Hey guys! So this is the much awaited and exciting conclusion to Darry and Brenda's first date! What does Darry hold in store for his date? Well, if you will continue to read about these borrowed characters in my original adventure, you will soon find out!
Brenda smiled as Darrel held the door open for her. They had had a very enjoyable meal at the Chinese restaurant and were now headed for Darrel's truck. He said he had something else for her tonight and she found herself both frightened and excited at the thought of what was coming up next. As Darrel helped her up in the truck, she could feel the bruises on her back, and gasped involuntarily.
"Are you ok?" Darrel asked, plainly alarmed by the sudden intake of breath. He quickly helped Brenda to settle herself, and pulled his hands back; he looked almost fearful that he had caused her some sort of discomfort.
"I'm fine, just a- a leg cramp…" Brenda said, averting her eyes so that Darrel could not see that she was lying. He looked slightly skeptical at first, but then he seemed to accept her answer; smiling, he shut her door carefully and climbed into the truck himself. Brenda let out a sigh of relief. If Darrel ever found out the real reason she seemed to be in pain at random moments, he would run away and never look back.
"So, are you having fun thus far?" Darrel asked, casting a hopeful look in her direction. Brenda snapped from her thoughts and gave him a smile.
"Oh, yes," she answered. "I have had an amazing time with you." Darrel grinned at her and put his focus back to the road. "Where, if I may ask, are you taking me?"
"A favorite spot of mine," He answered vaguely. Brenda felt her stomach lurch with nerves. "I promise, it's not a "Lover's Lane" or anything like that. I've always found things like that rather trashy." Brenda breathed a sigh of relief. The thought of having to beat Darrel off her on a deserted country back road scared her to death.
They continue to ride in silence for a few moments, the radio playing softly. Brenda smiled, and asked, "Do you mind if I turn this up a bit? It's one of my favorites." Darrel smiled and nodded his consent, keeping his eyes on the road. Brenda twisted the volume dial as "My Girl" by The Temptations drifted through the trucks speakers. She started humming along to the tune and was surprised when the lyrics started, and she heard Darrel's voice join the voices on the radio.
"I've got sunshine… on a cloudy day… When it's cold outside…. I've got the month of May… I… guess… you'd…. say….. 'What could make me feel this way?'…. My girl, my girl, my girl…. Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl!" He looked over at her during the instrumental, grinning as he parked the truck. She smiled and shyly picked up the next verse:
"I've got so…. much honey… The bees envy me…. I've got a sweeter song… than the birds in the trees!" She got lost in the music, and got a little louder on the chorus. "Well, I guess… you'd say…. 'What could make me feel this way?' My girl, my girl, my girl…. Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl!" Darrel grinned, swaying with the music, and picked up the next part with gusto:
"I don't need no money…. fortune or fame! I've got all the riches, baby….. one man can claim! Well, I guess… you'd say…. 'What could make me feel this way?' My girl, my girl, my girl…. Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl!" They both sang the next part, louder than the radio, but not caring:
"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day…With my girl. I've even got the month of May… With my girl …Talkin' 'bout… Talkin' 'bout…. Talkin' 'bout… My girl…. Ooooh…. My girl….. As long as I can talk about my girl..."
The song finished and Brenda found herself laughing harder than she had in a long time. Darrel laughed with her as he killed the truck's engine. "I didn't know you were a Temptations fan!" Darrel said, grinning broadly at her. She nodded, gasping for breath.
"I love them! That is one of my favorites, though," Brenda looked around the truck and outside it curiously. "Where are we, exactly?"
"I guess it's harder to recognize at night, but it's actually our construction site." He said, slipping out of the truck. He came around and opened Brenda's door, helping her to the ground. She looked around, recognizing the faint outline of her uncle's trailer.
"I see now… But why are we here?" She asked, slightly nervous at the sight of the construction site, not crowded with workers as usual.
"Do you remember that day your car wouldn't start?" he asked, smiling. She nodded, hoping the night hid the grimace on her face. She remembered that day all too well. "And we went to the coffee shop, and you told me on the way back to the site, you wished that you had a high place to watch the stars from at night? Like a rooftop?" She nodded slowly, memory of the comment coming back to her. He smiled and pulled a blanket out of the back of his truck. "Well, who better to take you on a rooftop, than a roofer?" She smiled cautiously, eyeing the blanket with contempt. Darrel noticed her look.
"Don't worry!" he said quickly. "This is just so we won't be uncomfortable up there. It's just to sit on, I promise!" He offered her his free hand and smiled reassuringly. She considered what he was saying, then, deciding to trust him, put her hand in his slowly. He closed his fingers around hers and carefully led her over to the apartment they were roofing at the moment. "Stay here! I will be right back with a ladder." With that, he headed over to the supply shed.
Within a few moments, Darrel had returned with a ladder, which he positioned against the side of the building. He then gave her a smile and climbed quickly to the top, blanket under one arm. Brenda watched as he spread the blanket out over the finished portion of the roof. He then came back down the ladder, jumping the last four rungs, hitting the ground with a very sure foot. He grinned at her and offered her his hand. She took it and was surprised to be pulled gently in front of the ladder, with him behind her.
"Don't worry, you're perfectly safe, I'll be behind you the whole way," he said, placing his hands on her waist carefully. She stiffened at the touch, but then took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. She began to climb carefully and felt Darrel behind her every step of the way. She reached the roof, and carefully stepped up. Darrel stepped up behind her and held her hand as he led her over to the blanket, where they took a seat. Brenda looked up at the sky and instantly began to look for constellations in the sky. She spotted Orion, and looked over to see if Darrel saw it- and was surprised to find him looking, not at the sky, but her.
"Is there something wrong Darrel?" She asked, feeling her nerves prickle. He started and blushed, looking down at his hands. She looked away, feeling her face grow hot, and suddenly feeling the need to escape. Just as she was about to say something, Darrel spoke up.
"I'm sorry about that. I just never noticed before, but…" he cleared his throat and rubbed his neck sheepishly. "…. you are really pretty. I mean, I had noticed you were pretty, but never how pretty, -" He looked extremely embarrassed. Brenda smiled at him.
"I've never been called pretty by a guy before." She took a breath and grabbed his hand. "I'm really glad you think so, Darrel." He smiled and they both looked back up at the sky, still holding hands.
(They get off the roof and drive back to her house, needed a page break, lovely night, isn't it?)
"Well, here we are," Darrel said, smiling. He helped her out of the truck and walked her up the path to her uncle's house. They paused on the front porch and turned to each other. "I had an amazing time tonight, Brenda."
"Me too," she said, looking into his eyes, and noticing for the first time, that the ice seemed to have melted slightly. He grinned at her and took both her hands in his.
"I would love to take you out again sometime," he said, offering her hands a light squeeze. "Maybe go to a movie. What do you say?"
"I- I think that would be great, Darrel," Brenda smiled at him, looking toward the door. "I guess I better head inside. I'll see you at work, I guess…" She went to turn toward the door, then turned back and, standing on tip toe, kissed Darrel's cheek gently. He looked shock as she moved inside the house and shut the door. He was still shocked as he walked down the path and to his truck. She had kissed him! Sure, it had been on the cheek, but he hadn't even been expecting that, with how shy she was. As he started the ignition, he felt a smile cross his face. Tonight had been one of the best nights he had had in a long while. As he merged onto the street, he turned up the radio, and couldn't help but grin as "I've got sunshine… " drifted through the truck's speakers.
He hummed the song all the way home, excited about what lay ahead for him and- he was surprised when the thought crossed his mind- his girl.
