Tell Me Your Secrets

Day 11

Today i only have my history class, so at least I’ll get to see Damien today. I haven’t had a good two days; my sister just lays in her bed and cried her eyes out.

If we say anything she freaks out on us, so we learn to be quiet. Or learn when and when not to duck.

My dad just ducks all the time, even if he doesn’t say anything.

It’s quiet funny really, she doesn’t even have to throw anything, when she walks into the room, he just automatically ducks. A man who was once feared by the Russian mob, ducks at his own 5’3 daughter.

I sit in the history room, eagerly awaiting his arrival. After the depressing two days with my sister. His face would make the days better.

And there he is.

Walking into the room, but with a black eye this time. I frown at him and keep eye contact with him as he makes his way down and sits next to me.

“I got punched by a friend of mine, not very happy with me.” He answers my silent question.

“Oh, it looks pretty bad.”

“Feels pretty bad.” He smiles. “Miss me?” He takes off his jacket.

“Yes actually, my two days alone have been..harsh. Bad family news and all.”

He nods. “So, I’ve been keeping my cool for 11 days, c’mon, let’s go on a date. You and me.”

“A date?” My voice squeaks.

“Yeah. And doesn’t have to be a dinner date. It can be casual, we can go to the park and make out.

I chuckle. “What if we went to get lunch, in a public, open cafe? That’s cheap.”

He nods, smiling. “Okay. Sure. Say..today? I have nothing after this. Do you?”

“Luc wants me to get her ice cream, so no. I have nothing.”

He smiles. “Luc?”

“My sister.”

“You have a sister?”

“A twin. Lucy. She’s crazy. I wouldn’t hurt her. She would kill you probably.”

He nods. “Respect.”

I chuckle, looking at him fully, my body facing him. “So, what will this date consist of?”

“We eat, i hold your hand, maybe we kiss, maybe you can tell me your favorite food. And maybe I’ll tell you mine. Then I’ll walk you home as you’ll let me get your number. And i kiss you goodnight.”

“Well now I’m excited.”

He chuckles. “Good.”

__

We walk together out of the classroom, of course everyone staring. Not out of shock anymore, more of pure annoyance. The girls are not happy. Never have been, as soon as he talked to me and not the girls. I feel special sometimes, it’s fun.

As we leave the campus, he interlocks our fingers together, and i smile at how soft and warm they are. I love that i can touch them, and it takes everything in me not to touch his cheek, or his nose. He’s so beautiful.

We sit outside of the cafe i told him to go, it’s only a block away from my apartment. So if anything happens, i can make a run for it, and not wear myself out. I also know everything around this area enough to know the places to hide.

I learned the first day here.

He orders the same think i do, since he wants to know my ‘taste’. “So what’s your favorite food?”

“Sandwiches.” I smirk. “you?”

“PIzza.”

“What’s your favorite season?”

“Winter. Yours?”

“Mine too.”

He smiles. “Movie?”

“Tarzan.”

“Water boy.”

I chuckle. “Meat?”

“Steak.”

“Mm. Me too.”

“Holiday?”

“Christmas.”

He chuckles. “Mine too.”

I smile wide, because all i can do is look at his lips.

The waitress drops our food down, and he looks at it and nods. “I expected worse.”

I laugh, grabbing the mustard. “You’re going to want this on it. If you’re not allergic.”

He grins and grabs it from me, filling his sandwich the way i do. I open my mouth to ask him why the friend punch him when i hear my sister yell.

“You abandoned me and my ice cream!”

“Oh fuck.” I duck under the table, as a rock slams onto my seat, Damien laughing. I move my head slowly so i can see just her face above the table. She has nothing in her hands so i slowly move back onto my seat.

“I’m on a date Lucy.”

“I don’t give a f**k! You promised!”

“And i will get your ice cream when i leave, you’re out. You get it.”

“I’ll get another rock, En, don’t test me.”

My heart sinks to my chest when she says my real nick name. She’s never once f****d up, and to f**k up in front of a stranger. Her eyes when she realizes, and she backs up some.

“Fine! God Roman you’re such a d**k sometimes! f**k you too Damien!” She walks away and Damien looks at me.

“En?”

“My middle name is Engel. I hate it, she likes to call me that.”

“Engel?”

“From my father.”

It is so sad how easy lies like that can roll off my tongue. I was such a bad liar, and now? My god.

Of course, my father’s name is Engel, but he hated it so much when he got the chance, he changed it when we went into Witness Protection. No one knows his middle name, so to fix Lucy’s dumbass mistake, i must make him think that ridiculous name is mine.

God i hate that name.

He nods. “It’s terrible.”

I smile. “Yeah. It is.” I take a bite of my sandwich to hide the lies that will probably fall from my mouth more and I’ll be in more s**t.

“She likes to throw things, huh?”

I nod. “Yeah just naturally duck when she comes in if she’s mad. Mostly she likes to throw rocks, and these um, rubber ducks we have. My dad bought them from her, she’s only allowed to throw these. Sometimes she collects rocks.”

He chuckles. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Boyfriend..or former boyfriend. Just keeps breaking her heart apparently. I’ll tell you what, if i weren’t terrified of him, i would kill him.”

