by Blair Young
He wasn’t going to let anyone come between us ever again, and he proved that by standing up to Susan and Dean this afternoon. Things might not go the way I wanted them to most of the time, but now, I didn’t feel like I was alone in my battle against the world.
I had Damon on my side, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
And finally, I knew that was a promise I could trust.
I walked quietly down the stairs toward the kitchen. Damon and I had refused to come out of his room for dinner, and we were both hungry. He didn’t want to risk seeing either Dean or Susan, so I volunteered to go down and get us something.
I was surprised to find the house dark and quiet. It wasn’t late enough for Dean or Susan to be in bed, and they were usually downstairs watching something on tv. But, I didn’t hear anything coming from the living room, and Susan’s door had been open when I stepped into the hall.
I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, nearly jumping out of my skin when I realized Susan was sitting at the table in the dark, almost waiting for me. Immediately, I looked around the room for Dean as Susan reached over to the wall and turned the light on.
“He’s not here,” she said, knowing he was who I was looking for. I relaxed slightly, but I still was on guard. I didn’t trust Susan like I had before Dean came into the picture, and it wasn’t a lot of trust in the first place.
“I’m sorry about the fight I had with Damon earlier,” she said. “I just want you to know that I only say something because I care. I think you are both wonderful people, and you’re going to grow into beautiful adults one day, but that doesn’t mean that this is the right time for you to be engaged in such behavior with each other.”
“We’re nearly adults now,” I reminded her.
“I know, but you are still so very young. This is one of those things you’re going to have to trust me when I say you’ll understand more when you’re older. But, I don’t want this to get in the way of your school, your college aspirations, Sutton. You’ve been through so much, and you are a fighter. I don’t want you to throw that all away because of the excitement of a relationship.”
I fought a laugh. I didn’t want to work a fight out of Susan, but I also didn’t want her to act like she really cared all that much about the aspirations I had in life. I had long since felt like she often blew me off for her own selfish desires, and to hear her act like she really just cared was almost like a joke.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not going to let Damon distract me from what I want to do with my life.”
I considered telling her that I wanted Damon to be with me forever, but I held that back. The less Susan knew about me, the better, and I intended to keep it that way. Perhaps it was Damon’s influence rubbing off on me, perhaps I was just learning how to do things my way.
Whatever it was, I wanted to start embracing my own decisions and not worry about what Susan had to say about anything I was doing. Damon was right. He could move out if he wanted to. Shoot, I could move out if I wanted to. And if I did, I wouldn’t have to answer to Susan for anything.
So, I was going to start living my life that way now. There was no reason for me to worry about what she thought. I had Damon on my side, and I knew everything would be okay. Susan might not like it, but she was going to have to understand she couldn’t tell us what to do.
And we both knew it.
She seemed to want to say something else, but instead, she chose not to press the matter. She looked down at her phone, and I grabbed some leftovers out of the fridge before heading out of the kitchen without saying another word. This would blow over, and soon enough it would just be the new normal.
I was doing what would make me happy. And being with Damon made me happy.
It was as simple as that.
Chapter 9
Sutton
Though I expected it to happen, I had to admit I was still surprised when the news of me and Damon being officially together spread through the entire school in less than a day. The classrooms were full of gossip, as were the halls between classes, but I still didn’t think Damon and I were important enough students in school for all the other kids to talk about us.
But, once the word got out, it ran through the halls faster than most of the bullying that I’d dealt with had ever spread, though I didn’t mind. I was proud to be with Damon, and I wanted the world to know it.
Susan hadn’t brought it up again since the argument, and Damon never mentioned whether she had said anything else to him or not. I didn’t tell him about the short conversation we’d had in the kitchen when I was getting food. I didn’t want him to hear what she had to say about him holding me back or being any kind of distraction.
I didn’t see him that way, and I was confident in my ability to achieve the success I was hunting for in my life. Damon wasn’t going to stand in the way of that, and I had enough self-control to know I wouldn’t obsess over him to the extent he made it impossible for me to continue pursuing my own goals.
Although I was happier than I had been in quite a while at school, I had to admit that I kept expecting Molly to confront me. She’d been trying to get Damon’s attention for the last month, and though he had made it clear more than once he no longer had any interest in being with her.
I was surprised he even gave her the time of day at all, but I didn’t want to be the same kind of girlfriend to him that Molly had been, so I wasn’t going to make him feel guilty or like he shouldn’t be her friend or talk to her if that’s what he wanted to do.
But, Molly never so much as threw even a snotty glance my way. Though she had to have known about me and Damon going public with our relationship, she seemed far too wrapped up in her own latest romance to pay any sort of attention to what we were doing.
