Dalia: College Days

Part Three: Damien Aquilla

“I told you no Ray! I’m not coming to your car, and I don’t want your stupid cat stuff.” Aracelia didn’t turn around, she only stared ahead of her, tears brimming the bottom of her eyes as they began to sting. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone?

“Ray? Who’s Ray?” A voice, softer than the angry man she had seen just minutes before, came from behind her. The man seemed to shuffle uneasily, taking a small step backward. Aracelia whipped around and sprung at him, arms fastening quickly over his neck.

“Damien!” Aracelia exclaimed, breathing in the musky air that surrounded the familiar man. He snaked his arms over her waist and held her close.

“Hey Lia.” Damien breathed out heavily, debating pulling away from the closer interaction.

“What the hell are you doing here?” It was Aracelia who pulled her head back, glancing up at Damiens face, which was twisted in slight relief and confusion.

“A little birdy told me you wouldn’t be going home for the holidays, so I thought I’d swing around.” Damien grinned slightly, taking a step backwards now as Aracelia released her grip from his neck.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Aracelia nodded quickly.

“I'm sure you are, this Ray guy seems to be giving you a little bit of trouble.” His face shifted into a more serious look now, although it still looked a little bit goofy for a guy who was always joking around.

“Oh, yeah. He’s this guy that sort of been up my ass recently. He’s sort of… creepy?” Aracelia frowned, reaching a hand to scratch her head. Damiens gaze hardened significantly, he shook his head.

“Fucking weirdo.” Damien grumbled, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. Aracelia couldn’t help but chuckle.

“How did you find me anyway? Sort of weird you know the exact place I work and when I  get off.” Aracelia arched her brow, amused by Damien’s sudden appearance.

“I had a little bit of help.” Damien raised a thumb to the large window, cocking it into the direction of Andre, who peaked out from the side of the window, a large smile working over his face.

“Oh my god, you didn’t.” Aracelia turned to Andre, slowly shaking her head at him as he giggled and teetered away. Damien chuckled, leaning his shoulder against the pane of glass, and glancing down to Aracelia.

“How are you, Lia?” Damien surveyed her, it had been such a while since they’d seen each other. He could easily detect each of the changes that seemed to form over her over the past year, but she still looked the same in his eyes. She was as pretty as ever to say the least, her eyes still held that little glimmer that gave him butterflies everytime he looked into them. Speaking of her eyes, he was too busy getting lost in them to take in anything she had said to him.

“Damien?” Aracelia cocked her head to the side, breaking his direct contact with her gaze. He shook his head, clearing his mind, before turning back to her.

“Ah, shit, sorry.” Damien’s lips curled back into a grin, eyeing her.

“Tired?”

“Not really.”

“Where yah staying?”

“My car.”

“Shit Damien, you can’t spend the cold winter nights in your car.” Aracelia shook her head, reaching out to tug at the varsity jacket that hung over his shoulders, “There's no way this is keeping you warm.”

Damien snickered, “I’m literally the all-powerful Damien, I could survive naked in the cold winter nights.”

“Oh please, as cocky as ever.” Aracelia shot him an unamused look, and turned on her heels, starting off. Damien cocked a brow and began to follow, trudging through the snow.

“Where yah going?” Damien questioned.

“Back to my dorm, and you’re coming.” Aracelia sounded sure of herself as she traveled on, Damien following behind her at a rapid pace.

“Lia, I can’t do that. There's no way your dorm managers would allow that, I gotta go back to my car.” Damien insisted, shaking his head as Aracelia didn’t respond. The pair walked on in silence, after the threat of the creeper ‘Ray’, Damien wasn’t so sure he could leave Aracelia alone, at some point this guy was going to come back around. As they arrived at Aracelia’s building, she slid her keycard from her pocket and placed it onto the keypad. After a moment the door unlocked and they both slid in. Without hesitation, Aracelia started down the hallway, merrily on her way back home after a long couple hours at work. Damien followed slowly behind her, surveying his new surroundings as he went. It was safe to say he was cautious. Aracelia stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, with Damien tumbling straight into her, he was able to keep them both up straight.

“No fucking way.” Aracelia stared ahead of her, to a tall figure that loomed outside of one of the doors. A bag was clasped in the person's hand, swaying as he turned to look over at Aracelia.

“Is that?”

ANOTHER SPOOKY CLIFFHANGER??