There it was, that guilt that she was unloading her problems onto someone else but it was hard to be anything but completely honest when it came to Damian. At a certain point in her life, he was the person she told everything to, without the fear of being judged. When they were back in high school, he had been her best friend, and became someone she considered she was closer to than her own sisters, and it was hard to shake the habit of just being completely honest with him. Itâs those kind eyes, she thought as she looked up at him with a sad smile. She could tell those eyes anything. âThank you, Damian,â Lu said, knowing the heat in her face wasnât just because of the alcohol. Even after all these years, she still found it a shock whenever people complimented her, especially when it came from someone she had been absolutely head over heels for at one point. âI had this specifically picked out for this event and I⌠didnât really feel like wasting it,â she admitted before letting out a groan, because try as she might to just keep it all inside and not ruin anyoneâs night, she had to admit that she needed to say something.Â
âI just⌠I donât understand it, you know? Any of it,â Lu blurted out. âIâve done literally nothing wrong, and yet he still thinks Iâm to blame for the end of the relationship,â Lu murmured, her voice low as she struggled to keep up the facade of not being anything but happy to be there tonight.Â
âInstead of working things out, he thought it was better to just⌠dump me on Valentineâs Day. He justâ he said he knew I was going to cheat on him, that I probably already have, and I just⌠Iâm starting to wonder how well he even knew me if he was so convinced of that,â Lu murmured, roughly covering her eyes with the palms of her hands as she reiterated to herself that this was not the place to fall apart. âIâve given him no reason to not trust me, but he justâ Iââ Lu said, heaving a deep sigh as she removed her hands, only to stare at the empty shot glasses on the bar counter. âIâm sorry,â Lu quietly and suddenly said, playing with the edge of the bar counter, needing her hands to be busy, something that signified she was feeling anxious. âI know you probably donât want to hear this and Iâm sorry Iâm just⌠putting all of this on you. We donât⌠we donât have to talk about it,â she said, showing him a small smile before unable to stop the laugh from escaping her lips.Â
âBut that wouldnât be fair on you. You didnât sign up to be my chaperone for the night and itâd be a shame to waste the open bar,â Lu teasingly said, reaching out to gently hold Damianâs hand, swallowing thickly as she looked down at their intertwined hands. âIâm touched, Damian. Really, I am, but you donât⌠you donât have to go out of your way for me,â she murmured, squeezing his hand tightly. âThough I do have a favor to ask, though. Ohâ actually two. Can you⌠can you maybe keep a hold of my phone for me? I really donât want to somehow end up drunk calling him tonight, especially because I just⌠I donât even want to talk to him,â Lu admitted, reaching over to her pocket to bring out her phone before handing it over to him with a sigh. âSecond, you have to promise me you wonât hug me, because if you do⌠well, Iâm going to cry and I⌠I donât know if Iâll be able to stop and thatâs⌠thatâs not fair on you. None of this is,â she muttered with a shake of her head. âReally, Damian, you donât have to be here, listening to your ex-girlfriend mope around over some guy who just broke her heart,â Lu quietly said, looking up suddenly to get the bartenderâs attention, ordering yet another shot. âIâll be fine,â Lu said, lying through her teeth as she tried a smile. âI mean⌠donât you have a date?â She couldnât help but ask, her eyes looking up at his curiously.
Damian had never been one to blame people for having a weak moment or two. Especially not Lu. When it came to her, he'd do just about anything to make her happy, including listening to her rant about her recent breakup with a boyfriend, whom he couldn't stand. Even after all these years and her avoiding him for the better part of a year after he returned to town from college, there was still a large chunk of his heart that belonged to her. Even after all the blame she'd put on his shoulders back in high school and all the fights they'd had. Especially after their talk on the rooftop of some stupid party. He understood her better now. For a long while back in their school years, he'd believed that she was it for him. That she would always be there and he'd be hers. Marriage, kids, the happy life his parents had had before his father's untimely death, and somewhere in the back of his mind the possibility still lingered. He'd spent all this time squashing it down, while she was with Kyle, but he couldn't stop the slight tingling of hope that traveled throughout his heart and head. "Well, you look fantastic." A smile lingered on his features and he gave her a discreet once over again. The dress screamed Lu's name.
He listened to her ramble about Kyle and bit down on his molars to try and keep the words on the tip of his tongue from escaping him. When she finished Damian shrugged, "Not to rub it in or anything..." He started, before taking a deep breath and leaning against the bar with his lower arms on the edge of the counter and looking into the opening of his beer bottle, "But now you know how it feels. Being distrusted for something you haven't done and never would do." Damian's eyes were sympathetic when he looked towards her. He wasn't trying to rub it in. The similarities were just too damn uncanny. Sure there were differences, like the fact that he'd slept around before he and Lu got together and he'd been known to tell the girls he slept with he loved them, just to get laid back then, but Lu had always been different. Heâd been different with her. "I never gave you a reason not to trust me and I know Mal had a lot to do with the distrust you placed in me. But it's crazy, how things come full circle, huh?" He asked, wanting nothing more than to hug her and tell her it would be okay.
"Look, I'll always listen to you and Iâll always be there for you. Because I'd rather be your friend, than be nothing to you." He admitted with a sigh and downed the rest of his beer, not daring to look in Lu's eyes. She'd always mean the world to him. She'd always be his best friend. "I'm not being a chaperone... Okay, maybe I am.â He chuckled and continued âBut I do not want you do get into any trouble tonight." He admitted with another chuckle and pushed the seriousness of his earlier words away. He never wanted Lu to feel worse, so instead he flashed her a grin, "I'll take care of your phone. The hug... I can't make any promises." He winked but followed it with a small laughter as he grabbed her phone from her hands, "I promise. Now drink your shotâ
When she asked him if he had a date, Damian looked away and shook his head, "Nope. Completely dateless. It's not like I want to be here with anyone but..." He didn't finish his sentence in hopes of not coming off as desperate, rahter shrugging and getting up from his seat, reaching his hand out towards her. "Dance with me?" Damian had never forced Lu to do anything she was uncomfortable with. Instead he gave her the choice, and accepted her response, no matter what it was.