Chapter Five

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" A voice questioned behind Damian. He shut his eyes close due to frustration. He was so close in leaving that horrible place.

He turned around slowly and gave a fake smile. "I-I just wanted to have some fresh air". He opened his eyes.

The silence was loud. Staring at each other. Vanessa was holding a devil's spring vodka on one hand and two glass cups on the other.

She tinted her head slightly and squinted. "I thought Kreig was with you".

"He passed out".

"Beer?"

He nodded. "Yup".

She sighed. "As expected from Kreig. Since you haven't gone out since you came here, how about now?" She said and gave a faint smile. Her voice sounded so weak. "I brought this". She raised the alcohol up.

"Sure".

****

Seated on a bench under a tree, they both stared at the starry sky, drinking the alcohol.

Damian kept glancing at her, watching her drink miserably. Suddenly, she cackled, leaving Damian confused.

"Why don't you ask? Why keep glancing at me?" She paused and faced him. Her eyes sparkled in the night which left Damian stunned. Her hair went along with the light breeze.

He was completely lost. Admiring her beauty. His eyes took on a darker shade. That was the first time he saw her as a beautiful woman. Irresistible.

Her eyes flickered straight towards his eyes, noticing his stares. She chuckled and flipped her hair, staring back at the alcohol as she swirled it around. "Your stares are obvious, you know". She said which snapped Damian back.

He shook his head quickly. "What the hell was I doing?" He thought and looked back up at the sky. "Ask you what?" He took a sip of the alcohol.

She scoffed. "You know, this is the very same alcohol my so-called 'best friend' forced me to drink and got raped later".

Damian paused. Raped? He faced her. He could see the depression on her face even though she tried her best to hide it. That must have really traumatized her.

She smirked. "She sold me out to a weirdo and that night I found my family in a pool of their own blood". She said with shaky voice. "My brother was just ten. He was so young". Her eyes became teary.

She would always try to forget what happened and remain strong just like what her aunt told her but when Jewel brought that up, she couldn't help but lose it.

She sniffed. "He would have been eighteen now, getting ready for college". Her voice sounded so sad and heartbreaking. She couldn't hold it anymore. Her heart hurt so much. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she broke down. She dropped the bottle and the glass cup on the ground and covered her, crying so hard.

Damian had a sting in his heart after listening to her story. He drew her closer and held her in his arms. That was the first time she cried in front of someone since her aunt.

Damian wasn't good at comforting anyone. He patted her back gently and sighed. This was taking too long. She cried in his arms. "Do...do you need water?" He finally spoke.

Vanessa sniffed and moved away, wiping her tears off her face with the back of her palm. "I'm sorry". She said. She was so embarrassed already. Letting it all out in front of someone. "Please, let's just forget about what just happened, okay?"

Damian hummed and looked away.

****

"I think this is the place". A figure of a girl said as she stared at the Victorian cast iron gate of a mansion.

She looked down to her phone. Then the gate opened automatically. She got back into her Tesla and drove in. The drive way led straight to an enormous and exquisite mansion with a stunning fountain at the center surrounded with cardinal flowers and garden nasturtium.

She walked into the mansion, opening the perfectly designed Oak entry door. The inviting entrance set the elegant tone with its beautiful black walnut plank floors. A medium frame of the boy band group, BTS, painted in black and white was hung on the wall. She stood there, still, staring at the picture.

"Do you also like BTS?" A gentle and welcoming voice asked.

She turned to that direction swiftly and beamed a warm smile. "Aunt".

"Kimberly dear". She moved closer and gave a warm hug.  "You've grown into a fine woman. Oh, you look just like your mother".

"Thanks, aunt".

****

"Yeah dad. I'm at his house already. No need for you to worry". Kim said talking to her dad on the phone which was on speaker as she was seated on the floor, painting her toenails black.

"He's gone missing for three months now, you just need to sit back and wait". He heaved a deep sigh. "If not Debuse Skylar is married, I would have given you to him".

She frowned. "C'mon dad, you know I love Damian. We are---"

"I know you guys are childhood friends". He cut her off. "But he is a fucking waiter. Do you think---"

"You're so annoying". She shouted directly before hanging up. She was really passed off. Her father was always saying the same thing to her, over and over again. She exhaled and stared at her toenails only to find out that she messed it up.

****

"Uh". The ray of sun shone on her face, waking her up. Birds chirping so loudly which was so annoying that she sat up abruptly and shut her eyes close tightly. She wasn't used to the morning sun. Her head began thumpimg due to the alcohol she took last night. She snapped her eyes opened and looked around. She was on the bench in which she slept on.

Damian. The first thing she thought. He wasn't around her. She stood up immediately, rushing into the building.

"Everyone". She yelled so loudly and immediately, guards rushed to her. "Where the heck were you when Damian left, uh?" She was already incensed with anger. "That's it. No alcohol for this whole month. Now go find him, dumbass". She ordered.