Think of The Firefly
Thanks for your comments. :) hehe especially TMadison telling me she won't get tired of my saying which chapters I like! hehe :) thanks! and yet this is another one of those!
For entertainment only!
Chapter 11
Fireflies
It had only been a few seconds since Betty practically killed him. He took a breath and changed the subject. "So, what is it that you have to do for this event?" he asked wanting his heart to come back in his body. The closest time he felt like this was when Sofia pulled her little stunt on national television. But this was worse...way, way worse, because this was Betty. And he actually loved Betty. He realized he was never really in love with Sofia. It was a game from the beginning.
"Hey, you ok?" she asked, her hand on his arm, noticing the light from his eyes gone. He looked at her eyes and couldn't help from smiling. God, how did she do that to him, he thought. "I'm fine, Betty. I guess I'm still a little jet-lagged, I haven't really gotten much sleep."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want to hang out later? I understand if you want some space." He looked at her strangely. Her comment was rather odd. "Betty, you do know that I came all the way from New York to Tucson and am here for two weeks right?"
"Yes?" she looked at him curiously. "If anything, I should probably give you space. I want to be with you, Betty. I mean if that's ok. Once I leave who knows when I'll see you again."
A sadness made its way to her eyes, but then she quickly smiled pushing it back. "You're right. I don't want you to leave. I just...are you sure you're not tired?"
"Betty, please...I rather be here. I'm fine, really."
"Ok." She smiled. She pulled out a small notebook and her pen...the pen he gave her. He couldn't help but smile insanely big. "You have my pen...well your pen?" he laughed.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Yep! I love it" She said sincerely. "I have it with me all the time."
"Really?" he asked surprised, a shine in his eyes. Betty smiled noticing the light in his eyes was back. "Yes, I really do love it Daniel. And the thought behind it makes it all the more amazing. And look where I am because of that."
"Because of what?" he asked confused. "Your faith in me, Daniel. You believed in me...and I have this unbelievable job now."
He smiled. Yep, his heart was now back. He was so close to blurting out that he loved her. "Thank you so much, Daniel." She said sincerely and leaned over to hug him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He could smell her sweet scent. He closed his eyes and held her tighter. He felt his heart race. He wondered if she was able to feel it. "Uh...Daniel..."
"Hmm?"
"You're still hugging me..." she laughed. His eyes opened and he felt like an idiot. "Oh...uh..." he let go of her and looked to the ground embarrassed. She smiled looking at him. When he looked back up to see that smile, he felt like he couldn't breathe. "What?" he asked wondering why her smile was so...he didn't really know what to describe it as "You're sweet." She said looking at him. He smiled and felt like he touched a star or something.
"Oh my gosh, are you blushing?" she asked noticing the redness in his face. "What? NO!" he immediately said defensively. Betty just laughed. "Ok, well, do you want me to tell you about the job?" she asked with an amused smile. Daniel rolled his eyes and turned his chair so that he was facing the table now. He hadn't realized that they were sitting so close to each other.
"So, okay, basically Mr. Moore wants me to plan this huge event in two weeks to promote Tucson Lifestyle Magazine and how it helps the community. From the sound of it, he wants this to be a massive event. He said he was going to hire more people. I have a meeting with him tomorrow to discuss any ideas. I was just thinking I could try and come up with some ideas for the event now."
"Oh okay. Do you want me to help you?" he asked looking at her feeling extremely proud of her.
"But Daniel, you're here to-"
Daniel touched her hand "Betty, I'm here for you." He said looking at her eyes. Her eyes caught his and she felt her heart race again. He seemed to do that a lot lately. "I would really love helping you. I mean, if you want. I don't want you to feel like you can't do this by yourself or anything. I just figure since I'm here, I could help you, maybe."
"I would really love that, Daniel. Thank you." He smiled and moved his hand from hers, realizing again, that she hadn't moved it. He actually realized that they were a lot closer here in Tucson. For some reason there seemed to be this invisible line that they couldn't cross when they worked together, but now that they were here, it felt like they were more connected somehow.
"FIREFLIES!" Betty blurted loudly making the people around them look at their table strangely. "What?" Daniel said confused snapping out of his thoughts. "Daniel, that's it! That's the theme!" Betty said excitedly.
