Only You

Chapter 3

Ryan's pov

I’m so excited for today. I will see and talk to Danielle again. f**k I’m thirty-three years old and I’m acting like a teenager

“You ready?”Laura asks and I nod

“Good luck son,” my dad says and returns to reading his paper. We drive to the beauty salon. I stand outside looking at Danielle who's laughing with two other women inside.

“Come on. Why are you acting like that?” Laura asks

“I don’t know. She makes me feel nervous. It’s like I’m in high school again.”

“You were a player in high school. You never were nervous when you were about to ask a girl out”

“Let's say you're right. Well this girl makes me feel like that for the first time in my life”

“Let’s go. I will help” she says and she dragged me inside. When she opened the door Danielle and the others turned around. I can tell that she recognized me. She smiles and she comes closer.

“Hi, Laura. You must be her brother!”

“Yes. Danielle this is Ryan” We shake hands. So soft and so small compared to my big ones

“Ryan, the brunette is Alexis. They have the salon together” I wave

“Nice to meet you”

“Same” she answers

“And this is Carol. Friend of us” I greed her and I return to look at Danielle and I smile. She looks at me back and I swear she is blushing. My God

“Danielle.” She broke our gaze and she looked at Laura.

“Ryan wants a fresh up”

“Sure this way” Danielle points at a chair and I walk and sit on it

“I’m going to talk with Alexis about my manicure,” Laura says and she leaves us. This is my chance to talk to her. What do I say? She wets my hair and asks me how I want them. I tell her to shorten them a little bit. She nods and starts doing her job. I must say something I don’t have a lot of hair.

“Are you ok today?” I ask and she looks at me through the mirror

“I’m ok. Why do you ask?” She asks suprised

“I saw you on Saturday. You walked out of the bar restaurant sobbing.”

“Oh. You remember me?”

“I could never forget a beautiful woman like you” she bites her lips. How much I want to bite that little lip too.

“I’m good. Thanks for asking” she says

“And thanks for the compliment,” she says again fixing my hair. Those fingers around my hair, how relaxing. I imagine her pulling my hair as I kiss her or thrust into her.

“I’m saying the truth. And whoever makes you cry is blind and he is not worth your time” I say and she gives me a weak smile.

“Thank you,” she says and she starts drying my hair. She is giving me looks through the mirror and I return with smiles. f**k she is so cute when she is blushing. Is she not used to it? Are men flirting with her? She looks so shy. Laura said that her ex is a doctor and he left for Canada to continue studying. After him she is single. I wonder why but that works for me. She finishes and she puts a little gel on my hair.

“If you keep massaging me like that I’m going to sleep on this chair,” I say and she freezes

“Sorry. Your hair is soft. It’s the first time I see that to a man” she says with a little laugh but I see that she is blushing more and more. We walk to my sister and Alexis. The other girl left minutes ago

“Danielle do me a favor. I will do a pedicure too and Adam is busy. You can go for a walk maybe grab a coffee with Ryan. You know men he will get bored.” Nice move Laura. I mouth her a thank you and she smiles.

“I don’t know. I am sure he has better this to do. And I have to start cleaning”

“I will do it. You go” Alexis says, I’m sure Laura talked to her.

“I will help her. Please, for me. Our parents also are working and Ryan misses the town” Danielle looks like considering it and after a while

“Sure. Ok. Let's take my things and we are leaving”

“No problem,” I say and she walks to the back room. When she is gone, Alexis stands up and comes to me with a threatening look.

“I don’t know why but I trust Laura on this. If you ever hurt Danielle you will deal with me. She has been through a lot and I don’t want to see her suffering again. Be 1000% sure that you want her because no one will save you from me then.” She looks at me

“The only thing that I don’t want is Danielle to suffer. And the reason to be me. I like her a lot.”

“Good answer. You know that I will be watching you” She says and she walks to her seat. Danielle comes out without her hairdresser apron and her bag. She wears black trousers and also a black blouse and sneakers.

“I’m ready”

“Let’s go then,” I say and we walk to the door

“Sure you will be ok?” Danielle asks Alexis. She doesn’t want to go out with me?

“Yes, go” she answered and we went outside.

“There is a cafeteria across from us and one on the corner” and she showed me

“Whatever you want I don’t have a problem”

“Or do you want to walk around? That’s an option too” I smile at her

“I don’t mind. I just won't spend time with you” I say and she looks suprised. I guess no one has said that to her.

“I’m sorry if I was suprised by you. I have to learn how to be sincere.” I take a deep breath and I go closer to her. Her eyes wide

“I like you a lot and I want to get to know you. Will you give me a chance?” I say and she looks like she does not believe me

“Alexis told you to be nice to me? To play cool and flirty?” I frown

“No. I saw you before I met Alexis” She frowns and I see that she is confused.

“I don’t understand”

“Look let's go to that cafeteria at the corner. I will explain everything if you let me” She nods

“Ok. I guess it’s fine” she says and we walk about five minutes until we get there. We sit down at one table and we order coffee. I noticed that the waitress was looking at us straight but I didn’t pay attention. I think Danielle noticed this too and she looks uncomfortable. I don’t like that. She tried to play it cool and she let me talk.

