Stained

Chapter 157

Halfway into eating and talking about nonsense, Sarah's fork suddenly clangs against the plate. "What's going on between you and Damien?"

Her words catch me off guard. My eyes fly up to Sarah's scarily calm face. Thank god I just finished chewing because I would have choked.

"W-what?" How does she know about Damien?

"Sarah," Hannah warns.

Sarah glances at Hannah then back to me and her expression instantly turns apologetic. "I'm sorry, I tried to keep it suppressed, at least until we were at my place. But ever since that bitch opened her big ass gob my mind won't stop coming up with horrible scenarios and I need- I need you to reassure me now or else I will combust." She forces a laugh and makes a brain exploding gesture with her hands. "Literally all sloppy gooey brain goo all over your expensive pasta. And gorgeous dress. Which I got for you."

I had completely forgotten about Olivia's remark. Had thrown it to the back of my mind with the rest of her cruel words to dwell on later.

I stare at Sarah with my lips parted. Unsure and shocked and confused, but most of all, desperate.

I need more time.

"First of all," Hannah begins. "I'm offended for Hazel. Your instant thought of it being Damien is incredibly insulting. Secondly, it could be Dariel. He's sweet and caring and more of what Hazels type would be."

I almost contradict Hannah. Damien is sweet and caring. He was caring toward her too once. And I'm certain there were more times she's unaware of. He just cares discreetly.

Sarah doesn't bat an eye as she nonchalantly shrugs. "He's an addict."

I blanch. Those words couldn't have left Sarah's mouth. I have to be hearing things. I know Sarah's heart and she is not cruel enough to outwardly judge someone for an illness like addiction.

Hannah's face contorts with rage, letting me know it might be true. "So, what? That makes him undeserving of love?"

"Love!" Sarah's eyes bulge, horrified and she smacks a hand against the table, close to me. "You love Damien?"

I flinch again from both the movement and the harsh tone of her voice. She's furious, her cheeks bright red.

I wildly shake my head, suddenly afraid and surprisingly not by my feelings toward Damien but the anger constricted into every inch of Sarah's features. 

"Sarah calm the fuck down," Hannah growls under her breath.

"How do you expect me to calm down when my best friend loves a horrible person. Was one not enough?"

Hannah jerks back a little and the anger on her face grows tenfold more but this time it's to hide the pain Sarah's words have caused. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't act oblivious, Hannah." Sarah releases a humourless scoff. "They're horrible people. All fucking three of them! They're cruel heartless fucking bastards."

"Shut the fuck up! I will accept shit about Hayden and Damien but I won't against Dariel."

Sarah looks like Hannah just slapped her across the face. She swiftly returns to the anger, making me wonder if I imagined the shift. "You're letting your love for him blind you."

"He hasn't done anything wrong!" Hannah's voice comes out as a whine.

"You've heard the rumours. I know you have."

"Most of those rumours were made by Rhett to get to Hayden."

"And what about the kid?"

Hannah pauses then sternly shakes her head. "He didn't know," she half whispers.

"Bull-fucking-shit."

"He's not like that. He wouldn't purposely sell drugs to a kid. Especially not when it was done with him. That kid had a fucking fake id on him. He thought he was nineteen, not fifteen when he sold it to him." Hannah's eyes turn glassy. "He was too high to think logically. But even then he wouldn't."

Swallowing hard, Sarah rolls her eyes as she turns them on me. Her blue eyes are colder than I've ever seen them.

"Leave her the fuck alone, she doesn't need to tell you jack shit," Hannah snaps before Sarah can get so much as a word out.

Sarah ignores her. "Just tell me why. Why him? Why is he your first love? What made him so fucking deserving of it?" Her voice cracks a little and I'm unable to understand if it's from rage or pain.