Chapter 6
1781 Words
“It’s just a ride,” – Danny.
- Present time -
She was in dangerous waters with Blake Conner. The very same
Blake Conner has girls falling for him. She thought she was immune to his
charms. How disappointed she was to know she wasn't. Nervously she laughs back
to her senses as Blake watches her curiously, "Excellent, Conner. You
almost got me." She picked up her backpack and walked toward
the empty football field.
"You almost got me." She repeated while shaking her
head.
"What are you talking about?" Blake ran after
her.
Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she
almost fell for his charms, she brushes the question off.
They walk the entire length of the football field in
silence.
She needed to avoid him at all costs. It was only five days
until school finished.
Could she last for five days, right?
The next couple of days was a disaster. Blake was now a constant
in her life. Monday, he waited for her outside school, offering to ride home.
He waited for her to arrive at school on Tuesday, and he followed her
throughout all her classes. She swears he wasn't supposed to be in half of
those classes, but the teachers didn't mind since the school was almost out.
Wednesday, she decided to finish her projects in the library. To her
dismay, Blake was already there waiting for her. Thursday was clearance day,
and Blake was right by her side as she secured her clearance.
They would casually banter like they did when they were in
middle school. Without realizing it, she was enjoying herself around Blake. But
that was only if they were alone. As soon as she spotted the other students
staring their way, she got anxious.
She knew exactly what they were thinking. She even heard the
girls in the bathroom say something like what she told Blake while they were at
the bleachers.
“So that loner finally gave it up to Blake.”
“If I only knew he liked the loner type, I could be that for
him.”
“Did you hear it happened in the Bleachers?”
She didn’t care what they said, she hated it, and it hurt.
But she knew what real hurt meant. She learned it when men killed her mother
while they made her watch.
As they walked out of the admin office to submit their
clearance. An awkward silence brewed between them. Blake was about to say
something when she decided and turned to face him.
Taken by surprise, he takes a step back. “What is it that you
want, Conner?”
“Are we still on that?”
“Well, only because of all this,” She points at him, “This
new-old Blake act.”
“it’s not an act.”
“Then what is it for? Look, if it wasn’t an act, then great.
You’ve made AMENDS,” Emphasizing the word as she made a cross sign towards
Blake. She rolled her eyes and continued, “You are now blessed to go off to
your fancy IVY league college guilty free.”
“it’s not what you think, Dans.”
“Look, you and I, we have no bad blood here. We were kids, and
you said it, as I recall. Then high school happened. So, you can stop now, ok.”
“Stop what?” He looked at her while she fidgeted with her
fingers as she talked.
Finally, she stares right back at Blake, her green eyes storming
again with fury.
“Pretending to be my friend.”
“I am your friend” Before he could continue, she interrupted
him.
“You were my friend, my best of a friend.” She quickly wipes a
lone tear that fell on her cheek. She could see that her world upset Blake as
much as it did her. “We are not anymore now. Not for a long while.”
Blake wanted to say something else as he opened and closed his
mouth. Until finally, he breaks the silence between them as he speaks. “Amends
yes. And am glad there is no bad blood between us. Even though I deserve your
hatred,” He takes a step towards her.
They were only inches apart now. Before Danny could protest, he
wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. Danny was only up to
Blakes’s shoulder, so her head rested on his chest.
Danny was surprised by the embrace. Even more on how she just
wanted nothing but to bury her head on his chest. Something inside told her not
to fight it and allow Blake’s embrace to soothe her.
What felt like an eternity were only mere seconds as Blake broke
the embrace. He placed both of his hands on her shoulder as a smile broke
across his face. “So, since that’s settled, I can finally take you home.”
“Is it necessary? Today is the last day of school. What’s the
point?”
Still, with his hands on her shoulders, he leans in. their faces
only inches apart. “Well, like what you said, I go off to some fancy school. So
how about one last ride with you before I go?” He winks.
She doesn’t know how it happened or when she agreed; all she
knew was she was walking next hand in hand with Blake as they walked towards
his car.
