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“Addie, what the hell are you talking about?” he asked curtly.
“I don't want to talk about it,” I said flatly. Daimon grimaced and stood up.
“It’s time to go home. Now,” he said forcefully and walked out, leaving me in his booth alone.High School RevealedIt was our usual habit of there being silence on the drive home after a night of Addie and Daimon’s one-on-one. We were constantly butting heads and that night was no different. We both did the same thing when things didn’t go exactly our way. We shut down completely. Daimon even woke up early that morning and left without even talking to me. I didn’t understand why he was upset; he admitted he was the one teasing me. High school was atrocious; every day I suffered someone’s wrath. Whenever Daimon pissed someone off, they came right at me, thinking I was the way to get at him. I refused to get involved and I tried hard to just focus on my future, but that was all taken away.
I walked Drako and ate a normal breakfast. I hadn’t realized Daimon was keeping an eye on my eating habits.
I figured I’d head out to see Darren, and depending how it went, I would then go to my father’s. I dressed up in a stunning black pencil skirt, with a white fitted button-down shirt. I’d always wanted a skirt like this, but could never afford it. It felt nice to have such expensive clothes. I was never going to tell Daimon; I would never live it down. Plus a big part of me felt guilty for having it all.
Phil called a cab for me. I wasn’t dumb enough to take the town car that Daimon had assigned to me. I asked the cabby to drive me down to Darren’s bar. My stomach drop at the thought of seeing him. I felt horrid that things were the way they were.
Finally making it to the bar, I stood out front, my nerves getting the better of me. It was really early and the bar only opened up at seven, but I knew that on Wednesdays Darren was there from noon to take inventory. I walked up to the door and opened it. He never locked it when he was here. I didn’t understand why. Arcade Fire’s “We Exist” was playing over the speakers while Darren was sitting at the bar with his back to me.
“You know you should seriously lock that door,” I said over the music.
Darren stopped what he was doing and looked up from his paperwork. He didn’t turn around to look at me; instead, he stood up from the barstool and went around the bar to get a lowball glass. Pouring me a whisky, he then placed it on the bar in front of the stool next to him. He finally looked my way and pointed to the glass.
“I don't like locking it,” he said, eyeing me cautiously.
“You should,” I said. “If not, any kind of riff raff would be able to come in here,” I smiled as I sat down.
“You look good,” he smiled gently.
“Thanks,” I said quietly. “Darren—”
“You don’t have to do this,” he said, still smiling.
“But I do. At least let me apologize,” I said ruefully.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I didn’t see it or stop it. I led you on. I took advantage of our friendship.” I bit my lower lip ashamed at myself.
“Addie, I fell for you, not because you forced it. It came naturally,” he admitted, taking his glass and drinking. “I just wished it wasn’t Daimon, but me. I wish I had the balls to tell you sooner. Instead, I let Frank take advantage of you and let Daimon bully you. You honestly think I felt worthy after that? It didn’t bother me to see you date him because I thought for sure he’d fuck it up somehow.”
“Darren, you were there when my mother passed. You helped me decide about Yale. You were there for me from the beginning and never once did I notice. I’m sorry,” I nearly cried.
“Don’t be,” he said quietly as he looked at me. A long moment passed between us, neither one of us saying anything.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Daimon yelled loud enough that it rang through the whole of Darren’s bar.
“You’re right, Addie, I should lock up. It does seem like any asshole can come in here.” Darren squared off as he stood up.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Daimon asked loudly, his voice steel.
“Did you have me followed?” I accused him, jumping off my seat.
“No, don’t be stupid. I do have security on you. I have to, just in case,” he admitted.
“And what? They told you I was here?” I seethed.
“Addie, just go home,” Daimon said more calmly, but I could see he was about to explode.
