Hooked on love

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

We’ve been sitting in complete silence for 10 minutes, does he think I have all night? I’m tapping my finger on my elbow, losing patience. He takes a deep breath and wipes his hands on his knees, he seems nervous, is this Damien guy that bad?
 I stand up and push my chair in, I’m fed up of sitting in silence, if I want to do this I’d rather go home and sit in my room. He glances at me and grabs my wrists still looking down, why won’t he look at me? “Please don’t leave,” he says in a sad tone. I hate that he has this much control over me, I yank my hand back and sit back down.
“How much did Cassie tell you? He said. “What’s that got to do with who Damien is?” I snap back, it sounded a lot nastier than I wanted it to be, but my patience is wearing thin. I need answers.
“I just need to know what she’s told you, just tell me!” It seems he hasn’t got patience either. “All she knows is that he’s called Damien and that you and Kyle know him.”
“Right well-“ I cut him off, “and that you and him apparently went abroad for 6 years working with your dad.” He looks confused for a second, then his expression changes like he’s just realised something. “So, where do you want me to start? Damien or the 6 year gap?” It didn’t take long for me to decide, “Damien.”
“Fine, keep an open mind okay?” I roll me eyes, “fine.”

“So I’m high school, I used to always get into trouble. Which meant seeing the head teacher, detention etc. Every time I got sent to detention there was this guy in the corner of the class on his own, and due to me not having many friends I easily made friends with him. He was the year above me so I looked up to him. He was nice, very talkative and before I knew it, we became best friends along with Kyle.” He stops and looks at me to see if I’m still listening, I nod. He continues, “a couple of weeks pass and this guy slowly started to change, he’d come into school covered in cuts and bruises, mainly on his knuckles. He was an angry guy, so the school always sent him home not knowing what to do with him, I got worried and went to see him and his house. He wasn’t impressed when he opened the door.”

 “The family consisted of him, a younger brother which was a year below me, making him in your year, and his dad – who wasn’t a pleasant man. Eventually I got all the information I needed and figured out that he was going to paid fighting clubs at night.” I cut in, “paid fighting clubs? Aren’t those illegal?” He nods, I don’t like where this is going.
 He showed us where you find these fights and how to fight too. Kyle enjoyed it, and I did to an extent but it got too much, so I enjoyed watching instead…” My stomach clenches, I feel sick. I don’t know if I want to carry on. “Months later and he left high school, leaving us behind. He promised when he finished that we could meet again, and being a 16 year old with the same family circumstances, it was enough to give us hope. After we left, he disappeared. He had killed his own dad and gone into hiding.” My blood runs cold, “That’s Damien isn’t it? How could he do that?” I squeeze my hands together. “Yes. His dad beat him and his younger brother, I didn’t blame him at the time but now I think differently.” Cassie is lucky to have gotten away then. “What happened to his brother? I don’t recall any people in my year, I hated it.” Just thinking about it almost causes a full frontal panic attack.
 “Luca, he lived with me and sometimes with Kyle. We tried to keep him out of harm’s way but he took after his brother.” Luca? Wait. “Luca Cooke?” He lowers his eyes slowly nodding. “Jackson, he died at 15!” My pulse elevates, how did I not click? I shouldn’t be here. Jackson continues, “He kept on going to these fights and one day a fight went too far, and he died. So me and Kyle went to see my mum in America.”
“For 6 years?”
“More or less, yes. We had to get out and make new lies, plus Damien was out there, he would have never believed us!” He looks so hurt and helpless, I have the urge to hug him. “Maybe if you told him what you just told me, he might listen.” He shakes his head, “even you don’t believe that. Look at Cassie, Ava.” ‘What you take from me, I take from you.’ - ‘Warn Jackson!’ repeats in my mind until it clicks, “he blames you two doesn’t he? That’s why he hit Cassie and warned you isn’t it?!” I’m beyond scared, Cassie was right, I need to leave Jackson otherwise I will get hurt. Jackson’s body sags in defeat, and tears form in his eyes which causes my heart to ache even more. I can’t leave him like this. He’s been through so much and actually opened up to me, I don’t think I have it in me to leave him now, I’m sorry Cassie.
 I get up and put my hand on his cheek lifting his head so he looks at me. “I love you, Jackson Morris.” His mouth opens, taking in a sharp breath. “As much as I want to run for the hills and never see you again, I can’t.” He looks away letting out his breath, “Ava, I can’t let you get hurt. Not now I know Damien is around, if you got hurt because of me I don’t know what I’d do and-“ I put my finger over his lips muting him. “I don’t care, I would rather learn what it feels like to burn that feel nothing at all.”
 He gives up and places his hands on my thighs under my bum, lifting me so my legs wrap around his waist. He stares into my eyes unravelling me until I’m bare. I’m his, forever and always, and he is mine, until eternity. He leans in and kisses me hard like he needs me, wants me - I want him to take me. I kiss him back giving him everything. He slowly stops and brushes his lips against mine whispering, “I love you too, Ava Wood.” With those words, I come undone. It’s all I’ve wanted to hear since I picked up my first book, my fairy tale has taken flight, soaring high.
 I smile and whisper, “take me upstairs.”
If it isn’t meant to be, I’ll make it be.