Love, Aristotle

chapter 13

Damon

I sat across from her, feeling way better than I did when I woke up this morning, after yet another nightmare. Nothing could be better than being here with her.

It had been a week and I was hellbent on making it up to her. I planned on keeping my promise, even when that fucker, Banks, kept testing me.

"Why don't you bring your girl tonight, huh?" he had the audacity to say, to my face. I wasn't bringing her anywhere near that bitch. He didn't deserve to be in her presence.

The night was ours, nothing less.

I couldn't help but stare at her as she spoke, unaware of everything else. "... I'm starting my first class tomorrow. Literally can't wait. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."

"I think I can help with that."

She made a face, shooting me an eye roll, "I'll be fine, thank you. Macy came back and is demanding back rubs and treats."

Macy had a tendency of wandering around outside for a questionable amount of time and coming back whenever she pleased. "What about me?"

"What about you?"

I ignored her, "You're here with me are you not? Means something."

"Well, I didn't have much of a choice. Did I?"

I lifted my shoulder nonchalantly, "Guess not." I wasn't ashamed of taking her out, without warning. I planned on keeping my promises.

A waiter came by and placed our orders in front of us. "Thank you," Ari said, smiling politely. When he left, she turned to me, "I'm so hungry, I haven't eaten anything since lunch."

My lips twitched, "Nervous?"

With the shake of her head, she picked up the fork and poked at her pasta. I knew better, she was lying. There it was again, that distant look in her eyes. It was bothering her again, and I didn't like it.

She caught me staring and plastered another smile on her face, "This place is really good." Just like that, I brushed off the feeling. I wanted tonight to be perfect. After that shit I did to her, she deserved nothing less.

It truly surprised me that despite that, she chose to stay with me. Three years of putting up with me and she fell in love. And just like that, I hoped she would stay. It had to be her and I, stuck in this infinite moment of forever. She saw the good in me, and for that, I refused to let the darkness win.

I was at war constantly, even now. But the anger dulled down when I was with her. I found solace in her presence. She was the only thing in this world that kept me alive. As I fell to pieces, she was the one keeping me sane, the love of my life. The light in her guided me through the darkness. A wave of tranquility drifted over the storm that raged on, here and in my mind. And she was so unaware of it all.

I hummed in response, losing myself in the sound of her voice, her eyes. Drowning in her presence.

A small frown pulled at her eyebrows, she knew something was up. But didn't press. Instead, she switched the topic and told me about this party she was invited to.

"Halloween is this friday, remember? You said you'd go with me." Shit. Friday. "It's okay if you can't! I can just got with my friends-"

"I'll try," I said.

Parties weren't her thing, nor were they mine but it must mean something to her since she actually wanted to go.

"Or we could do something else. Maybe watch a horror movie, eat all the candy in the world. Go trick or treating with my sister." she paused, sipping on her drink, "Her friends ditched her and already made plans to hang out without her."