Chapter 19

Dawn's POV

“She looked amazing in that dress,” I breathed.

“Stop . . . Just stop pretending that you like her,” Tony sighed as he laid out on his bed.

I climbed on to the bed and knelt beside him. “I don't hate her if that’s what you mean.”

“Why not? You have every reason to hate her . . . And ne for that matter. You shouldn't even be talking to me right now,” he sighed sounding sorry and tired. He rolled over so that his back was to me and he was laying on his side.

“Really? If you don’t want me talking to you . . . I can leave,” I teased starting to get off the bed.

He simply rolled over grabbing me and tucking me into his chest.

I tried to get a little wriggle room or . . . You know . . . Just some room to breathe, but that wasn't happening so I quickly gave up and just laid beside me.

“Why are you so good to me? You don’t even know me. And I have been horrible to you,” he sighed.

“What?” I laughed. “What exactly did you do that made you so horrible?” I rolled my eyes.

“Well, first you caught me making out with some stranger and then . . . Well, I let what Ian did to you go on for so long. I should have known . . . I should have taken you away from him sooner. I should have ended this sooner . . . And I am still allowing him to take you to the dance . . . When that should be me ,” he sighed playing with my hair.

“But you have to take Lupa,” I replied simply. “See? If I were you k would have left me a long to me ago,” he met my eyes.

“Tony, listen to me. You did not ignore what Ian was doing to me. I didn't let you see what was going on. And every minute I spend with you is another minute I spend away from him so I'm happy . . . Where else am I supposed to go if I don’t have you,” I smiled at him playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

“I don’t know, but I don’t deserve you. The whole world knows it,” he sighed.

“Oh, and Ian does? Is that what you are saying?” I rolled my eyes.

“No . . .”

“Then shut your damn mouth and just hold me. You are not making any sense anyways,” I curled into his chest.

“Do I ever make any sense to you?” He asked and he suddenly became more serious than before like there was some answer that he really needed from me, but I couldn’t understand his question.

So the answer to it was obvious, “No. No, you don’t,” I replied easily waiting for what was to come.

“I know there are things about me that confuse you and things that don’t seem to add up . . . and I just want to tell you that if I could I would answer all the questions that run through your mind. And a time will come when I will be able to answer them . . . just not now. You’ll have to be patient with me, and I know you’re good at that.” He kissed the top of my head and rested his lips there.

“What?” I pulled away. “How do you know I have questions? Why can’t you answer them? How do you know you can’t answer them?” I searched his eyes for something anything, but he broke out into a small smile.

“You have to be patient, remember?” He raised an eyebrow at me a chuckled.

“Patient? By telling me to be patient you have perked up my curiosity. You can’t leave a sheet covering something and then tell a child not to look under it. The child will only want to look under it even more,” I complained.

“Will you calm down? I said I would answer them. Just in good time. So don’t imagine it as a door that will never open, picture it more as a present sitting under the Christmas tree on Christmas eve,” He smirked.

“So you’ll answer them tomorrow?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay, admittedly bad example, but you know what I mean,” He rolled his eyes.

“Can I at least ask them? Then you can tell me if and when they can be answered,” I pushed.

“Ask away,” He smiled.

“Why have you missed so much school? It’s like your there one moment, and then the next you’re not, and then you are back again. Explain. Oh! And why do you never get into trouble?” I asked crossing my arms.

This had to be an easy one. I mean maybe he is sick and he has some kind of treatment . . . that made him randomly leave school and then come back. I mean . . . that made sense right? Right? There had to be a reasonable explanation for everything that goes on around Tony . . . there just had to be.

Then I looked into his eyes and I watch him struggle. I could tell he wanted to tell me something, but at the same time I could tell he really wouldn’t . . . it was almost as if he couldn’t.

“So?” I pushed.

“It’s complicated. Now I am going to saying this cautiously, even knowing it is only going to drive you even more crazy. Just now that when I am not there, there is a perfectly good reason and I trying to protect not only myself but everyone around me as well,” He smiled with no humor hoping that he pleased me.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I complained pushing at his chest. “That makes absolutely no sense!”

“I know, and I can’t explain any further than that,” He shrugged.

