Chapter 15 - Maria

(Maria POV)

**Flashback**

"He barely comes out of his room now." I heard Damian's mom say as I walked to the bathroom, only to hide behind the wall and peer around the corner. "I don't know what to do anymore."

She said as she sighed and ran her left hand through her hair and propped her right elbow on the counter.

"I think I lost my son." I watched her place her head in her hands as she said sobbed and cried. My mother moved from behind the counter in the kitchen to Damian's mother and held her.

"Don't cry Emily, everything is going to be okay. He's just going through some things right now. It's his first heartbreak and the loss of his best friend."

My mother rubbed her back and softly spoke to her, "I'm sure all he needs is a friend, Maria could talk to him and be his friend if you'd like."

Damian's mom lifted her head and wiped her eyes.

"Really?" she said as she sniffled and hiccuped while resembling the face of a child who had just lost their favorite toy.

"Please, Please, do that. She can come over anytime." His mother said as she grabbed my mother's hands desperately and nodded her head frantically.

My mom turned her head towards me and motioned for me to come over. "Maria come here and meet Damian's mom." I sucked in a breath shocked that she even had seen me and made my way over to Emily pretty quickly.

I slowly put my arm around her and hugged her. She quickly wrapped her arms around me, "Will you be Damian's friend?"

I was aware of who Damian was but I didn't know him, however, I knew what it felt like to not have a friend. I also knew that his mother had to be desperate to come to my mom and plea and cry as she did.

"Of course, I can come by today and talk to him." I held her tighter and looked down at her. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head at her while masking my uncertainty. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I smiled at her and mouthed 'you're welcome.'

***

After saying goodbye to my mother I headed towards Damian's house. I knocked on the door and met the eyes of Emily.

She smiled at me and grabbed me into a big hug, "He's upstairs." I nodded and headed up the stairs.

"Uh, Maria, it's the second door to the right." She said while pointing to the right and looking at me.

I nodded and turned back around and headed towards the top of the stairs. I counted until I reached the second door on the right and then I stopped. I stared at the door for a little while and then I finally got the courage to knock.

"What do you wan-.." Damian stopped and stared at me without finishing his question.

"I'm Mari-." He raised his hand to silence me,

"Yeah, I know who you are."

He looked me up and down twice and then pushed the door wider.

"Come in." I stared at him waiting for him to move. I guess he didn't take my hint because he stayed glued to the spot.

"I said come in." I nodded my head and walked past him making sure I left enough space in between us. I was almost passed him completely, but he reached his hand out and grabbed my wrist.

"Just to let you know I bite."

I stopped and turned to look at him,

"I bite back," I said and then I continued walking in the room. He let out a laugh and took his hand off of my wrist and closed the door.

"I think I'm going to like you," Damian said while shaking his head and smiling.

**End of Flashback**

I ran my fingers through my hair and stared at myself in the mirror. Never in my life have my gray eyes been this unrecognizable. My eyes resembled that of a waterfall, a sad, lonely, flowing waterfall that just wouldn't stop.

The memories were the worst of them all and no matter what I tried to do they just wouldn't stop. How could he not notice my feelings for him and the love that I have for him?

It's so obvious, even his best friend noticed my feelings for him. I shook my head and grabbed it while preparing for the headache that was coming. I slid down on the floor and propped my knees against my chest.

My breathing was fast and my heartbeat kept increasing, I knew what it was but I didn't know how to stop it. Sometimes they came in my sleep and other times my dreams or flashbacks triggered it.

After my panic attacked stopped and I calmed down I walked over to the mirror again, but this time I was smiling.

"Today is going to be a good day Maria, today you will accomplish something if not nothing."

I nodded and turned on the shower. I needed to hurry up if I was going to catch Damian and David.

I rushed and got myself together as fast as I could and ran outside to search for Damian and David. After searching for what seemed like forever I came across David, but for some reason, it seemed like he was trying to avoid me.

"Hey, David. Wait up!" I yelled as I tried to chase after him but instead of turning around his pace increased.

Instead of screaming back at him and telling him to slow down I increased my speed and ran after him.

There were so many alleys he ran through but I figured it was just to lose me and for a minute he almost did.

I decided to fake him out at his own game and make him think he lost me just to appear at the other end of the alley

. "Boo," I said as I grabbed a hold of his shirt.

"Why the hell are you running from me and where the hell is Damian?"

I grabbed his shirt tighter and looked him in the eyes.

"Tell m-."

"Okay, okay," David said as he lifted his hands up.

"Just let me go." I nodded and quickly released my grip on his shirt.

He placed his hands on his knees while breathing heavily and then he looked up at me.

"I have to go meet Damian and discuss some business. The reason I was running is that no one else is allowed. You're not even supposed to know that I am going to a meeting."

