The days that preceded were surreal. When Ray had informed Emma, the over-enthusiasm she exuded was sort of unwanted, and it made her feel ten times more nervous about the situation than she already did.
"OH, Rachel, that is so wonderful, I'm so happy for you!" She cried, Ray wincing at the tone of her voice on the car ride home. You would think they were getting married or something. She could see from Emma's perspective and understand how it could be exciting, but it made her anxious somehow. What if her and Daniel didn't have any chemistry, if he found her boring or lost interest, things would definitely be awkward after that. Or what if they did date, only for the relationship to end horribly months later? What would Emma think then? Surely, she was paranoid. It wasn't expected when Ray first showed up but somehow it was happening. Rachel Sweet was going on a date with Daniel Radcliffe. She mulled this over for quite some time, Emma chattering away about how positive she was they were both absolutely perfect for each other.
"You can't honestly think that." Ray laughed, running her fingers through her hair as Emma nodded.
"Of course I do. You're both alike in a lot of ways."
This bit of information stayed with Ray all the way to the grocery store, where her and Emma picked out ingredients for that night's dinner and other various snacks. She noticed that when they were together, there was just a lot of giggling going on. She started to see Emma as less of a major celebrity (although that fact always sat in the back of her mind, especially when people whipped our their cellphones to take pictures of them at checkout), and she saw her as more of a friend, someone she just really enjoyed being around.
They had worked out a deal; if one person cooked one night, then the other would clean up after, which was fair. The only thing was, was that neither could cook very well so there wouldn't be a lot of that going on in their big, fancy kitchen.
That night they both worked together to make penne pasta with baked chicken, and somehow they pulled it off with a hitch, eating Nutella and peanut butter from the jars for dessert while Emma gossiped to Ray about their fellow crew members.
Living with Emma was fun. She had never been closer to anybody before, but as they retired to bed her mind raced with thoughts of work the next day, and Daniel, and when they eventually arrived at the studio she realized how much working for her own Uncle... Well, sucked. He was such a diva about certain things and it was often quite dull.
"Could you deliver this to the visual effects department? Oh, and tell Jim I need someone to test-run that lift machine, and remind Joseph... " That was the boring part. Actually working. Not to mention the hours were hell. The more interesting bits were the ones where she watched her Uncle actually direct, he mostly speculated but occasionally he would pull someone aside and have a chat with them about how they should stand, every movement had a purpose.
The studio was always alive and buzzing, people ran around in costume and it reminded her a bit of Halloween, it was very comical on occasion, to see a witch drinking Starbucks or a goblin texting on their cellphone. Ninety-nine percent of it made no sense. Apart from the main set were the hair and makeup department, and the costume, props, audio and visual effects departments, and those were just as crowded and packed with people as the main set. Sometimes music would blare from radios in dressing rooms or someone would scream with delight at the hilarity of a joke, Ray rather loved the place. It reminded her of high school, minus the classes and the mindless drama, but they were like a family. There were people you were glad to see every day, people you knew of, but didn't really know, and you could walk around for months in this place without knowing everyone. It was extraordinary.
One of the more extravagant things about work were the moments where she would find herself wrapped in conversations with other actors, Bonnie Wright or possibly Natalia Tena. It absolutely made her insides writhe and although they were brief, she was glad for them. She had spent most of her free time looking over the script, and re-reading it, taking it all in. She was one of the few people who would know what would happen in the last Harry Potter movie months before everyone else, and she wasn't allowed to tell anyone who wasn't one of the few who did know.
She was, however, allowed the luxury to read about what would happen, it seemed Daniel would have to kiss both Bonnie and Emma eventually and she wasn't shocked in the least bit, it rather amused her. Emma was constantly saying how she thought of Daniel as a brother...
It was so important that everything that went on in the studio was kept under tight wraps, the only people allowed to take photos were the cameramen or interviewers that flitted in and out on certain days. Although, after hinting that all the assistant work she was doing was boring her, David had permitted Ray to walk around and take pictures for the movie's scrapbook.
