"That impish look is making me uncomfortable." I said as I followed Chloe out of the Principal's office. She had stopped and turned to face me, giving me, as I said, an impsh grin. One full of mischief. "What are you thinking now?" I asked, exasperated.
"Care for a midnight swim?" She asked, holding up the keys. "The Blackwell pool is ours." She grinned.
"Chloe, I'm suspended, my scholarship is hanging by a thread, and we just stole 5k from the Principal." I said with a sigh. "You really want me to take that risk now?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's been a cray week; we deserve a little mindless fun in the water." She said coaxingly. "We're done for the night, we're rich, and nobody busted us." She smiled widely. "So, splish splash?" She asked, dangling the keys.
"Fine, splish splash." I conceded with a sigh. "If we get caught, I'm saying you hella blackmailed me with a nude photo or something." I told her, somewhat mockingly.
"Fair enough." She said with a chuckle. "We hella deserve this though." She said happily as we left the main building, headed for the gym, where the pool was located.
"And here we are in the Otter's lair." I said as Chloe and I walked through the entry corridor of the gym.
"Big fucking deal, I want that heated water!" Chloe shot back, and eager grin on her face.
"So do I, if I'm being honest." I admitted, eliciting a grin from her.
"I knew I could turn you into a rebel." She teased.
"Hey, unlike you, my rebellious phase is over." I told her, my arms crossed. "And, also unlike you, I'm still a Blackwell student. That doesn't change with suspension." I said.
"Please." She rolled her eyes. "With your power, you could rule this hell-hole." She smirked at the prospect.
"Yes, and turn all the pretty girls into my Mistresses." I responded sarcastically. "If I wanted to rule this place, I would have by now, trust me." I said with a dark smile.
"OK, severely creeped out now…" Chloe mumbled.
"Then my job is done." I smirked, walking on. Chloe followed. She was quite eager for the pool, and I'd hate to upset her. Better go along with whatever evil plan she has. For now. I'll find a way to shift it into my favor soon enough, hehehe~
"Alrighty then~" Chloe cooed, walking in front of me. She put her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly, a mischievous smile on her face. "Boys, or girls?" She asked, referring to the locker rooms.
"Girls." I said, grinning. That clearly wasn't the answer she was expecting, judging by her shocked expression. Not that I blame her; I was quite a little prude when we were kids. Except when we were changing or showering together as kids. Never cared back then. But, when sex came up, or girls in general, I'd cringe and change the subject, making Chloe laugh. Not that she was all that open back then either, but I digress.
"Pervert." She mumbled under her breath, heading for the girl's locker room. I grinned at her widely, loving the tongue-tied, shocked expression on her face. I really wanted to go around and snoop through some of the lockers, but resisted as Chloe and I travelled through the locker room, towards the pool. I might be curious and inquisitive about other people's lives, but I'm not nosy enough to breach a person's privacy.
"Wow." I said as Chloe and I finally made it to the pool. She put on a big smile and quickly rushed over the side of the pool, running her hand through. "It's bigger than I thought." I said out loud.
"See if you can find the switch for lights." She told me. "I wanna see the sharks!" She was quite eager.
"Otters and sharks do not go well together." I said dryly. "Sharks bite."
"So do I." Chloe returned, grinning. "Hit that light!" She whooped. Sighing with a tired smile on my face, I strode over into the gym office, finding the switch for the pool. As soon as I flipped it on, I turned and left the room, just in time to see Chloe removing her clothes. Except for her undergarments, that is. She was left in only a plain, simple black bra, and a pair of sunset orange panties that had black palm trees and birds on them.
It was surprising, seeing how much Chloe's body had developed over the past five years. Her chest was nothing to brag about, not even that much to grab onto, if one wanted to. Or could. Her hips, however, were a different story. Her legs were slim, showing off a minor thigh gap, but she still had a plump and soft looking ass, which was quite enticing as she bent over to leap into the pool. As she did so, I snapped out of my daze.
"Holy hell!" I mentally exclaimed in realization. "I was just checking out my best friend." I thought to myself, shaking my head. Ok, to be fair, Chloe had always been easy on the eyes. Back when we were tweens, she was cute. I have pictures to prove it. Now, she's gorgeous. I've said before that I have a thing for bad girls and punk girls, and out of all my ex-girlfriends, most of them were punks like Chloe. The style fit her so well, like she was meant to be a punk.