I put my hands on my hips and squinted my eyes at him.

"Now if you please, I have somewhere to be," David said as he tried to migrate past me.

I moved to the side slightly and followed behind him,

"I'm going with you," I said as I smiled. David stopped so fast it almost gave me whiplash,

"Oh no, you're not. Damian would have my ass on a silver platter if he knew you knew anything or if he even saw my face with someone other than myself."

I reached out and attempted to grab his shirt again,

"Okay, okay. Come on, but you're taking the beating he's handing out."

I nodded my head and smiled,

"Of course."

***

"What the hell man!" Damian said as he paced back and forth.

"I specifically told you not to tell anyone."

He stopped pacing and turned towards David,

"Did I not tell you that? Speak up, David."

Before he could carry on I stepped up, "I kind of ran into him and he tried to lose me but I stayed on his trail. Then I jacked him up until he told me where he was going, where you were, and that I was able to come too."

I said as I chuckled lightly and placed my hands in my coat pocket,

"You see, it's not all his fault. It's mine too, he told me, no but I wouldn't listen."

Damian nodded his head and then he pushed me against the wall with his arm on my neck. I could tell it wasn't meant to hurt me but whatever he was about to discuss was confidential and no one was supposed to know.

"I won't say anything." He pushed his arm on my throat a little further and then he moved backed and walked over to the corner of his room.

"Okay, as you know Angie left but she didn't leave without a purpose. She told me she had some business to take care of above and I think it has something to do with her past life up there. As for down here, she left me with a promise to fulfill and I plan on fulfilling that promise."

Damian ran his hands through his hair and started pacing back and forth,

"Now if you guys don't want to be involved in this it's too late because once you stepped foot in this room you're in it no matter what."

Damian stopped and looked at me and David.

"Do you understand?" I nodded my head rocked back and forth, and then I looked at David and saw him hesitantly nod his head.

"Good..Good.." He said as he walked over to the bed and sat down.

"I made a promise to kill the king for her in revenge for her mother."

"You what?" I yelled as I tried to pounce on Damian but David held me back and pushed me against the wall.

"What the fuck Damian, are you trying to get us all killed. I haven't even met my mate yet."

David said as he pushed me closer to the wall with all his strength.

"Let her go," Damian said as he got up and walked back over to his corner.

"I have a plan." He said as he turned around to face me and David.

"Everything will work out because almost everyone down here resents him for killing the queen. Do you know how many people will join us ?"

David finally decided to let me go and then he walked over to the other side of the room.

"We can't put our families and friends at risk like this for a girl Damian,"

David said as he slid down on the floor and placed his knees to his chest and his elbows on his knees.

"You know almost everyone down here supports you. We can't sacrifice something as great as the people for the love you have for Angeline."

I remained silent and watched as both of them argued.

"You guys wouldn't have to do anything but have my back that's it. Everything else I do alone."

He stopped and looked at both of us,

"Come on guys." I pushed myself off of the wall and walked over to him,

"I'm in," I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder. Damian turned around and made eye contact with me and for the first time in forever I saw the look he always gave me when we were younger.

David pushed himself off of the wall and walked over to me, "He's only thinking about himself and you're putting your life on the line for a guy who doesn't even love you back."

I turned to face David and then I walked back over to the wall I was leaning on.

"I said I was in, that's all that matters." I nodded my head and slid down on the wall.

David stared at me with a shocked expression and then he turned back to Damian,

"You know what I'm in but if anything and anyone becomes a target because of you, I'll kill you myself," David said as he held his hand out and smiled at Damian.

They pulled each other into a 'bro hug'.

"Thanks, guys, I really love you both." He held his arm out and gestured for me to come over and give him a hug.

I leaned my head on his chest and listened to the sound of his heartbeat. I closed my eyes and drowned myself with the most beautiful sound ever known to mankind.

***

"Okay, that's the plan. You got it?" I came out of my daze and looked up at him. I realized that I wasn't in his arms anymore.

"Yeah, that's the plan. See you tomorrow." I said as I hurried out of the room and down the hallway.

"Don't be late," Damian said while leaning halfway out the door. I turned around and nodded and hurried back to my own room.

When I finally reached my room I rushed in and closed my door with my foot not bothering to lock it.

I fell face-first on my bed and laid there in silence. I can't believe I did what I did and then ran away before I asked him about the plan.

He thought I was listening to him the whole time, gosh how could I be so stupid. I grabbed a pillow and screamed at the top of my lungs and then I walked into the bathroom and ran me some bathwater.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 6:30. The little encounter with the guys lasted longer than I thought. I stripped myself down and turned off the water and slid down in the tub. I let the hot water engulf my body and relaxed my muscles while my eyelids closed.