Phenomenal

26 ~ Save Me

"Don't!" she shouted the second Damien caught her arms, her hands locking onto his arms, nails digging in without her even noticing and Damien stopped moving, looking down at her.

"Sorry," he said gently, slowly releasing her arms but not pulling away, just letting Clarissa's nails dig in. "Are you ok?"

"Why are you here?" she snapped, her grip tightening.

"Miffy came to get me."

The statement threw her so completely she let go, staring at him in confusion. "Miffy?" she copied, looking past Damien as the cat trotted into the room, hopping up onto the dresser and curling up in her cat bed. She looked at Damien.

"I just got back, she was meowing at the door," Damien explained, slowly sinking onto the edge of the bed while Clarissa's attention was on the cat. "I was worried so I came to check on you, the door was left open... what's wrong?"

Clarissa looked at him. "You need to leave," she said.

"You don't want me here?"

"You need to leave. Brett will find out you're here. He won't like you being in my room."

Damien nodded slightly, watching her as her muscles slowly wound tighter and tighter. "Brett finding out we hang out together has never stopped you before."

"No, this is different. You need to go. It makes him angry. I shouldn't be doing things he doesn't like."

"What will he do if he finds out?"

"He thinks we're sleeping together, I don't want him thinking that."

"I'm sorry he thinks that, I can tell him we're not. We're just friends."

"No, he won't believe you. It's my fault for being friends with another man."

"You're friends with lots of men."

"He gets mad."

"There's nothing wrong with being friends with them."

"I shouldn't do it though," Clarissa said, her hands sliding to the back of her neck.

Damien watched her, then leant forwards slightly. "Does your neck hurt?"

"I think I turned it strangely, nothing to bother with."

"Can I look?"

"There's nothing to see."

"Just to feel for a strain, that's all," Damien said, "please? Just to put my mind at ease."

Clarissa curled away from him.

"He won't know, I promise," Damien said gently. Clarissa didn't answer him and he held back a sigh, looking around. "Shall I go find Charlotte?"

"No!" Clarissa said too quickly, "No, don't bother her. She's with Adam at the moment."

"Then can I look at your neck?" Clarissa glared at him and he leant forwards. "I just want to look, I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know you're not," she muttered, looking away.

Damien hit the button on the bedside lamp and pushed her hair out of the way before she could protest again, shifting over so he was beside her, crossing his legs and gently pushing her forwards so he could see all the back of her neck.

There was bruising on either side of her neck. Very light but starting to darken. Four on one side, one of the other. He knew what caused it without needing to ask. He wasn't going to ask either, she wouldn't tell him, she was too freaked out at that moment, nothing like the girl he'd said 'see you later' to a few hours ago when he'd gone out trick-or-treating with his family.