Dani’s [POV]
I’m giddy on my way to school the next day. When we arrive, Paul throws me an apologetic look as he parks the car. Usually, he drives away immediately after dropping me off.
“I’m sorry, Dani. I have orders to-”
“I know,” I say, unable to help my grin. “I hope you brought a lot of newspapers to read, or you’ll get bored out of your mind.”
Paul looks dumbfounded at my cheerfulness. The reason for my nerve endings being on edge is inside the school. I couldn’t care less if they confined me within it. Damon awaits me by his locker and I walk right into his arms, not caring about the stares we attract.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear, sending tendrils of heat down my spine, lighting up my already delicate nerves.
“I missed you, too,” I confess. His fingers trace my cheek, down to my jaw. He gently pulls me to him. When our lips touch, I turn to mush in his arms. Everything around us fades, and there is nothing else except his warm lips and the sweet way in which they mold to mine. The fierce impulses it sends through me weaken my knees.
We don’t stop until we hear a loud and forced cough. Principal Charleston is standing right in front of us. I blush furiously.
“This behavior is not acceptable,” he says. I wish I could dig a hole in the floor and disappear into it.
Damon doesn’t let go of my hand, not even under the principal’s stern look. Mischief danced in Damon’s green eyes, and I suddenly didn’t feel as ashamed. His kisses are worth a few words of reprimand.
We don’t talk during classes, and during the breaks, we busy ourselves with kisses. I saved telling him about my parents for lunch. We eat in the cafeteria because the weather is too chilly to sit on the roof. Sitting on the same side of a corner table, we’re sheltered from people’s view, but I can’t ignore everyone’s stares when we get our food. Some of them hold so much incredulity they are downright offending.
Hazel sits at the opposite end of the table, listening to music in her headphones. She frowns at her spaghetti. I know she feels like a third wheel, and I’m trying to find a way for her not to feel like that. We refrain from kissing in front of her, though I wish we could. There is an insatiable craving inside of me for him. It consumes me permanently but roars louder and more demanding when he is nearby.
“My parents know about us and also that you’re a fighter,” I tell him. “They don’t know you spent the night at our house or that I went with you to a fight,” I add quickly at his stricken expression.
“You fought with them?” he asks worriedly.
“Yes. And I… um… I think I handled that all right,” I say proudly. My parents went back to ignoring me and each other after our talk, so it’s not likely it had much of an impact on them, but I’m glad I told them everything I did. It was liberating.
“What happened? Tell me,” Damon beckons.
“They forbid me to be with you. And our driver is now permanently following me.”
“They’ve got someone watching you?” A vein pulses in his temple. “What the hell?” I grin at his indignation. I try to remember that, for ordinary people, this kind of behavior is outrageous. I grew up hearing about Dad having Mom, and then James watched. I was never interesting enough to be watched until now. Maybe it’s sick of me to think like this, but any attention is better than none at all. And this is the only kind of attention my father knows how to give. “Why aren’t you more upset about this?”
I ponder explaining it to him, but I don’t think he’ll understand, so I just wave my hand. “We’re together at school every day. And if we want to do something outside of school… well… sneaking out is more fun.”
I thought this might lighten up the mood, but it seems to have the opposite effect on him. His brow furrows, and he purses his lips.
“I’m a bad influence, Dani.”
I nudge him playfully with my elbow. “I think I needed just that.”
“We both do,” Hazel adds, making us both jump. “Go ahead, be as bad an influence on her as you can. Maybe I’ll catch some of it, too. It’d be a shame to graduate high school with the good girl stamp on our foreheads. Every girl worth her salt must break some rules. The best rules are broken with bad boys.”
“Who shared that piece of wisdom with you?” Damon huffs, scrutinizing her.
“My mother,” Hazel says.
I grin as Damon frowns in confusion. You have to know Hazel’s mom to fathom the mere idea that a mother could say this. The wild stories Hazel’s mom recounts from her youth are nothing short of legendary.
“On that note,” Hazel adds, “I’m leaving. Mom also says being a third wheel should be fined.”
Damon grins. “I like your mom, Hazel.”
“You would love her mom,” I say as Hazel leaves.