"It's very expensive, so don't screw around with the camera." He informed her, and she stood straight and saluted him. Photography was one of her more favorite subjects. She felt as though she was given a highly critical task, holding the camera in her hands as if it were made of glass, proceeding to take pictures of the cast and crew members, all of whom would stop whatever they were doing at that exact moment to smile prettily for a picture before resuming work.
She made sure to take pictures of David, lots and lots of David, which obviously annoyed him, especially when there was a flash whilst he was mid-sentence, talking to Evanna Lynch. Ray then scampered away, caught in a fit of giggles as she searched for her next target.
"Emma, have you seen Dan?" Ray wondered, Emma placing a finger to her mouth in content.
"Last I saw him, he was in his dressing room going over lines." She spoke, having her hair tugged at by a stylist. Emma was quite obviously Hermione at that moment, her hair in waves, wearing soft-colored clothes, her collar laying flat against her chest. Ray wanted to tell her how pretty she looked but for some reason she just held it in, smiling and wandering towards Daniel's room, feeling Emma's eyes following her as she went. She reached the door with his name on it which was standing slightly ajar, listening to the soft music coming from within and she rapped sharply upon it.
"Yeah!" His voice came, and her heart began beating faster and before she could decide on walking away she forced herself to step inside the room.
"It's just me." Ray spoke in a low voice, and Daniel looked up from his script, wearing a huge smile. For something to do, Ray raised the camera in front of her and quickly snapped a picture, and he didn't protest in the slightest.
"Hey!" He laughed, and her head began to spin. The fact that they worked in the same place, that she could see him whenever she wanted like this was hardly believable. For years she could only imagine what just meeting Daniel Radcliffe for a second would be like. Now she was here in his dressing room with his eyes fixed on her and she couldn't think of anything to say, damn it all.
"I have been entrusted with the duty of taking photographs for the movie scrapbook." Ray spoke in a hearty, playful voice, moving to sit in a chair across from Daniel, crossing her legs and reminding herself to sit straight as he laughed softly.
"So I see." Conversations were never one of Rachel's strong suits, and it was even worse when Daniel sat there looking at her expectantly, she didn't have an excuse for coming here. She needed to think these things out more before she barged into people's dressing rooms.
Rachel sighed and muttered, "Working for my Uncle is no piece of cake," and he seemed to agree almost instantly, shrugging slightly.
"Well, yeah. Welcome to my world." He mused, and she laughed, tilting her head. "What do you think though, mostly? How do you like it?" He asked, and she smiled.
"I love it. I'm so happy he asked me to come here." She watched his reactions, how he moved, how he placed his script to the side and folded his hands, leaning towards her. She just wanted to reach out and touch his face, or take his hand but figured she was in no position to do such things. She thought back to the other night and the way he touched her, held onto her and she figured he must have been thinking about the same thing by the look in his eyes. "Are you glad to be back?" She asked, fiddling with the silver chain around her neck, her foot bouncing in a hyperactive matter.
"Of course! I've never felt more... At home, anywhere else." He said, Ray nodding. All she could do was be stunned by how gorgeous he was, with his slightly mussed-up hair, chin stubble, and round, striking blue eyes. His lips were thin and pink, and his fingernails have been gnawed to the very tips, and as much as she despised fingernail-biting, she couldn't find anything about him unattractive if she tried. Even when they sat in silence like this, she didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. He was so easy to talk to and just be around.
She placed her chin in her hand, watching him watch her for quite some time before he cleared his throat, speaking again. "I'm not scheduled to work tomorrow."
Ray sat in confusion, wondering whatever that could mean before she remembered that their date was to take place on Daniel's next off day. Her stomach did little flips as she realized how soon that was. In practically a few hours, they would be alone together, as they were now. At least this time she could think of things to talk about.
"Tomorrow, really?" There was a pause in which Daniel nodded, rubbing his chin. "Alright, I'll tell my Uncle I'm taking tomorrow off as well." She said, there was no question about it. His face broke out in an agonizingly adorable grin and she smiled. Alone with Daniel. She didn't want to think about it too much, psych herself out and such, but she had a date with the most amazing guy she could think of. "I better get back to work." Ray said, getting up quickly and Daniel did the same, they were standing toe-to-toe. He was simply beaming, and she immediately felt her face flush and she giggled nervously, averting his gaze as she made way for the door, careful not to let her knees buckle underneath her.
