The next day proceeded as normal, as if a huge bomb hadn't been dropped.
Mia went off to work and Damien followed suit and surprisingly, the energy was the same between the two.
At the end of her shift Mia got a phone call. Only one person ever called her, so she answered without reading the caller ID.
"Hey Damien, I'll be out in a second." She said quickly, while slipping on her coat.
"Mia? It-it's Andra sweetie." A female voice replied.
Mia paused her movements and her heart felt as if it fell through her chest.
"H-hi" She said after a moment.
Mia hadn't seen Andra since she ran away from the orphanage during their disagreement. She didn't like the way she talked about Damien and she doesn't feel comfortable around her knowing how she felt about him.
"Mia, I'm sorry how things ended between us the last time we saw each other. I didn't mean to upset you that much; I just don't want to see you get hurt." Andra apologized softly.
Mia bit her lip anxiously. She didn't know what to say.
"I love him." Mia whispered finally. "And I don't like it when you talk about him like that."
She could hear Andra sigh on the other line, but she was surprised at the words that she spoke next.
"How-how about you have him over for dinner? We could get to know each other better." Andra offered kindly.
Mia nearly gasped at the proposal and she nodded her head before realizing that the motion went unseen.
"Y-yeah that would be nice." She murmured.
"Come over for 6. I'll have a nice spaghetti dinner ready; your favourite." Andra offered. Mia could hear the smile in her voice. "I'll try to see the good in him Mia. I'll try; for you."Andra finished.
Mia smiled at her words, appreciating the effort.
"Thank you." She said, while walking out of the bakery.
"It's the least I can do." Andra replied apologetically.
Mia hummed when her eyes caught sight of dark hair and tattoos and she murmured a quiet goodbye before hanging up.
"Who were you talking to?" He questioned after she walked to his car.
"Andra." She mumbled with her face pressed into his chest.
Damien pushed her back slightly so that he could see her face.
"Why?" He asked with a confused look.
The last time she was with Andra, she had run away in her pyjamas before calling him.
Mia shrugged and rocked on the balls of her feet.
"She wants to have dinner."
She looked down before flickering her eyes up to meet his.
"With both of us."
Damien tired not to look too opposed to the idea but really, he wasn't crazy about the woman. Especially after how she treated Mia the last time.
"Are you sure? Things didn't end so well the last time you talked." He said carefully.
Mia frowned but understood where he was coming from.
"I know...But I want to believe that she's trying." She whispered.
Damien sighed and nodded, before gesturing for her to get in the car.
"Okay, fine we'll have dinner."
Mia grinned and stood on her tipi-toes to press a kiss right under his jaw.
"Thank you" She smiled appreciatively before hoping into his vehicle.
Damien chuckled.
"Of course, baby."
~
It was approaching five thirty and Mia still didn't have an outfit picked out. She didn't know why she was making it a big deal.
She's lived at the orphanage her whole life, dinner there was normal.
But dinner with Damien and Andra wasn't.
She let out a tired huff before throwing herself on the bed.
Her eyes looked up at the ceiling, trying to picture herself in different outfits, so that she didn't have to try all of them on.
After a minute she sat up abruptly.
"Finally." She exclaimed with a smile.
She had just thought of the perfect thing to wear.
Mia was one of those girls who didn't care how cold it got outside. No weather would stop her from wearing her dresses and skirts.
Just as she was tying the front of her dress the door to the bathroom opened.
She looked up to see Damien dressed in what looked like a new pair of jeans and a white button-down shirt.
"Damn baby, that dress is way too short." He breathed while backing her up against the counter.
Mia flushed and looked at her feet.
"I-I thought it looked nice." She mumbled softly.
Damien ran his hand up the side of her thigh and groaned when he felt her panty line just under the dress.
He turned her around, so that his crotch was pressed up against her backside.
"This dress is more than nice." He spoke while kissing up the side of her neck.
He nipped at her skin and sucked, creating a visible mark.
Mia let him do what he wanted until she realized the consequences of his actions.
"Wait, no " She protested. She pushed away from him and out of the cornered position.
Damien frowned but stepped back.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"We have dinner soon. I don't want Andra to ask any questions about the bruises on my neck." She answered pointedly.
Damien slipped a small smile and chuckled. "Later then."
Mia ignored his statement and turned around to continue getting ready. Although she squealed when he slapped her backside.
Damien laughed before exiting the bathroom, waiting for Mia to finish getting ready so that they could leave.
Mia let out a breath after he left and looked in the mirror. Her mouth opened in shock when a large purplish bruise met her eyes. A soft groan escaped her lips and she played with her hair a bit to try and hide the mark.
She didn't wear makeup at all. Mostly because she couldn't afford it. She knew she could probably buy some now with the money saved up from her job but since she's gone without wearing it her whole life, she didn't see the point.
Now though, it seemed like a much-needed purchase. She glanced at the time and saw that it was almost five fifty and she didn't want to be late.
Mia opened the door and padded downstairs, before slipping on a pair of white Converse.
Damien was already by the door, texting on his phone. When her heard her small feet make their way towards him, he looked up and smiled.
"Ready?" He asked.
Mia grinned and bounced on her heels, before nodding.
"Alright let's go." He said while opening the door.
The drive to the orphanage was quick. In no time they were standing in front of the door.
"Should I knock?" Mia questioned nervously. "I-I kind of live here so I'm not sure if..." She rambled.
Damien rubbed the sides of her arms in a comforting manner.
"Relax" He murmured, before placing a kiss on the crown of her head.
She nodded and let out a breath, before knocking on the door lightly.
A minute went by with no response and just as she went to knock again the door flew open.
