“Is this why you’re so dead set on leaving? You know something I don’t?” Desi demanded. Fear shot through me, and I slid off the bed, quickly grabbing my clothes.
“I told you. I said you shouldn’t have come here.” I said, pulling everything back on.
“I’m not going anywhere. Especially now. How could you not tell me you broke your curse? When?” He left the bed and snatched his pants up.
I put my hand on my hip and watched him blankly.
You really couldn’t put two and two together?
When he saw my face, his mouth fell open, and he nodded. “Ludovica’s friend.”
I gave him a tight grin and cocked my fingers in a fake gun. “That’s the one.”
“So what then?” He finished dressing, and then he sat back on the bed. His eyes were moving back and forth wildly, trying to piece together everything. “We found you, and then you collapsed. That must have been when it happened. I couldn’t wake you up. Did you go somewhere? Like, you know, when you change?” He looked up at me expectantly.
I sighed. If I could tell him, I would. I opened my mouth, but my tongue grew heavy as if I had eaten tar. I couldn’t speak. I shut my mouth and shrugged. Until his curse was broken, I couldn’t tell him anything about mine.
His eyes darkened, and his mouth set in a grim line. He stood. “Does your curse have anything to do with mine?”
Yes.
I blinked.
“Where you there when it happened?”
Yes.
I blinked.
He sighed. “You said when you broke your curse, you’d find happiness. Did you get it?”
No. And I won’t ever as long as I stay here with you.
“Why did the scar disappear? What does it mean? Does that mean that my eyes will change?”
Too many questions were thrown my way, but all I could do was blink and offer indifference. I wished with everything that I could tell him that the demon took my heart when I made that deal- leaving the scar as a reminder that I could never really love until the curse was broken. Then, when he gave it back, he also gave me back the memories he stole. The memories of Desiderio Amato, the human boy I fell in love with three decades ago. The boy who didn’t love me back.
“Scout. That’s great.” He put his hands on my shoulders and smiled down at me. My eyes started to shine. I blinked, trying not to cry.For him, maybe.He was going to break his curse, and he and Aleida would get to spend forever together. Just like they had planned so long ago.
“Why are you upset? This was what we planned for. I was hoping we could break them together, but who cares? I can go do it tonight. Then, if this isn’t your thing,” He glanced around my room and then brought his eyes back to mine. “We can ditch it. Together. I’ll go wherever you want.”
“No!” I shouted. Finally, I was able to say something. “Don’t.”
His brows furrowed in confusion, understandably. “Why not?”
I chose my words carefully so as to not be forced to stop. “Don’t do anything just because of me.”
He chuckled. “A little late for the advice. It’s nothing. There are a plethora of evil souls out there.”
I sighed and moved away, going to sit on the bed. I brought my legs up and rested my chin on my knee.
“If I leave, will you be here when I get back?”
“Are you going to break your curse?” I asked in response.
He stared at me with hard eyes. I did the same. Finally, he rolled his and relented. “Fine. I won’t until you tell me to. Based on how you’re acting, there’s a reason for it. I don’t agree, but if that keeps you from fleeing like you stole something, I guess I’ll keep living my cursed little life.” He crossed his arms in an exaggerated pout.
I let out a small laugh and stood up. I went to him and put my hands on his cheeks. “Poor Desi. With your cute, mismatched eyes. How ever will you live?”
