Chapter Twelve — Before We Became Enemies
982 Words
I stared at Damien’s message until the screen went dark.
Because he knows why I started watching you.
My heart was beating too fast.
I unlocked my phone again.
Me: What does that mean?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Appeared again.
Nothing.
I frowned.
Me: Damien?
Still nothing.
I called him.
He didn’t answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
I dropped my phone onto the table.
For someone who always had an answer for everything, Damien was suddenly very quiet.
And I hated it.
⸻
I found him later that afternoon.
He was standing outside the faculty building, talking to someone on the phone.
The moment he saw me, he ended the call.
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“You didn’t answer my calls.”
“I couldn’t.”
I crossed my arms.
“Why did you text me that?”
He looked around.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“Somewhere private.”
That made me even more suspicious.
We walked toward a quieter part of campus.
Once we were alone, I stopped.
“Talk.”
Damien sighed.
“I shouldn’t have sent that message.”
“But you did.”
“I know.”
“So explain it.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“It’s complicated.”
“Everything with you is complicated.”
“I know.”
“Then make it simple.”
He looked at me.
“I’ve known things about you for a long time.”
I froze.
“How long?”
He didn’t answer.
“Damien.”
“A while.”
“How long?”
He looked away.
“Before we became friends.”
I laughed nervously.
“We were never friends.”
“I know.”
“Then before we became enemies?”
His silence answered me.
My smile disappeared.
“What do you mean?”
He looked at me again.
“We didn’t always hate each other.”
I stared at him.
“That makes no sense.”
“You don’t remember.”
“Remember what?”
He shook his head.
“It’s not time.”
I stepped closer.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I’m trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“From the truth.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Do you hear yourself?”
“Yes.”
“And you still think that makes sense?”
“No.”
For the first time, Damien looked almost frustrated with himself.
“I just need you to trust me.”
I shook my head.
“You can’t ask me to trust you when you refuse to tell me anything.”
He didn’t argue.
Instead, he looked at my bracelet.
I noticed.
Again.
“You keep looking at this.”
His eyes lifted to mine.
“I know.”
“Why?”
He was silent.
“Damien.”
“That bracelet is important.”
“It was a gift from my mother.”
“I know.”
I froze.
“How do you know that?”
He immediately looked away.
I stepped closer.
“I never told you that.”
He said nothing.
“Did Adrian tell you?”
“No.”
“Then how?”
He finally met my eyes.
“Because I was there.”
My entire body went still.
“What?”
His expression changed.
He realized what he’d said.
“Forget I said that.”
“Where were you?”
“Amara—”
“Where?”
He looked at me for several seconds.
Then he said quietly,
“Two years ago.”
My heart started pounding.
The messages.
The warning.
The question about two years ago.
Everything suddenly connected.
“You knew me two years ago?”
He didn’t answer.
“You knew me before we became rivals?”
Silence.
“Damien, did I know you?”
He looked away.
And that hurt more than an answer.
I stepped back.
“You’re lying to me.”
“No.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because if you remember what happened…”
He stopped.
“What?”
His voice dropped.
“You might hate me for a completely different reason.”
I stared at him.
Before I could respond, someone called his name.
“Damien!”
We both turned.
Adrian was standing several feet away.
His expression was serious.
He looked at Damien.
Then at me.
“You shouldn’t be telling her this.”
Damien’s jaw tightened.
“I know.”
Adrian walked closer.
“Then why did you?”
Damien didn’t answer.
Adrian looked at me.
“Amara, there are things about your past that you don’t remember.”
My stomach dropped.
“What things?”
Adrian glanced at his brother.
Damien shook his head slightly.
“Not yet.”
I looked between them.
“You two are unbelievable.”
I turned to leave.
“Amara.”
I stopped.
Damien’s voice was softer now.
“I never wanted you to get hurt.”
I turned back.
“Then stop keeping me in the dark.”
His eyes stayed on mine.
“I will tell you.”
“When?”
He hesitated.
“When I’m sure you’ll be safe.”
I stared at him.
“Safe from who?”
Neither brother answered.
And that silence told me more than they ever could.
Someone had been watching me.
Someone knew about my past.
And Damien Carter…
had been watching me long before I ever knew he was looking.
That night, I went through an old box of photographs in my room.
I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for.
Until I found one.
A picture from two years ago.
My fingers trembled as I turned it over.
There was something written on the back.
A date.
A place.
And one name.
Damien.
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