Have you ever tried to make your own word to describe a situation? Hats off to you if you can do that easily.
I can't.
I spent the entire ride over to the Matthew's mansion and half an hour into having a conversation with them trying to figure out a word that was better than 'disaster' and harsher than 'excruciating'.
The Matthews and my parents were too oblivious to the current status of me and Daemon's relationship.
That is : On the Rocks.
They had actually forced Daemon (His mother was the key player) into sitting next to me. But I couldn't exactly blame them. I had always jumped at a chance to sit next to him.
And here we were, trying to act as normal as we could.
However, every single bone of my body was tensed as I forced on a smile.
How would you act, sitting next to the guy you've had a crush on for years, who'd given you a compliment then acted cold, nearly beaten up your boyfriend that isn't really your boyfriend, then just flat out state that he wouldn't date you, even if you were the last female on the planet?
Why did I even like him?
He was a womanizer, player that lived off his pride and popularity status.
"Here you go," Daemon's voice breaks me out of my reverie.
I look up just as he pops some well roasted tomatoes onto my plate. Then he smiles a gloriously innocuous smile. "It's still your favorite, right?" He asks.
I nod back, nervously.
And that is why I liked him.
When he wasn't trying to act like this ultra cool guy that had no care in the world, Daemon Matthews was the sweetest guy I'd ever known.
He would slip me his tomatoes when no one was looking, granted that he hated them and I loved them.
And when we were over at each other's house for dinner, he'd take the egg whites and give me his yokes, just because I hated the white part of the egg. That also worked out for him, given his distaste for the yokes.
Nevertheless, there was my reason.
Daemon, or at least the Daemon I knew, was one of the sweetest people I knew.
His sister, Amanda, who was currently sitting on my right, would as she always say, bet her entire Barbie collection on the very fact that Daemon was the greatest big brother in the whole world.
I couldn't plan her either for that.
Outside of school and out of the prying eyes of our high school peers, Daemon was different. He wasn't this popular-starved teen that did everything he could to stay on the top, he was just... Daemon, the kid who used to pick on me and who loved his family to death.
"San," he whispered slowly, whilst slicing into his steak.
I looked up hastily, stunned.
"Shhh," he chuckled lightly, "I'm not going to bite your head off. Act natural. You don't want the rents thinking something's wrong between us, now do you?"
I cast a glance at our parents, who were busy arguing over whether the Democrats or the Republicans lied more.
I nodded slowly.
"Can we talk after this?" Daemon asked before popping a piece of his sliced steak into his mouth.
I nodded, slowly again, wondering whether I should call Jesse and let him know of this development or not.
"Come to my room when the adults have gone out for their regular drink in dad's study, okay?"
I nodded again, resolved to not call my so called 'boyfriend'.
"Great. See ya then," he smiled into his glass as he drank the content.
Ten minutes later before dessert was served he excused himself, saying he had something to do.
I pondered again over my decision of not telling Jesse.
But then, it was stupid, I reasoned.
We weren't even really dating so why did I feel the need to let him know that I was going to meet up with Daemon?
Stupid confusing situation!
As predicted, the adults got up after dessert and went to Daddy Phil's study for a drink.
Amanda followed after, heading to her room to play with her dolls and there I was, prepared to go meet Daemon.
* * *
Three possible outcomes crossed my mind as I walked towards Daemon's room.
One: We'd confess our undying love for each other. Possibility : Minimum to unlikely.
Two: He'd tell me that he found out how I felt about him and that I should forget about it. Possibility : Medium to highly likely.
Three: He'd tell me he got Hannah pregnant and that he was planning to ask her to marry him. Possibility : Doubtful to medium.
Out of all these three possibilities, I didn't expect to hear what Daemon said when I asked him a whole minute after entering his room.
"Jesse," was the first word out of his lips. He looked up from the book he'd been scribbling in.
An interesting and unknown fact about Daemon Matthews: He's an artist and a really good and talented one at that. But then again he hasn't shown me any of his drawings since freshman year started, but I knew he still did it, given the amount of scrunched up papers forming a mountain in his bin.
It took me thirty seconds to wonder what he'd been scribbling and then ask, "What about Jesse?" I walked over to his dresser and picked up the photo of us from when our family went to Aspen for winter break right before high school began.