Trent and she had evidently reconnected as well. She was constantly hanging off him, and they didn’t hold back when it came to their public make out sessions in the hall. I wondered how they were able to get away with it when Damon and I had to be so careful.
But then, it was Molly. She could get away with murder and no one would say anything to her. Some people were just like that in life, and she was one of them. And, she knew it, which only made it worse for the rest of us. Then again, without her constantly looking for a way to make my life miserable, I was able to concentrate more on my schoolwork than worry about what she was doing.
“Do you get the impression Molly’s trying to make us jealous with her newfound boytoy?” Damon whispered into my ear on our way to class.
“You, maybe, but I doubt I’m very high on her list of people she would like to make jealous,” I said with a smirk.
“I think she’d do anything to make you feel anything but happy,” Damon said with a shrug. “But the way she seems particularly clingy when we’re around makes me wonder.”
“You’re not jealous, are you?” I asked with a teasing grin. “Because I’m pretty sure you had your chance and you blew it.”
“Darn,” he said, snapping his fingers in mock disappointment. “Guess I’m just going to have to settle for the most beautiful girl in school.”
He put his arm around me and kissed my neck, causing me to blush. Together, we walked up the hall toward the classroom, and I pushed Molly out of the back of my mind. I hoped Trent would be enough of a distraction for her throughout the rest of the schoolyear I didn’t have to worry about her at all.
With Abby leaving, I had enough to worry about. It was hard enough dealing with the problems in my own life, if I didn’t have to wonder what she was doing -or going to do – then I had one less thing on my mind.
But still, I couldn’t help but shake what Damon had said. She certainly was the kind of girl who would do anything to make sure I wasn’t happy with life, even if I had nothing to do with her. I didn’t understand her hatred of me, and I hoped Trent would make her forget some of it.
If anything, just so she would leave me alone. That’s all I wanted from her.
Just le
ave me alone.
I closed my locker, glad it was Friday. I was ready to be done with another week of school, but my heart sank when Molly seemingly appeared out of thin air. She was leaning with her back against the locker next to mine, her books clutched tightly to her chest.
Her eyes stared at me, menacing and cold from beneath heavy makeup, and her black hair hung long and shiny on either side of her face. She reminded me of a vampire, and I immediately wondered how I had screwed up enough for her to grace me with her attention. Whatever it was, I hoped that I’d never do it again. I didn’t care what she had to say, and I was tempted to just walk away.
“I heard about Abby,” she announced.
“What about her?” I asked.
“Her moving,” she said. “I’m sure you already knew.”
“I knew,” I said. “I’ve known for longer than anyone else. I just wasn’t sure if Abby had told anyone yet, and I didn’t want to be the one to spread stories about her.”
“You’re a good friend,” Molly smiled, but I didn’t trust it.
“I know how it feels to have the whole world talking about your business. When you don’t want it to be shared, it really hurts. I wouldn’t do something like that to my best friend,” I said coldly.
Molly’s smile changed someone, and only for a second. But, I had watched her features like a hawk the entire time I spoke, and I knew she was getting my implication.
“I wanted to apologize for what happened between us. I mean, all the things I did to you through the years,” she said. “I want to leave the past in the past and move on. Maybe you and I could be friends again, after all.”
I wanted to laugh and punch her in the face all at the same time. She had been the meanest person in the world to me, and she had been the real sender of the text that I had nearly listened to all those years ago. She had told me to kill myself, and she had told me since then she wished that I had.
She was the one who was behind all the bullying before and now. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to be friends with her. I wasn’t sure I could ever be friends with her even if I wanted to. Even now, all I could think about was that she had to be up to something. There had to be some sort of ulterior motive she was harboring that would come back to haunt me.
And I wasn’t ever going to let my guard down around her, no matter what she said.
“Do you forgive me?” she asked sweetly after a moment of silence.
“Whatever,” I said with a shrug.
“Yay!” she clapped her hands together, but I didn’t join in the sentiment. I felt it was all for show, and wondered who was in the hall that she wanted to make a scene for.
“Is that all?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else.”
“What?” I asked, dreading what was going to come out of her mouth yet.
“Well, I was thinking we should throw a party for Abby. She’s going to be leaving, and she’s been here for so long. I think it’s the least we could do to get her mind off things and let her know she’s not going to be forgotten here. She’s your best friend, after all, and I would really like to see her leave on a good note,” Molly said as she tossed her hair over her shoulder.
I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t trust her, and I hoped this wasn’t some way for her to embarrass Abby before she moved. But, on the other hand, I knew there wasn’t any real issue between the two girls, and it would be unlikely for Molly to take out her angst against me on Abby.
“I want you and Damon to come, and I’m inviting a bunch of other kids too. Everyone loves Abby, so it’s really the least we can do for her, you know?” Molly cocked her head to one side.
