Before We Say Goodbye

Chapter Twelve: What Did I Do?

Chapter Twelve - Damon

I don’t know why she got so worked up.

I don’t know why I didn’t chase her.

I wish I did.

I’m such a prick, I think to myself bitterly.

“Where’s Sophie gone?” Mum asks, entering the living room. “I didn’t hear her leave…”

She sets down a plate of sandwiches on the coffee table.

“Yeah. She kind of…had to run.”

Did she have to?

“Are you okay, Damon, sweetie?”

I stand up. “No! No, I’m not okay! Of course I’m not! I have this great ugly scar on my face and everyone thinks I’m some sort of freaking alien who they have to hide their children from! Am I supposed to be okay with that?”

“Oh, baby.”

Mum sits down on the sofa next to where I was sitting, and pats the space next to her.

“Sit down,” she orders.

I do so.

“Right, Damon, first things first. I won’t have that sort of language under my roof,” she says casually.

I feel like laughing. That’s what she notices? Of all things, my language?

“And now, more importantly, when I asked if you were okay, I didn’t mean that. Obviously you’re not okay…I’d be worried if you were. Damon, it’s fine to feel scared, and angry, and generally annoyed at the world. It’s only natural. But people don’t think you’re an alien! And let’s be honest, if they do, they’re narrow minded twats. At least the people who matter are fine with you. And Sophie, she seemed to like you. A lot, if you get my gist. Which proves that not everyone judges you by what you look like. Everyone is beautiful. Everyone is special. It’s all about perception. And if people ever – I mean ever – look at you and decide that you’re not good enough just because you look a certain way, I promise to forgive you if you punch them.”

I can’t listen to her. I know she’s only trying to understand but it’s not working. I stand up, flashing her a smile. It doesn’t reach my eyes, I know. But still. It’s better than nothing. Right?

Right.

Mum smiles back, pleased with herself. She thinks she given me some gems of wisdom. She has, in a way. The gist of her speech did make me feel better. It’s just, I hate it when people act like they know.

Like Soph –

Enough with thinking about her already!

But Mum’s right. Sophie’s one of the people who was good enough not to just judge me. I can’t hate her, because she gave me a chance. So I’m going to try and start things over with us.

First off, I’m going to call up and say sorry for whatever it is that made her so upset.

I go upstairs, up to my room, and grab my phone, punching her name in the search box in my contacts list, and finding her name.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Seven rings. She doesn’t pick up, so I leave a message.

“Hey, Sophie. It’s Damon. Look, I’m really sorry for upsetting you. I don’t know what it is I said, but I’m sorry. If you want to…you know, talk…I’ll listen. But I’m not very good with all that emotional stuff, just to warn you. Okay, so yeah. I just wanted to say sorry.”