"Damon what?" asked Ava with utmost curiosity.

Strangely, Damon thought about what his surname was before replying,

"Smith. Damon Smith." He had a playful smile on his lips and he began asking random questions while furrowing his eyebrows.

"So Ava, you really don't want me to tell you about how your lovely mom and I met?"

Ava looked down and replied,

"No. I really don't."

"Oh come on, you know you want to." Damon replied. He seems very interested in my mom, thought Ava. Maybe he really is dating her.

"What's wrong?" asked Damon after long minutes of walking.

"Nothing. I just don't like to talk about my mom and her love life." Ava was feeling gloomy – everyone always wanted to know or wanted her to know what was going on with her mom. Truth be told, Ava just didn't care.

"But she's nice and pretty, and your mom. You have to care...Even if it's just a tiny ounce." said Damon stopping to face Ava.

This really triggered Ava's anger which she managed to compose for a while.

"If you think so highly of her, why don't you go running back to her? Besides, she's every man's dream isn't she? Bartender who loves staying out and partying. Perfect match."

"I didn't mean it in that way. I just want to know what's happened between you two." said Damon quietly, trying to keep his focus directly on her eyes.

Ava felt a strange sensation when she was looking into Damon's eyes. She felt like she had forgotten something, but a split second later, it came back to her.

"Look Damon. I don't even know why I'm walking home with you. It's dark and cold and you're a stranger. For all I know, you could be anyone, you could even do anything to me right now. But I have this feeling that you won't do anything. So please just let it go or I'm walking home by myself."

"I'm just curious why-" Damon began to speak but Ava cut him off.

"Forget it. I'm going home. Tell mom not to wake me up when she's home." finished Ava before walking towards her house.

"I'm not-"

"Bye Damon." stated Ava.

Damon stood fixated on the spot, slightly confused and annoyed. His charms weren't working with this girl.

As Ava neared her house. She looked back quickly to see if Damon was there. He had gone. She felt vaguely relieved.

When she went inside her house, she felt she could breathe again. The house felt safe and she ran up the stairs to her room and shut the door.

The curtains were wide open and a breeze was coming in, moving the net curtains.

As she was about to close them, she saw a bird sitting on the tree outside her window. She looked at it and felt like she was looking into a well, deeper and deeper until her conscience told her that it was cold. That's when her stare broke off and she quickly closed the curtains. I'm hallucinating, she thought. That crow didn't feel like it was just a typical bird sitting on a tree. Its eyes were so black.

Sleep wandered like a lost lamb as she tried to close her eyes, but every time she did so, she could see Damon's face.

Damon Smith.

Who was he? He was a complete stranger but he didn't take advantage of Ava. He could've done but he didn't. So what was he up to? Ava realised almost instantly that he was 'technically' her mom's date.

As hours went by, she simply rolled over from side to side, not being able to sleep. She looked at her alarm clock on her bedside table and saw that it was 2:30 a.m. Ava heard the door open very quietly and heard murmurs of voices. One was female and the other was male.

"Mom?" shouted Ava.

"Yes it's me sweetheart. Don't come downstairs." replied her mom.

"Who's with you?"

"Nobody. Just go to sleep."

Ava didn't listen and quietly tiptoed across the landing. She peered through the banister and saw her mom talking to Damon at the door.

"You sure you don't want me to come in? You seemed really upset when you told me about Ben."

Ava's mom had her head down and kept fidgeting.

"Yes. I'm fine Damon. Thanks for putting up with me." she replied hesitantly.

Damon looked reasonably disappointed and his black eyes glinted.

"Okay, if you insist. I'll see you tomorrow then Diane."

"Okay." she mumbled.

"It's a date." he said before smiling cheekily.

Just as Ava's mom as about to close the door, Ava's eyes came into contact with Damon's' briefly and suddenly Ava shivered. She felt goosebumps on her arms even though it wasn't cold. Ava gasped and her mom didn't notice at all. Damon flashed a smile before walking down the porch.