Chapter 17

Alice found herself looking forward to work. Not because she loved the job, but because there was a chance she would run into Damien. Lately, he would pop in unannounced with coffees and treats, hanging out for little chats. He would flirt with her, and she would laugh and pretend to discourage him. It was wrong. She knew this in her heart. Yet it felt right. Loving him felt right.

She smiled, looking up from her notes as the door knocked and opened, expecting to see Damien. 

"Oh, Mrs. Helen. Marjorie," Alice said. "How can I help you?"

"Do you have a spare minute to chat?" Marjorie asked. 

Alice nodded, straightening up in her chair and clearing her desk. "Take a seat."

She hoped it wasn't about Damien, though it seemed unlikely, given he was the only thing they had in common.

"Did you hear about Mrs. Thorpe's child? She was admitted to the hospital yesterday," Marjorie asked.

"No." Alice frowned. "What happened?"

"The little girl, she had leukaemia. She's currently fighting off a pneumonia infection," Marjorie told her.

"That's awful," Alice said. "The poor thing."

She wasn't sure what else to say. As a school counsellor, there wasn't a lot she could do in a situation like this one. It was above her pay grade.

Then she realised she'd been right in her original assumption; this was about Damien.

"You think Damien could cure the little girl?" she asked.

"Don't you?" Marjorie said. "I don't know what his limits are. I try not to think about it too much."

Marjorie fingered the gold cross that hung from the delicate chain on her neck.

"I think it's certainly worth asking him," Alice said. "I'll get on it next time I see him."

"He visits you often?" Marjorie asked. For a moment, Alice feared the woman may suspect a relationship between the two, but looking at her expression, she saw that wasn't the case. 

"I always thought he seemed like a troubled boy," Marjorie added.

"It can't be easy for him," Alice said. 

In theory, being able to actualise any reality you desired seemed like a positive thing, but if horror films had taught her anything, it was to be careful what you wish for. The pressure alone had to be immense.

"It was just a thought," Marjorie said, shaking her head. She got up and looked like she was about to speak again, but instead she smiled and left.

Alice had a couple of appointments before lunch. A girl who was having issues at home with her stepmother and the lad who had tried to set the school on fire. She had talked him into giving up the arson, but how he was in trouble for fighting and bullying. She didn't like the boy much but tried her best not to let it show. Being impartial was key to the job. 

She hoped Damien would drop by for lunch, despite telling him it was a bad idea to make a habit of it. People would get suspicious.

He passed the window with his friends, waving with one finger as he caught her eye.

Alice lunged over the desk and pushed the window out. 

"Damien!" she shouted him over. "Will you pop in after you've eaten, please?"

He nodded.

Alice decided to keep the window open, enjoying the breeze and smell of pollen from the blossom trees. Something about that smell conjured childhood memories—remnants of a mind from a time when things were simple. 

Sometimes she would dream about going back in time and living her life over. Avoiding all the mistakes, hardships and pitfalls.

'Would I be the same person, though?' she thought. 'And does it even matter?'

She ate in her office, mostly because Deb was off sick and she didn't like to sit alone. She always figured that once she hit adulthood her inability to eat alone would fade away, but she still felt uncomfortable sitting in a public eatery by herself.

Today she had roasted bell pepper and rocket sandwiches, and apple and half a galaxy vegan chocolate bar—a pretty decent lunch by anyone's standards.

She saved the last of the chocolate for Damien, thinking he'd appreciate the gesture. 

'I never share chocolate,' she realised with some degree of horror. 'I must really love him.'

She was reconsidering eating the leftover chocolate when he popped his head in.

"Hey," she said. She felt herself smiling and couldn't seem to stop. The topic she'd called him in to discuss was a heart wrenching one, yet when she saw his face it filled her with such joy.

He smiled back as he took the seat opposite, leaning forward and resting his head on his hands.

"I'm tired," he told her. "Stupid P.E. teacher made me do physical exercise."

