cook you something"
I follow suit, and climb into one of the bar stools, "That is what we are doing? Two friends cooking for each other now?"
"Well now that you officially announce we're friends, I am now allowed to cook for you whenever I want, you do remember I'm the head chef?"
"Yes, I remember very well, and I will wait for my delicious lunch" I say.
While he cook lunch for us, we have gotten around talking about his day and how it was going, he states he has visited his mother before coming here, I briefly ask about his father and if he have any siblings, he quickly answer that he doesn't have a father and he and his brother are not close and we left it at that, causing a silence to fall between us.
But it didn't take that long before we talked about something else.
Then it happened so fast, as he reached for some kind of seasoning, I saw that his hand was coming too close to the burning pot, I tried to warn him but I was too late, his hand came into contact with the pot and a stinging sound followed right after.
Damian backed away quickly, curing under his breath. I quickly got up and went to inspect. I'm sure this isn't the first time had burned himself, but I can only imagine the pain.
"I'm fine, it just stings, I'll be okay" he says as he tries to numb the pain with his other hand.
"I'll get you an ice pack" I ran to the freezer and fetched an ice bag, I then went back to Damian and put it on his hand, the aftermath of the burn left a deep red mark. I kept pressing on it until he claimed that it was fine.
"Are you okay?" I asked him as I put the ice pack away.
"I'll be fine, I can still finish cooking lunch"
"You don't have to, I can finish it, I don't want you to hurt your hand even further"
I went to finish stirring the spaghetti he left but then his hand covered mine, it stayed still for a moment then he guided my hand into stirring as he stood right behind me.
I inhaled sharply as I feel his breath touching the back of my neck.
Damian looks over my shoulder as he continues on cooking as if I'm not there.
As my face was heating up more and more, he suddenly took a step back, dragging me along, his hand still enclosing mine, he grabbed my other hand, forcing me to face him and brought them up to his face, my hands almost engulfing his face. I stare up at his brown eyes, full of possible hope.
He looks down at me as if something is on his mind, just like at the library, where he pinned me to the bookshelf, and was about to do something.
Is he going to do something this time?
Part of me is hoping he will, but what will that lead me too when I have so much going on with Mattew?
I need to be logical in this situation, we are only friends. That's it.
After a minute, I pull away from him, stepping out of the kitchen and excusing myself to the bathroom, while I head there, I can hear a faint groan coming from Damian.
Why do we keep having these moments? And why am I enjoying them?
I returned to the kitchen a few moments later to two bowls of spaghetti at the dining table and Damian taking a seat, I sat down across from him, and began to eat.
We didn't talk much, just made some awkward conversations, but mostly just ate.
*
He announced that he should get going now since he has errands to run, we both got up from the table to head to the door.
"Um thanks for the food" I say "I appreciate it"
"It's no problem" He pauses as he looks at me, kinda in a sad way "I'll see you later Autumn"
And with that, he leave out the door, I watch him walk down the hall, and into the elevator. I close the door as I lean my head against it, and sign. Matthew's presence, his mother showing up at my work and now Damian's affection towards me.
I feel so conflicted by all of this. In a way, I want to be more in Damian's life but my feelings are still confusing with Mattew.
I really need to figure this out.
Hey guys! Another chapter completed!
What do you think Damian is going to do next?
Will Matthew return unexpectedly again?
-Summer Roe