That must be it.
Chloe appeals to me now because of her punk style, that doesn't necessarily mean that I see her as anything more than my oldest and closest friend. One can be best friends with an individual and still find said individual incredibly hot without it meaning anything.
"Yo! You gonna keep staring, or you gonna jump in?" Chloe asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"What? Sorry." I said, shaking my head. "Got a little lost in thought there." I told her.
"Well, find your brain, and hop in! It feels just like a hot tub!" She said with a happy sigh, moving around in the water. "And with the cash stash, I feel like the Queen of Earth! Bow!" She whooped.
"Please, if you're a Queen, I'm a God." I said cheekily, placing my hand on my hip. She flipped me off in response, flinging some water at me. "Oi! No!" I laughed, jumping back.
"Stop me!" She shot back, laughing.
"You asked for it." I grinned evilly, removing my jacket. I stripped down all the way to my underwear, smirking as Chloe's jaw dropped. I took pride in the way she stared at my abs without any shame. The fact that I can have that kind of effect on Chloe of all people is an ego-booster, especially considering she's more into girls than guys. She's been that way for as long as I've known her. Not to say she's utterly gay, but she definitely leans more towards girls. "See something you like?" I asked, bouncing my pecs again. Just like with Victoria and Taylor, Chloe's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Laughing, I took advantage of her distraction and cannonballed into the pool. Oh yeah, definitely feels like a hot tub.
"Ass!" Chloe laughed as I came up for air. I grinned at her in response. "Why look, and otter in water." She smirked. "Dun-dun-dun-dun dun-dun-dun-dun…" She mumbled the Jaws theme ominously.
"Oh, haha." I laughed dryly, splashing her face. "Remind me, who was clinging to whom when we first watched that movie?" I asked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.
"Funny." She smiled mockingly. I responded by splashing her face, earning a surprised yelp. "Ass!" She said, again, as our splashing war began.
In the decades that followed, it was never quite clear to anyone who won the Great Splish-Splash War of 2013, but some legends say it was the the Angel of Death who defeated the Great Blue Butterfly. Others say it was the Butterfly of the Sky who defeated the Death Wolf. Nobody quite knows the truth, except for the individuals involved. How did the battle end, you might ask? Well, when two amazing and powerful beings such as they go toe to toe, in a fight to the death, what else could happen but…
A tie.
Chloe and I breathed heavily as we floated in the water, next to each other, facing the roof. We shared a light laugh as we calmed down.
"I wish Rachel was here." Chloe whispered, loud enough for me to hear. "She would have loved being here at night." She sighed. "Wish you guys had met." She added, sad.
"We can only hope." I told her. "With everything going on, I'm starting to think everything is related. You, Rachel, Nathan, and even Kate." I said as Chloe and I swam over to the pool's edge, resting our arms on the sides. "I need to find out, for her sake. She almost died today." I said, grimacing at the memory of Kate's bloodshot eyes and hopeless expression.
"This little ability of yours is changing everything D." Chloe told me, uncharacteristically serious. "Even you. You're less chickenshit.' She smirked at me.
"I stopped being chickenshit a long time ago." I shot back, smirking despite myself.
"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes. "You're becoming, like, this force of nature." She said, wonder in her tone.
"Force? Try luck." I said with a sigh. "I couldn't save Kate with this power Chloe." I said, actually scared. In such a short while, I'd gotten used to being able to do over if I screw up. Now, the prospect of losing that, and people getting hurt because of it, is really scary. "I feel like I'm just stumbling through time, taking a do-over with every mistake I make, and I don't even know why." I massaged my wet temples, slick with my red and black hair.
"You didn't stumble when you saved me." She reminded me.
"Maybe, maybe not." I said with another sigh. "I don't even know if seeing you get shot was what kick started my power, or if it was there the whole time." I shook my head. "I'm really starting to hate the 'back in time' thing." I murmured.
"Well then, move forward." Chloe told me. "We're obviously connected since you wouldn't have discovered the ability if I hadn't been… shot." She let the last word out with a bit of discomfort.