"It's good for you," Alice said, trying to be encouraging.

"Actually, I called you in to talk about the gym teacher. Her daughter is really sick and fighting for her life apparently," Alice added.

"Hmm?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, you can heal people," Alice hinted, smiling at him with pleading eyes.

"I don't like Mrs. Thorpe," Damien said.

"Y-you don't?" she asked. 

He shook his head. "Can't stand the woman. Moody cow, she is. She made me wear clothes from the lost and found."

"Oh, she's not so bad—" Alice began to argue.

"The lost and found," Damien repeated in a stern voice, brows furrowed as if this was the worst thing anyone had ever suffered through.

"Well, maybe she is stressed and upset because her daughter has a long-term health condition that could kill her at any moment. That has to be just about one of the worst things a human being can suffer through," Alice said.

"It's not," Damien scoffed. "Trust me."

Alice didn't want to ask what he meant by that.

"Just imagine. You could take all the pain and suffering away for that poor family. That poor little girl," she persisted.

"I could cure all the cancer in the world," Damien said, rolling his eyes. "But it might raise a few questions and I don't think it would be beneficial overall."

"You cured Mrs. Helen's daughter," Alice pointed out.

"Yeah." Damien nodded. "I like Mrs. Helen."

It was that simple to him. A black and white issue with no room for debate. He didn't like Mrs. Thorpe so he would not take pity on her.

"One day, Mrs. Helen pointed out that the students treated certain class members so differently despite their physical attributes being indistinguishable. I don't think many of the kids got what she was saying but I did. In laymen’s terms, everybody loves George Bateman and everyone picks on Bill Hadfield despite them both being ugly ginger kids," Damien told her. 

"I could tell George was too thick to get it, but Bill understood the point she was making. To her, we are just a bunch of dorky kids, and she doesn't get high school politics," Damien went on. "She doesn't give the popular kids special treatment like Mrs. Thorpe, who practically drools over the guys like Toby. It's sad."

Alice laughed. "She's a married woman."

"Exactly," Damien exclaimed, rolling his eyes. "She's probably bored of her fat, balding husband and wants some teenage dick."

"Damien!" Alice cried. She shook her head and tutted but couldn't help smiling. "Her husband is actually kinda hot, to be honest."

Damien raised an eyebrow, looking jealous that she found someone else hot.

Becoming serious again, Alice planted her palms together in prayer. "Will you at least think about it? Please? You could do this amazing thing with so little effort and no negative effects on your life at all."

"Hmm," Damien grunted. His face darkened. "Is this the only reason you called me here?"

"No," Alice said. "I wanted to see you. I saved you chocolate."

When she pushed the foil-wrapped candy toward him with her finger his face transformed into a smile.

"Aww," he cooed. "You do love me, don't you?"

The question took her by surprise, but it was pointless to play it down. He was on her mind almost constantly. The first person she thought of in the morning and the person she dreamt about as she fell asleep at the end of the day. Seeing him smile brought her joy.

"I love you," she said. "And that isn't going to change, no matter what you decide to do or not do."

He reached out his hand across the table and took hers, then pulled around the table to meet him. Alice had wondered what their first kiss would be like. She'd spent nights dreaming about it, but never thought it would be in her office, by an open window. 

Closing her eyes, she decided it didn't matter. She would quit her job. He was only 3 years her junior and would be finishing school in a matter of weeks. She could continue her studies, retrain, or find another job. The possibilities were endless.

'The world is my oyster,' she thought, beaming with positivity as he gently pressed his tongue against hers. She could feel the small silver ball of his piercing as they explored each other's mouths, locked in the kiss for three electric minutes before the bell interrupting the romance.

As he pulled away she clung to his hand, not wanting him to leave.

"Come to my house after school," he said.

"Won't your parents find it weird?" she asked. 

"They won't be there. They both have the late shift tonight," he replied. 

Alice nodded, feeling naughty but excited.

"I'll see you later."