Stained

Chapter 36

It's a sketch... of me. I rub my eyes in case I'm imagining it but when I open them again and bring the page up close to my face I realise I'm not, it is me. It can't be though. It has to be someone who looks like me, right?

My lips are parted slightly, my eyes wide, head titled back as if I'm looking up at something. With a jolt, I realise he's sketched me looking up....at him.

Why would Damien sketch me? I should be creeped out, but surprisingly I'm not. It's so realistic. I'm in awe of his skill. But why me? I'm not pretty or attractive. In high school guys used to say I'm flatter than an ironing board.

Shaking my head at myself, I place the paper back on the dresser, tuck it under where it must have fallen from.

Tugging the hem of the hoodie down, I leave the bedroom, pretending I didn't just see a sketch of me.

Damien's sitting on the sofa, wearing black wool shorts with a black shirt. The food is out in front of him and he seems to be browsing Netflix.

When I shut the bedroom door, Damien turns his head in my direction and instantly does a double-take, surprise widening his eyes as they travel down the length of me, freezing on my bare legs.

He stares at me, unblinking. I shudder, the intensity of his gaze sending electricity through me, raising goosebumps along every inch of exposed and unexposed skin.

He's not touching me though. I thought this only happens when he's touching me? 

He clears his throat, looks away. I finally regain my senses — stop being a statue and approach him. The heated floor feels nice under my bare feet.

"The trousers didn't fit," I inform him, embarrassed.

I think I see his eyes flash to my non-existent hips.

I eye the sofa, circumspectly. He notices and moves to the other end. I take that as my cue to sit down but I try keeping as much distance between him and me as possible.

Suddenly I don't care about the distance because sitting down has caused the hoodie to ride up my thighs, exposing my crotch area. I attempt pulling it over my knees but it bounces back to the top of my thighs.

I don't give up. Being so exposed makes me extremely uncomfortable and I won't be able to rest, let alone eat until it's at least mid-thigh again.

"Here."

I look to my left at the sound of Damien's voice. But find he's not sitting next to me but standing before me, holding out a blanket.

My lips part, surprised. I didn't even hear him get up to get one.

"Thank you," I mumble, embarrassment flushing my cheeks as I take the blanket out of his grasp. I wonder how crazy I looked to him, frantically pulling the hoodie over my knees.

Relieved, I splay the blanket out across my lap.

I feel a strange urge to explain myself to him. I don't want him thinking I'm scared of him, it's just my body that can't stand being exposed. It's another thing on my long list of things I have no control over when it comes to my body.

I watch him scoop up almost all of the chow mein and place it onto my plate already full of salt and pepper wings and chips.

I gape at his plate, it hardly has anything on it. "Damien, that's too much."

"Just eat it." He places the plate on my lap.

"I won't be able to eat all that." I don't want to waste food, especially since he's given himself less than me.

I wait for him to take some food off my plate, or a response but receive nothing. He grabs his plate, slumps back on the sofa and digs into his food.

Okay then. I guess he's not going to respond so I might as well eat. The last thing I want to be is annoying.

"If you want to watch something, you can," he gestures to the remote on the table with his fork.

"I left my glasses in the bathroom. I'm nearsighted," I hurry to add, placing my plate on the table ready to go and get them.

"Where are they, I'll go get them." He moves to get up but I place my hand on his leg, stopping him. "No, it's fine. I'll get them. You've done enough for me already."

He eyes my hand on his leg then me.

I pull my hand away lightning-fast and stand up. I forget about the blanket and it drops to the ground. Muttering a quick apology, I retrieve the blanket and place it on the couch.

Looking anywhere but at him, I point an awkward finger over my shoulder. "I... I'm gonna go and get them." My cheeks scorch hot as I whip around and move toward his bedroom, forcing my legs to not run and make a bigger fool out of me. However, I can't help pulling the hoodie down until I'm safely behind the door. 

I get my glasses along with my phone which I left on the washbasin. I realise my plain black panties were out in the open on the radiator so I place them behind my hoodie so he doesn't see them.

I don't know why but I sort my wet hair out. I never use a hairdryer, it's too much effort especially with how long my hair is so I just let it air dry. I've never dyed it so it's always been super healthy, thankfully.

Once I emerge from the bedroom Damien turns to me and stops chewing, but then as if catching himself he averts his gaze.

My phone buzzes in my hand as I'm nearing the couch. I check the screen and freeze. Hannah wrote:

'Bitch ur mum just rang my mum's phone to ask if ur at our house. Luckily my mum left her phone in my room and I answered it. I've covered for u but pleaseeee let me know ur okay and not sleeping out on the streets, I'm worried. And I hope ur not mad at me. Seriously if I drove I would have come to u in a heartbeat.'

I can't believe I forgot to text her to let her know my mum would be ringing. But I'm so glad she covered for me.

"You okay?"

I jolt at the sound of Damien's voice.

I swiftly compose myself and nod my head yes. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I quickly respond to Hannahs message. 'Thank you so much! I promise I'm not sleeping on the streets. And I'm not mad at you, I love you!'

I sit down next to Damien and grab the remote. He already has Netflix up so I browse through it. But I struggle to pick something.

Probably because I hardly watch movies and read books all the time.

I place the remote between Damien and me on the sofa, sigh loudly. "I can't decide," I shrug.

He picks it up and turns on Power. I've heard about the show, and Alayna has begged me multiple times to watch it but I never got around to doing it.

I grab my plate and start eating as the episode continues from a random spot.

I'm drinking water when a couple starts getting naked. Like naked naked. I begin choking on my water.