“Fine, fine . . . umm . . . Your eyes. Why do they change? And don’t try and dodge it making me feel stupid . . . I know they change! I’ve seen it . . . when you’re angry, when you’re worried . . . when we kiss. I’ve seen so don’t try an deny it,” I glared pointing a figure at his chest.

“I won’t deny it. I know you’ve seen it,” He nodded.

“I’m not crazy?” It was meant to come out as a statement, but it was clearly a question.

He chuckled, “No, of course not. This explanation might help a little more than the other one. When my eyes change the way they do . . . it is a part of me that is showing. This part of me is stronger than I usually am and is completely control by my emotions. The strong the emotions the more he comes through. So when I get angry over Ian, or worried about your safety, or when I kiss you the love that I feel in the kiss . . . all these are factors that cause the . . . umm . . . him to come out,” He stumbled over his words.

I had to admit that it did sort of help, and not only that, it actually made sense for once. I felt like I actually, kind of understood him for a moment.

“Okay, I get it . . . for now,” I looked at him cautiously.

“Good,” He breathed a sigh of relief. “Next question?”

“Who is Lupa? I mean really. She is no family friend, obviously. Travis and Julie seem to be offended when you are rude to her. And they are very proper with her,” I explained.

“Can’t even begin to think up an answer to that. You’ll understand sooner or later,” He shook his head.

“You can’t give me anything? I pleaded.

“Well, I could but it will only confuse you more,” He eyed me questioningly.

“Then will skip it,” I rolled my eyes.

What other questions were rolling around in my head. I mean everything between us had happened to fast and I had never expected it to. I could still think back to that day when I saw him in the hallway and I compared him to Stefan Salvatore like he was some fictional character that could only exist in a TV show. It felt like these last couple of weeks could only exist in a TV show. All that had happened and I knew there was more to come. How had it all happened?

“Why?” I finally asked. “Why me?”

Instantly a low growl left his lips. “Dawn, will you stop thinking that you are not good enough for me? There is no one I would rather be with so we can just leave it at that. I have nothing else to say to that,” He seemed slightly upset that he had to yet again explain this.

“No I will never think I am good enough,” He growled in protest, “but I mean literally. What exactly is it that drew us together. I know you did not just see me in the hallway and decide that I would be the one. I know because when you looked at me that first day . . . when we were complete strangers, I felt something. Something I had never felt before. So much more than just a crush or me thinking you were attractive, there was literally something pulling me towards you. When you ran out the door I wanted to run after you. Why? What is that?” I asked remembering that day as if it had happened yesterday when In fact it was weeks ago.

“Dawn,” He sighed and looked me in the eye taking my face in his heads. “This is going to get really confusing but just please listen. Hear what I am saying. You were made for me. You were meant to be mine from the moment you came into this world. I was lucky enough to be able to find you and now that I have I will never let you go or let anything harm you because if you were ever to disappear from my life it would kill me. There would be o way for me to survive and stay sane without you. You are my whole world now and nothing will ever take you from me. Do you understand that?” He stated seriously.

All I could do was shake my head yes as one small tear fell from my eye. I had never felt warmer in my entire life. My heart was going a mile a minute and my palms were sweaty and my whole body felt weak.

I was in love with this beautiful man and he was clearly in love with me and there was no stopping that. Not crazy abusive boyfriends or beautiful strangers could take away what we have and I was proud of that.

So was he.

He slowly smiled at my reaction and kissed the tear from my cheek. I smiled and let out a small laugh and then he pressed his lips to mine.

It felt amazing. The kiss was slow and passionate and sweet. There was nothing sexual about it, it was only physical proof of the love he had just proclaimed and that was all he meant it to be. Our lips moved together perfectly as his thumb caressed my cheek.

I held tight to his hair not ever want to break this perfect kiss and end the purely blissful state he had put us in, but sooner or later he pulled away to let me breathe.

I was panting for breath and was more than a little dizzy from the lack of oxygen, but I didn’t care every bit of me felt amazing.

“Next question?” He asked.

“Huh?” I breathed still dazed.

He chuckled and smirked and then put his lips back to mine and I welcomed him easily.