That Cliche Waitress

59

KIARA

"KIARA!"

Gulp...

"Did you know?" Damien asked through the window of the car.

"What?" I asked back, believing in my own lie. For a minute, I was actually clueless.

"Dana... my little sister..." His voice cracked. My heart broke.

I had never considered one thing. What if Dana was forced out?

"Damien, what happened? You're freaking me out."

"She's gone, Kiara, gone. They took her again."

"Again?"

"I...I... I gotta go. Get out of the car, Kiara."

"Damien, no you can't just ---"

"Out."

I wasn't going to let him go anywhere without telling me where. What the hell was going on? I think it's time someone filled me in on the truth.

As I reached for the seat belt, Damien opened the door and picked me up from the seat. 

"What are you doing? Wha--"

"Please, just stay here. Don't leave anywhere. I'll be back. Please." Damien pleaded, his eyes were clouded and his tan skin was flustered. I hadn't seen him like this before.

"O..okay. Be careful." I watched as he pulled out of the driveway.

I texted Dina to tell her we would be a little late so she doesn't worry. I went back inside to the living room. I set down on the couch and looked down at my phone. I had left everything else in the car. 

Where had he gone? I had an uneasy feeling that something was wrong or would go wrong. Shaking my head to clear these thoughts, I hoped for both Dana and Damien to be alright. 

"He's going to be fine." I felt Jack's weight as he sat down next to me.

"I'm really worried. He didn't look alright before he left."

"Despite what you've witnessed, Damien loves and adores Dana. He's more protective over her than any of us were. And well after last year... you know? Everything went downhill from there."

"Last year?" I asked, hoping to get some tea.

"Damien should be the one to tell you."

And I had hit another dead end. 

"Jack. Why was everyone furious with Dana? And I'll know if you try to give me some bs. The truth, please. I only want to help."

"Kiara. I can't tell you. It's for your safety. Believe me."

I gave him a light smile. There was nothing he could do. Only Damien could give me the answers I was looking for. Either him or... Dana.

Once Jack left, I rested my head on the arm of the couch and closed my eyes. I needed a quick nap to make the time past.

"You're taking a nap while your fiancee is out dealing with God knows what."

I looked up to see Aunt Lexi. Great. I forgot they were still here and I would have to deal with the new bride remarks.

"He's going to be fine." I smiled, trying to believe my own words.

"You sound confident." 

"I trust him."

"I find it so hard to believe Damien could ever love a girl like you."

"What's so hard to believe? Anyone would fall over for a 'girl like me' Lexi. How old are you again? And still single? Wow." I shook my head in disapproval mocking her just the way she was mocking me. Two can play at this game. 

"Didn't your parents teach you that it's rude to ask a woman her age? Clearly, you weren't raised right."

"My parents died when I was 8 so thanks for reminding me of that painful memory." I glared at Lexi. I hate when people generalized a person's behavior to their family somehow. 

Lexi's face lightened but without a word, she left the room. I checked my phone to see if I had missed any calls from anyone, particularly Damien. 

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"Damien! He loves me!" I heard yelling from the entrance. 

Upon hearing Damien's deep, raspy voice, I jumped out of my seat.

"Did you tell him? I thought you'd understand Kiara!" Dana walked up to me, pointing her finger in my direction.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know about anything." I played along, hoping she caught on that I had tried to protect her.

Then my eyes landed on Damien. His hair was disheveled and his shirt was no longer in the ironed proper way it was when he had left. 

I walked up to him, "Are you okay?"

"Kiara, tell me one thing.

Did you know?"