Crossroads

I sighed as I made my way to school the next day with a cigarette placed in between my lips. I felt bad for the way I’d reacted to Brendon, what could I really have expected from him he did, after all, live in a different country. I took another deep breath of smoke before exhaling it, reminding myself that I only had another four weeks before the summer holidays.

I quickly put out my cigarette as I neared the school and pulled my tic-tac’s and perfume out of my bag to cover the smell. Just as I was putting my things in my bag an unfamiliar voice from behind me spoke up.

“Hey, sorry. Do you have a lighter I could borrow?” I turned around to find a tall guy with dark hair, brown eyes and snake bites. His hood was pulled up even though the sun was out and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky and his hands were shoved deeply into the pockets of his baggy jeans.

“Yeah sure.” I smiled as I pulled out my lighter and handed it to him. He pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket and took one out before offering me one.

“Nah I just finished one.” I shook my head but he raised his eyebrows.

“Oh come on you look like you could use another, besides it’s the least I could do for letting me use your lighter.” he smiled cockily back and I bit my lip, his smile was almost intoxicating. I reached out and pulled one from the packet before he used my lighter to light both his cigarette and mine.

“Damien.” he nodded as he handed my lighter back to me before sticking his hand out in front of him.

“Kamryn, but everyone calls me Kam.” I replied as I took his hand and shook it. “So are you new here or what?” I asked as we turned and continued walking towards the school but at a very slow pace.

“Yeah actually, me and my brother just moved here from New York like four days ago so we’ve been getting everything sorted out and stuff.”

“You moved here with just your brother?” I asked and he nodded in reply. “Yeah my parents are off rediscovering life somewhere in Europe so the most we get from them is a check every so often to pay the bills and for food.”

“I know what you mean.” he gave me a look and I continued. “My mom did the same six years ago but I don’t know where she went. I’d say I lived with my dad but he’s always working so its pretty much just lil’ old me.”

“Cool. At least now I know I’ll fit in around here.” he smirked as we both took raised our cigarettes to our mouths and breathed in at the same time. We both put out our cigarettes and I reached into my bag and pulled out my tic-tac’s and perfume again. After squirting myself with the perfume I ate a tic-tac and offered him the tub to help himself.

“Take it your friends don’t know you smoke?” he laughed, sending involuntary shivers up my spine.

“No.” he nodded, showing he wouldn’t tell and then we made our way towards the benches I usually met up with all the other guys at.

“Kam, who’s this?” asked Brian defensively as his brow creased and he stood up, his expression looking both unsure and defensive. Jimmy, Johnny and Leana appeared just as he was asking and they all looked at me, waiting for the answer.

“This is Damien, he just moved here with his brother from New York. Damien this is Brian, Jimmy, Jimmy’s girlfriend Leana and Johnny.” he nodded in recognition but Brian and the rest of the guys didn’t look to happy for him to be there. Leana looked unsure.

“Oh look there’s Matt and Zacky.” smirked Jimmy as he pulled Leana down to sit next to him. I turned around and sure enough Zack and Matt were walking towards us, both of them sizing Damien up as they threw their bags down.

“Matt, Zacky, this is Kamryn’s new friend Damien. He just moved here from New York.” explained Johnny without taking his eyes off of Damien once. Both of them joined in with glaring at the new addition.

“Anyways I should probably go pick up my timetable and shit from the office.” nodded Damien after another few seconds of awkwardness.

“Oh right, well I’ll take you then.” I smiled and he nodded his head before waving to the rest of the guys. As we were walking away I turned around and saw they were all watching us leave and shook my head.

What if this was the reason Brendon didn’t want to be with me, people make long distance relationships work all the time. Maybe he was just too intimidated by my friends to give it a try.