Stained

Chapter 139

Damien usually wears converses. I look up, my heart skipping a beat at the chance of it being him but it isn't, it's Dariel.

I try my best not to convey my disappointment by plastering a big smile on my face. I've been avoiding Damien like the plague in college, but our earlier encounter seems to have rekindled the flame in my heart.

"Is Hannah downstairs?" Dariels voice snaps me out of my head.

I wordlessly nod my head yes.

"Were you on your way upstairs to pack her stuff?"

"No, I left a box there, she needs it to finish packing downstairs."

"Oh. If you don't mind, could you give me five minutes alone with her?" He says it very gently like he's afraid of offending me.

It didn't but I'm afraid of agreeing. I left her alone once and I feel so guilty for it. I suck my lower lip in my mouth, contemplatively.

He raises a brow when I don't respond. "Is that a yes?" He drawls.

"Is it okay if I ask her first?" I feel a need to explain myself. "I left her alone before when she didn't want me to that's why."

He doesn't look like he minds and it eases the weight off my chest. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Thanks." I turn around and carefully descend the few steps.

"Hannah?" I call out.

She spins around. "Wow, that was qui..." she trails off, narrows her eyes down at my hands. "Uhh, where's the box?"

Crap the box. I completely forgot about it. I'm about to respond but Dariel speaks up before I can, "could I talk to you? Alone." He casually strides over to Hannah.

Hannah's eyebrows soar up her forehead. "If your version of talking is you trying to convince me to get back with your brother —." She chucks a comic onto the table. "—I don't want to hear it."

"Naa it's something else, mums life." He grabs a random comic off the shelf and passes it to her.

She grabs it, checks it, then places it back on the shelf. "And what's that?"

Dariel gives Hannah a pleading look and she rolls her eyes, sighing. "Ugh, fine." She looks at me. "You don't mind, do you?"

I shake my head. "No, it's fine." I throw a thumb over my shoulder. "I need to get the box anyways."

"Thanks!" Dariel shouts to me as I'm walking away.

I return the gratitude with a small smile but he's already engrossed in a conversation with Hannah. He probably caught a glimpse of it, I reassure myself. I don't want him thinking I ignored it because I didn't want to do it. I really don't mind. So should I go clear things up with him?

Okay, I may be overthinking the situation into something it's not. I can clarify later, once he's done with the conversation if it bothers my conscious so much.

Once I've climbed the staircase, I'm out of breath. I reach a hand out to open the door but promptly realise Hayden and Damien are inside and drop it.