“Laura told me you moved here with Alexis three years ago. So where are you from?” She looks at me, takes a deep breath, and says

“Atlanta. We left for LA with scholarships. I for a professional make-up artist in the top college there. Alexis for physiotherapy. We graduated, and Alexis wanted to take classes also for nails and massage. I for a hairdresser. We had some money and we decided to start something that's ours. Alexis’s aunt had the building with her husband so it was a good deal. And we didn’t want to go back to Atlanta. So here we are”

“Isn’t it good in Atlanta?” I ask and she looks around

“Let’s say that neither I nor Alexis has some reason to live there”

“Parents?”

“Hmm?”

“Your parents, they don’t live there?”

“Yes. My parents and Alexis still live there.” She avoids answering. Do they have some problems with their family?

“So Atlanta was out of options,” I say

“Yes. LA is too noisy for us. And then Alexis’s aunt made the promotion and we took the opportunity.” She drinks a little coffee.

“So. You?”

“Me? Well, I was in many towns and villages in the Middle East. It is hard”

“I can’t even imagine. What made you join the army?” She asks

“I joined after school. I wasn’t a good student, I wanted to help as much as I could the nation, and as a kid, I liked the army.”

“You liked? Not anymore?”

“Well, I think I have completed my purpose. I’m thinking of returning for good. One of my friends wants to start a security company and I believe this is my opportunity to stay here for good”

“I hope you decide whatever makes you happy” I smile and I see she blushes again. She looks around but not at me. She feels uncomfortable again. The waitress and a few of the other people that they talk, they look at Danielle with disgust. What the actual f**k? Danielle sees that I look at them and I’m not hiding that I’m angry. They keep talking looking at us and laughing. I stand up

“Ryan, what are you doing?”

“I have to say something to them too” She stands up too and holds my arm

“Ryan no. Please” she says scared. I sigh

“Ok. Let’s go. I want to go somewhere else” We take our stuff and leave but not before I throw a glare at the waitress and her company. I walk with her to a small park and we sit down on a bench.

“I’m sorry about that. It’s rude of them” I say and touch her hand. She takes it away

“It’s fine. It’s not the first time. I’m used to these glares and words” She looks sad and ready to cry but she holds it together. My heart breaks, how can anyone treat her like that?

“I’m sorry to hear that. And I don’t understand why this is happening. You are a beautiful, gorgeous woman” I say and she laughs

“You don’t have to say things that you don’t believe just you make me feel better.”

“I believe it. I see it, I’m not blind”

“I think it’s time to get your eyes checked,” she says still thinking that I’m joking.

“Why don’t you believe me?” I ask her and she looks at me.

“Listen you seem good and kind. Laura says it too. I know how I look and I have accepted that. So you start to say all these things about me are unnecessary. Thank you anyway” I don’t know what she has been through but I’m not like the others. I start to say something

“Ryan?” I hear my name and I lift my head and I see some of my old affairs, Kate with her sports clothes running. She stops in front of us and starts talking without looking at Danielle. The way she is talking seem like she is flirting with me. I see Danielle stand up too and walk further from us.

“Danielle? I’m coming in a minute” I say and she doesn't look at me

“There is a cafe in the corner. Do you want to go?”

“I will ask Danielle”

“Who?” Kate asks

“The girl I’m with,” I say annoyed

“Oh. I thought she was just sitting there, not that she is your friend” she says and I see her little disgust as she looks at Danielle. Thank God she is far enough and she didn’t hear or see her.

“How about we go you and me? I’m sure your friend will find something to do or eat.” She says giggle and that’s it.

“I don’t think so, Kate. And talk better about my girlfriend.” She looks shocked. She is not my girlfriend but she will be soon.

“You and her?”

“Why do you say it like that?” I ask

“What do you mean why? Are you blind? Look at her” she says and she points her

“I’m looking at her. She is a beautiful woman that I like very much.”

“She is...”

“She is what?” I say my blood boiling

“I think I should go. I can’t say I’m happy to see you” I say and I walk to Danielle.

“I’m sorry for that,” I say and she turns around

“You don’t have to apologize. You saw an old friend. You have a right to talk to her” she says and I walk closer. I don't like seeing her sad.

“It’s late. I have to go home” she says and she takes a step back.

“I can walk you there,” I say

“No. It’s fine you should go to Laura” she says and I have the feeling that she wants to avoid me. I won’t let her

“Laura will be fine. I will walk you there. Even if you refuse I will follow you” She sighs and nods. We start walking to her house, I try to talk to her about my feelings but she changes the subject all the time. It’s okay I’m a patient man.

“We are here. Thank you for walking here. You didn’t have to”

“I wanted it” she smiles

“Goodnight”

“Danielle?” I say and she stops to turn around

“Yes?” I look at her with a smile

“Can I take you on a date?” I ask and I wait for an answer. She looks shocked

“Ryan.” She sighs and now she looks a little sad

“You are a great guy and every girl will be lucky to have you. But that girl is not me” What?

“I'm sorry but I can’t. I’m sure there are plenty of girls who are dying to go out with you”

“Danielle...”

“Good night,” she says and she runs inside. I won’t leave it like that. I want to be with her and I will be.