"Innamoramento - Part 3"
By Tim Shaw () and Geneviève Thibeault ()
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING???"
Talk about reality hitting you in the face...
I looked at Niles. He was white as a ghost, shaking from head to toe. I never thought Donny would walk in on us. But he did. And now I'm in an awful mess.
It didn't help to notice that Niles looked as confused as Donny. It was obvious that he had no idea what possessed me, and I had no idea if he was happy it happened or not. For the moment all he could do was look at Donny, and all I could do was look at Niles, waiting for some kind of reaction. But the only reaction came from Donny, who started yelling at me, calling me a slut, and telling Niles that if he wasn't out of the apartment in 30 seconds he would kill him.
I was scared to death. My only chance was that Niles was in the apartment. I had no idea what would happen to me if he'd leave. Because there was no one there to save me. Except Niles. And I had no idea what he'd do either.
Niles didn't move, but Donny did. He slapped me. So hard I lost all feeling on the right side of my face. And then Niles moved. He punched Donny on the face and broke his nose. I never saw him like this. Donny was out for the count, but Niles took him by the shirt, put him back on his feet, slammed him against the wall, and whispered something in his ear so slowly and with so much anger that I shivered myself. "If you ever touch her again, EVER, you're a dead man. I hope you understand this."
And then he left. And he didn't give any news since then. As for Donny, he left for good. Saying he wished he never met me in the first place. But I didn't care. All I cared about was Niles. Niles who left without saying where he'd go and for how long. All I could do was hope he'd be back soon.
* * * * * * *
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING???"
Donny had, at last, recovered from his initial surprise. Shock, apparently, had given way to anger.
Daphne looked at me. I was sweating all over, the blood had nearly drained from my skin, I was humiliated, shocked, confused, and quite honestly, scared shitless.
I still couldn't believe that we had kissed, let alone that it was HER making the moves on ME. I mean, sure, it was heavenly, but was it just a crazy impulse or a sign?? I knew we were on the verge of doing something horribly wrong, I dating Mel and she an engaged woman. But I saw it in her eyes when I turned to face her before we kissed.
She wanted it as badly as I did.
And Donny had to walk in. Of all the things that could have possibly ruined the moment, surely this was the worst of all. I just looked over at him, not knowing if he was going to come over here and beat me to a bloody pulp, do something to Daphne, just yell and scream, silently walk away??
Then Donny started yelling as loud as he could, not at me, but at Daphne. He called her a slut, a tramp, a lying little bitch, and a lot of other things I would rather not mention.
Donny was still ranting and raving when Daphne looked over at me, as if she was pleading for something, and she looked, well, helpless and scared out of her wits.
Now what happened next is sort of a blur to me. I remember a few flashbacks of key moments, but little else, so bear with me if my account is not the most accurate.
Anyway, well, to listen to some of the things Donny was saying to her, I was starting to get MAD. I mean Daphne was like one of the sweetest, most honest, gentle people I have ever met, and I couldn't stand to let ANYONE talk to her like that, I don't care who he was, especially Donny.
All I remember was a flood of steadily building indignation and rage. My skin became hot to the touch, my jaw clenched so tightly that I felt like I might break a few teeth, my hands balled into fists and my fingernails dug into my palms. I felt like a stick of dynamite ready to explode at any second.
And then Donny lit the fuse.
He kept yelling his head off, and said he would kill me if I didn't leave in 30 seconds. I was scared even more than earlier, sure, but there was no way in hell I would have left Daphne alone with him in that room unless I was physically dragged out of there. Of course, by looking at Donny I could see that event as an actual possibility. I mean what was I going to do, kick his ass? He was about the same height, sure, but had maybe 40-50 pounds on me and his flab seemed to conceal a good bit of muscle hidden underneath, and I had never really gotten into a fight in my life, seeing the matter as a foregone conclusion and when I was a kid, just letting people beat the crap out of me. Resistance was futile.
Or so I thought.
I had also forgotten 2 things: 1. Beware the wrath of a passionate man and 2. Intense feelings can be translated into physical energy in extreme situations.
Then, all hell broke loose.
Donny finally stepped inside the room, fuming, leaving his perch at the doorway. He walked up to Daphne, and slapped her as hard as he could, knocking her back stunned.
The next few seconds seemed like hours, as they moved in what seemed like slow motion.
I lost it.
Something about seeing Daphne threatened triggered this huge adrenaline rush that lent me almost supernatural strength. I remember literally seeing red. I remember moving toward Donny and, as if possessed by some demon, drawing back my right arm and punching him squarely in the nose with all the force I could bring to bear.
I felt/heard a distinct SNAP! which was actually the breaking of Donny's nose. He went down, caught totally by surprise (hell, I was probably more surprised than he but I was being guided by some force beyond my comprehension)
I remember reaching down, grabbing his shirt collar, and in one quick jerk yanking him to his feet and slamming him against the wall as hard as I could, actually puncturing the sheetrock where his left elbow hit, and I remember whispering, no, actually literally HISSING in his ear, pronouncing each word with emphasis and clarity: "If you ever touch her again, EVER, you're a dead man. I hope you understand this."
I looked him in the eye and I swear that Donny Douglas, a man much bigger, stronger, and assertive than I, was TERRIFIED of me. He must have thought me possessed by a demon. In a way, I was.
And then, he left, in a hurry. He said, on his way out the door, that he wished he had never met me in the first place, sounding strange as he covered his nose, which was gushing blood, with one of his hands, shirt ripped where I had grabbed it, and clearly not intent on coming back.
I am glad that there was not a gun in Daphne's room, because I think I could have easily killed him without hesitation.
I slowly started to journey back to reality. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I just....left, without so much as a goodbye to Daphne. I just....had to get out of there, away from them, away from everybody.
About 10 minutes later, I had gotten in my car and was sitting in the seat and just began shaking uncontrollably. A feverish chill set in, feeling like I was freezing and burning at once. I was coming down from all the adrenaline racing through my system, and I collapsed from exhaustion. The previous events had used up every reserve of energy and strength I had in me all at once, at the price of long-term exhaustion. I woke up some number of undetermined hours later, started my car, and just started driving. I had to get away from Donny, Daphne, Mel, everybody. I left no notice, no warning. I just went.
End of Part 3