"Like I said; I don't know." I reminded her, frowning. "Who's to say I wouldn't have discovered it if I saw my Mum being shot? Or Kate jumping before I found it?" I ask.
"You really know how to make a girl feel special." She grumbled under her breath, making me chuckle.
"Nonetheless, with you here, I feel like I know what I'm doing." I told her honestly, sincerely.
"And with you here, I feel like I have a reason for staying in Arcadia Bay." She responded in kind. We shared a bright smile and a one armed hug.
"Thanks Chloe." I said as we separated. "It feels good to know you think so highly of me, even if I don't deserve it." I added the last part under my breath.
"Dude, you're like, the smartest, most talented guy I've ever met. You should stop being so humble and self-deprecating." She reprimanded me.
"That sounds like something you want to save for Rachel." I said with an amused smile.
"Dude, I'm not her groupie." She said with a groan. "And I'm sure you have plenty of Blackwell-hoes all over you, like Kate." She smirked at me.
"And Brooke, and Taylor, and even Victoria." I returned said smirk as Chloe's face turned to one of shock. "She was coming onto me like a hooker when I first got here, and she only started being a real bitch when I outright shot her down in front of her minions." I said, snickering at the memory.
"Well, once you get over yourself, you're going to make the world bow." She said to me with a serious smirk.
"And you'll be there." I assured her.
"Don't look so sad; I'm never leaving you." She promised. I had to wince. She said something along those lines the day William died, but referred to me. 'Oh, he's never leaving me!' Something along those lines. What else would have happened but William dying a car accident and me moving to England a few days later? "I think I've had my pool experience for the year." Chloe said as she pulled herself out of the water. I followed suit. Quietly, Chloe and I began putting our clothes back on. I ignored the gross feeling of having my clothing moistened by the water sticking to my body, as well as the chlorine smell.
"We should head out." I told her. "Like, right now. With our luck, any minute now-"
"Hey, who's there?!" A voice yelled out.
"That's gonna happen." I deadpanned, seeing Chloe's terrified look. "And no, I didn't rewind." I hissed under my breath as we fumbled to find a hiding place.
It took a bit of stealthiness, and some rewinding on my part but Chloe and I were able to leave the gymnasium. David was there with a whole bunch of other security guards, 'searching the perimeter' and other soldier shit like that. Chloe and I had to share and excited hug as we made it out. It's been way too long since we got into this kind of trouble. We grinned widely as we hightailed it for the dorm, only to be stopped by another guard. I quickly rewound to the point where we were standing outside of the gym and told Chloe.
"We can't get to the dorm, crash at my place!" She whispered as we shot towards the parking lot.
"Sleeping in the same house as Blackwell's Security Chief, after breaking about 50 school rules?" I asked dryly. "Sure, great idea!" I gave a sarcastic smile as Chloe and I hopped into her truck. Immediately, she shoved the keys into the ignition. "Wait!" I stopped her, grabbing her arm. Before she could ask what I was doing, I rewound as far back as I could. By the time I was done, the security guards were all back in the gym, searching the locker rooms. That way, none of them could identify the truck. "That's all I got, go!" I gasped at Chloe as the fatigue hit me. She immediately revved the car to life and shot out of the premises.
"Hahahaha! Later fuckers!" Chloe roared in laughter. "D, you rock! We are so fucking awesome!" She said happily, loudly.
"Yes." I grinned at her, widley. "We really are." I said, looking at her happy, wild, free expression. She really was… beautiful.
It was morning when my eyes fluttered open. For the first time in five years, I found myself waking up on Chloe's bed, with said girl cuddling up next to me, her arms around my chest, and her head resting on my left bicep. It was a familiar position we found ourselves in; oftentimes, this was how we'd wake up back when we were children. Half the time, it was her leaning me, as she is now, the other half, it was the other way around. Muscle memory perhaps?
Regardless, I had to take a photo of this.
Slowy, and carefully, I reached into my laptop bag, which was leaning against the bed, and pulled out my camera. Being careful to not move Chloe, I position the camera for a selfie. Unfortunately…
"Photobomb!" Chloe suddenly cheered as I took the photo. I jumped as I heard her, just barely catching the camera before the photo printed. It showed me, with a startled look, and Chloe holding up a peace sign with her tongue out.
