Devenity

Chapter 4

Withering Roses

Damon and I talked the whole day, we filled each other in on the last two years we spent apart, he told me everything about his job, his new house, how he was copping after his grandparent's death and all the new people he met.

"Your friends sound interesting, I definitely want to meet them", I smiled.

"You'll love them I promise, I think you'll connect well with Zoe, she's an amazing person", his enthusiasm was infectious, I loved seeing him happy.

"When can we meet them?".

"Tomorrow, I arranged some things for us to".

"Ouu, how many people are coming?".

"Six, me, you, Maddie, Zoe, Russ, and Nina".

"That's awesome, I don't think I'd enjoy myself if we were in a large group".

"I put that into consideration", he winked. Damon knows me so well, he took the time to me because I was too scared to open up to anyone.

I checked the time on my phone, 8:45 pm, Maddie was out all this out, in this weather.

"I'm worried, Maddie has been out all day", I looked out the window, "and it's getting dark".

"You're right, let's go look for her", Damon and I stood up, I was about to find some shoes when Maddie walked in.

"Minnesota weather sucks, your spit turns into ice cubes", she was carrying three big plastic bags.

"Where the hell have you been?", I took the plastic bags from her hands and put them in the kitchen.

"Glad to see you too", she replied sarcastically.

"Dev is right, what took you so long?", Damon and Maddie followed me into the kitchen.

"I was exploring, also it took some time for me to withdraw some money". 

"Why were you withdrawing money? Don't we have enough?".

"Have you not seen all the stuff I bought? I needed to buy stuff in bulk, that way we don't have to worry about going out in this weather".

"You have a point, sorry".

"Is this the same Maddie I left behind in New York", Damon raised an eyebrow.

"And what is that supposed to mean?", turned to face Damon.

"Nothing, I guess there is a brain upstairs", he laughed.

"Get the hell out, you've overstayed your welcome", Maddie pushed Damon out of the kitchen.

"Calm down", I followed after them.

"No she's right, I need to get back home".

"Oh, okay I'll see you tomorrow", I extended my arms and we hugged, he smelt so good.

"I'll be here first thing in the morning", he kissed my cheek.

"Okay", looked at him and smiled.

"Aww, it's so cute I want to vomit, get out will yah", Maddie made a barfing sound.

"Jealous", Damon stuck his tongue out at Maddie, "see ya".

I opened the door for Damon and he left, I jumped up and down in excitement like a little girl.

"Did you guys kiss?".

"What? No, we just got really close".

"How close? Did you sit on his lap? Did you give him a hickey?".

"I don't know how your brain wanders that far", I rolled my eyes, "we sat really close together and he put my legs on his lap".

"Well, it's a start".

"It doesn't matter if you see it as small, Damon and I are making progress".

"Okay lover girl, settle down", Maddie wrapped her arms around me, "I'm so happy for you".

"Even though you gagged at our love?".

"I was playing", she winked, "now, make me some food".

"Ugh"

*****

I hardly slept a wink, every time I closed my eyes Damon's face popped up in my head and every time my heart raced more, I couldn't take the heat anymore, today I'm telling Damon how I feel.

My alarm clock rang, I turned to my side and turned it off immediately, Damon said he'd be here early so I need a head start in preparing myself.

"Maddie wake up!", I yelled as I entered the bathroom.

I was way too excited to worry about the cold, it was 7 in the morning and the weather dropped again since last night, Minnesota was a frozen wasteland.

I did a quick 10 minutes shower, brushed my teeth and went back into my room. Today I would put in extra effort into my outfit, I'm finally going to tell Damon how I feel so I need to dress to impress, if my wardrobe would allow me.

I spent 5 minutes looking for the perfect outfit, I wasn't only dressing for Damon, I was also dressing for his friends, I want to make a good first impression. It was a tough decision but I finally found something to wear, a white turtle neck, black high waisted jeans, and fur boots, it was pretty casual but I managed to pull it off.

"Well look at you sexy gorgeous thing", I turned around and saw Maddie leaning against the door, it was then when I realized I changed with the door open.

"You think I look okay?", I looked in the mirror across the room.

"You look amazing, I can see someone went all out".

"Well...I've decided I want to tell Damon how I feel about him today".

"So soon, what influenced your decision?".

"Yesterday when we spent the whole day together, close to each other, I really wanted that moment to last, I didn't want time to pass by, I need to tell Damon how I feel so I can have more moments like that", I smiled.

Maddie went quiet for a moment, she had a concerned look on her face.

"What?".

"No, it's nothing", she looked at her feet.

"Maddie tell me, you don't think it's a good idea?", I stood in front of her.

"It's not that".

"Then what is it?".

"It's just...2 years Dev, we've been apart for 2 years".

"Your point?".

"I just think-"

The doorbell rang, I looked at Maddie, she had no intentions of finishing her sentence. I walked out of my room and answered the door, it was Damon with a female friend.

"Good morning", I managed to smile, my discussion with Maddie left me a little upset.

"Good morning", I moved to the side and they both entered the house, "this is Nina, one of the friends I told you about".

