LOVER MONSTER!
17. Like Dreams.

Demian sat on his motorbike, eyes staring at the brightly lit billboard above Bronze. A car ad was there.

While staring at the ad, Demian reflected back on the situation he found the other day. When Jessica lies to Angela.

Why did Demian know Jessica was lying?

No, Jessica didn't say anything to Demian that was able to indicate she was lying. There aren't. Jessica ignored her existence, to be honest.

Demian only knew Jessica was lying. Not that Jessica's lying ability is so bad or anything. On the contrary, Jessica is very convincing when expressing her lies.

The reason why Demian knew Jessica was lying was because Demian knew Jessica and was high in empathy.

Jessica - when Angela asks what Jake's arrival means - intervenes and responds, Angela asks. He made himself Jake Allendale's shield. He didn't tell the truth, he did the defense.

Why would he protect Jake? That bastard of everyone?

Demian rubbed his left cheek. He would not find an answer unless he asked Jessica directly. However, before he questioned Jessica, one question resurfaced in Demian's mind.

Why does he care?

"Demians..." Adam out of Bronze. A black leather bag was slung on his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to drive this alone?"

"I'm used to taking care of this alone" Demian grabbed the bag that was on Adam's shoulder and taped it to his own shoulder.

"I knew you'd respond that way" said Adam. "Oscar said you better not be troublemaking for a while. He's happy to see you without bandages."

"Remind me back to that when I started prostituting myself in this place" Demian said. He shuddered unhappily at the joke Oscar had told him through Adam.

Even if Demian is battered, Demian believes Oscar won't care about her. The bastard only said this to tempt Demian regarding Jessica's whereabouts.

Is correct. Since Jessica took good care of her, Demian had no bruises on her face for a week. It was shocking and ridiculous. Oscar made the topic a bully.

That in the end, Demian had someone who was able to take good care of him.

Fuck, what does that mean?

*

Jessica read a book on how to make friends and influence others, a book by Dale Carnegie. Jessica read the book to find light and help on how to save someone. Someone who needs help.

Jake Allendale needs Jessica's help. This was a new fact that was now lodged in Jessica's mind like a fishing hook stuck in her flesh. He's not gonna be okay if he doesn't help Jake. He will, for a long period of time, be tormented if he rejects Jake's request.

That guy, that poor white guy, he just needs a friend.

Jessica doesn't know if she should laugh or shed tears at the grief Jake has expressed to her. I mean Jessica, leaving her employees at Elixir, Jessica also does not have a friend who is purely a friend.

How could Jake ask for help with a 'no life' girl like him?

"I-I know this sounds weird, but. I feel so claustrophobic about holding everything alone."

Jake's world collapsed on his head. Jessica did not know what kind of suffering the man was feeling until he was so frustrated.

"I just need a friend to talk to, to listen to me. You said you didn't mind a new friend, did you?"

"But why me?"

Jessica sympathizes with Jake, seriously! But he still doesn't understand why he chose Jake?

Jessica realized that she was not the right person for the position. A friend who is ready to listen to you. Jessica doesn't understand anything.

"Because you saved me that night," Jake's answer didn't help Jessica understand the situation at all. "Now, I feel comfortable talking to you."

"???"

"I heard that someone is more comfortable talking to a stranger than talking to a close relative. I feel the same."

In another sense, even though Jake has close relatives who are able and understand him better, he can't say anything to them. He felt an overwhelming burden to just be forthright. If it was Jessica, the foreign woman who had helped him once, Jake felt no objection at all.

Perhaps, it is the same as a stranger who is lightly open on the internet, but becomes shy in the real world. Whatever it is, Jake needs a friend who can listen to his complaints.

"I think you've been living a good life all this time" Jessica muttered. He closed the book in front of him and immediately went to bed.

Jessica's been directing Jake to meet the therapist, actually. But the man refused.

Now, since Jessica can't dump Jake who needs help, Jessica will probably try to be a friend to the man.

*

"Jesse," a voice greeted Jessica. A woman stood at the door of her room. Eyes panned towards Jessica who was sitting curled up in the corner of her bed. Glassy eyes.

"You're bleeding, Jesse." The woman approached. A pair of his gray green irises looked at Jessica with pity. "You should've listened to me, Jess. You should hide and close your eyes. You shouldn't have spoken at all."

"Hiek.." Instead of saying something, Jessica sobbed. Both of his palms were injured, blood was flowing at the corner of his lips. An overwhelming sense of heat spread across Jessica's skin, emerging from every trace of shoes that were stuck in her clothes.

"I just want to help you..." Jessica's thoughts grow boisterous. The blood that was seeping on his palm was increasingly painful, but he kept clenching his hands. He buried his face there, and the scent of blood instantly greeted his sense of smell.

"Jessica.." the woman approached Jessica. Gently his hand rubbed the black strands of Jessica. Calm down Jessica who was still sobbing on her bed.

"You're fine now" the whisper greeted Jessica like a mirage. Real is not real.

Jessica looked up and the pair of eyes that were staring at her changed color.

"Are you okay?" that figure was no longer his mother. The figure that rubbed his black mane, looking at him with slices as deep as the ocean, that figure was Demian Bellamy.

"Demians?"

Huh huh? The demian?

Jessica blinked a few times. Seriously? Is he hallucinating?

"You..." Jessica pulled her body up. Demian helped. "Why are you here?"

Jessica flabbergasted.

"Can't I come?"

No, that's not the problem...! Jessica wanted to refute Demian's words until she realized something was wrong from the man's face. The thick scent of blood gushed from his body, bruised faces everywhere and...., oh?

"Your face is bleeding." Jessica widens her eyes. "What happened to you?"

"Ah this..."

"Are you hurt?" jessica's voice rose up full of irritation. "What are you doing until you get hurt like this?"

Jessica touched Demian's jaw and paid her attention to any faint, slurred bruises on the man's tan skin. Jessica could imagine how painful those bruises were. Jessica's heart became bitter.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" jessica's murmur implied pity. Demian stared at every single attention Jessica spilled on him with a thin grin playing on his face.

"You talk as if you've never seen anyone hurt before." Demian said as she pulled Jessica's wrist down from her face.

Demian looked Jessica right in the eyes. The calmness in his pair of dark irises is like saying that he is fine. That, a slight bruise meant nothing to him.

"Because I was satisfied to see her..," Jessica's words hung in the air. He found it doubtful to say anything about himself to Demian who was in front of him.

That man is nobody. For Chrissakes. Jessica did not understand at all the reason why she was this sympathetic.

He almost opened up his dark mass just so that Demian understood the source of his concern.

Goddamnit!

"Wait a minute" Jessica said. He changed the topic for a moment. "I'll get you a P3K box."

"No need" Demian said. He pulled Jessica who was about to stand up and jerked the girl to sit back down.

"I'm hungry" Demian said.

"Now?" Oh, what time is it?

"Now." said Demian.

Jessica was about to glance at the digital clock on her bed. However, instead of finding an array of numbers, he finds himself overwritten by a kiss that comes suddenly from before him. He ripped his lips and shut him up. The heat of passion whirred in his blood. Increase his heart rate.

Demian,

Jessica.., unaware of the situation that befell her.

*