"Funny." I said dryly, chuckling. She grinned cheekily at me, resting her head on my arm again.
"Damn, this brings back memories." She said with a soft, content sigh.
"That it does." I smiled. It was then that I noticed our state of dress. Chloe was only wearing her underwear and a shirt, no bra. I was completely shirtless, wearing only my jeans. Oddly enough, it didn't bother either of us. It just seemed… natural. "Look at us, a guy and a girl, sleeping in the same bed, half naked." I said with a chuckle, turning over to my side to face her. "If it were anyone else, this would be weird." I told her.
"A testament to how long we've known each other." She smiled at me. At that, a depressed feeling came into my heart, probably showing on my face too. "What? What's wrong?" She asked.
"Five years." I sighed. Chloe's eyes drooped in response. "William's death, my Mother's job, and the funeral happening at the same time as the plane leaving…" I shook my head. "I hate that that's how we had to part." I whispered. "I hate that everything turned to shit after that, and I hate that we didn't talk for five years." I gave a depressed sigh. "I wish I'd never gone to England." I finally said.
"D, the last five years have been tough for me, yeah, but you're here now." She told me. "That's… really all I can ask of you." She said softly. "And yes, I'm still upset that you didn't call, but I can't even start to describe how much it means that you're back." She promised. I smiled at her. I wanted to remind her that she didn't call either, but that would just piss her off and turn this into a fight, so I refrained. Chloe smiled back and sat up, and I did the same. We stretched out.
"Feels like a different world from last night, doesn't it?" I asked wistfully.
"We left a skidmark on Blackhell last night." Chloe grinned at me.
"Yeah, it needed another one." I said dryly. As Chloe and I lay back again, resting our heads on our hands, this time free of each other's grip. "I wish we could hang like we did as kids, but I have to get back to Blackwell soon." I sighed.
"You were suspended." Chloe reminded me.
"Maybe, but if I don't hand in my homework, I'll get into more trouble, and Wells will call my parents." I said with a groan.
"Parents?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, Klare married about two years ago; a lawyer in London. Her name is Genevieve." I told her as I sat up.
"Whoa, whoa, Klare's gay?!" Chloe was bamboozled.
"Pansexual, actually." I corrected. "She briefly dated a Transgender man before meeting Genevieve." I recalled.
"What did Jennifer think about that?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, she doesn't know. She doesn't really understand what Transgender is yet." I explained. "She's thirteen." I reminded her.
"Valid." Chloe conceded. "What about your Mom marrying a woman?"
"She understands what it means to be gay or bi, but that's it." I explained. "She was weirded out, but she was fine with it."
"Damn." Chloe shook her head, making me chuckle. "Seems things are wild there as they are here." She said.
"You have no idea." I said, stretching out again. "I'm still wiped from last night." I chuckled.
"Yeah, it was awesome." The bluenette grinned happily.
"You're turning me into a criminal." I said with a fake glare.
"And I'm just getting started." Chloe played along. That made us both chuckle.
"I should get dressed." I said with a small sigh, smiling as I stood up off the bed. My eyes were drawn to the window, and I couldn't help smiling. "The morning sun is always so peaceful." I said with a soft breath.
"Yeah, reminds me of when we were kids." Chloe agreed.
"Unfortunately, we're not children anymore." I gave a dramatically mournful sigh, making Chloe smirk.
"At least we can date now, right?" Chloe asked with a suggestive grin. "Dad was terrified of the day I would discover boys." She snickered at the memories.
"And my Mom was terrified of the day I would discover girls." I sighed. "She refused to let me leave the house after the first time she walked in on me." I cringed at the memory.
"No!" Chloe's eyes bulged out, a wide grin on her face as she sat up.
"Oh yeah, I was 17, and dating a college student." I sighed. "And it wasn't even that serious." Chloe laughed out loud.
"Dude, that's hilarious!" She laughed. "I've never had a serious boyfriend. What about you?" I shook my head. "Well, I did go through a boy-toy phase, among other things." She admitted.
"In my case, it was more being a toyboy than actually having one." I said with a smirk. "As for the 'among other things,' I'm taking a wild guess and saying that refers to experimentation that led to full on bi-ness?" I asked casually.
