In A Bad Mood

"Sometimes only a best friend can get you out of a bad mood."

Betty walked into Daniel's office to hand him some paperwork.

But when she walked in, Daniel looked – frustrated.

"Hello Daniel, how are you today?" Betty asked.

"What do you think?" He yelled. Betty cowered, taken back by his response. Daniel's shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry, Betty. I'm just in a bad mood, that's all." Daniel explained.

"Oh, well how about we go to lunch together and figure out why you are in such a bad mood, huh?" Betty asked.

Was she – no, she couldn't be asking me out a date, could she? Daniel's eyes brightened ever so slightly. His brain hung on to that fantasy.

"Okay." He tried to sound sad, although that was difficult since Betty had just put him into a good mood.

"So, I'll get finished, and then we'll go." Betty said, and walked back to her desk to do whatever task was needed to be done – not that Daniel could remember any of that now. He was too busy thinking about her, and her smile, and her laugh –

"Daniel, did you hear what I said?"

"Yes, uh yes, I'll be right back, and then we'll go." –To lunch together, hopefully it being a date.

Daniel dashed to the restrooms and made sure that his hair was fixed, and his suit was neat. Not that Betty would care that much, but he cared about it.

He walked casually back to Betty's desk, and as soon as he got there, she smiled, and all other thoughts eluded him except thoughts of her, and thoughts of them, together.

"Ready to go?" It was a good thing he could read lips, because he didn't hear a word she said. He nodded, his mind cloudy.

They arrived at the restaurant ten minutes later.

They sat down, and after they ordered their meals, Betty spoke.

"Do you have any idea why you would be in such a bad mood?" Betty asked. Not when you're with me, no. He thought.

"Well, actually, I'm kind of not in such a bad mood anymore." Daniel blurted. His eyes widened.

"Why is that?" Betty asked.

Before he could stop them, the words flooded out of his mouth: "Because I'm with you."

"Me?" Betty asked, surprised.

"Yeah, you're always happy, and your laugh is contagious, and you are so beautiful no matter what Marc and Amanda say, and you're smart and you know me better than anyone else and you're the best assistant I've had." He cleared his throat before adding the last part. "And you're the best friend I've never had."

I can't believe I just rambled on and on like that. Betty must think I'm insane! Daniel thought.

"Daniel, you don't have to say that." Betty said, putting her hand on his arm. He suddenly felt very, very happy.

"Yes, I do, and also I-"

"What is it, Daniel?"

"I always want to be with you." Daniel said. On second thought, he decided that sounded like he was a stalker. Luckily, she didn't quite get what he was trying to say.

"We'll always be friends." Said Betty.

"That's not what I meant." Daniel replied. "I mean, I like you."

"That's nice of you to say," Betty commented.

"No, I mean I really, really like you Betty." Realization shone in her eyes.

"Daniel, I don't know what to say-" Betty paused, "-except why me?"

"Why you?" Daniel asked. "Are you, Betty Suarez, asking why I like you?" Betty nodded.

"Do I have to go through all the compliments again?" he asked. It didn't bother him if she said yes; he would say them again because he knew all of them were true.

She blushed at that. "No, Daniel, it's just that I – "

"Thought you were too ugly, fashion disabled, not pretty enough?" he asked. "Because that's not what I think."

"Daniel, I'm supposed to be the one cheering you up. Isn't that why we came here?"

"That's one reason. The other two are that I'm hungry," his stomach grumbled almost as if on cue, "and that I really really like you, so that's why I accepted your invitation."

"So you were thinking that this was a date?" Betty asked with a blush.

"Well if it turned out you really really liked me too, then yeah, this would be a date." Daniel explained. "But if not-"

"This is definitely a date." Betty said, smiling. "I really really like you too, Daniel."

"Thank goodness!" Daniel exclaimed.

Betty laughed, and of course, Daniel couldn't help but laugh with her.

"This is turning out to be a great day." Daniel stated.

"Not yet, it isn't." Betty said, and before he could say a word, her lips touched his.

It's definitely a great day now. Daniel thought.