4. I Said Yes
1372 Words
Emily
My eyes narrow slightly as I stare at the guy standing at the entrance.
He looks familiar…like one of those faces you recognize but can’t place, and it keeps bothering you until it suddenly clicks.
Wait.
It’s him.
The guy I bumped into earlier on my way to Jack’s room.
He’s standing there now, tall and broad, filling the doorway. His emerald eyes are fixed on me, studying my face.
Behind him are some of those annoying guys from earlier, all peeking inside, curious.
“Damien, what the f**k are you doing here?” Jack snaps.
Okay. So his name is Damien. Why does that sound important?
I turn back to Jack. One hand is planted on his hip, his face twisted in irritation, and yes, he is still completely naked and shameless. At this point, I am convinced he does not own a single ounce of self awareness.
“This has nothing to do with you, so leave,” Jack says. “There’s nothing interesting going on here.”
“Says who?” Damien replies calmly.
Jack scoffs and waves him off. “Says me. Now get lost.”
Then his attention snaps back to me, and I immediately know what is coming.
“Look at you,” he sneers. “Standing there like you’re about to cry. God, Emily, you’re so dramatic.”
My chest tightens, but I stay quiet.
“I mean, seriously,” he continues. “You’re always tired. Always stressed. Always complaining about school and money. It’s f*****g exhausting.”
“I’m not complaining,” I say softly. “I’m just trying to f*****g survive.”
He laughs. “Your version of surviving is embarrassing.”
That one hurts.
“You can’t even take care of yourself,” he adds. “You’re always chasing scholarships and jobs like some desperate person. Do you know how f*****g unattractive that is?”
My throat burns. I stare at the floor, wishing it would open up and swallow me.
“And don’t get me started on your personality,” Jack goes on. “You’re boring. You’re awkward. You’d rather read books than actually have fun. Half the time, you act like you're an old ass eighty years old.”
“I loved you,” I whisper.
“And?” he shrugs. “Love isn't enough.”
He looks at me slowly, like he is judging a defective product.
“Face it, Emily,” he says coldly. “You’re useless. You bring nothing to the table.”
The word hits me harder than anything else he has said.
Useless.
My chest feels so f*****g tight.
“She’s not useless,” Damien says suddenly. He shuts the door, takes a few steps forward, and walks into the room, stopping beside me.
Jack frowns. “What are you talking about?”
“Why wouldn’t she bring something to the table?” Damien replies. “From what I’ve heard, Emily is strong, intelligent, and smart.”
My heart stutters.
He turns toward me, his voice softer now. “And who wouldn’t want such a beautiful woman?”
My breath catches this time. His words make my heart warm, especially after the hurtful things Jack said.
Jack lets out a bitter laugh. “Are you serious right now?”
“Completely,” Damien answers. “You talk about her like she’s nothing, but she works harder than anyone I know. She cares about her family. She doesn’t use people. That already makes her better than you.”
Jack clenches his jaw. “You don’t f*****g know her.”
“I know enough,” Damien says. “And I know she deserves better.”
“Stop messing around and get the f**k out, Damien,” Jack says. “You and I both know you’re bluffing. It’s not like you’re going to date someone like Emily.”
Someone like Emily.
Wow. Thank you, sir. Truly. Ten out of ten insults. Would recommend to enemies.
“And why not?” Damien says.
He steps closer, and when he turns to look at me, his emerald eyes lock onto mine. No hesitation, no doubt, just full attention.
I blink. Why is he defending me this hard? Did I accidentally save his puppy in another life?
“I’d actually be lucky to have a girlfriend like her,” Damien says, still staring at me. “If she’ll agree to date me.”
He smiles. Not a cute little shy smile. A confident, dangerous smile.
My heart immediately forgets how to act normal and starts beating hard.
Jack bursts out laughing. “You’ve lost it. This is crazy.”
He bends down and grabs his stupid briefs from the floor.
I inhale slowly. Seriously, why not? I’ve already hit rock bottom today. Might as well redecorate.
“Okay,” I say. “I agree.”
Both of them freeze.
“I accept.”
Jack pauses mid movement with one leg in the air like a confused flamingo.
“What the f**k are you saying?” he asks.
“You heard me,” I reply, lifting my chin. “I accept to be his girlfriend.”
There. I said it. My life is officially a Netflix drama now.
Damien’s face lights up like he just won something he actually wanted.
He steps closer and reaches for my hand.
“That’s it,” he says. “I’m honored.”
His fingers wrap around mine, warm and strong. My brain immediately short circuits.
Jack snorts. “You’ve lost it. Do you even know who Damien is? He’s a f*****g playboy. He doesn’t care about you. He just wants to f**k you.”
I swallow and straighten my shoulders.
“I don’t care,” I say.
Jack’s eyes widened. “You don’t care if he’s a f*****g playboy?”
“Nope,” I reply. “Better a playboy than a stinking f*****g cheater like you.”
Damien laughs, deep and smooth.
“Damn,” he says. “She’s sharp.”
I pretend my heart is not doing gymnastics.
“Come on,” he says, tugging my hand gently. “Let’s go, girlfriend.”
Girlfriend. My brain screams internally.
We step out of the room, and instantly, the guys outside start whistling and clapping like we just walked off a movie set.
“Ohhh!” someone calls.
“Damn, Damien!”
“Go, bro!”
I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
We start walking, and I follow him, still holding his hand. Before we leave, I glance back.
Jack is standing there in his half-worn briefs, jaw tight, eyes dark. He looks f*****g pissed. And jealous.
And I love myself a little for how good that feels.
Fucking bastard.
We barely make it into the hallway before Damien suddenly stops.
Like…full stop.
I almost walk straight into his back like a confused Sims character. He turns around, still holding my hand.
The hallway is quiet now. Way too bright for the emotional mess happening in my life.
I clear my throat. “Hey… um. Thanks.”
He raises an eyebrow. “For?”
“For… you know. Standing up for me. Defending me back there. Not letting that bastard treat me like trash.”
There. I said it.
It feels weird saying it out loud, like admitting I was actually hurt instead of pretending I’m some unbreakable superwoman
“You’re welcome,” Damien says easily. “But everything I said was the truth.”
“What…truth?”
“That you’re strong. Smart. Beautiful. That you deserve better than some cheating asshole.”
My stomach does a weird little flip.
I look down without meaning to…at his hand. Still wrapped around mine firmly. It's like he has zero intention of letting go.
Okay why is he still holding my hand?
I slowly lift my gaze back to his face. “Um… you know you can let go now, right?”
He doesn’t.
Instead, his grip tightens just a little.
“Emily,” he says quietly.
Something about his tone makes my chest tighten.
“I was serious back there.”
I blink. “About…?”
“About wanting you to be my girlfriend.”
My brain freezes completely.
“What?”
- Writer
