1
I was momentarily blinded by the lightning white flash of a camera. Blinking and squinting, I held a hand up to my face in an attempt to shield my eyes from more flashes as I walked out of the mall and toward my ride.
"Casper! Is it true you started dating David Larsen while he was your professor?"
"We spotted you two at Cherry Garden last week. Does this mean he's recovering well? Casper, over here!"
I didn't respond. I ignored the press; something I'd become accustomed to ever since last year. Entering the passenger seat of the car, I shut the door, blocking out their flashes and their questions. "Thanks for picking me up," I appreciated my friend, Jonathan while tossing my few shopping bags onto the back seat. He immediately drove away, and I sighed, releasing the tension in my shoulders.
"They literally give me the creeps, Jon."
"What were they asking you?"
"Oh, you know, the usual." I fastened my seat belt, running my fingers through my hair.
"I'm sorry you have all that unwanted attention on you."
I shrugged. "Trust me, it's no accident that they're always on my case. Mr. Larsen warned me..." I looked down at my fingers, fidgeting with them. "I don't care what he does. If he thinks I'll toss his son away over a bunch of cameras, he's underestimating me."
"I can't believe he'd do that to you guys. What kind of a man is that? Does he think this is the 17th century? Whatever, there's no getting rid of them. I guess... to beat that man's game, you'll just have to embrace the situation and show him it can't faze you. He'll give up."
I huffed, closing my eyes as I absentmindedly rubbed my finger over my ring. "It's still the farthest thing from my mind." I opened my eyes, scanning the road.
"What's going on?" He queried. "David got out of the hospital two months ago, he's doing much better with his speech, it's a New Year. So why the sad face?"
"You forgot to mention his blast from the past."
Jonathan's face turned sour and he quickly shot me a sympathetic look. "Right... sorry. But you told me Rowan disappeared again. David doesn't even know he's still alive, does he?"
"No. As much as I'd like to keep it that way, I hate keeping the truth from him. Every day that passes by, I feel worse and worse. I'm so close to telling him but then I chicken out. How do I drop something like that on him especially after the surgery? His fiance, the man he loved more than his own life and grieved when he died, isn't actually dead. He never was." I remembered what Rowan told me when he showed up in David's hospital room. He wanted to fight for David, and he told me why he had to fake his death. He didn't really go into too much detail, but I understood. As much I tried to hate him... I realized I'd probably do the same thing.
I mean, I wouldn't fake my death, but I'd definitely stop at nothing to fight for the love of my life.
"Just my luck, isn't it? Not only do I have his influential father on my ass, but Rowan could turn up any second and ruin everything. I just can't win, can I?"
"I know I always state the obvious and suck at helping situations, but... the odds are kinda in Rowan's favor."
I glared at him. "You're right; that's not helping. Oh! And as if I don't already have enough to worry about, I have to face my parents this weekend before school starts. How awesome is that?"
"We should totally switch lives. I'm a simpleton; I just take it easy and swim under the radar. I'm practically invisible."
"Do you think that... Do you think I never should've gotten involved with David? Should I have just kept to myself?"
"I think you shouldn't think like that. If you start doubting, that's exactly what his father wants."
"You're right." I shook my head. "I'm just being paranoid. Forget I said anything."
"Casper," Jonathan sighed. "I know that at one point you liked Nash. He may have been the safest route, but not the smartest. With his ex drama, I don't think he was in the right place to love you, but David is. David is willing to make sacrifices for you and put you first. Nash, and just about everyone at our age, will not put anyone else first. At least David's mature enough to recognize you as his number one priority. It's just the truth."
"You're right. I love him, too." I swallowed as Jonathan took a right on a familiar street, and I knew he was heading to David's new house. He'd gotten one much bigger than the previous one. Sometimes I missed his little cozy place because it felt more intimate. It felt like nothing in the world could get to us. He did ask me my opinion on what house to get and he made sure it was near campus, but not too close.
Ten minutes later, we approached the gates surrounding David's new house and they opened to let us inside. "Thanks again for picking me up," I appreciated.
"Yeah. Don't go to the mall alone next time, okay? Shopping's no fun by yourself." He rounded the three-tiered fountain that was outside the house before coming to a stop.
"Okay." I grabbed my shopping bags and smiled at him. "I'll see you soon."
I got out of the car after we exchanged goodbyes and made my way toward the front door of the house. I rang the doorbell and waited to be answered. Sofie's barks erupted from the inside at the sound of the bell and I could hear her sniffing at the door. The locks twisted and the door opened, and a wide grin spread across my face.
"David, hey." Still holding my bags, I hugged him then walked inside.
"Hi," he responded, closing the door and locking it.
"Just some last-minute back-to-school shopping," I explained, putting the bags down beside one of the couches. I proceeded to pet Sofie and place a small kiss atop her head.
"Alone?" He asked as I faced him. I shrugged.
"Yeah, I just needed some time to think. I'm okay." I tried to ease his obvious concern. I could see him searching for a way to speak his mind, but he came up with nothing. Instead, he just looked defeated and frustrated. "Hey." I took his hands and placed them against my back then wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm fine. You'll be too. I can go to speech therapy with you today if you want. Then when we come back, we'll watch some movies with Sofie and just... enjoy each other's company. And I still have to tell you all about my trip to London."