"Alright, I'll text you in the morning." He said, and she just gave a half-nod as she exited the room and scurried down the hallway.
Only Daniel Radcliffe could make her feel like an even bigger geek than she already was.
The next day, sometime around late afternoon, Rachel and Emma were in the living room; Emma on the couch, Ray modeling out her new outfit for her. They had been shopping, of course, it's turned into their new favorite pastime. At the first invitation out for either of them, it was to the boutiques and stores to purchase not one, but several outfits. Emma was going out with George to dinner that same night, so all the more reason to.
Rachel had tried going with a more girly approach this time, convinced that last time she screwed up the whole night entirely, from dressing too revealing to the drive back home. She wanted Daniel to know that she was serious and not some slutty, air-headed fangirl. She wasn't, she was quite the opposite, but the times they have spent together have proved otherwise.
Her dark hair was pinned high into a messy bun, her bangs framing her face and revealing the earrings that were often hidden. Her makeup was still dark, lips stained a bright pink, black gloves keeping her hands protected from the cold outside that was now rattling the windows. A gray pea coat trailed down to her thighs, stopping just past the hem of the bright violet dress underneath. It clung to her every curve, her legs covered in black tights, short ankle boots on her feet. It was very cozy, the only bit of skin showing was her neck and chest, Emma's face screwed up in concentration as she looked at her outfit.
"It's missing something, hold on," Emma stated as Ray stood in the middle of the room with her eyes closed.
As Emma retreated to her room, she heard a lot of rustling, a crash, and the clatter of what sounded like CD-cases as Emma groaned and Rachel opened her eyes in time to see her returning, wearing a big smile and holding a black and white scarf. "Here." She said finally, throwing it around Rachel's neck and wrapping it snugly.
"You look wonderful." Emma sighed as she grasped Ray's hands, nodding in approval. Rachel took deep, slow breaths, feeling ready to either puke or die. Emma looked her own brand of amazing in her midnight-blue dress and black heels, her hair swept into an up-do. Next to her, Rachel looked like nothing, but that was nothing new. Emma looked beautiful in anything and for her it was effortless.
"Thanks, Em... I'm so nervous, what am I gonna do?" She asked, Emma laughing and bending a bit to look her in the eye.
"Everything will be fiiinnne." She reassured her, Ray felt so small and immature in her presence, especially when she was fretting like this, so she took her word for it and went from expressing her worries to pacing the floor, Emma watching a bit of television. British people were so much more laid back than she was used to. In America, dates and boys were a huge deal for someone like her, who actually has never been on one before.
At almost five o'clock, Rachel's phone began buzzing and she nearly jumped out of her skin and yanked it out of her purse, answering it with a tiny, "Hello?"
"Rachel, hi, I'm downstairs.. Are you ready?" Daniel's voice came from the other of the phone, her mind racing, stomach turning, and her heart pulsing like it wanted to run away.
"Of course, I'm on my way down." She said, and they muttered a few awkward words before she hung up, not moving.
"Go on, then." Emma giggled, physically ushering Ray towards the elevator, pressing the button for her.
"I'll see you later tonight, then?" Rachel asked stepping into the elevator, looking back at Emma.
"Maybe, don't wait up for me." Emma called to her, Ray guessing that meant that she wouldn't see Emma until tomorrow morning. It was all well and good enough. She turned her mind back to the boy waiting on the ground floor for her, and she felt faint, her fingers fiddling with the buttons on her coat.
The doors opened and she stepped out, eyes glued to the ground.
'Be cool. It's just Dan. Just Daniel.' She had already gone out with him once before, if the concert counted at all, but they barely spoke. That was a poor excuse for a date. Today there would be no distractions, nobody else, just them. She wasn't sure if she could handle it, but as soon as she looked up and saw his smile all her troubles dissolved away. She became very aware of herself, the way she walked, slouched, swung her arms, and then she realized she was smiling too. She looked Daniel once-over, he looked dreadfully cute, if that word was appropriate. His look was very simple, and when they stood next to each other they seemed to match almost perfectly.
