Haven
I unwrapped the sandwich and ate while Chris talked. One of things I loved was listening to him ramble on about trivial things like what he watched on TV or the latest gossip from the school. The sound of his voice was relaxing and for those few minutes I could relax.
My stomach was stuffed by the time I finished all the food. I opened the soda and took a sip. I loved the fizzy bubbles.
"Thank you," I said softly, when I glanced in his direction. His eyes met mine and they widened in surprise. Then he smiled. It was a big smile that showed his perfectly white teeth.
I didn't want to form any type of friendship with him but he was slowly starting to break the walls I'd built up around myself. I'd tried to fight it, but he was so damn persistent.
"You're welcome," he said. "Do you have any requests for lunch tomorrow?"
I shook my head. Just the fact that he was thoughtful enough to bring me lunch was enough for me, so I wasn't going to get fussy. There was no way Chris would have any idea what was happening to me at home and, if he did, he'd realize how much I appreciated the lunches he packed for me and the company he gave me during lunch.
I'd led a very lonely existence for the past seven years and for once it was nice to have someone to keep me company. I'd actually started to look forward to spending my lunches with Chris. I would just have to make sure that I was careful and that he didn't find out anything about what was happening to me. If he did become suspicious, then I'd have to move again, and I didn't want to. I'd just started to settle down into my new life.
"Did you hear the big news?" he asked, before he took a sip of his soda. I looked at him curiously because I never kept up with the gossip. I only vaguely remembered what he would babble on about at lunchtime.
"Damien dumped Angela," he revealed, watching my reaction. I gave him a shrug. "Not that they were dating, they were just doing each other. So technically they are not doing each other anymore."
I remembered Damien pushing her up against the lockers. They'd definitely been doing each other. I don't know why he thought I'd be interested in that news. Who Damien 'did' had nothing to do with me. In the back of my mind I couldn't help but wonder if Damien had dumped Angela because of the little incident between me and her. Why would Damien care about what happened to me? It was a ridiculous thought.
He probably didn't like the fact that Angela was insinuating to people that they were dating when technically they weren't. From what I saw and what Chris had told me, he was the type of guy that kept things casual. He probably got nervous when Angela starting talking about a more permanent arrangement.
I shook my head. I needed to get rid of thoughts of Damien. It shouldn't matter to me what was happening in his life. As long as he left me alone I was happy.
"Apparently he wasn't happy about her telling people that they were dating when they weren't," he explained with a smirk. I'd hit the nail on the head.
He dropped the subject of Damien and started talking about something else while I drank my soda.
When lunch ended he walked me to my next class and, when we got to my class, instead of ignoring him like I had previously, I gave him a weak smile before he turned and left. Baby steps.
The rest of the day passed quickly. The couple of times I saw Barbie she just glared at me; time would tell if she actually listened to Damien and left me alone. In my last class of the day I got held up. The teacher had wanted to ask me how I was settling in. So even though I ran as fast as I could, sore rib and all, I didn't make it to the bus stop in time. The bus was long gone.
Frustrated, I looked up to the sky. Dark clouds were beginning to form the in the sky above me. It looked like it was going to rain and I was going to have to walk home in it.
I clutched my tender side while I struggled to catch my breath. I felt so annoyed that I'd been held up in class. When the pain in my side eased, I began to walk. I kicked a loose stone while I walked down the sidewalk and hitched my school bag higher over my shoulder. The sound of rumbling clouds didn't ease the anxiousness that had settled inside me. I was lost in my thoughts, so I didn't notice a sleek, dark-gray SUV slow down beside me. I only noticed it when it stopped beside me.
The window of the SUV opened.
"Can I give you a lift home?" Damien asked from inside the car.
I glanced from him to the path in front of me. It would make my life a lot easier if I got a lift home with him, but letting Damien get involved in my life wouldn't be a good idea.
"Come on, it's not safe for you to walk home," he argued. He was right, but to be in a confined space with him for any amount of time wouldn't be safe for me, either. "And it looks like it's going to rain."
With another few moments of deliberation I finally relented and gave in. If I got home too late I wouldn't have dinner ready by the time Grant got home, and he wouldn't be happy. I reached for the handle on the passenger side and opened the door. Once I climbed into the car and closed the door I was overwhelmed by a smell that was distinctly Damien. It was a blend of spice and musk, and I had to admit I liked it. It was kind of comforting.
"Where do you live?" he asked me when he pulled the car away from the sidewalk.
I was ashamed to give him my address. If his car was anything to go by, he probably lived in a nice neighborhood. I, on the other hand, lived in an unsavory part of town, in a crappy apartment. I mumbled my address under my breath, embarrassed about him finding out where I lived. He didn't say anything as he started the drive to my home.
"So you talk," he said, shooting a quick look in my direction. Water droplets spattered against the windscreen as it began to rain lightly.
All I wanted to do was get home-I didn't want to be dragged into a conversation with Damien. The less he knew about me the better.
"Is there a reason you don't talk a lot?" he prodded further. He glanced in my direction, and then brought his attention back to the road as the wipers swept the water from the windscreen.
I shrugged and stared out of the window through the light rain spattering against the glass, trying to ignore his attempts to start a conversation with me.
"Has Angela given you any more trouble?" he asked. I looked at him and shook my head. So far so good.
Then I did something that surprised me.
"Why did you break up with Angela?" I asked quietly.
He gave me a surprised look and then he turned his attention back to the road.
"Whatever was going on between us had run its course," he answered. His answer was short and to the point. "It was never going to be a permanent arrangement and she knew that up front. But she kept pushing me for more than I was prepared to give."
I wasn't surprised by his answer. I'd pretty much guessed that already.
I didn't like the way I felt when I was around Damien, and being in a confined space with him was just amplifying it. I kept sneaking glances at him. He was really good looking. He also had that confident air about him that made the girls flock to him. As hard I could, I tried to ignore him. By the time he pulled up in front of my house, I was relieved. It had started to rain more heavily.
"Thank you," I said when I climbed out of his car. I didn't wait for him to say anything. By the time I walked to my apartment and opened the door I was wet from the rain. When I glanced back, Damien was still sitting in his SUV, watching me.
I closed the door and leaned against it. Only then did I hear the sound of his car pulling away.
**********
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