Daniel just looked at her. She reached in her bag and pulled out the wooden box that Daniel gave her. "You have that with you?" Daniel asked surprised, more because she carried the box around, too. "Of course, Daniel. I love it! Thank you so much. It's really one of the best gifts I've ever gotten. Thank you." Daniel just smiled brightly because she was smiling brightly. He loved that smile. Betty opened the box and placed it in front of him. "Remember, you told me to think of the firefly when I'm upset or something, and that the firefly brings light to dark times."
Daniel looked at her "uhh...ya?"
"Well, Daniel that's it!" he still looked at her not getting it. "Daniel, when I first came here, I was kind of upset and basically I went up to the mountains and saw the lights of the city...that made me think of New York and our bridge and the lights from the city. And because I was upset I thought of the firefly like you told me. Get it? Basically, the theme will be the firefly...kind of like city lights." Betty said smiling brightly extremely proud of her idea.
"Wow, Betty. That is brilliant. Great idea"
"It's all thanks to you, Daniel." Betty said touching his hand affirmatively. "I'm glad I could help." He said playfully.
She smiled and felt something she couldn't explain, but she quickly looked back to her notebook. "Ohhh...my God! Daniel! I just got another great idea!" She said excitedly. Daniel looked at her and her bright eyes and couldn't help but feel like he was in the right place. He felt his heart jump anxiously. "Well, what is it?" he asked curiously. "You better write it down before you forget!"
She smiled and quickly jotted down her idea. He watched her, and how her eyes seemed to sparkle and that smile. He was so close to grabbing her face and kissing her with all that was in him, but the waitress ended up coming. "Hey you two, did you enjoy your treat?" she asked looking at Daniel with a perceptive look. He smiled looking at her; Betty looked at Daniel and Ashley. "It was great, Ashley. Thanks" Daniel said with a pleased smile. Betty smiled looking to Ashley. "Great! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Do you want me to bring the bill?"
"Sure." Daniel smiled pulling out his wallet. "Great. I'll be right back." She smiled and walked off.
"What was that?" Betty asked as soon as she left. He looked at her curiously. "What?"
"You were flirting with her."
"Uh...no, I wasn't. And so what if I was?"
"I was just saying..."
"Saying what? You sounded like I wasn't allowed to...what's the deal anyways? You have Henry!" he said automatically regretting saying that. "Yes, I do!" she said annoyed. Daniel sighed. "Listen Betty"
"Here you go" Ashley said cheerfully walking up to their table. He smiled taking it from her. He didn't know what came over him, but he wanted to get back at Betty. "So, uh...Ashley, it has been a pleasure having you be our waitress. Next time I come, I'll make sure to ask for you." He winked. She looked at him surprised, and then she blushed. "Thank you." Betty looked at Daniel. Daniel smiled as Betty watched him. "Listen, uh...next time I come, why don't you join us...and maybe we can have some coffee" he shot her a flirting smile, but this time he quickly gestured with his eyes at Betty. She glanced at Betty and smiled looking back to Daniel "Ohhh...oh-kay. That would be great. Might I ask what your name is?" She asked playfully.
"It's Daniel."
"Daniel...well, it's very nice to meet you." She smiled flirtingly. He smiled putting a bunch of cash in the book and handed it to her. She really did deserve that tip. He still held onto his end and looked at her amber eyes "Thank you Ashley." She smiled, almost wanting to laugh.
"Have a wonderful day. And you too." She looked to Betty. "And what is your friend's name?"
"I'm Betty." she smiled. "Betty, well take care." She winked at Daniel and walked away. He smiled looking to Betty. "You are something" she said with an annoyed look on her face. "You see, Betty. That was flirting, honey."
Betty looked at him with wide eyes. "Just admit it." he said with a grin.
"What?" she asked annoyed. "That you were jealous, Betty. It's ok. I understand. You want me all to yourself."
"What! I'm not jealous! And I certainly don't want you, Daniel!"
"Okay. Whatever you say." He looked at her "princess" he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes and went back to her notebook scribbling something in the corner. He looked at her and at her notebook. "What did you write?" he asked noticing she pressed really hard on the pen and underlined whatever she wrote three times. "Nothing" she said moving the notebook away. He looked at her and wanted to laugh. He snatched the notebook from her. "Daniel!" she said trying to reach for it. He stood up and looked in the corner she wrote in. He laughed and handed her the notebook. "Daniel sucks? Really Betty? Are we in middle school?" he laughed again and took a seat. He shook his head and laughed again. He couldn't help it.