He chuckled. "You guys aren't really dating, right?"
His words leave me stunned then worried, before I sighed.
"What makes you think we're not?" I asked, my eyes on the photo again.
Those were the days. Uncomplicated, fun and full of laughter.
"Come on San. You're asking me? I can smell the bullshit from a mile away."
This freaked me out. And when I freak out, I have no control over what I say and speak things I wouldn't normal speak. "Yeah, I'm asking you. Given your track record and nonexistent relationships, I think you wouldn't know a real relationship from a fake one even if it was staring you in the face!"
Daemon's face speaks his shock. He's silent for twenty seconds. Right before he let's out a loud guffaw. "Okay, okay. No need to go all Godzilla on me, Klaus. I'll let it go for now. But... I don't think he's the type of guy you should be dating."
I arched a brow at his direction. "And what would be the type of guy I should be dating?"
He's about to say something when I raise a hand to stop him. "Save it. Whatever guy that is, it's too bad I'm not dating him. Because I'm dating Jesse, Daemon. And nothing you say or do is going to change that."
Unless his words were 'I love you.' Or 'Date me instead'. Then I might just not date Jesse. Not that I was dating him for real now.
Damn! How did my life get so complicated?
He scowled for a second before he smiled. "Fine. I get it. I get it. You and Jesse forever!"
I forced a smile at his words. "Yes... Me and J-Jesse forever."
"How about a double date then?" He asked suddenly.
"What?!"
"You remember when we were eleven, we promised we'd go on a double date when we started dating?"
I nodded. Back then we were stupid.
"How about we try it out now?"
"Now? Me and Jesse... And you and..."
"Me and Hannah," His eyes clouded as if he was thinking of something else. Like Hannah and him... In...
I shook myself out of where my thoughts were heading. "Okay then. I'll ask Jesse first though. See you then!"
I rushed out of the room, unsure if he had even hear me.
Luckily by then the adults were out of Daddy Phil's study.
"Ready to go honey?" Dad asked as soon as he spotted me.
I nodded before smiling back.
"San darling, come give your Daddy Phil a goodbye hug, would you?" Daddy Phil said as he followed after dad.
I instantly brightened as I rushed towards him.
He pulled me in tight and the familiar warmth filled me.
He pulled back before pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I hope you're planning to attend an Ivy League, Sanny."
I chuckled nervously. "Uh... I don't have the grades and ..."
"You better not be about to give me some bullshit of funds not being available." He frowned. "That's why this old bag of meat is here."
I scowled. "No. I can attend some other college."
"I don't need you to be at an Ivy League school for show, Sanny. It's for your future. Besides I'll need you to be there for Daemon. He won't be able to process my passing very well."
"What are you talking about?" I scowled. "You're not dying! You're not!" Tears flowed freely down my face.
He smiled a half smile, before he wiped away my tears with his right hand and then hold my face in his hand light a fragile piece of art.
"It's a given, Sanny. A given that I won't last the coming months."
"No! You're still going to be here! You'll be here until my grandchildren has kids."
He chuckled. "I wish that were possible."
I buried my face into his shoulder before I cried desperately.
Daddy Phil was a second dad to me.
He was always there, a radiant smile on his face with one of his 'back in the days' stories for every situation there was. He was a source of laughter wherever he went.
Plus, whenever I got into an argument, despite me being wrong he's always say that Santana was right.
I couldn't even process him being gone. Not being there a bike's ride away.
The doctors despite their years of medical school had this wrong. I knew it for a fact.
I felt him rub my back comfortingly.
"I'm not dying right now dear child!"
I heard my parents laugh.
"Don't joke about this!"
"Sorry honey. My bad."
I smiled. He always did say that.
Sooooo mega sorry for being AWOL for about ... Seven weeks :) *heres a virtual candy *
Wil try to update once a week :)
RUSHED is completed in case you didn't know! So go check it out! Please! And go check out the spin-off please called 'The Heir and The Maid' [ now named 'Bittersweet Expectations' ]
Please VOTE COMMENT, PROMOTE, FOLLOW? :)
xoxo,
Losalini