Chapter Twenty-Seven

skylar.

S- I really want to talk to you. Could you meet me by the fountain?

"What's up?".

The butterflies fly right back into my stomach at the sight of Damien making his way over to me. He never responded to my text, but I had hope that he might show, so I went anyway.

"It feels like forever since we talked last. I really, really missed you. And I'm sorry about how things went. I'll be honest and say that I've wanted to apologize since we went our separate ways that day, but it wouldn't have been genuine until today".

He smiles, sending my heart into orbit. No one deserved to be that beautiful. And when he walks up even more, until we're only two feet apart, it feels like oxygen ceases to exist.

"Thank you. I missed you, too. And I'll apologize for being as harsh as I was that day. It's just that I get really sensitive about things like that. So, I'm sorry".

"You were right, though. I do need to be careful about the things that I put out there. We're all just learning and trying to find our place in the world".

He places his hands on my shoulders and shakes them gently, wearing a huge smile. "I'm glad we fixed things. And now that we have, I want you to come up to the cabin with us".

And then everything horrible comes rushing back in. "Right. I'd love to, but I have to move my things out of the Alpha Dorm. Nastassia kicked me out earlier, so I should probably get the process going before the weekend is over".

"Of course she did. But, what if you just...don't? What's she really going to do about it? Hire a moving service. You could try smoothing things out while we're at the cabin" he suggests, letting his hands fall back at his sides.

"Okay, I'll be there".

As if I'd let him ask me a third time. If he really wanted me there, I'd be there. I set up a car to drive me there and back, before heading to my room to pack for it. The car arrives an hour after I'd finished, although it felt more like three since I was so ready to go. I turned in a bunch of missed work that I had to take care of, and shove the rest of it into a bag to finish at the cabin. Being honest with myself, I knew that I'd forget all about it when I got there.

When I arrive, everyone's already in their snowsuits, dressed up and prepared to go skiing. "You made it!" Damien says excitedly, spotting me over the heads of the mob gathered around him. I rush over, overnight bag slung over my shoulder, to give him a hug. This weekend was going to be fun.

"Elli, did you meet Skylar, yet?" I hear him ask once I've gotten close enough to see him. His arm is slung over the shoulders of the doe eyed twin that Nastassia used to hang out with. "I don't think so. I didn't know you invited anyone" she tells him, eyeing me warily.

I stop in my tracks, eyeing the two of them curiously. Her fingers were interlocked with those of the hand hanging from her shoulder. "She's nice, babe. Maybe the two of you could be friends".

BABE.

"But, I already have SO many friends. I don't think that I could possibly manage anymore. You guys should talk, though. I'm going on the beginner slope with Seylah and Peony. Kisses?".

I look up away from their PDA, feeling sick to my stomach. I thought that he'd invited me here because he wanted to go back to what we'd started before. Instead he was sharing kisses with Elliana and calling her pet names.

Gosh, I need to get it together.

s.

"We're just making it in the door. I'll be on my way soon. And Amber's ankle is fine. She sprained it, but she's excited to walk on crutches for a couple of days" Armani informs me, the wind howling in the background, making its voice heard just as much as his.

Right after we got back to the school from babysitting Amber, she decided to test the strength of her bones by jumping off of the roof of her house. She thought it'd be a nice idea for a science project, and it might have been if she hadn't landed on a rock once she reached the ground. He told me that he'd go and help his mom with her, and to go ahead without him.

"Okay, I'll see you soon. Tell her that I'll sign her cast when I get back. And that she has the coolest school project of them all. She went all in for the cause".

He chuckles. "I will. Talk to you later, sunshine. I love you".

I hang up immediately without saying goodbye, and turn my phone off when he calls back. That was a million steps past where I was willing to go so soon. He'd promised to take it slow with me, and allow me to figure this whole relationship thing out with zero pressure. Things had been going perfectly so far. But now he'd ruined it with his premature ejaculation of the L word.

Cason, who'd been flirting with me incessantly, even though I told him I was in a relationship, suddenly seemed appetizing.