*****
I sat at the kitchen island as I ate some cereal while staring at the bracelet on my wrist. Yesterday had actually been incredibly fun.
Once everyone got used to Damien and his friends, they had acted like they knew them for a while already. The only thing that kept me on edge was the car I had seen earlier when I shut the door. Had I seen it or was I creating situations I would fear in my mind? I had asked the guys if they had seen a grey car when they were outside, they all said no. So it was just in my head?
"Hannah -" I jumped as Lyle walked in, he gave a chuckle as he put his hand on my shoulder, "Calm down, it's just me." He said.
"I-I know, I just - I thought I was the only one up," I said.
He tilted his head at me as he grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and put it on the table before he sat down beside me.
"Hannah, trust me. You have nothing to be afraid of." He said.
I looked at him; he had a small, nervous smile on his face. I put my spoon down slowly.
"What did you do?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him.
He gave a chuckle before he sighed. "Uh... I... Gerald's going to jail... as is... that woman." He spat the last word disgusted.
"You called the police?" I looked at him shocked as I spoke.
"Yes, and before you -" he began.
"I told you not to!" I cut him off as I got up, "I told you over and over again -" I was saying.
"They were wrong! What they did to you, they deserve to pay for that! We can't just let it go -" he tried.
"It was my choice! Mine!" I said, "You don't -" I let out a breath as I ran my hands into my hair.
"Why are you freaking out? They can't hurt you." He began.
"It's not that! I asked you - Lyle -" I shook my head and began to walk to the front door but I stopped as he grabbed my shoulders.
"Look, Hannah... Nothing can be done to them unless you speak to the police. If you choose not to, they will be let go..." He said. "But I really think they deserve what they would get if you spoke out." If I went out, I could run into one of their friends. I hadn't imagined it. That's why he had been there! If he was angry, so were they... They definitely were. I lifted my hand to bite the back of my thumb so I could clear my mind as worry filled it. "Hannah, don't go out," Lyle said.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said turning and heading to my room.
I shut the door and paced back and forth feeling my heart pound in my chest.
Maybe just tell him the truth?
Why would he care? Gerald's friends were so much more trouble than he would have to deal with, way more than I was worth.
I shut my eyes as the voices in my head fought. Part of me wanted to believe he actually cared, and I felt like he did, but what if he didn't?
What if he did?
I stopped and looked up hearing a soft knock on my door, Lyle didn't wait for an answer before he pushed it open but he didn't step any further into the room when he saw me.
"Hannah... I'm just trying to protect you." Lyle spoke softly.
"You don't owe me..." I mumbled. He looked at me like I was crazy and I gave a laugh.
"Yeah. Exactly." He smiled before it fell, "It's not about that." He said. "I'm sorry."
"No, I am..." I sighed as I walked across the room and sat on my desk, "I'm sorry I'm making this hard for you... I just... They have friends, people on the outside... and they won't let it go." I said.
"And so do you. Hannah, there's nothing a bunch of brain-dead scum can do to you with all of us around. Trust me." He smiled. I smiled back and he looked down as his phone went off.
He checked it and his eyes widened.
"Crap." He muttered running his other hand through his hair.
"What?" I laughed.
"I completely forgot my anniversary is on Friday." He said.
"At least your reminder is set a week earlier."
"That doesn't help. I book the place we usually go months in advance, they're always fully booked." He said.
"You always go to the same place?" I raised my brows. He opened his mouth before he looked down mumbling that it had his favourite pasta. I laughed and he smiled. "Maybe... surprise her?" I suggested slowly.
"Surprise her?" He looked at me, "Oh, you mean - Oh my God, we're not even married yet and I'm already boring."
"I didn't mean it like that -" I stopped seeing him smirk. "Get out." He laughed as I pointed to the door.
"Fine." He laughed, "You have to help me, though."
"Sure." I smiled.
-----
The next week was filled with me helping Lyle get a remote little cottage ready for his date with Natalie. He said it was her favourite place when she was a child; it was a little bit out of the city so I was spending fewer afternoons with Damien because it took us a few hours to drive there and get it fixed up.
Damien seemed fine with it, though.
The only downside was that I still felt incredibly out of place at lunch every day since everyone was still staring at me and calling me names. Most of Damien's friends ignored my presence so I usually just exchanged short sentences with Rick, Victor, Elliott or Damien.
Usually. Sometimes they were completely absorbed in their conversations, I didn't mind. Damien always someone sensed when I felt a little left out next to him and he would hug me closer to his side. It was nice. He also somehow sensed when I was uneasy and asked what was wrong, I always brushed that off and he seemed to be a little annoyed by that but always let it go when I did.
"Wait, you're telling me that he started it?" Rick asked.
"Yeah, I saw him punch Brent for talking to Alice - a conversation she started! He totally deserved to get his jaw broken, that prick." Keanu retorted.
"You only think that because you hate him." Elliott pointed out.
"Yeah, who here doesn't?" Victor asked.
"Probably Day." A girl smiled at Damien.
Damien chuckled as he tightened his arm around my shoulders when everyone looked at us.
"Hey, no hate. I've only spoken to the guy once."
I shrank into Damien's side as his girl friend's glared at me. He smiled looking at me and kissed my temple, a motion that seemed to make their glares worse but made me feel a little better.
"That and you don't hate anyone," Rick said.
"I do hate people!" I looked at Damien and he seemed appalled by what they had said. I furrowed my brows trying not to laugh at the fact that he seemed so upset that they thought he didn't hate anyone.
"Oh yeah? Name one." Victor looked at Damien.
"Broccoli."
Everyone was looking at him like he was crazy except for his three best friends. I smiled looking back at him. I guess he was a bit of a weirdo... I liked that...
"Damn it, Damien... That's a vegetable... We've talked about this." Elliott's mumble was inaudible to most of the people around us causing confused glances.
"It's man-made, so it's not a real vegetable..." Rick, Elliott and Victor groaned at their friend's answer.
"Why do people think you're cool?" Victor hissed. Damien opened his mouth to reply but Victor cut him off, "Shh. So," he raised his voice turning back to the rest of the group, "About that party tonight,"
Just like that the conversation had completely changed. I gave a laugh leaning my face into Damien's shoulder and smiled at how comfortable I felt with him, it felt a lot less weird now. I liked being near him. I felt him chuckle as he kissed the top of my head.
I stopped for a moment with my eyes shut as I took in the feeling when he hugged me. Lyle was right. I was pretty safe. I had all of these people who didn't hurt me and I was letting those guys that kept following me upset me.
I should be happy. They couldn't get to me... I finally had people who I felt like actually could care about me.
"Hey, you alright?" Damien asked patting my head gently with his hand, it made me look u.
"Yeah. I'm fine... I'm actually pretty good." I actually meant that ad leaned i to give him a light peck on his lips when I finished talking. He bit his lip for a second as he grinned and it made my stomach flutter.
"Good." He returned a quick kiss before reaching for his Coke.
I peeked over his shoulder and saw some girls glaring at me. I still had one question in my head. Damien could have pretty much anyone... Why did he want me? It made no sense to me.
I shut my eyes silencing my mind. Don't ruin the moment, Hannah.
*****
Pretty uneventful, next chapter definitely is more eventful.
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