Stained

Chapter 131

I know it's him without looking back because the feeling of his touch has been stained into my skin. Into my heart.

I hesitantly look over my shoulder at the hand in mine, then up at the source. His lips part, as if to say something but no words come out.

"Hazel?" Hannah calls.

"Don't go with her," Damien finally speaks, his eyes imploring and full of so much emotion my heart skips a beat. Could he feel the same as I do for him? Is that why he stopped me? To tell me he loves me too?

'Don't be ridiculous.'

I know I shouldn't but I ignore the voice. And I know I promised myself I wouldn't but as I look into those ocean blue-greens it's like I don't have a choice.

'The number of times you've done that and ended up regretting it...'

"Damien?" Hayden asks, bewildered by his brother's sudden words like the rest of us.

Hannah let's go of me and steps in between me and Damien, making him let go of me.

"And why's that?" Hannah asks authoritatively.

Damien ignores Hannah and looks over her head at me. I know I should lower my gaze to hide my eyes but I just can't. It's like his eyes have captured mine. 

"Hello, I'm talking to you?" Hannah clicks her fingers in Damien's face to catch his attention.

It works and he looks down at her with so much malice I have to do a double-take.

"And I'm not talking to you," Damien refutes bringing his gaze back to mine. "You okay?" His tone is so gentle, for a second I wonder if the same person was talking to Hannah two seconds ago.

"I..." My voices comes out croaky from crying so much in one day. I clear my throat before continuing. "I'm fine."

Damien scoffs shaking his head. "You're lying," he declares before looking back down at Hannah. "This is the second time Ro-Hazels left the bathroom with you with bloodshot fucking eyes. If you can't be a good friend to her then leave her the fuck alone." Damien's tone rises with each word.

I blanch. He thinks Hannah made me cry? So this entire time I was panicking thinking he knew I cried because of him for no reason? 

But that doesn't matter right now. He's blaming Hannah for something she didn't do. Today.

Yesterday was an accident. But in the past, I've also said some hurtful things too. But it's a part of human nature. We're not robots that never make mistakes. Yes, we sometimes mistakenly say and do things that hurt others but it's in the heat of the moment. It doesn't make anyone a bad person, as long as they regret it and apologise, and Hannah has, multiple times and she's not one to apologise easily.

"She didn't do anything." I walk up to Damiens side but he doesn't seem to notice my presence, his angry eyes all too fixated on Hannah whose watching him like a lion would its prey.

Hannah and Hayden just broke up, she doesn't need Damien accusing her of something she didn't do when I know she's barely keeping it together right now.

She might act all tough and untouchable on the outside but on the inside, she's as soft and delicate as a feather. Her strong exterior is just a shield.

"You think I made my best friend cry?" Hannahs tone is dangerously calm.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Damien retorts.