Black Damask

I got up late, and was still running around like a crazy person trying to finish getting ready when I heard the doorbell ring. “Hang on,” I called. I pulled my jacket on before hurrying to the door. When I saw Devin there waiting, I couldn't keep myself from smiling. “Oh hey Dev, let me just grab my bag and we can head off yeah?” I said.

“Yeah” he replied as I went into the kitchen where I’d set my bag down. I closed and locked the door before following Devin to his car.

“You like AFI?” Anna asked in disbelief when Love Like Winter started playing.

“Of course! One of my most favourite bands, why? Do you like them?” Dev asked.

“Shit yeah!” I said grinning. We were blasting AFI through the car speakers not caring what people thought of us.

“Are we going in there?” I asked when we parked in front of a nice café.

“Kind of… We’re getting food then I’m taking you to one of my most favorite places,” he said getting out of the car. I was impressed. I had been expecting us to go somewhere and walk around for a while. If Dev’s already taking me to his favorite place on our second day of knowing each other, then he’s obviously put some thought into this date. Not a date, outing. Night. Whatever this was.

“So what do you want?” Dev asked as we were looking at the menu.

“Um I’ll have a jelly slice and I’ll go grab a diet Pepsi” I answered. I heard him ordering for me while I got a bottle out of the fridge. Was he going to pay for me too? Damn, this guy was not making it easy not to like him. Devin got a drink of his own while the cashier started ringing up our food. I recognized the look she was giving me. I’d seen this chick around school and knew there was going to be trouble with her. “Oh and I would love it if you stopped giving her glares” Dev said to her when he set his drink by mine on the counter.

“That comes up to $7.38” the girl snarled at us, Dev gave her the money and grabbed our stuff heading out towards the door.

“Are you okay?” I asked, resting my hand on Dev’s shoulder. I could tell something was bothering him.

“Yeah I’m fine, I just don’t want people hating you because of me” he said looking down.

“I don’t care if people hate me here, nothing they do can change me,” I said. People like that are everywhere. I’d learned to deal with them. Kind of. What I’d told the guys about moving so often because of Mom was partially true. I couldn't exactly tell my new friends that I’d moved so often because I was kicked out of several schools for fighting.

I was confused when Dev came to a stop at an abandoned park bench. “How come we’re here?” I asked, taking a seat.

“I thought I would show you my spot where I go when I want to get away from people,” Devin said, taking a seat next to me. We sat there in a comfortable silence eating our slices and drinking our drinks peacefully.

“This is nice” I said, breaking the silence.

“It is,” Dev replied.

It was so peaceful here. I leaned my head on Devin’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re one of my close friends Devin” I said sighing. Fuck. I wanted to be with him, but I couldn't let myself get my hopes up. There was no way he would be interested in me. It didn't help when I felt Dev rest his head on mine. We sat in silence for a while like that.

“I guess we should head home,” Dev said after a while. “We don’t want to be out after curfew.” I nodded in agreement. The ride home was quiet, other than the music, but it was a comfortable kind of quiet. “I had a good night,” he said as I unlocked my front door.

I nodded in agreement. “Thanks for everything. I guess I’ll see you in the morning then?” I was surprised when Devin pulled me into a hug. Not that I was complaining. I watched Devin back out of the driveway before locking the door behind me. He really wasn't making it easy not to like him.

The next few days, a lot changed. I became closer friends with the rest of the guys. I usually walked with at least one of them between classes. Angelo came by more often than any of the others, but Devin was the only one to take me out a few more times.

I knew the trouble with the girl from the café was going to come soon, but I hadn't expected it to come as soon as it did. I was walking down the hall to meet Chris and Ricky when she walked past. “Whore,” she hissed at me. “Hey, are you deaf? I just called you a whore!” she said louder when I didn't respond.

I turned around to face her. “I heard you. I just thought you were talking to yourself.” Apparently that wasn't the response she was expecting. I saw her raise her hand to slap me and grabbed her wrist just in time. I could tell instantly that I was stronger than her, and apparently the only one who really knew how to fight. I could hear people yelling something about a fight, but didn't stop. Neither did she.

Suddenly I felt someone pull me back. “Anna, calm down, it’s me” Ricky said when I tried to break free.

“Why am I not surprised that your boyfriends came to save your ass?” the chick snarled, fighting her friends holding her back. I felt Ricky’s grip tighten as I tried to break free when she said that. “Why are you trying so hard to get away? Afraid to admit you've been fucking all of them since you got here?”

“At least I won’t give them some disease,” I snapped. “Besides, if I was going out with Devin, I wouldn't cheat on him. Especially with his best friends.” I felt Ricky pull me back when we heard the principal coming.

“This way,” I heard Chris say, leading Ricky out of the hall, still pulling me. The two led me off school grounds before Ricky let me go. Unfortunately, they cornered me so I couldn't go anywhere. “So, what’s this about you being with Devin?” Shit, did I say that out loud?