He wore his leather jacket (which he wore quite often, but Ray didn't mind because she found it adorable) over a gray zipped-up hoodie, dark blue jeans and black boots. His hair was tousled in such a way that she couldn't tell if it was deliberate or if he was just so flawless it fell perfectly in place. He hadn't shaved and she was quite glad for it, she rather liked his stubbly chin and it would be odd if Harry had facial hair in one shot and none the next. He was holding a large paper bag, Ray thought this to be rather odd but she didn't think twice about it as of that moment. She practically skipped right up to him, her heart beating madly and she mirrored his wide grin, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Hi." She got out, trying to contain her excitement.
"You look beautiful," Daniel breathed, and Ray blushed madly, looking down at her feet. He moved sharply and she looked up, and he placed a kiss on her cheek that made her smile grow ten times larger. Wordlessly they moved through the lobby outside and a blast of chilly air hit them as the doorman opened the door for them.
"Jesus." She muttered, glad for her warm clothes and he held his arm out for her.
"Lovely weather for a walk." He said, squinting his eyes against the cold and she laughed in agreement, grabbing a hold of his arm and they began walking.
London was so scenic and since all of it was still very new to Rachel, every bit of it was just as impressive as the last. The architecture, the smells, the sounds. The streets were still very packed and busy, people struggling to get home, surely no one would notice Daniel walking around at this hour with some strange girl. It was also smart not to drive, either, for the traffic was moving at a very slow pace.
"Where are we going?" Ray asked curiously, as if some vast adventure awaited them. She used the cold to her advantage, holding as tightly onto Daniel as she could, looking around as they passed shop after shop, taking note of each one; music shop, barber's, secondhand books, bakery.
"There's a park around here. I think you'll like it." He said very mysteriously, Rachel nudging him with her elbow.
"Oh really? Why?" She asked and he started to laugh.
"I can't tell you that, it'll ruin the surprise!" He said with a tiny grin, and after finding it impossible to read his expression, she turned her attention to the paper bag he had been carrying.
"What's in the bag?"
"Bread." He said, and this only puzzled her more, so she just smiled and continued to scrutinize their surroundings instead. They walked in silence for a bit, but it wasn't uncomfortable or strained, but just normal, Rachel had never felt more at ease and she couldn't stop smiling.
The park wasn't far at all, within a few minutes' time they had come to it; it was huge, trees growing here and there, some old, some new, a black path winding throughout. Rachel marveled at the tidiness of it all, the manicured grass and neatly-planted flowerbeds, Daniel tugging her slightly. "Come on, you." He said playfully, and she obeyed as he led the way throughout the park, it was deserted except for them, and the birds overhead. Yellow sunlight filtered through the clouds and leaves and for a fleeting second Ray could feel the warmth on her face before the cold overtook it. Ahead she could see a stone bridge that stretched across a large river, connecting each bank.
All this odd behavior was finally starting to make sense. The closer they got, Rachel could see that the bridge was bathed in light, geese floating atop the sparkling orange water underneath, the bag of bread not so odd to her anymore.
"Oh, Dan." She spoke in awe, and he simply grinned as they walked to the highest point in the bridge's arc, looking down at the water that mirrored their movements, the geese making ripples in the river. "It's so pretty." Ray sighed, Daniel setting the bag on the wall of the bridge and hoisting himself onto it. She merely watched him as he sat on the edge of the wall and lifted the bag into his lap before following suit, lifting herself up as well. From here they had the perfect view of the sunset. "How did you find out about this place?" She asked as he took a small roll and tore a piece off, tossing it into the river.
"Everyone knows about this park, I've never actually been here, though." He said with a shrug as he handed her some bread, and they both threw strips of it down into the river, Ray giggling as the geese swallowed the bits whole. She could see why Daniel would take her here. The simplicity of it all, the quiet. The chance to be alone. As if he could sense she was thinking about him he requested, "Tell me something about yourself."
She seemed taken aback and he watched her expectantly, "I don't really have anything to tell, though..." Daniel didn't seem to take to this response however, and he shook his head.
