Puppy Dog Eyes

Love

Third Person POV

"Open the damn door!"

Lylah jolts in her spot at the banging on the door. She stood and paced back and forth in front of the door, arguing with herself on whether or not to let him in. 

"Lylah... please."

She wiped her tears and unlocked the door to face him.

He rushed in at the click of the lock and noticed her makeup smeared from tears. "Whatever you did, you tell me to my face."

A tear slipped from one eye as she looked up at him. Her chest felt tight and her right hand gripped the phone tightly. "I'm going to do the right thing."

He eyes the phone in her hand. "Lylah... what does that mean?"

"I- Damon I'm not a good person, I messed up big time and I'm so sorry." Her voice cracks as he slowly steps closer.

"Lylah-"

"Don't come any closer, I might hurt you too! Just stop!" Her hand pushes at his chest for distance.

"Just take a deep breath and tell me what's going on, who did you hurt?"

"Joaquin and Damien. It's all my fault! I did all of it! I'm calling the cops and fixing what I can. I'm so sorry Damon."

He stood still for a moment soaking in her confusing words. What the hell did she mean it was her fault? His jaw locked in place as he snatched her by her collar. "What the fuck did you do! Why would you keep this from me!"

"I think I'm the reason Joaquin killed himself, after that fight-"

"You aren't the reason he did that, Joaquin was on drugs! Did you tell him to kill himself?"

"Well no but what if- wait you knew about the drugs?"

"Then it's not your fault, besides even if you did I doubt he'd listen to a highschooler. Obviously I figured out about the drugs he was my best friend."

Even though Damon was making a lot of sense, something was off. He was too calm about it all of a sudden. He released her collar and started pacing back and forth in front of her.

"Well even if- I still killed your brother. I didn't know he was your brother until it was too late but I still need to be punished for that!"

"Oh yeah how do you think you killed him?" Damon scoffs with an eye roll.

"I... I stabbed him."

Damon stops pacing the floor and looks down at her shaking form. "Why?"

"Damon, are you being serious? I just told you I'm responsible for your brother's death, it doesn't matter why-"

"Dammit Lylah just fucking answer me! I know you wouldn't just kill him for no reason, tell me! If you say you killed him then you owe me that!" A few strained tears filled and fell down his cheek.

To say she was too stunned to speak would be putting it lightly.

Why is he not strangling her right now?

"No, I don't want to ruin your last memory of him."

"Lylah I'm not mourning the man if he's done something. Tell me. Now."

"He- we used to date. He let his friends... um touch me. He just watched as they violated me, getting off on it. I told him if he ever came near me again I'd kill him." Lylah fell to her knees with her arms wrapped around herself, phone still clutched tight and feeling heavy in her hand.

Damon just stared at her sobbing for a moment. None of this felt real. He had a crazy decision to make. He got down on one knee and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lylah, hand me the phone."

"What?" She looked up through blurry lashes.

"We'll figure this out together."

"Why are you being so calm about this? You should be screaming- scream at me!" She pushes at the arm on her shoulder.

"I'm not losing another person! You're all I have left! So... sorry but I'm not letting you go to jail, call me selfish I don't fucking care anymore I'm tired of being alone!" His neck veins popped as he finally broke and yelled at her.

"How can you even trust me after this?"

"We take it one day at a time because I fucking love you." His head hits her shoulder to cry again. "I know I shouldn't but I do, alright?"

"Damon... I can't let you get involved with my mistakes, if they find out you knew..."

"I don't care woman! What part about that don't you understand!"

Lylah sighed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She realized she ruined him. The Damon she first met would have no problem turning her in. The Damon she was holding now was a broken boy with no one left to care for him besides his parents and it was her fault.

"Damien deserved what he got. I knew deep down he wouldn't change." Damon sniffed and fisted her shirt.

"Don't say that, he's your brother. You don't mean that."

"I do. I'm done grieving. He's done nothing but hurt people."

Lylah kept her mouth closed.

"I'm gonna do everything I can to protect you, whether you deserve it or not. I love you and I'm gonna be selfish so don't try to stop me. This conversation does not leave this house, do you understand me?"

Her heart was racing, thoughts swimming in her head. Was he just as crazy as her or was he desperate? Why was he helping her! She was scared to ask again.

Something was definitely off. She hadn't predicted this at all.

"I ... I understand."