A Month Later
School was starting the next day. Thank God! My father was not too pleased with me showing up that night, but he would be leaving soon. He booked his ticket and couldn’t cancel it. I didn’t tell anyone what really happened between Daimon and I. Elissa and I barely saw each other while Sofia and I hardly Skyped. I didn’t want everyone and their opinions about Daimon and I to confuse me anymore then I was already. Daimon stayed away from me, just as he said he would. I thought he couldn’t, but he did. Not once did he call or text me. I should have been angrier than I was. I should have wanted us to end. He had hurt and manipulated me to be his. Daimon didn’t understand anything of what he had done. He just did what he wanted, not caring an ounce about how I felt, or what this would do to me.
“Addie?” my father called out as the taxi waited to take him to the airport.
“Yes, Dad?”
He looked so excited that he made me smile for the first time in a month. “I’m going now, but I want you to know I’m proud of you for getting into university. I know you will do well,” he said as he reached out and hugged me. “As for Daimon…” I tried to push my father away, but he held me close to him. “He loves you. Please try to work it out.” My father hugged me tighter.
I knew I didn’t want anyone knowing why I got married to Daimon, but had everyone known, then they would have agreed to me leaving him.
“Bye, Dad, and make sure you have a safe trip. Call me the moment you get there. I don’t care what time it is,” I warned.
“Okay, Addie.”
Here I was standing on 44 West and 4th Street New York in Greenwich Village, in front of the Stern School of Business. This was beyond my wildest dreams. I honestly never thought I would get into the MBA program, but I had. I headed inside and saw students rushing in and out of the corridors. It took a while, but I finally found my class. I walked in and everyone was already somewhat seated. I sat in the front row, not one to shy away from a professor, let alone an education. I wanted this. This was my new start.
The professor walked in, no bullshitting with him; he went straight to work not bothering with anything other than who he was and our syllabus. Mr. Mitchell was a straight-laced fifty year old, who wore a business suit. He eased off his suit jacket the moment he introduced himself and stood tall in front of the lecture room. His silver hair and well-trimmed beard made him appear fussy and overtly anal. He went right to work, explaining that MBA students don’t screw around. I thought I would be overwhelmed with all the information, but I wasn’t. It did help that I bought my textbooks earlier and read through them before class even started. Thankfully, I wasn’t the oldest one here, but then again, university wasn’t about age but about an education. My education. Class ended without me realizing that two hours had passed.
Done was the first day of my MBA. I figured since my dad was gone, I should at least eat something before heading home. All my plans fell out the window once I stepped out the main building. There leaning up against his car was Daimon. His arms were crossed. Wearing only a light green colored t-shirt and a pair of worn-out jeans, my heart stopped and my belly dropped. I watched as everyone rubber necked looking at Daimon as they walked by. Both Daimon and I stood there, neither one of us moving; his faint little smile which was there a moment ago disappeared. He pushed himself off the car and headed to where I was.
“Addie.” Never could I forget his low, rough voice and the special way he would say my name.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, not too pleased with myself for being happy to see him.
“It’s your first day at university. Do you honestly think I would miss it?” he said softly.
“What do you want, Daimon?” I ignored his question, touched at how he thought of me.
“I’m here to ask you out,” he answered. I avoided looking into his eyes. Only because I was afraid I would stupidly fall back into his arms.
“Like a date?” I questioned.
“Yeah a date. I want to date you.”
“So, now you want to date?” I said rather harshly as I looked at him through my skeptical eyes. Daimon lowered his shoulders and let out a heavy sigh.
“I know I fucked it all up, but I want to try to make it better. I want to be with you and this is the only way I could think of without crossing too many lines again,” he said ruefully.
“You really just want to date me?” I asked, annoyed by him.
“Yes. I’ll pick you up from school or from your dad’s place, whatever I need to do.” He sounded different from the Daimon I knew, who was all about the power. This one was quiet and fearful.