Damaged

Chapter Six

“Confession is always weakness. The grave soul keeps its own secrets, and takes its own punishment in silence.” - Dorothy Dix

ANNA

“You’ve got to go back some time.” Dante says. We’ve just had lunch and yes, okay, I admit it, I’m hiding from everyone. “No I don’t…” I tell him moodily, hiding my face in his pillows. We’re now in his and Bryan’s room. Bryan’s out jogging which leaves his room free, so Dante’s spread out on Bryan’s bed and I’m on his. “I can just go home or something.” I laugh at the stupidity of that proposal. “No, you’re not hiding out, no way. We’re gonna get you back in there, you’re gonna get some clothes, and then we’ll go out, that’s fine.”
“Go out where?” I ask, narrowing my eyes and pondering the thought. “I dunno, there’s like a movie theatre in the town centre, or there’s a bowling club. We could get a bunch of us to go bowling. Or… We could just… Go on our own.” He shrugs, shifting awkwardly on the bed. “What?” I prop myself up on my elbow. “Like a date you mean?” He smirks and blushes bashfully, making me laugh at the cuteness of his reaction. “Yeah okay, a movie sounds good though, I suck at bowling.”
“Oh you do? Well maybe that’s a good idea then.” The pair of us laughs just as Bryan opens the door. “Stuart’s willing to take you back, if you’re ready?” He proposes. “I thought it’d be better if I took you, so that no one starts any trouble if they see you two together.” Stuart shrugs bashfully in the doorway. “He was too chicken to come check you weren’t busy.” Bryan shrugs as I look at him questioningly. My cheeks blush profoundly as I quickly get to my feet off the bed. “Sounds like a good idea,” I say to Stuart as I slip into my heels and get my purse. “I’ll be back in about a half hour,” I tell Dante as Bryan lingers in the doorway. I clear my throat, the awkward silence bothering my more than it should. “Wow, okay, bye.”

DANTE

I narrow my eyes at Bryan as Stuart and Anna leave the caravan. “What was all that about?” I ask him conversationally, moving onto my bed to let him sit down on his. “Look, I don’t know what your game is, but you can’t fuck with Anna.” I look at him blankly, taken aback by his choice of words. “Excuse me?”
“I mean it, Dante, you don’t mess with her, she isn’t one of your girls you can just play around with. Shit with Anna is for real, you’ve gotta be in it one hundred and ten percent, all or nothing.”
“Look, Bryan, I don’t know what this is all about, but I’m not planning on playing Anna, I care about her okay? In fact, probably more than what I should… She’s a challenge, and she’s special… I know she isn’t like any other girl I’ve been with, she’s important… She’s fragile… That’s why I’m fighting for her.” He nods his head. “Good, keep fighting. Cause I know how she feels about you. Maybe, I know more about her feelings than she does, but I know her and I know how she feels about people, it’s a gift of being one of her closest friends. Sophie’s a bitch for saying what she did last night, but she above all people will be able to tell Anna’s feelings for you. In fact, she knows because Anna’s probably told her… The point is is that Anna isn’t someone to be messed with, and if you hurt her… Then you’ll have Hell to pay.” I nod my head, accepting the threat loud and clear and understanding his reasons behind the threat. “I understand, Bryan, I do… But I don’t intend to hurt Anna… I only want to help her.”
“Help her?” He echoes, narrowing his eyes as if to discover what it is I really know about Anna. “I know that Anna has a past… I know she’s been hurt a lot, and I want to help her overcome that. She acts as if she’s over it, she acts as if it doesn’t bother her… But over the past few days I’ve got to know her and I can tell she hasn’t recovered from her past… Her eyes hold an intensity that’s way beyond a normal teenager’s.” Bryan nods his head in agreement. “That’s right, and the last any one of us wants is that intensity to deepen.”
“Well, I’ll take it on as my personal goal to make sure it never does.” Bryan clamps a rough hand down on my shoulder. “I admire you bro, and if anyone can do it, you can.”
“Thanks man.” We give each other a rough slap on the back before he leaves the room, allowing me to change into clean clothes. But what he said about Anna… The way he said it… The passion in his voice was more than a passion you have for one of your friends… He has feelings for Anna. Deep feelings I don’t think he’s allowed himself to admit to. He cares about her more than he cares about his twin. And that is saying something. He took Anna’s side over Sophie’s. I’m pleased that he did it, but the rule is that you back your blood before you back your bros. I’m proud that he had the balls to turn against his family and support Anna. Because she needs it.