Coffee Shop Crush

14

Mary thankfully didn't end up coming over. Damien's phone didn't stop lighting up for an hour before the screen fell dark for the rest of the day. I sigh and fiddle the TV remote in-between my fingers. It was getting dark outside now. The curtain rail creaks as I pull them to, the sun was reaching from behind some low buildings. The sky a fresh red. What was the rhyme? Red sky at night shepherds delight, red skies at morning shepherds warning. Does that mean tomorrow will be a good day. I turn to go turn on the lamp by the TV, I still don't know if shepherds delight means good weather tomorrow or a good day overall. If it's good weather, it'll mean more people at work to deal with. Hope the rhyme is wrong now.

I slowly seat myself on the sofa, trying not to make too much noise while Damien sleeps. I flick through the channels, the quiet mumbles of the voices on the screen melted together. I sigh and put the remote down, I was bored. Scanning the room around me I notice a small bookshelf, already checked, they were cookbooks. I turn to the open kitchen; it looked eerily dark the lamp by the TV didn't seem to want to light up over there. I didn't dare turn on the main light because Damien's room doesn't have a door.

It is cramped in here. I sigh and slump into the sofa, my eyes watching the TV screen. Oh, I put on the news. Surprisingly it was the same reporter from the other day, I thought reporters only do half day? Or was I wrong? I don't really watch the news.

They were talking about the murder again. "There have been no leads of the murder of -" I sit up again and stretch, my ears tingle as I take in a big gasp of air. "The police have been left clueless as there were no traces left at the crime scene."

"You shouldn't watch this." I scream at the voice behind me, an arm reaches for the remote next to me. It was Damien. When the hell did, he get behind me. He scoffs and smiles at me before turning off the telly. "Stay safe the killer could be anyone you know -"

"You scared me man." Damien gently places the remote down and fluffs up my hair with his hand.

"Sorry, guess you didn't hear me while you were yawning."

"I guess not." He smiles and turns on the main light, "Gah! Warn me next time." He says nothing and opens his fridge. Could be anyone huh, "Ha, imagine if you were the killer the police are looking for." Nothing. In fact, the rummaging from the fridge stopped. Wait is he the killer? Why would he react like that?

I stand up and slowly walk over, "Damien?" If he was the killer this is not what I should be doing. I should run away. I peek round the fridge, the thought of him snapping to me and pinning me to the floor with his cold black eyes stabbing into me, yeah that scared me. "Damien?" I ask again.

Oh.

He was just asleep.

His head was resting on the shelf, there was even a pool of drool. I let out a massive sigh and kick myself. Of course he isn't the killer the police are looking for. I mean he's scary sometimes but he just a massive puppy. I lift his arm round my shoulder and help him back to his bed, stumbling down the small hallway. Yeah, he was sleep, he wasn't helping with his weight at all. He is fucking heavy.

I wipe my brow before kneeling to check his head. It was crazy warm. Was that why he woke up? Could also explain why he fell asleep in the cold fridge. My knees crack as I stand up, I wince. They sound loud to me when they crack but I never know if they are loud for others. He doesn't react.

The cold water from the tap felt really nice, course I was feeling it through the tea towel as it soaked up the water. I squeeze out the water, not all, but enough that it was damp. Turn off the tap and head back into Damien's room. Making sure I closed the fridge properly first.

I gasp when I see Damien's eye open watching the doorway. He looked angry; I slowly step forward. His eyes warm up when he realised it was me, letting go of his breath he was holding. His breath was no longer gentle like when he sleeps, sounds like he was struggling. I raise the back of my hand to his forehead, his eye flutter closed once our skin touches. He feels like he has a small fever.

He relaxes his breaths once the towel rests on his forehead. I smile softly. When I try to leave, I feel a tug on the hem of my shirt. I turn around but he's still sleeping. Guess I'm staying here for a bit.

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"Loid." I groan in response and roll over, there was a loud thud as my head connected with the wall. The was a quiet chuckle before he says my name again. I rub my eyes and look up. Damien is kneeling in front of me, he thankfully doesn't look like he has a fever anymore. He strokes the side of my head I just hit, I naturally lean into it, still half asleep. When my eyes gain focus, I look up to see Damien turned away, his spare hand covering his mouth. His face bright red.

"Are you ok?" I yawn, lifting my head of his hand. My head throbbing silently where it hit the wall. He coughs and stands up.

"Yep, um we should get going." I push myself off the floor, I hiss as I stretch out my back. The floor is really uncomfortable. He was avoiding looking at me. I smirk and walk up to him, he notices and backs up, looking a little panicked.

"Are you ok Damien?" His face turns to a shade of red I could only describe as a tomato. With how much he's been blushing at me recently I was starting to think he likes me. I'm loving it. He hits the wall, looking at me wide eye. I stop in front of him, lean really close and laugh before turning out of the room. I hear a big sigh from behind. I can't help but smile.

I look behind me to see him scratching the back of his head. "Hey, you coming?" He jumps and looks toward me nodding, rushing out of his room. I pull out my phone, I had work in an hour. "Are you going into Uni today?" He nods, his face was still red. I laugh, "You look so stupid right now." He sulks and walks past me out of the house. I can't stop laughing.

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"Did he get enough sleep?" I flick off the coffee soap bubbles from my hand before drying them.

"Yup, got a fever in the middle of the night too." Kristine walks up to the side of me and places some trays next to me. I didn't need her to tell me they were hot; I could tell by the sizzle when they touch the wet counter top.

"Is he good now?" I nod now emptying the sink. She sighs in relief before whacking me on the back, "Thanks for taking care of him." I smile and say it was nothing. I think back to last night, when he pulled me to stay next to him. I fell asleep not shortly after, it was warm. I blink rapidly to snap myself out of it, my face felt a bit rosy. What are with these thoughts recently!?

Kristine yelps slightly as the kitchen door slams open, in came Mary. She looks pissed. "Who made Damien go home yesterday!" We don't reply. "I told him to stay and wait! And he wasn't answering his calls!"

"Mary calm down, they're customers here." Mary, not so quietly, shuts the kitchen door.

"I know it was one of you two because the other girls are too scared to speak to him." I notice Kristine was getting mad now, before she even gets to open her mouth to argue back I jump in.

"Maybe it's just because you treat him so poorly." Mary tries to stare me down, but her glare was nothing compared to Damien's. She walks up close to me, inches from my face, I dare not even blink.

"He is my boyfriend; I can treat him how I want." I sneer and step back.

"Bet that did well for you in the past too." She was practically trembling with anger; I was impressed when she just held her breath and stormed out.

Kristine groans and pulls out her phone. "What are you doing?" She smiles weakly.

"Letting dad know Mary is on the loose again." I look at her shocked.

"This isn't the first time?" She chuckles and shakes her head, lifting up her phone to her ear.

"She's only still here because my dad knows her dad." Damn. Kristine walks up to me and pats me on the shoulder, "Surprised you stood up to her like that. Saved me getting mad to be honest, "Oh dad, yeah Mary's gone nuts again." I watch as Kristine excuses herself to go have her call in the washing machine room.

I sigh and pull out my own phone. Better let Damien know Mary's pissed.