"Or gay-ness." Chloe shrugged. "Still figuring it out." she said honestly.
"No issue with that." I said simply. "How many girls?" I asked with a grin.
"Perv." She insulted mockingly. "Four." She said honestly. "And five guys." She added.
"Six girls." I returned. Only fair to share if she is I suppose. "Maybe seven." I added.
"Maybe?" She asked with an amused expression.
"Well, shortly before I came back, I was seeing this Russian girl." I sucked air in through my teeth. "She… had an identical twin sister…" I trailed off, grimacing.
"You didn't!" She laughed.
"That's the thing, I don't know." I revealed, chuckling. "It was just a simple summer love; we knew it wasn't going to last, since she had to move back to Russia, and I was moving here, so we made the most of our time together." I sighed. "Last I saw of them, they were in the middle of a fight, and I might have been revenge on the twin's part." I chuckled, seeing how ridiculous it sounds now that I say it out loud. "See, she was usually submissive and sensual, and that last night, whomever I slept with was rough and hard." Some of the best I've ever had, truthfully. "It might have been because it was our last night, or it might have been the twin. All I know is, I slept with one of them before they went hope, I just don't know which one." I groaned as Chloe clutched her belly laughing.
"That… Is… the wildest story… I've ever heard!" She laughed.
I rolled my eyes as I stood up, letting her have her fun. As I walked over to the desk chair, where my shirt, socks, and jacket were hung, I cringed. They still smelled of Chlorine. Fantastic. As Chloe's laughter died down, I noticed her phone light up in a text. The pop up showed it was from Frank, probably demanding his money, or declaring vengeance on me, but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the background image; a picture of me. That warmed my heart. It seems, in Chloe's eyes, I've redeemed myself for the lack of communication. Given what she's been through, I don't think I can be too mad at her for the five years of silence, so there won't be any need for her to redeem herself. I think we can put this behind us.
"You aren't gonna get dressed?" she asked, unconsciously staring at my abs. I had to smirk.
"My clothes smell like Chlorine, no way can I wear them." I said, giving my jeans a tug. "Though my jeans are fine, I guess. Good thing I wiped my legs off before I redressed last night." I said with a sigh of relief.
"Not all of my shirts are girly, see of you can find one in my fashion hole." Chloe told me, gesturing to her cupboard.
"Chlosplay, nice." I remarked, making he chuckle as I walked over to the closet. Opening it, I slid the clothes from one side to the next, one at a time. "Too small, too girly, too torn…" I trailed off under my breath as I scrolled through the clothing.
"Oh, there you go!" Chloe called out as I stopped at a white collared shirt. "That was Rachel's; it's unisex. She used to wear it whenever her father took her to those formal meeting-crap things." she told me.
"It might be a bit small, but I can give it a try." I said, removing the shirt from the hanger. Casually, I slid it on and closed all the buttons. It was a bit tight, and it hugged my abs like yoga pants, but it fit. And I could move around decently, at least.
"Nice." Chloe grinned, staring at my abs again. Seriously? I know I have a good build, but since when are you the type to ogle and stare? "Try the jacket." She suddenly told me, pointing to a black and red plaid jacket hanging off of the hanger on the far left. "It was also Rachel's." She told me.
"You sure about that?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow. "I like the colours, but I'm not sure the plaids fit me." I said with a frown.
"D, stop second second guessing yourself." She told me with a light shove. "You know how to take chances, so go for it!" She urged me. "Let your inner punk outshine the biker! Take another shot!" She smiled deviously. "For example, I dare you to kiss me." She said with a naughty smirk, one similar to last night's, when she suggested we swim.
"Excuse me?" I blanched, cleaning out one of my ears. "Could you please speak in my good ear? I thought I heard you dare me to kiss you." I told her, cupping said ear.
"I double dare you, kiss me now." She said challengingly. I stared at her for a moment.
"You think I'm that easy?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"You think I am?" She asked, a hand on her hip. "Just admit you already macked on me and then used your Rewind." she rolled her eyes. "Guess I can text Victoria and say your saving yourself for her." She mumbled, walking over to her bed.
