Today is Sunday, my day off and also the day I’d planned to meet up with Damien. I spent the entire week mentally kicking myself for agreeing to do this after making up my mind about getting over high school fears before I move on with Damien. But maybe this is a good thing. The time we spent together could help me see Damien in a new light. 

***

“You’re telling me that you went out, saw this couch, and thought yes this specific shade of orange will look absolutely divine in my sage green painted living room. And then you went and spent your money on it?” I said, disbelief showing all over my face.

“I mean yeah… basically,” Damien said, rubbing his neck and looking very confused. We were both standing in Damien’s new apartment flat which was painted sage green. Next to the front door was a kitchenette and passed it was a living area and to the left was a small space just enough to fit a bed. To the right, by the living room, was a door that led to the bathroom and closet. All Damien owned was a single coffee cup, one plate and bowl, a set of silverware, and a pan which he had in the kitchen. In the living area, there was a couch that faced an empty wall, it was the ugliest shade of orange you could imagine and then he had a mattress in the small bedroom space with a single blanket and pillow. I was flabbergasted at the sight.

“When you said you sucked at decorating, I wasn’t expecting it to come in the form of an orange couch in a sage green room.” 

“It’s really that bad?” 

“Yes,” I said like it should be very obvious. “Alright muscle man, the first order of business,” I pointed at the couch, “it needs to go.” 

We carried the ugly couch out of the building and into his truck, with Damien doing most of the lifting.

“Hey Gray,” Damien turned down his music, “what kind of music do you like?” This surprised me actually. The Damien I know wouldn’t have cared enough to ask such a question.

“Hm? Why do you ask?”

“Well, we’ve got a long drive. It’s been ten years and even in high school, I didn’t know you that well. So, what better place to start than with music taste?” 

“I don’t think you’d want to listen to the stuff I listen to,” I said, looking down and balling my fist up in my lap so tight, they started turning white.

“Why not?” Damien glanced over at me for a second before returning his eyes to the road. “Gray?”

“It's ‘girly’.” Normally I’m very proud of who I am and what I like, but it’s so incredibly difficult when you’re sitting in a confined space with someone who used to ridicule you for liking things that were different from everyone else. Even for something as ridiculous as music.

“So?”

“What?” I snapped my head up, studying his face, looking for any hint of mockery. But there was none. 

“I’m sorry. I know what you were referring to but Kayden, I promise I’m not the same Damien Sawyer you knew in high school. I know I was a bit of an ass when we first met again, at the reunion. I guess I just didn’t want to come off as too friendly and scare you away.”

What? “Scare me away?”

“Yeah?” Damien said, confused. “I was sort of hoping to become friends with you?”

“You are?”

“Was that not obvious?” Damien glanced back and forth between me and the road. I remained silent, just staring at him in disbelief. Am I really that dense? Oh my god. Damien Sawyer is wanting to be my friend. Suddenly I felt very nauseous.

“What about Zack and Griffin?”

Damien’s face turned sour. And for a split second, there was a flash of pain in his eyes that I would have missed if I wasn’t studying him so closely. “I’m- I’m not friends with them anymore. I was-“ he cut himself off. I waited for him to continue but after a minute I could tell that he wanted to leave it at that.

After a while, I relaxed in my seat a little bit staring out the window. This whole- thing was a lot to take in. Can I do this? Can I be friends with Damien again? We sat in silence while I got lost in my thoughts. Eventually, I reached a decision.

“My favorite artist… is Taylor Swift... maybe some Beyonce too,” I muttered. Damien’s head turned towards me, he clearly wasn’t expecting me to answer his question after all that. The car beside us honked due to the fact Damien wasn’t paying attention and he started leaning into the next lane. “Damien!” I called out. He hastily straightened the car out again and we both broke into startled laughter. He glanced at me, flashing me a very wide smile, which shocked me. He’s never smiled at me. At least never a nice one like this. And my god it should be illegal for this man to smile.

“I think that’s the first time you’ve called me by my first name since I came back, Kayden.” He said, still with a slight smile on his face. I have no idea who this person sitting next to me is, but I do know that he isn’t the Damien Sawyer I knew in high school. “Well go on. Put your favorite song of one of theirs on.” Damien said handing me his phone.

I guess I’m willing to start over with this Damien. I’d feel really bad rejecting him after he’s changed so much over these past ten years. That reminds me, he’s been gone for so long.

What made him come back?