Starr Marie
"Hey guys," I say as Chris, Lee, Leah, and O stands before me and Damon.
No one says a thing.
I felt myself shrinking in their gaze. I left them without out a word and in Chris case, with a lie. I'm Me being a girl who they just let come into their lives only to leave them without a word, is honestly selfish of me.
There was an act of quietness for what felt like hours, but it's only been a minute. I look at the floor as they don't make a sound. I didn't want to see the disappointment on their faces, though that's not what I was receiving.
Their expressions were just emotionless. And I hated every minute. The look in their eyes no longer had stars in them. They were plain. And I was just there, taking in the heat that they were about to fire me with.
Then all of a sudden they burst out laughing.
What?
"I've missed you," Leah says bringing me into a hug. I hug her back as she smiles. "If you needed a break... you could have told me. I've been wanting to go to Jamaica for a while now."
I smile. "I'll be sure to let you know when I want a real vacation."
She dropped the hug and Lee takes her place. He had the same expression he always had. Calm and neutral. "It's been annoying with Leah being the only girl." I laugh at his roast against Leah.
"Hey," She calls out. "It was at one point that I didn't like you."
I laugh as they step to the side arguing about whose better. O takes a step forward, "Now you see what we've been dealing with." He brings me into a hug. One that was longer than the others, "You've also seen how much of a pussy Damon is."
Looking at Damon as he stands next to me. Damon rolls his eyes, "You can't even spell pussy."
O points at Damon as he looks at me, "Sometimes you have to know when to tone this guy out. He could be very sensitive about small shit ."
I nod my head because I have too realized from our last extreme argument that he doesn't not do well with feelings or talking. "I'll keep that in mind."
O steps to the side and asks Damon to talk about something. Leaving just Chris and I in the living room area. I was afraid that he would be mad at me—So afraid that I couldn't make complete eye contact with him.
"No inspiring metaphors?" I joke but Chris doesn't smile or even move.
"You know I—," I cut him off before he tells me what I assume what he thinks about me lying and leaving.
"I'm sorry," He just looks at me. "... I'm sorry that I lied about what was going on with me and Damon. I'm sorry that I lied about where I was going. And I'm sorry that I left you behind," He stands before me not loosing eye contact.
I continue. "Sometimes when I feel like I'm alone, not needed, or hurt, I leave the people I care about the most behind. I did it to Dimmy and now I've done it to you," He still has yet to say anything as I pause waiting for a response in some form. "I understand if you don't want to talk to me right now or if you're mad at me. I just want you to know that I am extremely sorry for what I've done. It must not be easy for you especially because we've been getting so close...." My voice drifts off as I think about the friendship we could've had. "... but, I'll do anything to pick off where we left off."
He still stands before me with no emotion. Then within seconds he pulls me into a comforting hug. "Don't do that again. Anything could have happened to you."
I drop into his hug, becoming less tense and more thankful that he doesn't hate me. Just as I thought my hug with O was long, this one was longer. It lasted until we both felt like we were ready to pull away.
Then again, he looks at me. Almost as if he was trying to figure me out. "I'm not mad at you. I was just afraid of what could've happened to you."
"I understand," I reply back. "I'll never lie to you again."
We look at each other. I was thankful for someone who cared so much about me. At one point I thought I didn't have that, but now I know that it's possible.
"You're not trying to steal my girl are you?" Damon calls out walking from the kitchen.
I laugh at the fact that he would think Chris out of all people would do something like that.
"Why would you even say that," Chris says expressing annoyance. "I'd like to not get with a girl I see as my sister."
Damon laughs at Chris expression, "Just checking." Damon then turns his attention to me. "Knowing that your pretty little head of yours always stay thinking... I wouldn't be surprised if you had plans already," He taps my temple.
"I have a great idea," I smile at his touch. "And I'm well aware that someone won't be happy."
"Is that someone me?" Damon ask ready to hear what I have to say.
"Actually, no," I turn to look at Chris. "Since it's my birthday and I get to pick what I want... I want Chris to make me those cookies he used to bring me when I was recovering and I—,"
Chris cuts me off. "—I'm off duty."
I glare at Chris because he cuts me off and he doesn't want to make me cookies. "I'm going to be gone for god knows how long and you won't make me cookies?" He playfully rolls his eyes, though I take it as an insult. "They're probably store bought anyways."
It's my plan to make him want to compete.
Chris immediately gets defensive. "I make the best cookies in this house. No, actually better than anyone in the city of New York."
I egg him on. "I wouldn't say that. I mean I think Orlando had some mad good chocolate chip cookies."
"Yeah we'll see about that," He rolls his eyes. "The fact that you willingly connect the word 'store' and 'baking' in one sentence is disrespectful."
My plan to make him bake cookies for me...success.
