More than Secrets

Questions and Confessions

DANI'S P. O. V.

Tyler and I round the corner of the restaurant. Hunched over in the parking lot, I nearly wet myself I'm laughing so hard. The look on that security guard's face was absolutely priceless.

Tyler pulls me into his arms and gives me a soft kiss on the nose.

I can't even explain why, but being in Tyler's arms just feels so right.

I'm not even freaking out about him telling me that he loves me, but I do need him to give me some answers to the many, many burning questions I have. Like: Why me? And why the sudden interest after all these years?

"So where are you on that hunger scale now?" he asks, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Starving!" I reply with a laugh.

We make our way into the busy restaurant and the hostess perks up immediately when her eyes land on Tyler. She shamelessly checks him out from head to toe before flashing him her sexiest smile.

I fight the urge to roll my eyes at her, but I do clear my throat, a little irritated at being ignored so blatantly by her.

That does get her attention though and she glances at me, but only for a split second before focusing her eyes back on Tyler. "Welcome to North Garden, how can I help you and your... little friend?" she looks directly at me when she says "friend".

I scoff, but Tyler remains perfectly calm. He smiles at the hostess as he takes my hand in his. "My date and I would like a table please," he says sweetly. "Those booths over there look nice and private," he points at a few booths along the back of the restaurant that are all empty despite the restaurant being so packed.

She scowls at our hand-holding. "I'm sorry, but those booths are reserved for our regular customers," she replies through gritted teeth, though she doesn't sound very "sorry" at all.

"I understand, but maybe you can make an exception... just this once?" Tyler says in a husky voice as he leans in and slips a hundred dollar bill into her shirt pocket. He pauses there and touches her name tag, "What do you say, Theresa?"

Theresa is just loving the "special" attention she's getting from Tyler. Her smile comes back in full force. "Follow me please," she says in a seductive tone, swishing her hips from side to side as she leads us to our booth.

She places the menus down on the table. Mine is dropped carelessly in front of me while Tyler has his slid over to him very slowly so she has an excuse to bend over and practically shove her cleavage in his face.

Red seems to be the color clouding my vision today. I bite the inside of my cheek and clench my bruised hand into a fist under the table. This b***h is just begging for a broken nose too.

I sound bubbles up in my throat and pushes past my lips. I quickly clamp my hand over my mouth and stare at them in disbelief.

Holy crap, did I just growl at Theresa?

Tyler's eyes are wide as he examines me, but there's a look of amusement in them too.

Theresa seems taken aback by my growl at first, but she quickly recovers and smiles sweetly at Tyler. "Is there anything else I can get for you, handsome?"

She's openly flirting with him now, I'd better nip this one in the bud.

Tyler interrupts me before I get the chance to stab her with a chopstick.

"No thank you Theresa, you can leave us now," he replies, trying his best not to laugh at me.

Theresa leaves and I can finally relax. I let out the breath I was holding and take the menu, flipping through the pages until I get to the chow mein options. It's best that I just ignore Tyler for a bit or until I stop seeing red at least. I'm still ticked off with him for, not only bribing Theresa, but flirting with her too.

"What was that, babe?" he asks me.

"Don't "babe" me." I snap, my eyes still fixed on the menu.

I hear him slide over in the booth until he's touching thighs with me. My skin tingles at the contact. Curse you teenage hormones.

"I'm sorry about Theresa, but you did say you were starving and I didn't want to make you wait for a table."

"I would rather starve than watch you flirt with another girl," I mutter.

He sighs and wraps a strong arm around me. My body betrays me and I relax into his touch immediately, despite being upset with him just two seconds ago. I cannot deny that this boy has all of me... mind, body and soul.

"I just feel like you can literally be with anyone, and maybe it's my insecurities getting in the way, but I don't know why you want to be with me..." I look him in the eyes, those amazing emerald orbs, "It's been years since you've even given me the time of day, then, today, you tell me you love me... I need to know what's changed?"

He lets out a long sigh. "Dani, I have wanted to be with you since middle school," I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, "ever since Masie Thompson's basement. How could I forget my first kiss with the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen?"

My cheeks are on fire now. "You were my first kiss too," I say in a small voice, before adding "actually, you're my only kiss."

His eyes widen at this news. What if he thinks I'm a freak show too?

He looks around nervously, I can see that he wants to tell me something, but he's scared of what my reaction may be.

"What is it?" I ask him, suddenly worried. What's he hiding from me?

"I may have something to do with that... being your only kiss, that is, " he's says quickly, shutting his eyes... he's embarrassed?

Now I'm really confused. "What are you talking about?" I ask him, though I'm not sure I even want to know the answer if he can't even look at me.

A server comes over just then and I quickly give her my order. I want her to leave so I can finally find out what's got Tyler acting so strangely.

She smiles sweetly at Tyler as she takes down his order. I bet Theresa told her all about the "handsome" guy at this booth. She probably didn't even bother to mention his "friend" either.

I roll my eyes. It seems I will have to get used to competing with other girls for Tyler's attention.

As soon as the server leaves I turn to my side in the booth and face Tyler with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow.

He sighs and rubs the back of his neck with one hand, still avoiding my gaze. "You're gonna be so upset with me," he says to the ceiling.

"Maybe," I shrug, "but I still want to know."

He finally looks me in the eyes. "After that kiss in middle school... I told all the guys that you were off limits, and... I did the same in high school. No one was allowed to ask you out or," he pauses and looks down, too ashamed to look at me anymore, "...or they'd have to deal with me."

I'm beyond shocked. All these years I thought that I was the freak show, the one guys wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, the one who was too ugly to be asked out on a date.

But it was Tyler's fault all along! He practically threatened all of the boys in school to back off and leave me alone. All those dates I missed out on, all those dances I went to with Brie as my partner (because even Lee had had her fair share boyfriends), all those dinners at home, where Ryan's girlfriend or El's boyfriend (at the time) would join us at the table and my heart would ache with envy... I just wanted to be loved too.

Tears of anger prick at the corners of my eyes as I stare at the boy who'd, indirectly, made me feel unlovable all this time. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry, I get up and make my way to the bathroom instead.

So much for hoping for the perfect first date. Tyler Black has made a fool out of me... again.