"I don't believe that. Come on, what was your life like before England?" He persisted as the geese gathered below them to receive bread.
"Okay, okay." Ray laughed, pausing for a moment and thinking about her life back in America. What could she say to him, the boy who had been working in the film industry since the age of ten. That age stuck out to her a lot, mostly because when she was ten, she picked up her first Harry Potter book. "Back home, let's see... I lived with my mother and father, who are both doctors, still together and very much in love after twenty years... They met in college, you see."
Rachel was boring herself with her story, but Daniel seemed to be listening very intently as he sat watching her, and she began to fidget under his gaze, glad that the geese served as a nice distraction from his bright blue eyes, skin reflecting the warm colors of the sunlight.
"It was at an Ivy League school. Dad's English and moved to America to broaden his horizons or whatever. My Uncle always says he thought moving to America was a dumb move, but he met my mother, so it wasn't a complete waste." She laughed, Daniel somewhat grinning and when she looked at him, he looked down at the water. "My mother's Irish - you know - really Irish. She had the whole red hair, freckles deal." She tapped her cheek slightly, if you looked close enough, you could see the small amount of light freckles dashed across her cheeks, Daniel leaning in closely and examining them.
"Oh, yeah... My dad's Irish, too." He said brightly, Rachel pretended that she didn't already know of this and tilted her head as he said, "My mum's Jewish."
"Really?" Ray played along, not realizing how close they were sitting and she looked out over the sparkling water.
"Really. Go on." He insisted, and she couldn't help but wonder what was with his fascination of her life's story.
"Well, that's about it. After I was born there came about eighteen years of an average, mediocre life," Ray shrugged slightly, "As average as it can get for a girl like me. During high school I went to an all-girls Catholic school, there's no excitement there."
"Wait, really?" Daniel looked way too happy about that bit of information. "Like with the skirts and Nuns?" He asked, grinning widely, and she rolled eyes.
"Yes," She laughed, "it was horrid. To make end of a painfully boring story, both of my parents are geniuses and I just don't feel that I am, so I tried to look for other options besides being thrown into college. Which is why coming to England was so great for me, you see."
"I don't think it's as boring as you think, though." Daniel said matter-of-factly, Ray grunting. It certainly was. There was a pause, and she took this opportunity to turn the attention towards him.
"What about your parents? What's your mum like?" She asked, and Daniel seemed surprised by this question.
"Not many people ask my about my mum. Which is a shame because she's the sweetest person I know." He began, Rachel smiling genially and tossing what was left of the bread into the river. "I love her, and she supports literally everything I do." She could hear the sincerity in his voice and longed for that relationship with her parents.
"I wish my mum supported me. My parents don't think there's much stock in being a director, they don't understand art the way my Uncle does, or you." Rachel sighed, Daniel smiling and wearing an all-too-understanding expression. "You're so lucky. You can do anything you want, no one will ever tell you no." That sounded nice. Daniel seemed to mull this over for awhile, licking his lips and folding his hands, setting them on his leg and then he gave sort of a nod. He looked so adorable when he was thinking.
"I guess when you say it like that, yeah. Yeah, I guess so... Then again I wish sometimes I was like everyone else, like, average." He gestured with his hands and Rachel tilted her head in confusion. She began to wonder why he would ever want something like that, but again as if he could read her mind, he voiced his thoughts. "I've lived more than half of my life as Harry, and I feel like sometimes it's just, too much. I can't just go, to a normal school. I can't go out without someone wanting to take my picture. Dating is a hassle-"
Daniel stopped, Ray stifling a laugh as a goose flew and landed on the stone wall they were sitting on, waddling closer to the paper bag to search for more bread. "Sorry. You're right. I would hate that too. I can't stand being around people a lot of times. It's just nice to be alone and, read, or listen to music." She said, her voice wavering as she watched the goose rip open the bag, dropping it down into the lake and diving in after it, where the other geese proceeded to tear it apart.
