Love, Aristotle

chapter 17

Damon

Something wasn't right. I could feel it. She was acting distant again. But I'd ask her about it later, for now, that poem she wrote for me was the only thing I could think about.

It was beautiful. It was her. Spoken from the heart, embedded in words that made my heart stop then beat a thousand times quicker.

She was going places and I hoped she could take me with her.

Then my thoughts backtracked to what she said earlier. Something about going over to that fucker's house. They invited her and her family. I wasn't even going to lie, the guy was perfect. He had it all. I wasn't jealous and I shouldn't be. But I couldn't help but feel a flicker of envy in me. He'd meet her parents, talk to them, get to know them. The thing was, I didn't even care and yet, it made me slightly annoyed because they were probably going to like him. Opposite to how they felt about me.

Andrew had a quiet life, something I didn't. He was safe, I wasn't. Still, I wasn't jealous. I was going to pick her up later and everything would be perfect. Tonight it was her and I, on a date.

Until it wasn't. She was hiding something from me. I desperately needed to know. So I could fix it. Whatever it was. But she wouldn't even talk to me. There was nothing I could do except hold her close and hope that I could make it better. I hoped I was enough.

I stared down at the screen for a few moments, already missing the sound of her voice. Thanks to Banks' presence in my life, I was losing sleep and losing time with her. These past few weeks have been absolute hell. I had races and fights every other night, unable to catch a break. Time was slipping through my fingers. My life was turning to a fate I didn't want to live.

But I called her whenever I could and she'd make the time for me. Throughout everything, she stayed patient, by my side. I owed her tonight and it was going to be perfect.

I couldn't help but think back to the falter in her voice when we spoke on the phone earlier. I just knew, I had to take her away from everything. She was unhappy, and I so desperately wanted to make it go away. And hopefully tonight would ease her mind, take her away from things for a bit. Like she deserved.

It was nothing fancy, a simple movie date. But she loved everything to do with it. From scripts to the productions, actors and actresses, movies to live performances.

Which reminded me that I should buy tickets to see her favourite play soon. We went every year. And it was coming down to late fall, early winter, perfect for the occasion.

I always knew she was meant for the screen. Meant for the spotlight. She was a star, one of a kind, in a sea full of them, finding her path in the universe. I glanced up to the ocean of stars falling above me. Still and quiet, it was so peaceful here.

Only the sound of my heart bearing for her and the gentle breeze surrounding me could be heard. The stars glistened down at me with reason and I wished I knew why they did that. In the dark, they shined brighter than ever. I wanted to know their story. Their reason. Only then could I find mine.

And when I looked closer, I saw her. In a cloud of my future before me, dancing to the rhythm of our heartbeats. There was my reason, as always. Lighting my way through the darkness embedded in me, pulling me into its depths.

She just had to wait a little, wait for me to fix things, to find a way. I could only hope she wouldn't lose herself in the darkness as well. That couldn't happen. I'd do anything to prevent that.

Anything.

That thought lingered as I found myself driving up to her house, parking in front. Her room light was off, meaning either she fell asleep or wasn't home.