Chapter Thirty-Two
Afterward, they attended a cooking session together, learning to make rustic authentic Texan dishes. It was the most amazing experience for Angela since she loved cooking but never had the opportunity to learn. She had watched videos and taught herself different dishes ever since she was eleven.
"Did you like it?" Asked Damian as they walked hand in hand towards the edge of the Travis River which was a distributary of Colorado. Angela found a shady boulder to sit on. The breeze blew softly on her face, cooling her whole body. Damian too leaned onto the boulder beside her. They watched the gurgling waters gushing past them.
"You've made me very happy Angel. I'd been dreaming of asking you to be my girlfriend for the last six years," he confessed.
Angela looked at him with disbelief. "But Steffi told me that you had a girlfriend when I went off to California?" She asked curiously.
"I didn't have any girlfriend," he said, thinking hard. Then suddenly he laughed at the memory of something. "Oh, I remember her seeing me with Robynn many times. She might have concluded that Robynn was my girlfriend, " he said, thinking hard.
"Who's Robynn?" Scowled Angela.
"The other girl you saw that day while returning home," he informed and Angela scowled further.
"Oh, you were sucking each other's faces and you say she's not your girlfriend?" She asked angrily.
"Believe me it was all a show to rile you up. She isn't into guys. In fact, she thought you were very hot. If it wasn't for me, she would have tried her luck with you," informed Damian with a laugh.
"I can't believe that, oh my God, you creep! You were putting on a show for me?" She gasped in surprise.
Damian grinned and scratched his head, guiltily. "So what about Virginia? Weren't you with her too?" Asked Angela, glaring at him. "Don't tell me that was also a show."
"Believe me it was. She has a steady boyfriend and she was just helping me get you back," he confessed.
"Why would she want to do that?" She asked in disbelief.
"I saved her from some bullies on the first day of college. So she owed me," he informed and Angela gaped at him.
"You still had other hookups, didn't you?" She asked. She had wanted to ask him for a long time but didn't have the courage.
"Yes, only on the 10th of every month," he admitted, with a sigh.
"I don't understand. Why 10th?" Angela asked him, sitting straight with curiosity.
"That's the day you left me. I used to drink myself to the limit and then hook with a random girl to forget you," he admitted, staring at some far off place. "You had your whole family and grandparents with you to love you. I had no one. Dad hated me. He never came home. Even if he did, he didn't want to talk to me. Xavion was busy with his drugs at that time. I was lonely and depressed," said Damian.
"I'm sorry, Damian. I didn't know," she mumbled, going closer to him and hugging him tightly.
He told her everything about Caitlyn Lockhart and what she had done to Steffi's dad. He told her how scared he was for his own dad. Every time he didn't return home for more than two days, he'd be worried sick.
"Why would she do something to uncle Ronald? We didn't do anything to her?" Asked Angela.
"I didn't go to her house that evening although she had invited me to. In fact, Xavion took her call as I was at the hospital. He told me that she was threatening angrily," said Damian with a sigh.
"Don't worry. She wouldn't do anything to uncle Ronald," she comforted.
"I hope so. Tomorrow we have college. Let's go home now girlfriend," said Damian, and Angela sighed.
"Yes, I guess you're right," she agreed.
"I've joined online agriculture classes. Now that we're together, I think I will drop out if architecture and join the full-time agriculture course," Damian admitted.
Angela clapped, "This is wonderful news. Please do so at the earliest. I want you to pursue what your heart desires the most," she said.
"I already did," he said with a smile. She blushed and kissed his cheek.
They packed up their stuff, checked out of their room, and loaded onto their car. Damian drove off with a sigh. Why did all the good things end so soon?
He dropped her at the bus stop and drove off to Xavion's house. Angela walked home slowly. She didn't want to face the wrath of her dad and brothers now, so it was better that they didn't know about her and Damian's relationship.
The next day, she got ready early as she was eager to catch up with Juliette. Parking her car, she climbed out but to her dismay, Freddie approached her with a smile on his face. Angela's face fell. She didn't want to face him again after the last encounter with him.
"Angela, we have a party at home today. Will you come as my date?" He asked her. Angela couldn't understand why he didn't take the hint that she wasn't interested in him.
"No Freddie, I won't be able to attend," she told him specifically.
"I'll come and get you from your house. This time I'm not taking a no from you," he insisted.
"Freddie, I'm not interested in being your date. Why don't you ask someone else?" She suggested.
"I want only you," he emphasized.
"Can't you get it that she isn't interested in you, asshole?" Growled Damian as stood near his car, listening.
"Shut up you dick head, I'm not talking to you," yelled Freddie. Angela sighed. This isn't happening again!
"But you're talking to my girlfriend, " Damian said, glaring at him.
Freddie's jaws dropped. "Angela, what is he talking about? Are you his girlfriend?" He asked her, his face pale and nervous.
"What are you asking her for? Yes, she's my girlfriend. So fuck off," yelled Damian coming closer to punch him.
"Damian stop. No fighting," Angela panicked. She turned towards Freddie,"Yes, Damian's right. We're dating each other. I'm his girlfriend," she admitted and Freddie gaped at her.
Damian smirked and said," Angel, go to the class. I'll be with you in a minute."
Angela's eyes widened. She had a bad feeling that these two would start fighting the minute she turned her back. "No Damian. You come with me. I don't want you to do anything," she said worriedly.
"No, I won't fight. Go to your class, Angel," he said sternly and Angela walked away to her class. She was angry that he hadn't listened to her.
Angela walked into the classroom upset at Damian and Juliette squealed with joy.
"Hey, what happened to you?" She asked, excitedly, hugging Angela tightly.
"My grandma died, so we all went to California to perform her last rites," she informed her.
"Oh, I missed you so much," Juliette said.
"Me too," she said, her face showed that she was quite unhappy. "I missed so many classes, can you give me the notes?" She asked.
"Sure," Juliette said and they sat together chatting like before.
Damian came into the classroom and he stared at Angela while she tried to avoid him. He purposely bumped into her while going to his seat, grinning mischievously. She avoided looking at him. She was upset that he didn't listen to her.
"Oww," she mumbled and his grin widened. She ignored him the whole morning and when it was their lunch break, she was summoned to the administrative office. Returning back, she saw that Juliette was busy trying to separate Xavion and Wesley as they fought for her.
Damian suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. "Why are you ignoring me?" He growled.
"Why didn't you listen to me?" She asked with disapproval.
"I had to stop him once and for all. This has been going on since we were in school. It's high time he realized that you're mine and I don't share," Damian emphasized.
"So did you guys fight?" Angela asked with disappointment on her face.
"Yes," he said, casting his eyes towards the floor.
"Damian you'll be suspended if the authorities catch you fighting again. You already got a warning last time, " she sighed.
"Why do you care?" asked Damian, eyeing her with a mixture of guilt and unhappiness.
"I love you so I care. Can't you see it?" She asked, surprised by his statement.
"Then let me kiss you. I want everyone to know that we're together," he stated and her eyes widened as she looked around her.
Juliette had left with Xavion. Most of the crowd was dispersing as the classes were about to resume in five minutes. Damian held her chin and turned her to face him. Then he lowered his head to claim her lips in a possessive kiss. A deep kiss that marked her permanently, branded her as his. She could hear cheers and gasps all around her as her face flushed red with awareness.
The whole college knew now that she belonged to Damian.