"Exactly." Daniel mused, watching the geese as well. "I love acting, just not everything it comes with." Rachel took this opportunity to watch him instead, studying his expression from the close range and she could see how much this all had been bothering him. He must have wanted to tell someone, anyone, for a really long time. She was so lucky that he wanted to go out with her, take her to do things, confide in her the way he did so often, spoke to her with ease.
She was glad he decided to tell her.
Then they were both quiet, facing the now setting sun and Rachel scooted closer to Daniel, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You know, Dan," She began, placing her hands in his, gripping them tightly, "I'm really glad I met you."
The bright sky streaked with orange and red began to fade into a deep blue as the sun disappeared and clouds began to form, hanging low overhead. She wasn't sure how long they sat like that, despite the cold stinging their cheeks and the geese retiring to bed. They just sat in silence and one by one, lamps all around the park flickered to life and Rachel's eyes followed one to the next, Daniel's face resting on top of her head. Only when she felt a raindrop on her cheek did she come back to reality, looking up and touching her hand to her face.
"We better get going." Daniel said in a wary voice, and he squeezed her hand before moving off the wall. She scooted over to the edge, Dan standing before her and wrapping his arms around her middle. She watched him, stuck somewhere between curiosity and amusement and he lifted her from the wall with surprising ease and set her gently on her feet.
"Thanks." Ray laughed, her hands settled on his shoulders. He was warm, even in the midst of the cold she could feel him, standing close to each other as she gazed into his blue eyes that shone through the dim light. She began to feel an uneasiness as his eyes wandered over her face; her eyes, her nose, lips. She felt self-conscious, because she felt exposed.
She moved her hands down to her side, grabbing one of his and looking up at him through her eyelashes and he smiled widely, turning and leading the way. They navigated through the park the way they came, the rain a mere drizzle, but by the time they reached the main streets it fell a little harder.
"Would you like to go in there? They have great hot chocolate." Daniel gestured to a little cafe across from where they were standing, Rachel nodding sharply. She loved the rain, but it was freezing and hot chocolate sounded like heaven at the moment. They cut across the road and entered the shop, which, to Rachel's relief, was empty. She had never cared more about whether people were around but ever since she started going places with Emma, or Daniel, it certainly made a difference.
"Excellent." She said, brushing her bangs from her face, looking at Daniel who chuckled. He was such a by-the-book gentleman, pulling out and pushing in chairs. Instead of sitting across from her like she expected he would, he sat to her immediate left, which made her tense up, but she just smiled and played with her earrings as if it didn't bother her.
In two seconds the only worker in the coffeehouse came and left, Daniel ordering two hot chocolates and watching Ray with a silly grin on his face as he leaned forward onto the table. She avoided his gaze and looked around the dimly lit room, removing her gloves and sliding her jacket off, adjusting the neckline of her dress that exposed her shoulders before placing her hands in her lap. It was warm here, lights hanging low over the tables, sweets sitting behind glass, the rich smell of coffee embedded in all the dark, wooden furniture.
Rachel looked back to Daniel, who was staring, open-mouthed at her, and she felt a twinge of panic. "What? Is there something wrong?" She spoke, hands reaching to touch her face and hair.
"No, no, nothing's wrong." He brought his hand up to meet hers, pulling it away from her face and he shook his head, blinking several times and looking down at the table. "It's just, you're really beautiful." He looked back up at her, still holding her hand and she scoffed. The sound she made was disbelieving, and harsh, withdrawing her hands and placing them back in her lap, but he didn't seem too amused. "I'm being serious." He ran his hand down the length of her arm and took up her hand again, and she didn't know what to do but to let him. She brushed her hair behind her ear with the hand that wasn't now in Daniel's grasp, and before she knew it their fingers were entwined, the feeling becoming less and less strange to her by the second.
"You know, no one's ever said that to me before." She laughed nervously, her heart fluttering. He touched her, a lot, and sometimes she believed he really did like her... That he wanted to be with her... Then again, she could just be imagining things.
"No one?" Daniel wondered, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand lightly. Did he really have to be so intimate? Rachel bit her lip and shook her head, Daniel's look of confusion seemed all too sincere. Then again, he was an actor. "No boyfriends, no, no one?" He asked as she continued to move her head from side to side. He seemed unable to comprehend this fact, tilting his head as she pursed her lips and pretended to act interested in the ceiling.