He guided her to the passenger side. As he walked around to the
driver’s side, Danny caught herself checking him out. His dirty blond hair
bounces across his forehead, and his eyes almost sparkle when he smiles.
Get a grip Danny; It’s just a ride home. She scowled herself.
"Why are you all smiles?" She couldn't help to ask
him.
"It's the last day of school Dans." Catching her off
guard, he quickly takes the stack of books from her hands.
When did he get next to her? It was as if staring at Blake made
her lose track of time.
Screw your head right, Danny. She could hear her father's voice
in her head. Something she told him whenever she would daydream.
As he opens the door for her, he continues, “Plus, I get to take
your home today."
While driving, Danny would casually ask Blake about his plans
for the summer. From her questions, she found out that he was going to Harvard.
It was through a Lacrosse scholarship. He was leaving earlier than expected as
he wanted to travel around first.
She admits she only started the questions as a deterrent from
him asking anything about her plans. Bit now, she too realized she no longer
knew Blake.
Danny, after noticing that they were turning into Meadow’s
Avenue. She started laughing.
“What's so funny?” He asked, his voice in a singsong, stopping
himself from catching her laugh bug.
“You’ll know after you turn to pinewood lane,” she says between
laughers.
“Do you have a surprise for me? Ahh, it would help if you didn’t
have,” Blake teased.
“Well, I promise you would be more than surprised.”
As they drove into Pinewood lane, Danny stopped laughing. Her
demeanor changed completely.
As he parked his car on #1001 Pineview Lane. Danny’s demeanor
has changed.
Whose kids are those?” Blake pointed at the little boy and girl
playing outside the house.
“I don’t know.”
“Ha?” Blake is confused.
“I do not know because this isn’t my house anymore. We moved
five years ago.” Danny looks out the window quietly, reminiscent of moments with
her and her mom sitting by the porch.
She and her mom were bundled up in thick blankets during more
metro showers as they watched the night sky.
Quickly wiping the tear that fell down her cheeks, she turns to
Blake. “But then again, why would you know that.” Her voice broke as tears
pooled in her eyes, threatening to fall.
“Oh man am so sorry, Dans” Blake was consumed with guilt.
Danny shook his head and quickly retorted, “Why apologize when
you told me yourself you wanted nothing to do with me.”
Danny jumped out of the car and slammed the door
shut. The two kids on the porch getting startled by the loud sound.
Danny ignores Blake calling out for her or the two kids as she
walks back down where they came from.
She started sprinting as she heard Blake’s car start. Knowing
the neighborhood well, she takes a quick right to a small alley that would lead
her out to the main road close to the bus stop.
She kept on running, almost reaching the main road and stopping
just a few feet before the exit from the alley. She collapsed onto her knees and
started sobbing.
Seeing that house triggered her to the point that she could
barely move. She was crawling next to a dumpster. She leaned on it as she
hugged her knees. She was swaying herself slightly as she sobbed. This was her
way of soothing herself when she got into the episodes.
Trembling, she reaches in her side pocket to pull out her phone.
Finger shaking as she pressed a preset number. As soon as a tone was heard and
an automated message was sent, she dropped the phone to the ground.
Her trembling worsened as she continued to sob.
An hour later, Mr. Matthews finds her curled into a ball, lying
on the ground next to the dumpster.
ST
He rushes towards her; he sits next to her and slowly strokes
her back.
“Daddy’s here, Danny.” His voice was calm and soothing.
Danny could only nod as if she was locked in her position. Like
if she moved, she would fall apart.
“I am going to lift you now. Is that ok?” Mr. Matthew asks. He
knew how her episodes could get, and he needed to talk her through it. Her
consent was necessary as he comforted her through touch.
Danny nodded her head. Soon after, Mr. Mathews was carrying
Danny in his arms; Danny buried her head on her father’s chest.
“I was at the house” Her voice broke as she spoke.
“Why Danny? You know that place is your biggest trigger,” He
asked, calming even though he was visibly upset that she went there.
Danny didn’t answer but instead allowed the exhaustion from
managing her overwhelming pain, fear, and anxiety to take over as she succumbs
to sleep.
- Writer