He smiled softly, nodding. "Was there... press?"
"Actually, yeah. It doesn't matter; I just ignored them."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I mean, I totally see why you wanted out of that kind of life, but don't be sorry. I wanna be with you. They can ask all the questions they want and take all the pictures. Because that's all they'll ever have."
He rubbed my back. "I love you." I smiled at him. Those three little words were the first ones he pushed himself to say when he started his recovery. So yes, sue me for getting excited every single time he said them.
"I love you, too." I moved closer and kissed him. "And I'm not going anywhere."
***
"Alright, you have to come with me to my house. It's just a couple nights." I said to David as I folded a few clothes and neatly piled them inside a duffel bag. He was sitting on the bed, staring at his phone screen. I rolled my eyes, laughing to myself as I grabbed a throw pillow and chucked it at his torso. Startled, he looked at me with wide eyes.
"Yes, your Highness?" he asked.
"I was speaking to you," I laughed. "I said you have to come with me to my house. I don't wanna face my parents alone. Besides, you haven't met them."
He looked unsure and I walked a little closer. "Just write it down. I wanna know what's on your mind." I handed him a notepad and a pen, but he didn't take it. Sighing, I sat down on the bed, placing a hand over his. "What's wrong?"
"I can't..." He glanced at the notepad and shook his head. "I need to s-speak."
"I'm listening. You're tired of writing things down?"
He nodded as I squeezed his hand. "I understand." I pushed some of his silky brown hair out of his face. "I wish this was much easier for you. But... I'm also glad your memory is intact. So is that gentle, easygoing personality that I'm madly in love with. Don't worry. A couple more months of therapy, and you'll be good. You've come so far already. I'll let you talk my head off... It'll be worth it."
He quietly laughed. "Deal."
"Okay. But seriously, I can't face my parents alone. I know they have a ton of questions about us and I've been putting them off since your surgery. If you come, I think they'll finally understand why I love you so much." I smiled. "So what do you say? Will you be there for me? Pretty please?"
"Okay," he agreed. "Will they... um..."
"Will they approve?" I finished his sentence and he nodded. "I'll tell them. They're curious about you, no way they'll say no. It's just... they don't exactly know that you're, you know... my used-to-be Psych professor."
David raised his eyebrows at me and I bit my lip. "I know, I'm so so sorry. I didn't know how to say it. But I'll tell them everything, I swear." I swallowed, feeling guilt wash over me. I couldn't help but think about the fact I was withholding a very huge secret from him, one that could tear the very fabrics of our relationship. Rowan said he had to make sure it was safe, and I didn't know what he meant by that. I figured it had to do with the reason why he disappeared again.
"It's okay," he told me. "I-I understand."
I felt relieved, but the guilt was still there. "You always understand. Even when I don't deserve it."
"Hey," he disagreed, grabbing the notepad and pen. He started writing something on it and I slowly smiled, wondering what it was that he was unable to say out loud. A few seconds later, he turned the notepad around and I read off of it.
You can do no wrong in my eyes. You're my angel.
I giggled. "David..." I smirked, taking the notepad and writing something on it as well. I showed it to him and he gazed at it.
I'm very blessed to have you.
"Same here," he wholly agreed.
**
"Sooo when we get to my place, just know my parents are gonna skin me alive and preserve my body in a freezer," I informed David when we were on the road to my house. "Then ship my remains to Asia." I was driving, of course, and he was seated quietly in the passenger's seat. Well, he didn't have much of a choice, but I knew he'd be the one chatting and cracking jokes if he could.
"Dark," he remarked, nodding in approval.
"We've been watching way too many horror movies, haven't we?" We laughed. "Well, so I went to London for that job-shadow trip, you know, with Lucas's uncle, and it was supposed to be for a month. But not seeing you was killing me so I came back early. My parents are sorta mad that I didn't just come straight home to spend New Year's since I missed Christmas."
"Wow," he laughed at me and I pouted.
"This isn't fair. I really wish I could wave a wand and get more than 1-5 syllables out of you."
"Me too," he agreed. I softly smiled.
"I used to be silent, remember? I barely spoke at all... Now I'm sick of hearing myself talk. I can't wait to listen to you." He held my hand and I sighed. "Just a couple more months of therapy, more or less."
I could see him looking at me from the periphery of my vision. "You okay?" he queried.
"Hm? Yeah, why?"
"Your mom."
I immediately understood what he was trying to say. My eyebrows knitted together as I thought about my mother's infidelity. I was yet to speak to my parents about it because... well, honestly, there was so much that I've been avoiding where my parents were concerned. I was mostly looking forward to going back home to see my brother Dawson, who was also my closest friend.
"We haven't talked about it," I responded. "But no, I'm not okay. I don't know how to look at her the same way, and my dad's been holding it together for me and Dawson."
David kept me calm by caressing my hand and I smiled appreciatively. I knew that he wanted to tell me everything would work out and it'll all be okay. I knew that he just wanted to give me some kind of reassurance to put my mind at ease, so I decided it was best to stay calm about the situation. If I got worked up, he might too, and that was the last thing he needed during his recovery.
"I'll be fine. We'll all be fine." I kept telling myself that, but I didn't know if I truly believed it.
Because I had to face it: Life just had a way of ripping someone to pieces.