"You're telling me, you've never had a boyfriend." Daniel said, Rachel sighing. She figured this was what he was getting to.
"Nope, never, I went to an all-girls school, remember? I didn't have much of a social life, either, my parents wanted me to focus on my schoolwork."
"You poor thing." Daniel laughed, he was actually laughingat her. She began to laugh too, as unfortunate as her situation seemed, it could have been worse. "Well, I'm glad David invited you to come here. Now you're seeing the world, helping make movies, going to concerts-"
"Going out on dates with Daniel Radcliffe." Rachel tossed in casually, and they burst into laughter, the lone waitress placing their cups of piping hot chocolate in front of them, whipped cream piled high on top. They thanked her and she disappeared again, neither of them releasing the others hand as they raised the cups to their mouths.
"Oh, this is amazing." Daniel gasped after taking a sip, Ray giggling. He was adorable. Even more so when he had whipped cream on his face.
"You've got a bit of..." She gestured to the cream on his cheek and after unsuccessfully trying to lick it off, both of his hands full, Rachel set her cup down. "Erm, here." She offered, grabbing a napkin and raising it to his mouth, wiping the cream off gently.
She had been watching his expression, fascinated by the color of his eyes, the shape of his lips. At times she became overwhelmed by his sincerity, his passion, he was a person filled with love and he loved to make people laugh. He was someone she aspired to be like but could never find it in herself to get there. He had achieved so much in his twenty-odd years and what had she done? The highly-privileged niece of a film director that was more than lucky to just be in his presence. She set down the napkin, moving her hand to his hair, fixing the stray strands so they fell in place with the others.
How they had become so attached to each other in just a matter of three weeks was beyond her. He seemed so open to her. The way he grasped her other hand in his and raised it to his lips, pecking it softly. Her head was spinning again, her cheeks turning red and for something to do she took a large gulp of her cocoa, which blistered his tongue on the way down. After awhile all that could be heard was the heavy rain outside and the frequent clatter of dishes until it was Daniel decided to speak again.
"So, technically this is your first date, ever?" He asked, Rachel nodding indefinitely. He gave a low whistle, and she felt almost embarrassed until he said, "I'm sorry, I should have stepped up my game a little more tonight."
She found this hilarious, however, as far as dates went, she wasn't sure what to expect. "No, I promise you this is one of the best days I've had, so far." They both laughed, and things seemed to lighten again before Daniel proceeded on with the next question.
"Are you Catholic, then?" He asked after drinking from his mug, Ray admired that he would just ask, whatever was on his mind at that moment.
"No, I mean... I grew up around it, but still... I pay very little attention to it." She shrugged, Dan making a motion between a nod and a shrug.
"Same here." He said, now shaking his head and gulping down more cocoa. After this bit of mutual agreement, things got quiet again, Rachel now spurting out whatever came to her mind.
"I read this, erm, article about this scientific study, that said atheists have better sex lives than religious people, isn't that interesting? Although, who could ever know that ever, right?" She laughed nervously, Daniel peering at her curiously. "Like, how do you find something like that out, is there like, some scale? I just thought it was funny since we're both atheists-" She gestured between them, Daniel covering his mouth and raising his eyebrows at her, "Not that I was implying that our sex life would be better than- Not that we, you know, have a sex life- You know what, I'm just going to stop talking now." Her voice trailed off, Daniel leaning back in his seat and laughing loudly. She covered her face which was currently beet red, but let out a few chuckles in spite of herself.
After they finished laughing, the waitress came back and set the bill on the table, she seemed annoyed, perhaps it was the late customers now currently drinking cocoa. "We're closing in a bit." She informed them, walking away again and they looked out the windows towards the rain, which was coming down harder than ever, before looking back at each other.
"Do you want to chance it?" Daniel asked, wearing a concerned expression.
"We don't have much of a choice." Rachel said with some mild amusement. "I only live down the street." She reasoned, slipping on her coat.
