Chapter 18

~*~

Melissa

~*~

People are snakes, give them a chance and they'll slither their way around your neck and squeeze.

This town is no different.

I had promised Train and Tristan that I wouldn't dig into their pasts, I'd leave well enough alone.

I hadn't actually thought that someone would go dig around mine.

I should have expected it, prepared for it.

But I was caught as blindsided as most people were.

~•~

(Earlier that day)

I was getting ready, today is the day the townspeople get together.

My father had heard about it and he too said he would join us.

Basically everyone was coming and I was happy for it.

Of course I was told Baker would not be allowed to attend, stupid rules!

But it doesn't matter to me, I would have taken Baker for emotional support. But I didn't need my fury hero to save me, I mean what harm can they do?

I wore a black lace dress, with black stockings and a my Docs.

I didn't wear any makeup, and wore my hair in two braids.

It was simple, and it actually gave the townspeople something to look at.

Happy with what I wore, I headed across the road to Damien's and Leo's house.

"Melly!" Leo exclaimed being the first to see me.

Damien lifted his head from the book he was reading and smiled.

I smiled back, happy despite the feeling that I was in deep, deep unicorn poop.

"Hey guys, wanna go to Krystal's cafe with me?" I asked, wanting to spend time with the two.

I usually only spent time if my brothers were with them. So this time I wanted to invite them brother free.

"Yessssss!" Leo said jumping up "I just need to get my wallet" he said running into the house like a child.

I giggled, Leo was adorable.

"Nice shoes" Damien commented.

"It's a precautionary measure" I say grinning mischievously.

He raised an eyebrow in question "for?"

"For in case I need to kick someone's ass, these are steel tipped you know" Damien chuckled at my answer.

"I don't think the sheriff will appreciate that" he wanted and I shrugged my shoulders.

Since when have i ever cared about consequences.

Once upon an alley, you did the annoying voice in my head answered.

And I frowned. We don't talk about that.

Avoiding it, won't make it disappear. The voice whispered harshly.

Leave it alone! I snapped back.

"You okay?" Damien suddenly asked from in front of me, Leo a step behind him.

They both looked worried.

"I'm fine" I say, even though I knew neither would believe it.

It was the universal language for 'I'm not fine but I don't want you to know that'.

They looked at me for a bit before letting it go.

"Let's go" I say, walking towards Damien's car.

We got in and drove to the cafe in silence.

When we got to the cafe we ordered and joked around.

Telling funny childhood stories, I got to hear quite the stories about my brothers from the two.

"I've got to go to the men's room" Leo suddenly said, scraping his chair back and scurrying away, but not before giving Damien a look.

I narrowed my eyes at Damien after Leo disappeared "what was that about?"

"I've been meaning to get you alone since you got back, this is Leo's way of doing it" he answered

"That doesn't sound creepy at all!" I exclaimed.

Damien chuckled "I just wanted to apologize, for not believing you, even though you confided in me, for blaming you for something that wasn't for me to blame you for"

Damien was sincere in his apology, he meant every word. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes.

But truth be told did he really have something to apologize for?

I know I said I was angry at him, but I had come to realize these past few days that it was myself I was angry with.

I couldn't even be disappointed in Damien as I was with my family.

I didn't know him long enough to have a justification for that emotion.

"Why do you think you should've believed me?" I asked him.

"Because you were telling the truth" Damien answered confidently, but was confused as to why I asked.

"But did you know it to be the truth back then?" I ask another question.

"No... I don't understand what you're getting at!" Damien looked pained.

I smiled sadly "I should never have expected you to believe me, you hadn't even known me for a day, you yourself were told lies that stemmed from my mother, you have nothing to apologize for, because your reaction was warranted and while it sucked it's how it was, besides we already got past that didn't we?"

Damien smiled "we did"

Just then Leo came back, taking his seat and grinning like a fool.

"You both good?" He asked

"We were never not good" I answered.

~•~