Chapter 11:
"You missed nothing, Ty," Elena said in a smooth voice. I was starting not to like her either. She's sickly sweet and full of broken glass.
"Actually, I think Bella was about to leave," Damon said, "Weren't you, Bella?"
"I…ummm…I was," Timid Bella was back and coming in strong. I coughed slightly, "And Damon just offered me a ride back home."
"I did?" Damon said sounding slightly surprised.
"Yes, you did." I gave him a look that clearly said: get me the hell out of here now. He seemed to get the message because he was out of his seat in a blink of an eye.
"What about Dinner?" Caroline asked, "Weren't you going to eat here?"
"I ate before I came." It was the first thing that popped into my head, and it was going to have to work, "I'm not hungry. Just wanted to stop by and say hi."
"We have to go now," Damon said, pushing me towards the exit. "See you at home, Stefan. And don't bring Elena back again. I don't need to hear you two having sex!" Of course, he waited until we were halfway across the room before he said the last part.
I laughed all the way until we made it outside.
The cool air sobered me up almost instantly as we walked into the night's breeze, but there was still a smile on my face as I remembered Stefan and Elena's reaction.
"You are a horrible brother, Stranger," I said with a chuckle.
"I am a great brother," He stated with confidence, "I'm preaching abstinence and trying to keep my brother from STD's or becoming a teen father."
"Well, that's always good," I roll my eyes. No way he didn't notice the sarcasm in my voice.
"Smartass," He huffs. It makes me laugh again.
I can't remember the last time I've smiled this much. Must be pre-traumatic break-up. The thought makes the smile instantly disappear.
Damon notices.
"What's wrong, Just-a-Girl?" he asks.
"Nothing," My voice is soft; almost a whisper, "Just thinking about school tomorrow. It's going to be horrible."
I was getting really good at this lying thing.
"Why?"
"Because I think I just walked out on any chance of friends I was going to have. Sure, I know they're juniors, so I won't have to deal with them in any classes. But what about lunch or break time?"
"Easy," Damon shrugs his shoulders, "Make new friends."
"I'm not good at making friends."
"I don't believe you," he says, narrowing his eyes, "You got me to like you and that's a pretty hard thing to do."
"You're different," I defend.
"How?"
I look at him for a long time trying to think of an answer. Nothing comes to mind.
"I don't know, Stranger, but you are."
And I had been right when I said it then. Damon was different, I just didn't know why yet.
"You know I walked here too," Damon says after a long break.
"I kind of figured. Don't worry, I actually drove."
"So you lied," He gasps in fake horror. Then he leans in towards me to whisper in my ear, "Isabella Swan, you dirty, dirty liar." My heart picks up as his breath fans across the side of my face. We aren't walking anymore; just standing still. And we're so close. So very, very close.
It takes everything I have to push him—not so playfully—away and pretend like nothing happened. Pretend not to notice how hard and warm his muscles are when I push him. Pretend not to notice my body's reaction to the discovery.
Pretend not to notice that I'm not thinking of Edward. Not one single thought.
"I bet you lie all the time," I say.
"Are you judging me?" He puts his hand on his heart as he gasps, acting distressed at my insult.
"You're drunk," I point out.
"That was the second bottle," He admits.
"You didn't seem so drunk when we were with Stefan and Elena."
"That's because my brother is a fun killer. One look at his brooding face and Bam! All the joy and happiness of a buzz gets wiped away."
I laugh. It's loud and obnoxious and it feels oh so good.
"I'll give you a lift to your house." We're by my car now. Damon's leaning against the passenger side door and I stand in front of him looking worried.
"Why would you do that?" he asks, "Do you plan on doing something…dirty when we get there? After all, Just-a-Girl, you are a dirty, dirty liar." I blush like crazy. I'm sure my face is a bright red tomato in the sun. Damon is grinning.
I've never reacted this way to a guy before.
Sure my heart has raced, but never as fast as this.
My breaths have grown heavier, but never this deep.
I've gotten goosebumps, but never for this long.
I have felt attracted to a man before. Edward was proof of that. But Damon seemed to be driving me and my body into overdrive. I didn't quite know if I liked it or not.
"No," I say. My face is still burning, "I…I just wanted to be nice. You know, help a friend out." The grin falls off his face only to be replaced by a guarded, worried look.
"Friend?" his voice is soft. He seems shocked at my use of the word.
"Yeah," I say, "We're friends…well sort of. You're more like an acquaintance that could easily become a friend."
Damon stares at me for a very long time. His face is blank and I can't get a single read out of it. My heart is beating like crazy when finally, a slow smile blossoms on his face.
"I've never really had a friend," he says softly. "But I do like the sound of having one. Of course that is if you think you can keep up."
I look at him. A smile of my own slinking its way into a grin.
"Bring it."