Damon turns serious again. “How long is this tailing going to last?”
“Probably until I turn eighteen, which is one month after graduation.”
“They’ll just stop afterward?”
“No.” A pit forms in my stomach as I realize I never told him of my plans to study in England. I haven’t even thought about what that means for us. Oxford and Damon were in different worlds until recently. “But I’m going to Oxford to college. I’ll be out of their reach.”
“Oxford,” Damon repeats. His voice doesn’t hold the shock I expected. Quite the contrary. It even sounds optimistic as he says, “That’s far away from here. I can come to England if you want me to.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. Dani, I’ve wanted to leave this damn place ever since I came here. For you, I’d stay here after graduation, but if we can both leave, that’s perfect. I can find work anywhere.”
“Fighting?”
“There is an audience for that kind of entertainment everywhere.”
“Wouldn’t you like to do something else?”
His excitement morphs into a sad smile within a split second. “That’s not good enough for you?”
“Is it good enough for you?” I bite my lip, realizing I sound like my parents. “You’re smart, Damon, and doing well at school, despite trying your best to do badly.”
“School was always important to Mom.”
“I bet she wanted you to attend college.”
“She did. I promised her I would apply to college, but I never did. There wasn’t even a community college near where we lived, and I didn’t want to move away from her. If it’s important to you, I can apply to college. You’re the only person besides Mom who can motivate me for that.”
“What would you like to do?” I ask.
“Something math-related.”
“Said no one ever.” I laugh. “You’re a whiz, like my brother. You two would get along well.”
“You think he’d like me?” Damon asks doubtfully.
I nod, though I’m not so sure. James is a tad overprotective.
After a pause, Damon asks, “What if your parents stop you from going to England?”
“They can’t.” I take a deep breath. “My grandfather set up a trust fund for me. I’ll receive it once I turn eighteen, and be free. Once that day arrives, it’ll be just you and me.”
***
Paul doesn’t tire. He stays at school every day, keeping an eye on me. During the first two weeks, he even sat in the cafeteria at lunch. The third week, he comes inside to pick up a sandwich and then heads back outside. Still, we had no opportunity for a date. February morphed into March, and the only pseudo-dates we had were on the school premises.
“I like Paul,” Damon says as we watch Paul exit the cafeteria.
“He’s clearly on our side.”
Hazel nods in agreement and then goes back to reading her Biology textbook. Damon and I exchange glances. We’ve been dying to be on our own for days, but between Paul, Hazel, and the teachers, we don’t get the chance.
“Honey, you have to come to my place tonight. My parents are gone.” The three of us try to hide our grins as we peek at Anna and her new boyfriend. They are two tables away from us, but it’s impossible not to hear Anna’s high-pitched voice. “What do you say, honey?” I cringe inwardly at the word honey. By the look of excitement on the guy’s face, he’s game.
“If you ever call me ‘honey’, I will pretend I don’t know you,” Damon says, shaking his head.
“Glad we’re on the same page. The same goes for ‘baby’.” I take a sip of my soda.
“Of course, I wouldn’t call you that. You’re my precious.”
I snort soda, just as Hazel bursts out laughing. Damon stares at us.
“See, that’s why you have to watch Lord of the Rings,” I say. “You’d never call me my precious.”
“Explain,” he demands.
I look at Hazel for help; she’s better at summarizing. “Well,” she begins, “there was this Gollum guy…”
“Was he good-looking?” Damon asks. This brings another round of laughter.
“Of course, that’s the only thing you’d be interested in.” Hazel grins.
“Damon and Gollum. That’s a fair fight.” I roll my eyes just as he pulls me in an embrace. I catch a whiff of his aftershave, and a shot of adrenaline and warmth courses right through my body.
“Okay, Hazel, so this trio thing is fun, but I’d like some time alone with my girl,” Damon says.
My jaw drops, but Hazel continues to grin. “I’ll make myself invisible right away.” Packing her books, she slings her backpack over her shoulder, leaving the table. As she passes Anna’s table, a knot of unease tightens in my chest. I’m jealous of Anna and her freedom. I wish I could invite Damon over whenever I want to. Surely he must expect it.