Keeping Love Alive – Part II

Summary: Bonnie has finally given Damon a chance. Damon POV.

Finally convinced you to come over and just say hi
I say forever my lady
And kissed you for the very first time
After months, holidays, holding hands in the park

And I messed up like boys tend to do
It'd be a year till I got back with you
Thank God that you called me back baby
'Cause I'd never be the man that I am today

…

Three Months Later:

How did I get so lucky? I watched her from my spot, sitting on the courtyard picnic table as she walked out of the school with her friends, and I bit my lip when I took in her outfit; an impossibly short, leopard print dress, knee high boots and my favorite leather jacket. I knew she stole it the last time she was over. I couldn't even be mad; it looked amazing on her.

She caught sight of me and quickly said goodbye to her friends before skipping over with a big grin on her face Bonnie threw her arms around my neck and planted a kiss on my lips which I returned eagerly. "Hey! Where were you today? I was looking for you."

I tried to keep the smile from slipping off my face. "I had to drive my Nonno to an appointment." I busied myself with playing with the ends of her ponytail.

"Is everything okay?" she questioned with concern. Bonnie was quickly becoming my grandfather's favorite person, and she adored him too.

"Yeah, everything's fine." I pulled her closer to rest between my legs, gently gripping the lapels of my jacket. "This looks familiar." I jested.

She ducked her head, then looked up at me coyly through her eyelashes. "I'm not even sorry. It looks good on me, don't you think?" she struck a little pose and I smiled happily at her. "Plus…it's a girlfriend's right to steal her boyfriend's favorite jacket. It's like a right of passage or something."

My heart leapt. That was the first time she called me her boyfriend, and I couldn't resist teasing her. I cupped a hand around my ear. "I'm sorry, what did you call me? You're-"

She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and shoved my shoulder playfully. "My boyfriend." She confirmed. "As if you didn't already know."

"We'll I'm not sure your friends approve." I glanced over her shoulder and her gaze followed mine to see a couple of the girls on the squad looking on in disapproval.

She threw them a caddy wave before turning back to me with a shrug. "They don't. They think it's social suicide to date someone outside of our circle." She said with a sarcastic air quote. "But I don't care what they think. I like you." She stated proudly with a beaming smile.

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I held it; instead saying it silently in my head. "I like you too. So much, that I intend to show you in many ways." I flashed my baby blues at her, as I dropped my lips to her cheek, then the other, then her lips.

"Oh?" She said breathlessly, and I saw that look in her eyes.

I reeled back with feigned shock, bringing a hand to my chest. "Ms. Bennett…I'm a gentleman. I wouldn't dare think about such naughty things."

Bonnie stuck her lip out in an irresistible pout, nearly stomping her foot. "Tease. You are the last person I thought would hold out on me." She sucked in a deep breath, and I could tell she was nervous about what she was about to say. "Are you free tonight?"

"For you…always." I responded with a smile and she leaned in to capture my lips in a quick kiss.

Bonnie busied her hands with smoothing out the invisible wrinkles on my shirt. "Good, because my mom invited you over for dinner. Aaand my dad wants to meet you." She risked a glance up at me and I'm sure my face mimicked the panic I felt.

"You're dad's home?" I questioned quietly with nervousness. I'd met her mom, Abby, and her grandmother Shelia, and I think it was safe to say I won them both over pretty quickly. But her father, Rudy, sorry…Captain Hopkins – had been stationed at the Navy Forces base in Bahrain since the Persian Gulf War, and we have yet to meet.

"Don't wig out, okay? It's fine; he just wants to get to know you. You can talk and-"

"He can show me how his gun works?" I finished for her wryly shooting her a deadpanned look.

She chuckled, giving my shoulder a small shove. "Damon…I'll make sure he's on his best behavior, I promise. Hey, if my mom and dad can put their differences aside long enough to have a meal together then you can get through a little interrogation." She teased me lightly.

I wasn't the boyfriend type; I never dated anyone long enough to meet the parents let alone want to. But Bonnie was different, and the last thing I wanted was to not make a good impression on her father; a man she looked up to with a great deal of respect and admiration.

…

I received a warm welcome from Abby, and a knowing smile as she ushered me into the living room. "Don't worry, Damon…once he sees how much you care about her, he'll warm up to you."

I heard the laughter coming from the kitchen as Rudy entered the living room with Bonnie lovingly tucked under his arm. Bonnie beamed at me, skipping over to give me a hug and I wrapped her arm around my back as she introduced me. "Daddy, this is Damon. Damon this is my dad, Rudy."

I reached out and offered my hand in a sturdy handshake which he returned. "It's nice to meet you, Sir. Welcome home." I said respectfully.

He nodded, letting his eyes roll over me in a silent examination. "Nice to meet you too. Bonnie has told me a lot about you." His tone was neutral and his face was stoic. He was a hard man to read. "She's quite fond of you."

I smiled down at Bonnie, who was smiling back up at me. "I'm pretty fond of her too." I was more than fond…I was easily falling in love with her.

Abby clapped her hands together. "Well, dinner is almost ready; Bonnie…can you help with setting the table?"

Bonnie followed her, resting hand on her dad's arm as she passed. "Be nice." She warned lightly, as she left us alone.

"So, Damon…" he sat down in the lounge chair, and I followed suit, sitting on the sofa behind me. "What are your plans after high school?"

Okay, jumping right in. "Well, my uncle has his own construction company. After graduation I was going to work with him."

Rudy's brows raised. "No plans for college?"

I wiped my palms on my jeans. "Well, money is a little tight, and I need to be around for my grandparents." I offered in explanation.