"Nice to meet you, Nina, I'm Devenity but you can call me Dev", I extended my hand and she shook it.

She was adorable, brown eyes, short curly reddish-blonde hair, honey brown skin and bow-shaped lips.

"I've heard so much about you, you're prettier in person", she smiled brightly.

"Aww, you're so nice, can I over you anything? It's still early in the morning, I can make breakfast".

"That's why we came here so early, I told Nina how awesome your omelets are and she's been dying to try them".

"Then it'll be my pleasure to make some, let's go to the kitchen", I walked ahead of them into the kitchen.

"Maddie?", Damon sat down on a stool by the counter and so did Nina.

"I assume she's freshening up", I opened the fridge and took out a tray of eggs.

"She's up early, I wonder what the occasion is", Damon laughed.

"Well we are going to hang out with people we've never met before, perhaps she wants to make a good first impression".

"Maddie?", Damon raised an eyebrow.

"Have some faith in her, geez", I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Another person I can't wait to see", Nina laughed.

*****

After Maddie was done getting ready we all ate breakfast, my special omelet accompanied by bacon balls, French toast, and hot chocolate, we stuffed ourselves to maximum capacity, when we were sure all our food was digested we left the house.

"Where to now tour guide?", I asked Damon as drove through the snow, it was getting heavier by the minute.

"There are a lot of places on our list, where would you like to start? The flour mills, butter-making plant or one of our great lakes?".

"Why are we going see how butter is made?", Maddie asked from the backseat, she sat with Nina while I sat shotgun.

"It's fascinating, you'll love it", Nina said.

"I worry about you people, if butter making fascinates you you obviously have a big problem".

"Lighten up, try something new for a change", I rolled my eyes.

"That's the spirit", Damon smiled at me.

"By the way, when are we going to meet your other friends?".

"Soon, I'm gonna show you guys around then we'll stop by the hot springs, that's our last destination".

"Why not just skip everything and go to hot springs already?", Maddie sighed.

"You shut up till the trip is over, we don't need your negativity", Damon scolded.

We drove for 30 minutes before we reached our first stop, "Moonblight's first flour mill", we got out of the car and were ushered inside by some workers.

"Since we're a small town we don't have many resources, that's why when the government sent workers here to build us our own flour mill we were so excited and proud to call it our own", Damon explained as we walked the mill.

"When was it built?", I asked.

"1970", Nina replied.

"Wooow", Maddie took her phone out of her pocket and started taking pictures.

"Now look who's interested", I smirked.

"I'm not interested, I just want to send pictures to Max so he thinks I'm doing something productive".

"You're a fool, a big fool", I pushed her arm.

"You love me regardless".

****

From the flour mill, we were taken to a butter-making plant, a winery and when Maddie was 'tasting' the wine we went to see one of the great lakes, overall our day was spent well, I got to hold Damon's hand multiple times.

"Please tell me we're going to the hot springs, it already 6 pm and the snow has gotten worse", Maddie whined.

"Yes, we're going to the hot springs, but by the looks of this weather we might have to stay the night", Damon replied.

"Sounds good, I just wish we carried extra clothes", I said.

"Don't worry, Zoe will help you out, you might not be the same size but I'm sure she'll have something", Nina said to me.

"Great".

Damon stopped the car in front of a classy looking building, this must be the hot springs. We got out of the car and ran to the entrance, Damon opened the door for us and we went inside, it was so warm.

"Welcome", a pretty blonde girl walked up to us, she had pretty pink lips, a round nose, and gorgeous jade eyes.

"Hey Zoe", Damon embraced her, "these are the friends I told you about".

"Nice to finally meet you", she let go off Damon and smiled at me.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Devenity and she's Maddie", I smiled back.

"This place is awesome, can we please see the hot springs now?", urged as she Maddie moved around the round.

"Of course you can, just follow me", Zoe led the way and we followed her.

"She's pretty", I whispered to Damon.

"I know right", maybe I was imagining it but I could have sworn I saw Damon blush.

We were led to some rooms, we were probably going to use them for the night.

"You two can use this room, Nina and I will be in the room across and Damon and Russ will in the room at the end of the hall", Zoe explained.

"Sounds great".

"You can change now and visit the hot springs, I'll join you guys later", with that everyone went to their respective rooms.

"Isn't this place fancy?", Maddie started undressing.

"Yeah, Zoe is doing a great job handling it", I sat on one of the beds.

"Yeah, I guess she owns the place, so she's pretty and a business lady".

"Hmm".

"Why aren't you undressing? You're not coming to hot springs?".

"I'll catch up, I just felt a slight migraine".

"Are you sure?".

"Yeah", it was stupid lying to Maddie because she knows me so well but she understood when I wanted to be alone.

"Okay then", she left the room and closed the door behind her.

I laid back into my bed, all of a sudden all my confidence has been drained, I was so ready earlier this morning to tell Damon how I feel but after what I saw I was wasn't sure anymore.

The way he looked at Zoe and blushed, maybe there's something going on between them, no, I'm just panicking, now I'm seeing things.

But what if there is something? Is that what Maddie was trying to tell me? To leave room for disappointment?