“You’re right,” I said. “I’ll tell Damon we’re invited.”
“Great!” Molly clapped her hands together again. “Give me your number so I can text you the details.”
Reluctantly, I gave Molly my cell number before she flounced off, leaving me wondering what just happened. I never thought Molly would ever look in my direction again other than to make fun of me or torture me in some other way. To have her come to me to invite me to a party – and to seem genuinely nice about it – just seemed suspicious.
There was a part of me that wondered if this was some trick that was meant to draw me and Damon into some trap she had planted, so I decided the best thing to do would be to get a hold of Abby as soon as possible to figure out if she knew anything about this party.
Molly didn’t say anything about it being a surprise, so I figured if she was planning it, then she already told Abby about it to find out how long she had to put the party together and when she should have it.
Damon had to work at the board shop after school, so I walked home. Abby had already left, too, needing to get home to help her mother with the packing. But, I figured she’d have time for a quick phone call. I knew she was busy, but I had to find out if there was any merit to this invitation.
I was glad she answered on the second ring.
“Sutton? I’m helping my mom right now, can I call you back?” she asked.
“I just have a quick question for you,” I said. “It won’t take long.”
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Is Molly going to be throwing a party for you?” I asked. “She just came up to me and invited me and Damon, saying that she thought it was the best thing she could do for you since you’ve been here for longer than she has, and she wants you to know that you still matter. I mean, of course you matter, but you know what I mean.”
I felt like an idiot rambling on, but Abby just laughed. “I know what you mean, and yes, she did tell me that she’s going to be throwing a party. I’m glad she invited you, she didn’t say she was or wasn’t, and I didn’t bring you up. I didn’t want to give her the chance to do something mean.”
“I thought that’s what she was doing when she invited me,” I admitted. “But if she invited you, then there must be something more to this, right?”
“I guess,” Abby didn’t sound convinced.
“I really don’t trust her, I’ll just say it out loud,” I said.
“Neither do I,” Abby sighed. “But, it sounds like this is a real thing. And she’s never done anything to me, so I don’t think she’s got some other plan brewing, you know?”
“That’s what I was thinking,” I said.
“Are you going to go?” Abby asked.
“For you, of course,” I replied. “If this is one of the only times I’m going to get to hang out with you before you move, then I’m going to take it.”
“That’s my best friend,” Abby said. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said. We hung up the phone and I sighed as I slipped mine into my backpack. I still had my suspicions about this, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but Abby said it was a legitimate party, and if she was going, then I was going.
I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could before she left, and if I had to deal with Molly to make that happen, then I would put up with it.
Not to mention, Damon would be there, too, and he wouldn’t let anything happen.
This might not be so bad after all.
Chapter 10
Damon
I had to admit, when Sutton told me about the party, I was just about anything but excited. I hadn’t gone to any parties since that pool party the first of the year, and I’d intentionally avoided several that I’d been invited to over the past few months.
Of course, many of the other seniors were more than happy to get away from their parents and get drunk as often as they could, but there were many things that went along with a party I wanted to avoid.
Not only did it bring up memories of the things I used to do at parties – things I wasn’t proud to admit now – but there was a lot of potential for that sort of thing to be around again. I wished I could say when I was younger I didn’t put illegal substances in my body, but I had made mistakes with my life, and I was det
ermined not to make them again.
Now, I didn’t even want to be around that sort of thing, and considering the fact it was Molly, and her parents weren’t nearly as involved in her life as they once were, I had a feeling she could get her hands on just about anything she wanted.
And, I had another fight coming up in just a matter of days. Hopefully, it would be the last fight I’d ever have to do, and I didn’t want some stupid party to mess it up for me. With Molly, it was hard to imagine what she had in store. I’d known her long enough to know it was rare for a party to be just a party for her, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some other ulterior motive she had in the back of her mind.
Especially since she had gone out of her way to apologize and invite Sutton.
“Don’t you think that it’s weird?” I asked. “I mean, I’m not going to tell you the things she said about you when you first moved here, because it really doesn’t matter, but that girl really doesn’t like you.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” Sutton said. “I was the one who endured her hatred for years. I know she doesn’t.”
“Then why are we going do this?” I asked.
“Because it’s for Abby. And Abby herself said that she doesn’t have issues with Molly, so she’s going. I want to spend as much time as I can with her before she moves, you know. There’s not going to be much more time for us to have fun together before everything changes again,” Sutton said.
I wanted to argue with her, but I couldn’t. She was right. There wasn’t a lot of time left for us to all hang out, and though I really didn’t trust Molly and was rather convinced she was cooking up some new scheme, I wasn’t going to let Sutton down, and I certainly wasn’t going to let her go to Molly’s house alone.