He nodded. "Yes, Bonnie told me about your parents, I'm sorry." There was a moment of silence before he continued. "You know, Bonnie has multiple offers from Universities across the country. She just received her acceptance letter from Stanford; I'm sure she told you."

I frowned. "Uh…no, I uh…I didn't know that." I stuttered in response. Bonnie and I talked briefly about our plans after graduation, and she would just brush it off saying she'd probably go to Norfolk State, which was just outside of town.

"You seem like a nice young man, Damon. But I won't accept my daughter missing out on the opportunity of a higher education because of a high school romance." He told me bluntly. I dropped my head, feeling like all the air just pulled from my lungs. "You understand?"

I nodded, staring at me feet. "I understand, sir." I glanced back up at him. "I really care about Bonnie…"

And he smiled for the first time since he saw me. "I can see that. It's also how I know you won't hold her back, when it comes down to it."

The rest of the evening was tense, even though I tried to force a smile and keep up with the conversation. All throughout dinner I was receiving questioning glances from Bonnie as she picked up on my quiet demeanor. So, I knew that after we said goodbye, and Bonnie walked me out to the porch she was going to ask me about it.

"Hey…" she frowned up at me with concern. "Is everything okay? I mean, I didn't think it went that bad, did it?" she tried to joke.

"Why didn't you tell me about Stanford?" I asked through a tightened jaw.

Her mouth fell open. "I…I didn't think it was important. I'm not going." She explained as she stepped closer. "I told you I was going to stay close to home."

"Why?"

"Seriously? Stanford is on the other side of the country, why would I want to be there when you're here?"

I shook my head. "I can't let you give up an opportunity for a better education for me."

She reeled her head back. "You sound like my dad." I could see the realization hit her. "Did he say something to you?"

"He mentioned it, yeah. And he's not wrong…you're smart Bon you can go anywhere you want, and this town…this is it for me. I don't want to be the one to hold you back." I swallowed painfully, brushing my knuckles down her cheek.

"You aren't!" She exclaimed. "I don't want to go to Stanford, I never did! That's my dad's dream. I only applied because I knew he wanted me to. I never thought I'd get in. Damon, please don't let him get in your head. I'm staying." She vowed with finality, leaning up to kiss me. I kissed her back, savoring the moment before I pulled away. "Okay?"

"Let's just sleep on it for tonight. I'll call you tomorrow." I could hear the uncertainty in my tone, and if her facial expression was anything to go by, she heard it too. I kissed her again softly, hoping to ease it for both of us.

I stepped down off the porch, and she reluctantly went inside. I took my time leaving; standing outside on her front lawn for a few minutes to collect myself. The light to her bedroom flicked on, and I snapped my head up to see the silhouette of her and her dad as they argued. Her window was open, and their voices travelled down to me.

"It's a great school, Bonnie."

"But that's not what I want! I want to stay here; I don't care about Stanford! And I can't believe you told Damon as if it was even an option! We're happy; he cares about me, and I can actually see a future with him!"

"He's a good kid, I don't doubt that, but what can he offer you? Some low paying mediocre job, no post high school education. He's a small-town lifer, you're better than that!"

"You don't know anything about him, Dad!"

"Bonnie, listen-"

"I love him! I'm in love with him."

My heart leapt into my throat at her passionate exclamation, and it warmed and broke at the same time. I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked away before I could hear any more. That admission should have given me hope that there really could be a future for us, but instead, it solidified the notion that no matter what I said or her dad said, she would give up going to a good school if it meant being with me…and that didn't sit well.

…

Things were strained over the next couple weeks. We talked, and we hung out and I'd see her at school, but I could tell she knew something was wrong. Her dad's words did get to me, and he was right; what did I have to offer her, long term? How long would she be happy with some small-town bad boy with a dead-end job? No, she was better than this place…and definitely better than me. All I wanted was to tell her how much I loved her and that I'd follow her anywhere if she asked me, but I knew I couldn't. My grandfather was sick…and I wasn't leaving him and my grandmother behind. So, I had to let her go…

I sat on top of the playground tower; it became our meeting spot over the months, and I waited for her to arrive. My stomach was in knots.

When she climbed up to sit at the top, she took one look at me and turned away as tears filled her eyes. "Is this what I think it is? You've been so distant lately…"

"Bonnie…" I started, my voice hoarse and strained. I didn't even know where to start.

"Is this because of what my dad said, because I told you, I'm not going to California." She rambled desperately.

I looked out over the horizon as the sun fell. "Yeah, I know. It's about us. I just don't see this working out." Lie. I couldn't even look her in eyes…she'd see right through me.

"What? No…I know you don't mean that." She forced me to look at her, turning my head and the crumbled look on her face nearly broke me. "Damon…please tell me what this is really about."

I pulled her hand from my face. "This is getting too serious for me. I like you Bon, but…I don't think we want the same things." Another lie. "I think we should break up."

She scoffed, wrenching her hand out of mine. "You're kidding me, right? You wanted this. You've been trying to get with me for years, Damon and now all of a sudden you don't see it working out? Bullshit."

"I thought-"

She crossed her arms across her chest defensively. "You thought what? That you could swoop in, whisper some charming lines, make me fall for you then just bail when things get too serious for you? God…" She shook her head. "I hate you right now." She clamored to her feet and stared down at me with a broken glare. "I don't ever want to talk to you again."

I let me eyes close as she jumped down the steps of the wooden structure and ran the rest of the way home. A ragged and miserable sigh passed my lips as I watched the single best thing that ever happened to me, literally run out of my life.

…

AN: Hey Fam! I know it didn't end on a happy note, but there is a part 3 to wrap this up, so don't worry! Thanks for reading! Please review! - Vanessa