Having fun was sweet but then, each fun comes with the aftermath.
Nessa's body felt so heavy and her throat burned, plus her head throbbed painfully. The constant sneezing made it obvious, she had caught a cold. Big fat thanks to Damon.
"How did you catch a cold?" Her mom asked setting a bowl of chicken soup on her study table. Her mom still had no idea she skipped school nor the clothes Damon had bought her because she hid it perfectly- it was not yet time for her mom to know the truth.
"I guess the abrupt change of environment has to be blamed," Nessa lied. Did she just lie to her mother? She never lies to her mother. Damon has to be blamed for this!
Her mom paused, looking disturbed for a moment," Really? I never thought the environment would- " The loud ringing of the doorbell interrupted their conversation.
"I'll go get it," Her mom announced and left to answer whoever was at the door.
Nessa didn't give it much thought, she was guessing it was Aimee who's come to chew her ear off for skipping classes with Damon.
"Nessa?" Jenny's voice reverberated through the whole house.
"Yes?" She answered
"Someone by the name Damon is here to see you " Her mom announced while she choked on her soup with her eyes almost bulging out its socket. What was that jerk up to and what was he doing in her place?
Damn it!
Meanwhile...
Damon smiled inwardly, he knew she must be cursing him inwardly by now. The only reason he had taken her to the market was for her not to claim he was flaunting his parent's wealth. Normal people like her love those kinds of places.
Back in the day, Mark and he used to go there for lunch. Damon hated it at first but later came to like it. Eating there doesn't require strict table manners and cutlery use. Everyone was free to eat however they liked, unlike their home where you have to observe all rules, so restricting and boring.
Though she didn't say it, he knew Red liked the food. The girl was so stubborn, regardless, she was original, unlike other girls who would sacrifice their comfort just to please him.
Also, Nessa was not head over heels in love with him which makes it more relaxing to associate with her. So he doesn't have to worry about her falling for him, the reason being that her heart is fortified and kevlar protected.
Still yet, Damon couldn't forget the shock on her face when he produced the key. How could someone be so naive and narrow-minded enough to think he'd swallow a key and have his stomach opened and stitched back by surgeons? Well, only Red will be dumb enough to speculate that.
That was why he had awoken today, which was Friday, anticipating more fun, only to be disappointed at not seeing her at school.
He had contemplated going to hang out with his friends when he spotted her curvaceous friend that sticks to her side like a pest twenty-four hours a day. Their eyes connected instantly.
Damon saw the way her eyes widened for a while before languidly walking over to her. He wondered if she was wary of him too? Red does make friends of the same feather.
"Where's Red?" He asked her but received a confused stare in return.
"Who's Red?" She had asked.
Damn it, Damon, you don't even know the name of your chaperone. Yet, he didn't give up.
"Red hair, pale skin, tall but not that pretty, sarcastic in nature, and the only girl you follow about like a lost puppy. Ring a bell?"
Aimee glared at him just the way Red would, "What do you want with Nessa?"
Nessa? That's her name? Damon thought. Nevertheless, Red fits her better
'Why isn't she in school?" He asked even though her glaring wouldn't stop
"Shouldn't you be in a better position to answer that after dragging her through the rain yesterday!" The girl had snapped at him.
The realization hit Damon "Red indeed caught a cold?" Seriously, why did she have to jinx her luck by saying that out loud yesterday? See? He's not to be blamed for this, right?
Fine, it's his fault. Thank you so much, guilt.
"No, she caught the heat " Red's friend replied with heavy sarcasm and left muttering "Asshole".
Wow, Birds of a feather indeed flock together.
After that "pleasant" encounter, he stayed for class yet could not concentrate. All he could think was Red catching a cold because of him. So he left lessons at once, knowing he had to do something to show his apology. After all, with Red sick, who would he play with?
That was how he skipped classes again, bought drugs from a drug store, and headed for her house. He took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell that vibrated through the whole house.
Truthfully, he had braced himself for whatever insult or object Red might hurl his way but didn't expect a brunette goddess who looked nothing like Red to answer the door.
"Urm... Good morning Ma'am" For the first time in a long time Damon was nervous.
"Good Morning" she murmured back, standing in the doorway and staring at him with a raised brow.
"I'm Damon and Re... I mean Nessa's friend" He almost made a fool of himself albeit correcting himself on time. Red must have cast some kind of spell on him since he never cared what older people thought of him.
Red's mother regarded him slowly before welcoming him into the house. And that my friend, is how he found himself in Red's home with her mom announcing his presence.
"Nessa, someone by the name Damon's here to see you"
Her mother's musical voice vibrated through the cozy house. Damon had to admit, this place had a mama's warmth to it, unlike his large, sophisticated and lonely mansion.
Her mother led him to her room where she was resting on the bed with a bowl of chicken soup in her grasp and suffering from a coughing fit.
"Hey, are you okay? " he watched her mom asked out of concern
"Yes, I kind of rushed my food and choked on it, that's all" Nessa replied but somehow focused her accusing heated orbs on Damon as if he'd been the one responsible for her choking. He didn't even do anything this time, that was so unfair!
"You should no-" the doorbell rang, cutting whatever Red's mother was about to say.
The woman inhaled deeply and rose to her feet saying," I'll get that " and left the both of them alone.
Left alone, Red focused her killer glares on Damon as usual
"You will stop being ugly the moment you quit the habit of glaring at me," He told her truthfully.
"What do you want here? Why are you here?" Nessa asked through gritted teeth. She had never anticipated his coming at all.
"I'm not here to cause trouble," Damon admitted.
Like I believe you, she thought.
"Then what?" She still pressed.
"I'm... I'm .... I'm..." What did he even come here to do?
"I'm not in the mood for your games Damon," Nessa hissed at him.
Damn you, Damon, why don't you just apologize already. That's what you came here to do, dumbhead. He fought inwardly. Fine!
"Red -"
"What?!" Nessa snapped out of irritation, nearly startling the living life out of Damon
"I'm sor-" Damon was still saying when a special enemy decided to make an epic appearance at that moment.
"Nessa"
"Luke?"
To his shock, Damon watched Red give that man whore the sweetest smile he'd probably never ever receive from her in this world or the next to come.
Oh well.