She sounded, dare I say, disappointed. Still, I couldn't help but smirk. Before she could lay down again, I tapped on her shoulder, making her turn to face me. Before she could ask, or give any kind of remark, I cupped her cheeks and pressed my lips to hers. They were soft and warm, almost heated. It was a nice kiss, if I'm being honest. It only lasted a few seconds, three or four, but she eventually shoved me back, just a little bit, looking at me with wide eyes. I had to snicker.
"Well I didn't say no." I reminded her, smirking cheekily as she stammered slightly.
"W-wow, D. You're hardcore." She stuttered, chuckling with her cheeks flushed. "Guess I should tell Victoria she has no hope now, huh?" She asked, probably in a desperate attempt to change the topic. Her priceless expression made me chuckle, pun intended. I shook my head as I walked back over to the closet, grabbing that jacket and slipping it on whilst Chloe lay back down. "Looks good." She complimented. "Now all you need is a nose or brow piercing, and we'll make a thrasher out of you yet." She grinned.
"Yeah, sure." I said dryly, striking a sarcastic pose. "Ready for the mosh pit, shakah brah." I said in an exaggerated American accent. I can actually do it pretty good sometimes, but this time it was meant to be terrible.
"Alright, alright, point taken." She chuckled, leaning back into her pillow. "Go on down and say high to Joyce, you'll get a free breakfast." She told me. "I'm gonna wake 'n' bake first." she said. "Unless you want some?" She offered.
"No thanks." I held up a hand. "Promised Klare I'd stop, and I intend to keep that promise." I told her firmly.
"You're loss, not mine." She shrugged, reaching for her stash. I rolled my eyes and slipped my shoes on, borrowing a pair of dark blue socks from Chloe. From the waist and up, I looked quite different with Rachel's shirt and jacket. The jacket brought out the red in my hair a little more. I could actually see a bit of my natura; blond growing out at the roots; should probably fix that.
"Good morning Joyce." I said as I entered the kitchen.
"Rachel!" Joyce gasped, seeing the jacket. Then she noticed it was me, and shook her head. "Damon?" She asked, her eyes wide.
"If you can mistake me for a lithe, blond girl, maybe I should start hitting the gym." I commented dryly.
"Sorry Kiddo, it's just, wow." she said as she looked me over. "You fit those clothes well." She told me.
"The shirt's a little tight, but it's not a nightmare." I said, looking down at the shirt. I wasn't sure how I felt about it showing off my abs like that. I've never been an attention hog.
"I'm just glad you're not a hellraiser like her or Chloe." Joyce said dryly, crossing her arms. "Now why don't you tell me exactly what you want to chow on." She smiled at me. Bless this sweet woman's heart.
"More than almost anything, I have missed your pancakes." I told her.
"Yes, you ate more of those than William, and he loved them." She chuckled, looking back at the memories with amusement.
"I remember how he and I would race to grab as many as possible." I chuckled. "And whenever he got more than me, I would steal one off of his plate when he wasn't looking." I snickered, remembering his reactions.
"Yes, he never could get too pissed at you then." Joyce chuckled. "Mind helping me with the ingredients?" She asked.
"Of course." I told her, heading over to the fridge. I quickly retrieved the milk whilst Joyce went for the flour. I found the eggs in a shopping bag right next to the front door. As I was about to pick them up, I received a text. Surprisingly, it was from Kate.
Kate: Damon, thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to stop me on the roof. Of all the people in Blackwell, you were the only one who was always there for me, the only one who cared. And though your methods were not what most would consider conventional, I believe with all of my heart that you were sent to give me hope. You did so much more than that. My family is grateful as well. I know it doesn't mean much to you, but you'll always be in our prayers.
Love and Blessings,
Your friend Kate.
My heart warmed as a relieved feeling filled me. I was quite glad to hear that she was alright. Well, as alright as she can be after all that had happened to her. From what I heard, she was admitted to hospital on Suicide Watch, and is there currently. The fact that she's allowed to text me means she's been cleared for a little outside contact, which is a good side.
Damon: Hi Kate. I'm really happy to hear that you're doing better. I promise to visit you at my earliest convenience.
Damon: Also, don't worry about Alice. I brought her to my room last night. She misses her Mommy.
Kate: Really? Thank you so much! I've been worrying about her!
