One Last Rose

Chapter 15 - Peace

Keith's pov

After a week the breakdown we shared was still fresh in my memory. It had been a weird week, with lots of sudden hugs and texts. Slowly we both felt better and things started to get back to normal. 

Thanksgiving was coming soon and Damon and his parents invited me and my mom over. And since we were celebrating Thanksgiving with just the two of us so that we didn't have to choose between my grandparents, we happily accepted the invitation. 

It was on a Wednesday when I wanted to take a bite from my cereal but got interupted by the doorbell. My mom, who had been a great support the past week, gave me a strange look when I stood up mirroring hers. 

When I opened the door there was nobody there until Damon jumped from the side and startled me. I jumped back almost slamming the door in his face. While I just watched him with my eyes wide and a heart beating faster than it should he laughed so hard I was worried he'd wake up the whole neighbourhood. 

"You shoud... have seen... your face!" He pushed the words out between waves of laughter. His laugh was intoxicatin and soon I was laughing along, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him inside. 

"Goodmorning Damon." My mom greeted him with an amused smile. "Goodmorning Claire." He managed to say before erupting in giggles again. My mom and I shared a look while Damon joined us at the breakfast table. 

"I'm sorry." He said after calming down. "I should explain my presence." Before me and my mom could tell him he was always welcome etcetera, he started talking again. 

"I'm taking you to school. It's too cold to walk now and I don't mind leaving earlier to pick you up. And you can't decline." He said and with that he took away all my reasons for declining. 

"Okay." I said somewhat surprised by his sudden gesture. He smiled in triumph at me and watched when I quickly finished breakfast. Because we were going by car we had some time left after breakfast, so we talked with my mom who had finally gotten a day off. 

"Now it's time to leave." Damon said watching the time. I kissed my mom on the cheek and she wished the both of us a good day. Soon we were both sitting in Damon's car, or rather his mother's car and buckled up. 

He started the engine and while took off. I watched as he stirred the wheel with skilled hands. His eyes were mostly on the road, but sometimes he glanced at me and shot me a smile. Oh his smile, how it made my knees weak and my heart flutter. 

Way too soon we reached the school's parking lot. But instead of getting out, he stayed and I followed his example. He quickly checked all sides and in a swift move he leaned over and kissed me on my cheek. A smile crept to my face as we both got out of the car and rushed towards the entrance. 

When I was done by my locker I went to his. He was talking to Luke, Jason and Bruce. I approached them. Damon told me they were nice and that it would be fun if I joined them in a conversation sometimes. So I gathered my mood before I came close enough to hear what they were saying. 

"Hey." I said hoping it sounded more confident than I felt. "Hey Keith." Damon greeted me with the biggest smile. "Sup." Luke said and shot me a quick smile. Jason and Bruce mumbled something I couldn't hear, but I just assumed it was some kind of greeting. 

We conversed about Thanksgiving and the Holidays that would follow in the month after until the bell rang, meaning we all had to go to our classes. "Why don't you both join us for lunch break?" Luke said before walking away with Jason and Bruce.

"Being social isn't that bad, right?" Damon asked while we walked to out class. I shrugged, not knowing how I was supposed to react. Talking to them was like walking on a balance cord, I was scared to make a bad move.