"Yes, but that's the thing, you did catch me in time. And now I'm fine. Seriously. I mean, if you're really so worried about me, then you should've taken me to the school nurse. You didn't have to kidnap me."
"I'm not kidnapping you," he says, clearly annoyed. "I just want to look after you, make sure you're okay."
"Oh, so now you're a doctor?" I shake my head and roll my eyes.
But he doesn't say anything. He just cruises up Coast Highway, passing right by the street that leads to my house until eventually stopping before a big imposing gate.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, watching as he nods at a familiar attendant, who smiles and waves us right through.
"My house," he mumbles, driving up a steep hill before making a series of turns that lead into a cul-de-sac and a big empty garage at the end.
Then he takes my hand and leads me through a well appointed kitchen and into the den where I stand, hands on hips, taking in all of his beautiful furnishings, the exact opposite of the frat-house chic I expected.
"Is this really all yours?" I ask, running my hand over a plush chenille sofa as my eyes tour exquisite lamps, Persian rugs, a collection of abstract oil paintings, and the dark wood coffee table covered in art books, candles, and a framed photo of me. "When'd you take this?" I lift it off the table and study it closely, having absolutely no memory of the moment.
"You act like you've never been here before," he says, motioning for me to sit.
"I haven't." I shrug.
"You have," he insists. "Last Sunday? After the beach? I've even got your wet suit hanging upstairs. Now sit." He pats the sofa cushion: "I want to see you resting."
I sink down into the overstuffed cushions, still clutching the photo and wondering when it was taken. My hair is long and loose, my face is slightly flushed, and I'm wearing a peach colored hoodie I'd forgotten I had. But even though I appear to be laughing, my eyes are sad and serious.
"I took that one day at school. When you weren't looking. I prefer candid shots, it's the only way to really capture the essence of a person," he says, removing it from my grip and retuning it to the table. "Now; close your eyes and rest, while I make you some tea."
When the tea is ready he places the cup in my hands, then busies himself with the thick wool throw; tucking it in all around me.
"This is really nice and all, but it's not necessary," I say, placing the cup on the table and glancing at my watch, thinking if we leave right now; I can still make it to second period in time.
"Seriously. I'm fine. We should get back to school."
"Ever, you fainted," he says, sitting down beside me, his eyes searching my face as he touches my hair.
"Stuff happens." I shrug, embarrassed by all the fussing, especially when I know nothing's wrong.
"Not on my watch," he whispers, moving his hand from my hair to the scar on my face.
"Don't." I pull away just before he can touch it, watching as his hand falls back to his side.
"What's wrong?" he asks, peering at me.
"I don't want you to catch it," I lie, not wanting to admit to the truth-that the scar is for me, and me only. A constant reminder, ensuring I'll never forget. That's why I refused the plastic surgeon, refused to let him «fix» it. Knowing what happened could never be fixed. It's my fault, my private pain, which is why I hide it under my bangs.
But he just laughs when he says, "I don't get sick."
I close my eyes and shake my head, and when I open them I say, "Oh, so now you don't get sick?"
He shrugs and brings the cup to my lips, urging me to drink. I take a small sip then turn my head and push it away, saying, "So let's see, you don't get sick, you don't get in trouble for truancy, you get straight As despite said truancy, you pick up a paint brush and voila, you make a Picasso better than Picasso. You can cook a meal as good as any five-star chef, you used to model in New York-which was right before you lived in Santa Fe, which came after you lived in London, Romania, Paris, and Egypt; you're unemployed and emancipated, yet you somehow manage to live in a luxuriously decorated multimillion-dollar dream home, you drive an expensive car, and-"
"Rome," he says, giving me a serious look. "What?"
"You said I lived in Romania, when it was actually Rome,"
I roll my eyes. "Whatever, the point is-" I stop, my words caught in my throat.
"Yes?" He leans toward me. "The point is…»
I swallow hard and avert my gaze, my mind grasping the edges of something, something that's been gnawing at me for some time. Something about Damen, something about that almost, otherworldly, quality of his-is he a ghost like Riley? No, that's impossible, everyone can see him.