He storms out of the living room towards the kitchen. "My cookies are better than his. He's a fucking beginner in cooking." He disappears into the kitchen as both Damon and I laugh at his reaction.
"It's literally so easy to trick guys," I joke with Damon.
He brings his hands through his hair. "How?"
"Most guys hate to look weak, bad, or unskilled," Damon nods his head in agreement. "So if a girl challenge a guy or call them out, they would do everything in their power to show that they are not what others claim them to be. I think it's a man's instinct to be superior."
A offensive expression comes over his face. "And maybe that's the problem."
I frown. "What is?"
"There's a difference between the guys you know versus me," I watch his tongue slide across his bottom lip, only to hide behind his pearly white teeth. He takes a step forward letting those desired feeling eyes hold onto mine. "I'm not a 'guy'. Amore, I'm a man."
I laugh. "Of course you are. But even men can't handle women who could have potentially more than them or they'll feel less than." I shrug my shoulders. "As an assumption, I think men feel the need to feel superior because of the stereotypes people plant in everyone's minds."
Damon squints his eyes. "I understand your reasoning. However, I illustrate myself different from other men." He crossed his arms. "The highest level of attraction that any woman could withhold is humbled superiority. I like my women to be above other men and women, but is humble enough to be content at where she is," He pause taking a step towards me. "I like a woman who could walk into a room and not notice others are staring at her because she doesn't focus on the materialistic things," He explains.
Staring up into his eyes as he stood over me, I couldn't help but love the way he view things. And the way he knows what he wants.
I found it interesting how he explained to me all that he wants in a woman. The description was perfect. The only imperfection it had... it didn't describe me.
Swallowing the slightest bit of dejection, I speak up before he could finish, "You have a ex or something? Because I can't think of any of that being a trait of mine or any woman I've ever met." I try to joke even though the thought worried me.
"That's another trait I love in a woman," Damon taps his pointing finger on his lips. "One who doesn't realize the great things about herself. She's oblivious to her beauty."
I frown. "Wouldn't that just promote insecurities?"
He shakes his head. "No. In a few cases... it could. But if she's all the other things I described her to be, then it'll be another attribute of modesty. It'll promote a level of stability, where she is content and humbled."
I watch the wheels turn in his head as the thought of his dream woman made him smile. He stood there, possibly staring through me. I stood there wondering what exactly he was trying to inform me.
Shifting my weight to my right foot, I star him in his hazel eyes. "She sounds amazing," I say awkwardly, not knowing my next words. "I can't help but wonder how you could take all of those aspects and put it into one woman. Wouldn't that be... um I don't know—impossible?"
Damon shakes his head. "Lacking a imagination would perhaps be— impossible. But a woman being everything I envisioned her to be is art. A blessing."
I sigh. "Well when you find that woman... It'll then be luck. There's so many women in this world, finding her would only be the slight issue."
Damon smiles, putting his left hand around my waist, while the other cuffs my cheek, slightly wrapping around my neck. "I found her, she just doesn't realize it yet."
"A little word of advice..." I say in a whisper. "Tell this mysterious girl. I don't think holding that kind of information from her would benefit either of you." I drop my head down, realizing that I was in the position that another woman should be held in.
I take a step to the left, walking around Damon in defeat.
We've been put into an awkward situation, and now I should be the one to get us out of it. I bit my lip, trying to calm myself from crying or showing slight sadness.
I was used to defeat. It was apart of my life. A daily routine. As unhealthy as it sounds, I just lived with it. It became easy... everyone knew it.
And before I got a chance to process my next move, Damon pulls my arm, landing me in the position of standing against his chest.
"I think I just told her," He smirks.
My heart drops to the floor. His stare was long and my lack of communication was longer. He drops his eyes to my lips.
"Speechless?" He questions me.
"I— um," I say not knowing what to say.
As I expected, he connects our lips. They were soft and warm amongst mine. I felt myself falling into the kiss as he kissed me passionately, with less care in the world. His left hand rises up my back as he pulls us closer.
I couldn't help but smile in the middle of the kiss.
I missed this Damon. One who didn't care that others seen the affection he displayed towards me. It was so nice to have him be himself. Himself around everyone. Himself with me.
He later breaks the kiss.
Gaining the courage to look at him, I look up into his hazel eyes only to see happiness. He smiled at me in a beautiful way. And the mood I was in, I smiled back almost before my mind could process what had just happened.
Then he opens his mouth to say these words.
"I love you."
——————————————————————————
Everyone is happy to see Starr. Was Chris to easy or hard on her?
Who else wants to taste Chris famous cookies?
What do you think about Damon saying "I love you"?
A/ Thank you for reading chapter 47. See you in the next chapter <3
Thoughts?
Vote!