"Mia, sweetie, how are you?" Andra greeted welcomingly.
She embraced the short blonde in a tight hug before she looked up at the dangerous looking man beside her.
"Damien." She nodded with a shaky smile that resembled more of a grimace.
Damien smiled down at the woman, in forced politeness.
Her eyes wavered with uncertainty before she stepped to the side, allowing the two to enter.
"You know where the dining room is Mia, just take a seat in there and I'll come out with the food." Andra announced.
Mia replied with a soft okay and grabbed Damien's hand to lead him in the right direction.
Damien lifted the back of her hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to the skin while maintaining eye contact with the older woman who was watching from afar.
Andra felt sick at the sight of this delinquent putting his lips anywhere near this girl. She quickly walked away from the scene and went to collect the food from the kitchen.
"Alright here we are." She breathed while setting the dishes on the table.
Mia grinned and touched the woman's wrist in an affectionate manner.
"This looks delicious Andra."
The couple were sat beside each other with the older woman opposite to them. Andra made sure that the kids were out of the house, thankful that the volunteers were able to take them on a small outing.
"So, how has work been dear?" She questioned after plating her food.
Mia swallowed a forkful of spaghetti before replying.
"It's been good. Pretty busy but my friend Lorelei keeps me company." She answered while twirling some more pasta on her cutlery.
Andra hummed and sipped on her water. "I'm glad that you enjoy it there sweetheart."
"So, Damien, what do you do for a living?" She questioned after a minute.
Mia tensed at the question, almost forgetting about her boyfriend's line of work.
She stuffed her face with more food to prevent herself from making any uncontrolled sounds.
"I run a business." He replied before sipping on some water. "Merchandise." He finished after swallowing.
Andra nodded slowly, twirling some more spaghetti on her fork.
"And what about your family? Any siblings?" She questioned while lifting the food to her mouth.
Damien's face hardened and his jaw ticked. His grip on the fork tightened, turning his hand white.
"No." He replied sharply.
Mia looked between the two nervously, scared that Andra would ask something to set him off.
She placed her small hand on his knee, hoping that it would be enough to calm him. While he didn't intimidate the woman with words, his intense glare was enough to have her squirming; and his most cynical parts enjoyed every last second of it.
The rest of dinner went without any additional conversation. The three sat in a comfortable, yet straining silence.
Andra got up and collected some of the plates and dishes when they were finished, causing Mia stand up and help out.
She kissed Damien's temple, whispering that she would be back.
In the kitchen, the two ladies washed up the dishes with no words spoken.
On the third plate, Andra sighed and turned towards Mia who was drying a cup.
"Mia." She began with soft eyes. "I'm trying to see why you're with him, but I just don't understand. You're so young, sweetie—you just finished high school. You're just a girl Mia and he-he's a man." She exclaimed worriedly.
Mia furrowed her brows and placed the cup in the cupboard. She couldn't understand why Andra was so concerned about her relationship with Damien. Sure, he looked scary, but he treated her well. What was the problem?
"Do you know what men want?" Andra asked before turning back to her plate to scrub at it.
"They went sex, Mia. And I don't want him anywhere near you because of that."
Mia's mouth opened and her cheeks flushed profusely.
When Andra went to pass her the plate, she saw her reaction and scrunched her face up in confusion before her eyes widened in shock.
Her eyes then trailed to the side of her neck, where a large bruise was located, clearly visible under the light in the kitchen.
"Have you two been intimate?" She whispered in shock.
Mia hugged her arms and hesitantly nodded, blushing even more.
Andra gasped and dropped the plate in the sink.
"But what about waiting until marriage?" The woman exclaimed. "I thought we talked about this."
"No, you talked about it. I just listened." Mia whispered harshly.
"For my entire life I've been sheltered and protected. I've never gotten to do anything daring or dangerous o-or live! I'm an adult now Andra, but I still care about you. I know that you raised me but I'm all grown up and I'm using the judgement you gave me. He loves me Andra, and I love him. I-I thought you invited us over because you were beginning to understand that."
"I'm trying to," Andra said in exasperation, "really, I am." She repeated in a softer voice. "B-but I don't...I don't even know who you are anymore."
Mia's eyes filled with tears at her statement.
"I'm the same Mia." She said in a broken voice.
"No, no you're not." Andra replied while shaking her head. "My Mia wouldn't go off gallivanting with the town's delinquent, letting him so easily into her pants."
Mia flinched at her words and let out a pained sob.
The sound had Damien at the door a few moments later with a worried expression on his face.
"What the hell is going on?" He asked after Mia's hurt expression and teary eyes met his sight.
Mia walked towards him and cried into his chest.
"I was just telling Mia that it was time for her to go." Andra replied harshly.
Damien furrowed his brows and clenched his jaw in anger.
"Excuse me?" He asked, daring her to repeat her words.
"I should've called the cops the first time I saw you." She responded instead. "Now, you've defiled a sweet girl and you're going to toss her to the side like trash once you're done with her."
Damien pressed his tongue into his cheek and let out a dark chuckle.
"Listen here you bitch." He started. "You shouldn't worry about Mia. She was nice enough to come over here, even after all the shit you put her through." He let out a dry laugh before continuing. "I'm not so nice."
He stepped closer to the shaking woman with Mia still clinging to him.
"You will not be seeing her again. If you attempt to contact her, it will not be pretty." He seethed.
Andra flinched at the apparent threat and her throat closed up as she tried not to tear up.
As she heard the front door slam shut at their departure, she knew that she would never be seeing Mia again.
And even though it was her own fault, she hated Damien for it.