Opal Waters | ✔

Chapter 20

Dinner seemed to go by smoother than I had expected. Everyone seemed happy with their meal, and they all enjoyed it while chatting with their friends. I watch them carefully, my mind confused at how they can spend so much time with the same people and never seem to get sick of each other. Was it something about being a mermaid they just had a higher tolerance for ignorance, and over saturation of the same personality?

My heart sank as the idea of dinner ending came into my mind. My body begins trembling, my back aching just at the thought of having to clean up everyone's plates for them. From the people who didn't eat a damn thing on their plate, to those who licked it clean. Damien and I would have to get started on the dishes soon.

I ignored the mindless chatter as I finished up the last few bites of my very own food. Pulling the plate from the table I excused myself and head towards the kitchen. Throwing my plate in the sink I decided it was the best time to get started on it before the masses came rushing in with their dirty utensils.

I quickly flipped on the sink filling the left side with bubbles and warm water. Once that was finished I brought my attention to the right, filling it with fresh clean water to rinse the plates once they had been scrubbed. Grabbing a few rags out of the cupboards I begin to lay them out on the counter. Soon this would be a madhouse and it would be better to get a head start while I still could.

Damien was the next to enter the kitchen, he placed the plate gently on the counter before wrapping his arms around me. His hot breath wafts over my face as shivers run down my spine.

"You don't need to do this, I'll do it all so you can go relax," He whispers still holding me as I dip the first plate in the water and begin scrubbing it.

"That's not going to happen," I smiled. It was sweet that he had wanted to take care of me like that, but I would never allow him to just do all of the work. It didn't feel right. I continued to work on the dishes for another moment before Damien pulled away. He grabbed a few plates scraping the excess contents on them into the trash then stacking them in a nice neat pile so I could grab them. We did this for what felt like an hour but had actually only been thirty minutes before one of us spoke.

"I'm sorry, about earlier," I mumbled, focused on the dish in my hand. It was nearly perfect. Damien shook his head, using a rag to now dry off the dishes stacked nicely on the other side of the sink. Students were filtering in to place their plates by the sink one by one and as they did Damien would prep them for washing. Jumping back and forth between prepping and drying as he helped me finish up the chores.

"What are you even apologizing for?" Damien's voice was gruff, and he waited until no one was in the kitchen. We must have had nearly everyone's plates already as the line of people slowed tremendously.

The chores never bothered me, it was nice to have someone to help you with it, especially if it was someone like Damien who was doing the work of three people. My heart thudded in my chest as I grabbed one of the last plates. I was ready to be done with this.

"Opal," Damien clicked his tongue as if he was trying to get my attention. Like saying my name wasn't going to be enough. I turned on my heel to look at him as he runs a dry cloth over the dishes. Nodding my head to inform him that I heard him. "Are you okay?" He questions, placing the plate on the table he rests his hands against the counter top, placing all of his weight on the granite surface.

"Yeah, I'm fine," No I wasn't fine, my brain was in twelve places at once and I wasn't sure how to fix it. My heart wanted to stay with Damien or to bring him with me, but my body and mind knew I needed to leave. The pressure of my plan working was getting stronger and I felt my body preparing for the journey. I shook my head turning to look at his bright green eyes.

"Then what are you apologizing for," I stopped for a moment holding the plate still in my hand. I hadn't remembered apologizing to him. My heart racing as I tried to remember everything I had said. Dropping the plate into the water I quickly wiped my hands off before rubbing my forehead. I had apologized, the words hit me like a ton of bricks. What had I done that for?

"Uhh," I stumbled over my thoughts realizing the longer I was here the more I was losing who I was and what I needed to do. Time was ticking and I needed to get packing. I'd have to come up with a scheme to get away from the commune. "I guess for pressing you so much earlier for not knowing what your powers were," I lied. I still needed to know what his powers were. If they were useful I'd have to convince him to come with me. To help protect me and keep me alive.

He wouldn't budge though. For some reason, he had no desire to learn what his magical abilities were and that drove me crazy.

"Don't apologize, if you are interested we can go work on figuring out what they are tonight," He shrugged his shoulders before getting back to work on his jobs. I paused for a moment to search his face. It wasn't tense or full of pain. He was being serious, he had broken down to what I wanted and he was going to do just as I had said.

"That would be great,"