It was different. It wasn't the same.
Danny Desai was back in town. Emotions were high. Mixed emotions of every kind cascaded across the town like a perpetual downpour. No one knew how to act or when to act or to even react. The child murderer was back in town.
Jo breathed in deeply as she watched as the sea of students parted for Danny. He was heading their way. Jo wanted to hide like she had been since the day that Danny killed his aunt.
Lacey was caught off guard with her own emotions. Usually, she was so put together. She always played with her perfect façade of a person. Now the façade was crumbling. The same façade she put up when she was so young and innocent.
He was beautiful.
Lacey scolded herself for thinking such things. He was the same boy that took the naïve innocence of two girls and changed them to nightmares. Yet, she noticed that Danny was beautiful.
"Boo." That was his first word to them after all the years not being around him.
Lacey would have laughed had the moment not been so intense. But her anger was predominant over the comedic display. He smirked. It was such a simple gesture that punched her deep in the gut. That smirk that she remembered from their youth.
Yet, it was different. It wasn't the same.
Lacey wanted to lick her lips to stop the dryness that was developing over them. She wandered if Jo noticed how beautiful Danny was. She wandered if Jo had a sudden jolt of electricity spread over her body as she did at the simple gesture of Danny's smirk.
It angered Lacey even more that he could illicit those thoughts at first seeing him again. It wasn't natural to notice him or want to reach and touch him. It wasn't normal. Lacey craved normalcy.
Lacey had changed into the popular girl for the same reason that Jo had decided to be an outcast and run. Lacey knew she would blend in with the superficial crowd covering up the past of being a child murder's best friend.
I missed him.
Lacey wanted to purge the thoughts from her mind as soon as they bombarded her. She ignored them instead. She could look cold and uncaring. She could push him away so her wall could remain.
He is so beautiful.
Lacey breathed in and turned to leave. Everything was different. Nothing was the same.
Socio.
Had she really branded him with that name? Had Regina really embarrassed her in front of Danny? Why should it matter what Danny thought of her? Yet, she knew it bothered her. She knew that seeing how easily that Jo had let him back into her life also caused envy. How was it that easy for Jo?
The smirk came again from Danny causing Lacey to smile slightly. This time the smirk caused more than a punch in the gut and a jolt of electricity. It caused a burning that went to her core. She hated herself but she wanted Danny to notice her. She wanted him to react with the same lust that seemed to be choking her. Yet, she'd never show it.
Where had all of this come from? Those unbridled emotions from a teen girl ,yet not woman, caught Lacey by surprise. Especially considering the last she saw of Danny was an eleven year old boy.
His eyes bore into her from across the room. The way her body enflamed at the mere smoldering look he sent her. Did Danny even know what he was doing to her? Was he doing it on purpose?
Her best friend was dead yet Lacey was so busy feeling things for Danny that she didn't want to feel. She didn't deserve to feel. As well as Danny didn't deserve to have her feel.
Days had passed. But she doubted him. She doubted his innocence. She doubted his motives. However, she doubted herself around him more. He caused an unfamiliar feeling that Lacey never felt before. It was a feeling that she had never even felt with Archie.
Why? How?
Questions were barraging her mind while feelings were assaulting her heart.
Why was she having feelings for Danny? It was strange feelings of more than a friend and more than an enemy.
How was it possible that this boy came back into her life to make her feel off guard?
She wanted him to hold her.
She felt unsafe around him. Yet, she had an overwhelming need to be in Danny's arms. A need so intense that the fear was greater that she'd never have those arms around.
The anger in her was spreading thicker with each look from his dark mysterious eyes. She wasn't even angry at Danny or even angry at the ease of Jo's acceptance of Danny.
Lacey was angry at herself for wanting him. She wanted a boy that she doubted. She wanted a boy that could've possibly killed her best friend. After all, he wasn't beyond killing. He had done it before.
"What do you want from me, Danny?" The words had been spoken even if she longed for an answer that he could not give her.
He was so close that she could feel his breath tickling her lips. She wanted to taste those lips. Those lips that rendered her breathless as he tried to answer her but couldn't. Did he want the same as her?
It frightened her that maybe he did. She had to leave. She had to breathe because he was causing her not to be able to breath.
He was no longer a little boy. He was on the verge of being a man. Lacey noticed and hated herself for noticing.
He frightens me.
Everything about him was different. Nothing about him was the same.
A strange sense of relief and hope spread over Lacey when she read the note. The blackmail could mean Danny was innocent. Jo was convinced already.
Why couldn't she just throw caution to the wind and go blindly after Danny like Jo was?
Was it that simple? Not for her it wasn't.
He called her on it. The wanting him alone with her. It angered her that Danny saw right through her.
But she wanted him. She needed him. She desired him.
For once since he left there, Lacey threw caution to the wind. She had to taste him.
So she did. Her heart raced, her palms sweated, her lips ached for his. So she took what she longed for.
Lacey was ready to run. Maybe Jo had it right years ago.
Yet, he stopped her. His lips found hers again. He wanted her, his heart raced, his palms grew sweaty.
The kiss halted after a long moment. Their foreheads leaned in to one another's. Lacey didn't know what to say.
He frightened her.
What Lacey didn't know was that she frightened him too?
"Let's meet Jo at the diner." Danny's voice came out in husky whisper.
They were still in each other's arms. Both not wanting to let go afraid of what later would bring.
She could feel his breath on her face. She could feel his hand pressed against her back. She could feel her swollen lips from the harsh kiss. She could feel all the things she was hiding taking over her.
Lacey walked behind Danny towards the diner. She wanted to reach and take his hand and allow her fingers to entwine in his fingers. It was such a simple gesture. However, she knew there was nothing simple about them.
She knew the way his stride was confident and determined that he had that smirk on his face. The smirk that made her want to grab Danny again and kiss him with the same fervor she had earlier. The same longing that he had kissed her back with.
Lacey knew she'd push all the feelings away but for this moment, it excited her. Danny Desai was back into her life.
Yet, it was different. It wasn't the same.