"Yes, I know, but I don't want you to get sick." He said simply, putting his coat on and reaching deep in the pocket of his jeans for his wallet. He reached into the other ones, his front pockets, his back, Rachel watching him as if it were such an odd thing to behold. He checked his coat pockets before repeating the ritual at least three more times, looking quite frustrated. It was the first time she had ever seen him look so cross. "This is bullocks." He muttered, Rachel leaning in slightly.
"What is?"
"I think I lost my pocketbook." He said flatly, Ray sighing.
"That's horrible." She said, and he obviously was trying to remember what in the seven hells he did do with it, so she didn't bother asking. After a few minutes of muttering and swearing, Rachel placed a hand on Daniel's. "Don't worry, I'll get this one." She said, reaching in the pocket of her coat and pulling out her wallet. He seemed like he wanted to protest, but they didn't have much of a choice. "I'm sorry, Dan, that's awful." She said after placing the money on the table and watching the expression on his face.
"It's fine." He dismissed the subject with a wave of his hand and smiled at her reassuringly. It took a few moments before both of them exited the cafe and they stood in the doorway, the sound of rain resonating in their ears. They looked towards one another a second time, Rachel taking his hand and having her smile reflected back at her. "You ready?" He asked with a small grin, and she nodded, inhaling sharply before they ran into what almost felt like a waterfall coming down on them.
It was hard to see, their hands connected, the rain had made it even colder than it was before. It was ruthless, but they laughed nearly the whole way back to the apartment, Ray couldn't seem to stop giggling even as they reached the doorway of the lobby. Cars sped past on the street and splashed more water back onto the sidewalk, rain fell, everything was alive and they were frozen in the entrance way, staring at each other.
The doorman suddenly appeared and Rachel gave a start, "Do you need a taxi, sir?" He was holding an umbrella, Daniel nodding before he disappeared to stand next to the street, and they looked at each other again.
"I'm sorry about your wallet." Was all Ray could think of, Daniel smiling so widely she was sure he didn't care anymore. "I had such a wonderful day."
Wonderful wouldn't even begin to cover it, but she just couldn't find the right words with him standing so close. She could see the drops of water on his eyelashes, hanging from the ends of his hair, clinging onto his skin. He was holding onto her, and she wished she could think of more to say. She wondered if there was supposed to be a kiss, she was new to this sort of thing, her mind racing all of a sudden, her heart pounding, but that could be from the sprinting they did. She would be lying if she said she didn't want to kiss him. Even with him standing so near, the possibility of a kiss seemed so far away.
"Sir?" The doorman asked, having successfully lured a taxi to their side of the road and Rachel exclaimed.
"Here, let me give you the money," She grabbed her wallet again and pulled out a bill, handing it to him.
"I'm so sorry, Rachel, I'll pay you back tomorrow, I promise-" He began but she shushed him.
"It's alright, really. Don't mention it again." She threatened, putting the bill in his coat pocket, and he just smiled. "Thank you, Dan." She said quietly, and he just watched her with an skeptical expression.
"For what?" He asked, amusement playing across his face.
"For taking me out on the best first date any girl could ask for."
He seemed to ponder this, and she stepped away as he just watched her, almost sad-like. She put her wallet back into her coat pocket, and neither of them moved for some time before the taxicab driver beeped the horn of the car lightly.
"I'll see you at work, tomorrow, alright?" She said, gripping his hands tightly. He nodded, still watching her with a fixed gaze, he looked like he wanted to say something else, but he turned and moved slowly towards the cab.
"Goodnight, Daniel!" She called, and he paused with one leg inside of the taxi, turning around to watch her in the doorway.
"Goodnight. Sweet dreams," He said with a dip of his head. There was another pause, and he smiled before getting into the cab and shutting the door. She waved at him with a flutter of her fingers, turning and walking into the building as the doorman held the door open for her with a wink.
Her large smile lasted all the way across the lobby and up the elevator, where she leaned against the wall, giggling and sighing, replaying the whole day over and over in her head. Daniel was truly something else. She went to bed thinking about him, woke up thinking about him, and then eventually she began to think:
She wanted him in her life desperately and wondered if possibly, maybe, he wanted her in his too, although part of her felt that she already knew the answer.