He smiles some. “Why are you scared of him?”

“He’s a former convict.” I set a piece of roast beef in my mouth. I did it again, i said too much. Again.

“Oh s**t. What for?”

I smile, and grab my sandwich. My defense of not telling. It’s what i do.

“Oh! I see how it is. Get to the good details and you want to be quiet, fine. Two can play that game.” He leans back. “My dad’s a criminal, which is why we don’t talk.”

“criminal with what?”

He smiles and grabs his sandwich, taking a bite just like i do. And i can see his point.

“Alright, i see why it’s annoying.”

“exactly.”

“Still not speaking of it. Not my place.”

“Mine either.”

I laugh. “damn it!”

He smiles at me. “It’s annoying, i know.” He takes another bite.”

“Sometimes others like to be mysterious like you.”

“I’m not mysterious. I just don’t tell someone who couldn’t tell me his favorite color for seven days, something that, you can’t know until we’ve known each other at least a month.”

“Okay, then two months in I’ll tell you about her criminal boyfriend and why he scares me.”

“And i’ll tell you what my dad does that makes him a criminal.”

“Deal.”

He smiles.

We eat our sandwich in peace, with the occasional small talk, but i enjoy just being in his company in general. He’s easy to talk to, which is bad, but as long as i eat, it’s not a problem.

He pays for food, which i thank him profusely since i hate when people pay for me. He takes my hand and walks me closer to my apartment, laughing to himself.

“so i don’t get to see it?”

“No.”

He sighs. “if i show you mine will you show me yours?”

Privates?

I look at him confused. “what?”

“Homes.”

“Oh.” I giggle. “Oh, i guess.”

“What did you think i was talking about?” He smiles down at me.

“Nothing, i mean, homes, i totally, totally thought homes.”

“You thought p*****s huh?”

I giggle and nod. “I totally did.”

He smiles and stops, just minutes from my house. “Well you don’t get to see mine until i get to meet your parents. It’s customary.”

I chuckle. “I guess that’s fair. I haven’t seen one other than mine, in person, for three years.”

“Mm, nine months for me.”

“Lucky.” I slap his shoulder and he laughs. “This is as far as you go.”

He looks around, it’s not the nicest neighborhood, and given his clothes I’m sure he lives on the richer side. But he doesn’t seem bugged about it, he just shakes his head and smiles.

“Damn thought i could figure it out.”

I smile.

He looks down at me and immediately i get flustered.

“Is this the part where you kiss me bye?” I whisper.

“Maybe kiss you goodnight.” He sets his hands on my hips and tugs me forward, and i gasp at the excitement it brings me.

He leans forward and kisses me, my arms wrapping around his hips. The simple kiss turns into a make out session, tongues wrapping together. It’s so hot. I am so turned on.

Though I’m the first to break it, just so i can breathe, he licks his lips and smiles wide at me. “Wow, roast beef.”

I giggle. “I should go, before make out turns into jail time for public exposure.”

He laughs. “I—i didn’t get your number.”

I grab the pen from my pocket and grab his hand, writing it down on it. “call me.” I smile and he just stares at me like i might explode, probably out of shock.

“I will.” He whispers.

I smile wide, and walk away to the apartment, checking to see if he’s gone before i step inside the door. Once into the apartment door I’m confronted with my sister, who glares at me, eating her ice cream.

“You f****d up.”

She sighs. “I know, I’m sorry.”

“Just because you’re in love with a psycho doesn’t mean you need to take it out on us. We’ve left three years ago, get over him.” I walk around her.

“Oh, like you got over Nick! I still see you stalking his page Roman!”

“He was my boyfriend for five years! We had s*x, we loved each other, i knew everything about him, he knew everything about me! And i had to up and leave him! Alexi is the f*****g reason we are in this god damn mess Lucy! And you are still f*****g crying over someone who wants all of us dead! If it was just dad, he would’ve left, but he’ll kill us to get to him, and don’t think for a second, you’re not on his hit list. Grow some balls Alessandra.”

I set my jacket on the couch and go to the room, grabbing my towel and heading into the bathroom. But I’m stopped by Lucy before i can get out of the door.

“I was pregnant when I left.”

Whoa.

“He didn’t know. I only found out that day, but before, i asked him what he would do. He said he had three already and would love for another. And was excited. Planned our lives together. Then whatever dad did, made him go into rage. So I cried because it came crumbling down, then cried harder because i lost the baby.”

“Lucy, i get that, and i am so sorry. But look what he’s done. What he continues to do, if he loved you so much don’t you think he would spare our own lives? Your life? Our father? If dad did something so terrible, i get it, Russian mob, whatever, but you said he loved you, why would he love you and want to hurt you?”

“You’re right. Doesn’t mean it’s easier, Roman.”

“I know, i get it, i sobbed my eyes out for what felt like forever, but i grabbed my balls and decided to move on. We can never go back, say he loved you, that much, you’re still someone who he can use to get to dad. I’m sure he would gladly take i t.”

“I wish i had balls so i could kill him.”

“One day.” I whisper.

“You’re damn right one day”