Blueprint for Romance

Frustrated

Vanessa

“Ok, girl…you have to back up here, ok?” Mandy said and I rolled my eyes. Mandy had become a close friend. She was the only real friend that knew everything there was to know about me. And yet, over a large plate of fries, she wanted me to back up.

“What don’t you understand? I snuck into his place this morning, we had s*x, and then he asked me to stay the weekend,” I repeated. Mandy shoved a few more of the fries into her mouth and as she chewed, she nodded thoughtfully. This wasn’t the first time we had talked like this about Damon, and I was pretty sure I knew what she was going to say. “Just say it already,” I snapped as I looked around the café. The lunch rush was over and even though I was on break, the owner, Lillian, liked to complain if the place got busy.

“Look, you’ve had a thing for Damon since he moved to Chasea…and he didn’t want anything at first…you told me that, and I get that he eventually gave in and the two of you have been having s*x whenever…but this isn’t healthy, Nessa,” she said, and I cringed at the nickname she had given me. While I didn’t mind it, it also felt far too intimate.

“Why? A lot of people are friends and have s*x,” I argued.

“Sure…but my point is…you want more,”

“And?”

“And he doesn’t,” she said, and I nodded. Mandy wasn’t wrong. While Damon had no problem having s*x with me or even hanging out, he had made it clear he was trying to get his life on track, and he didn’t want a girlfriend. “So, why would he invite you to stay for the weekend?”

“To hang out, to have s*x…I don’t know, Mandy,” I answered tiredly.

“Exactly. He just wants to use you,” she said, and I opened my mouth to argue with her, but Mandy quickly put up her hand to stop me. This time she looked around, probably to make sure no one was listening in on our conversation. “Naomi is our friend, right? Right, and Damon is a good guy, but he has a messed-up past, and he has been trying to prove himself ever since that incident where he kidnapped his sister,” Mandy had lowered her voice, but there was no denying her disgust. I shrugged it off because one thing I hadn’t told her was that Damon had explained himself to me. In great detail. In front of Molly. I didn’t want to get into it with Mandy, because I understood exactly what she was trying to say. Basically, she accepted Damon only because he was Naomi’s brother. If he was just some random guy, she wouldn’t have anything to do with him. Honestly, I felt the same way and yet, I didn’t. Damon was a good guy. A good guy that had been handed a hard start to life. Yes, he had made a bad decision, but all he had done since then was try to make up for it. I liked that about him. I enjoyed his company, and the s*x was out of this world. And yes, I wanted more from him.

“Do you think you would ever have anything good to say about him?” I growled out in frustration as I stood up. I was ready to cut my break short, but Mandy waved her hand around to get me to sit back down. I reluctantly sat back down as she nudged the plate toward me. I shook my head; I was far too annoyed to eat.

“I said he was a good guy. I know he is a good guy…but you are my friend, Nessa and…I know you want more…I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” she explained herself softly. I nodded because I understood that. It was one of the reasons I had allowed myself to get close to her in the first place. Mandy had a heart of gold. “I want you to be happy,” she added.

“He makes me happy,” I insisted, just as my phone started to vibrate in my pocket. As I pulled out the device I looked around, but the café was still relatively quiet. When I saw that it was Damon who had sent me a message, I couldn’t help but smile.

Damon: What do you feel like for dinner tonight? Pizza or pasta?

Vanessa: Pasta.

I smiled at that because, while I enjoyed pizza as much as the next person, I liked the fact that he had offered to get pasta. That meant it would be more of a romantic meal, since he would go to Jack’s for the food. It wasn't unusual for him to do something like this, but it always made me feel warm and fuzzy.

Damon: Great. I’ll stop by Jack’s on the way home. See you then.

“Earth to Nessa!” Mandy’s shrill whisper caught my attention, and I looked over at her and smiled apologetically. She was also on a time crunch, but I no longer cared. Damon had messaged me as he had promised, and we had a date. Well, he may not see it as a date, but I sure did. “Ugh…girl, you have it so bad for him, it’s unreal,”

“Is it? I distinctly remember how you were when Mark waltzed into Chasea and swept you off your feet,” I reminded her with a smirk as I got up. “Finish your fries…” I told her. Mandy nodded, obviously, the fight had left her, thankfully. I headed back to the front just as Lillian came around the corner. When she saw me in place behind the register, she nodded in approval. That was at least one good thing. I watched as Mandy hurriedly finished her fries before she shot me a loving smile and a wave before she went back to work. I checked the time on my phone. Only five hours and then I would see him again, and I couldn’t wait.