Damon: Don't mention it. Also, I have a surprise for you when I visit.
Kate: I look forward to it! 3
Damon: ^^
I had to smile. Even after everything she's been through, this girl can put on a smile. She really is so much like Jen. Always so bubbly and cheerful, finding a way to see the light in the darkest of situations. She's not like me. She's still sweet and innocent. It makes me want to protect her and dote on her like I do with Jen. Maybe that's what got her and I into the situation with her feelings for me. Was I too nice to her? I suppose, regardless, there's nothing I can do about it. Shaking my head, I grabbed the eggs and went back over to the kitchen.
"Thanks Damon." Joyce said with a smile as I passed her the eggs. She'd already gotten the flour out. "After all these years, and everything that's happened, it's great to see you and Chloe together again." She told me with a small, happy sigh as we got to work on the food. I would mix the batter, and she would cook it.
"It's great to be with her again." I said sincerely, smiling softly.
"She hasn't had a real friend since you or Rachel." She said with a soft, sad sigh this time. "She was such a sweet girl." She shook her head sadly. "I keep hoping she'll send a message from Hollywood or something, but…" She trailed off.
"The darker, adult, more realistic side of you says otherwise." I finished for her. She nodded grimmly. "Is there any reason why Rachel would be mad at Chloe?" I asked.
"Chloe could piss off anyone but her." Joyce snorted. "They were almost joined at the head." She smiled softly, no doubt a few good memories coming. "Reminded me of you and Chloe, but Rachel wasn't as grounded as you." She added.
"Grounded?" I asked with an amused smile. "Not the first word I'd use to describe me. Then again, not the last." I thought out loud. "Maybe that's why Chloe likes Rachel so much." I frowned.
"Damon Azrail, are you actually jealous of Rachel Amber?" Joyce asked with a bewildered smile, making me huff.
"It just seems Rachel was much closer to Chloe than I was." I said admittedly. "It… doesn't feel nice." I sighed out.
"If that's the case, why has Chloe spent the past five years telling me she wishes she could be a little more like you?" She asked, an eyebrow up. Wait, what?
"Chloe said that?" I asked, surprised. She nodded. "Wow… Five years, it feels so much longer." I said with a wistful sigh.
"If it were longer, I'd be what, 100 years old?" Joyce asked with an amused smile.
"You look amazing for your age." I said with a sarcastic smile, making her laugh.
"Damon, you're only 19 years old. Ah, youth." Joyce sighed longingly. "If I could go back." She shook her head.
"You don't need to, trust me." I assured her.
"Still a charmer." She rolled her eyes. "I'm a middle aged woman with a daughter who's almost 20 Damon, I could use a little rewind here." She told me. Must. Not. Laugh.
"Take it from a young man who knows what a young woman is supposed to look like; you're fine Joyce, trust me." I pressed.
"Whether that's true or not, it was nice of you to say." She responded, turning her attention back to the food. "Thank you Damon." I smiled in response. "Voila." She suddenly said, holding up a plate of her pancakes. I had to really work to prevent myself from salivating. "You go sit at the table." She all but ordered. Hypnotised by the sight and the smell of the food, I could only obey.
And there we have it; the beginnings of the romance developing. I had you all going for a moment with the kiss bit, didn't I? Ha! I'll bet half of you thought he wasn't going to kiss her. Love is blooming here, and it is going to be beautiful. A lot more fast-paced than between Max and Chloe in the game. And yes, before anyone asks, there WILL be a lemon before the storm, pardon the pun.
Now, a little side note, I'm finally in Australia! Seriously, Canberra is beautiful. South Africa doesn't even compare. Like, really. In SA, there's crime everywhere, the currency is getting weaker every day, and the government makes Trump look like an angel. To call Canberra an improvement is a huge understatement.
Unfortunately, my being in Aus means I have to rekindle my job-hunting, which will cut into my writing time extensively. I wouldn't expect any updates for the rest of the month. Unless I actually land a job, then I'll be able to schedule my writing a little better. We'll just have to wait and see. My uploads will probably be at different times than usual. Back in SA, I would update at around 10pm when I have a chapter available. I intend to do the same, but Canberra is eight hours ahead of SA. So yeah, ya'll are gonna be receiving my updates at different times.
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review!