Chapter Twenty Two

"I'll teach you how to play the guitar. You don't need to sing that song if you don't want to. You'll write your own songs. We'll write about out theme and sing together. That's the plan."

"I can't sing..."

"You haven't tried."

"It'd be awful."

"I'm the only one here."

I winced. "You act a lot like a man."

"Maybe I am."He winked.

*

"You're so obsessed with this..."

Andra said one morning. It's about a week since I started receiving lectures from Damien and I have learnt a lot. I sang all day, and all night. Not my fault, that was one thing I've found worth holding on to in my new life. Plus, it's Damien's personal guitar, he gave it to me and I sensed he had another. I adored it like I would adore him, I owe my life to him.

"You should be glad."

"Sincerely, I am. You seem happier nowadays. But it's taking your sleep."

"Do you sleep?"

"Of course!"She exclaimed. "I sleep for some hours after study. You were up all night with that guitar."

"It's just one night. I'll get some sleep now."

"Well, I have a class. I'm leaving now." Then there was a knock on the door. It was Damien and Liam. Andra's face lit up on seeing them while I rushed to the bathroom to wash my face. When I got back, Andra seemed to be familiarizing with Liam. It's like it's her first time seeing him.

"Andra, nice to meet you."

"And you too."She was smiling, in an unusual way. Andra...

And Liam, he was staring at her too much. What's with that playboy?!

"You two. What you doing here?"

"We brought food. We're having our breakfast here."Damien announced.

Andra made her way to the door but Liam tried to stop her but she didn't hear him. I had to stop her myself. She turned to face them.

"I wish I could stay. I have biology this morning." She smiled. "And Liam, I'm sure you know I'm deaf. My friends talk to me, facing me."

"Got it!"He grinned. She left.

"You guys make the table. I'll go get dressed properly. Haven't even brushed my teeth."

I left. I got a white polo shirt and black pants. White polo, that's all we have in our wardrobe, Andra wears only white shirt due to her health. I had to follow that rule too.

"Hmmm. Smells nice."I said, sitting on a reserved seat between their.

"Damien cooked that."

What can't he do?

"I'm the best, ain't I?"Damien boasted.

"You're my teacher, that's all I know." It was black beans spaghetti and curry sauce. On tasting it, I knew Andra wouldn't have eaten it if she had stayed. It was spicy, I loved spicy food anyways.

"How's it?"

"Hm"I nodded. "Stop staring anyway."

I had to warn him. I would not be comfortable under his sickening stare.

"What's with the dark circles round your eyes? You didn't sleep?"Damien asked.

"Didn't get enough. I'll be fine."

"What's up with you two? You've been too close lately."

"You should not speak while eating Liam."I said.

"Forget that. That law is not accepted here. Tell me Damien, what's up with you two?"

"We are cool. Aren't we?"Damien smiled.

I felt lost.

"We? What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"Do you know that Damien didn't sleep while you were gone..."

"Shut up you punk!"Damien attacked him.

What? I could not think.

"Hey Paige, it's not what you think. I was writing songs, not because you were gone."

"Shit man! When are you ever going to be a man."Liam slammed his fork on the table.

"Stop it already. We are eating. Don't mess up the whole place. Andra's allergic." I warned.

"I only said the truth. He was love sick. He still is."

I didn't react to that. Deep inside, I was glad but I've lost the ability to show emotions long ago.

We were silent till the end of the meal. 

"How many pictures have you got?" Damien asked as he packed up the dishes.

"A lot. Nature really feels. I visited skidrow. No one noticed hahaha"He laughed. Skid row was a far away town, a few hours drive.

"I went on my bike. That slum still exists. I got lotta pictures. "

"Good job Liam."Damien joined us at the table. "Let me have a look."

"What about you guys? "

"We're working on a song..."

"That hasn't been writing yet."I chipped in.

"I asked you to..."

"And I did. " It took a whole night. "It's my first. It can't be that good enough. You should write it. You've done that all your life" I complained.

"Let me see what you wrote."

I walked over to my bed and got my notepad from under my pillow.

"I wrote it last night. Don't read aloud. I'd faint." I yawned. I wrote on three pages, just one song. Damien looked awed, I tried to convince myself it was fake.

"It's long..."

"Pf"

"Your handwriting..."

"Just read master Damien."He compliments a lot.

"Watching you two gets me thinking."Liam chipped in.

"Liam, you should go get something to do." Damien said.

"I would not leave you two in here alone for any reason."He jeered. I yawned again, sprawled on my bed.

"Liam, you talk a lot. Do you know that?"

"And you are so dumb that you can't see when a guy is in love with you, do you know that?"He retorted.

"What do you mean by that?!"I spat. Damien seemed lost in my book. He wasn't there.

"You're going to kill Damien if you leave him. Or if you don't accept him. You're the first person he's liked this much."

"You're gossiping about your friend right in front of him."

"Because he isn't listening. He lost in your fairy tale."He laughed.

I wasn't feeling anything. I feared my PTSD was coming again. I needed sleep. 

"He won't ask you out. He's so shy. But you should be nice to him. He's a nice guy isn't he? Look at him. He's just as handsome as I am..."

"I need to sleep. You guys wake me when you're ready to leave."I pulled the blankets over my body.

"Wait!"Liam said. "Tell me a little about Andra."

"Pf...when I wake up."I yawned.

What's wrong with Liam?