"You find this funny?" she asked frustrated. He looked at her and laughed again. "As a matter of fact, I do Betty. I find this very funny!" he said laughing again. She narrowed her eyes and punched him in his arm. "Owww! Jeez Betty" he rubbed his arm, the same arm she hit before. He looked at her, sitting there with her arms across her chest staring at the notebook. He wanted to laugh again, but he knew if he did she would blow up. "Listen Betty, why don't you tell me that amazing idea you got a few minutes ago?"
"You really want to hear it?" she asked looking at him
"Sure, why not?"
She smiled faintly "Okay." He rolled his eyes with a smile. Betty went on to tell him her idea. They darted ideas back and forth, ending up staying at the café until it was closing time. "Wow, you two are still here?" Ashley said walking out with her things looking like she was leaving for the night.
Betty and Daniel looked to her. "Betty here got a new job" Daniel said with a smile "...and we were working on ideas for this event she has to plan."
"Congratulations on the job! That's wonderful! I actually just got a promotion"
"Really? That's great" Betty and Daniel said together. Ashley laughed. "Yes."
"It was actually thanks to your great tip. Thank you" she said appreciatively looking at Daniel. He smiled. "So, what is your promotion?" he asked curiously. "Well, actually, I am a pastry chef. I actually made that little treat for you two."
"Really?" Betty and Daniel said again at the same time. They looked at each other this time and laughed. "Yes, you two are wonderful. It has been an absolute pleasure meeting you." She said with a sincere smile. Betty and Daniel smiled brightly. "Oh, and Betty, I'm sorry about before. I was just going along with his little trick on you. I hope you aren't upset with me."
Betty was taken back by her apology and the fact that she didn't want her to be upset with her. "No, that's ok Ashley. Daniel, here" she looked at him with a slight glare and back at her "explained everything." "I'm glad you two are such great friends. Now, I should be off. I've been working all day and I miss my husband, so I'm going to go see him." She said with a shine in her eyes.
Betty and Daniel smiled. "That's sweet. Have a good night" Betty said with a bright smile. "You have a lovely smile, Betty."
"Aw, thank you." Betty said appreciatively. Daniel looked at Betty with an admiring look. Ashley smiled looking at Daniel. "I'm looking forward to that coffee you promised me" she said teasingly. "Sure." He said with a smile. "Bye. Have a good night" Daniel said smiling. She nodded and walked off.
"She is soooo nice!" Betty said with a happy smile on her face. Daniel smiled looking at Betty. "You're so nice, Betty." She looked at him and smiled brighter if that was possible. "You're nice, too, Daniel. She just got a promotion thanks to you."
"Well, thanks to us, because she wouldn't have made that treat for us, and I wouldn't be here if you weren't here. So, it's really all thanks to you, Betty."
Betty shook her head. "It's 9 already. We've been here all day. Maybe we should call it a night."
"Sounds good. I'm beat."
"You need to sleep, Daniel." Daniel called a cab for both of them.
"Good night Betty" Daniel said as he stood by her as she held the door. "Good night, Daniel. Thanks for all your help" she hugged him tightly. He smiled "Anytime Betty." She smiled and got in leaving Daniel to his cab. He made it home not too much later. Betty got home and went up to her room and noticed the dresses on her bed and the card. She shook her head. She wasn't even going to bother being angry at this point. She should have known Daniel would do something like this.
She picked up the card and read it with a smile.
Please don't kill me, Betty!
You looked way too beautiful in these dresses for me to take them back. I know you might be angry at me right now, but seriously Betty you looked lovely in these. Hope your interview went well!
Your best friend,
Daniel.
She smiled and fell back on her bed. She took out her phone and called Daniel. "Betty!" Daniel answered happily.
"Hi Daniel." She said with a smile.
"So, Betty, you're not bored of me?" he asked teasingly.
"What?"
"You're calling me 20 minutes after you left? Do you miss me that much already?" he said feeling his heart race.
Betty laughed. "Very funny, Daniel. Actually, I got your card."
"Oh boy." Daniel mumbled under his breath thinking this might not be good.
"Thank you."
"What?" he answered shocked.
"That was really sweet. I owe you, though."
"Betty, you don't owe me anything."
"Daniel. Please!"
"Fine, Betty. I'm not going to argue with you."
"That's because you know I'll win."
"What? Ya right, Betty!" He responded defensively, but knowing that was kind of true.
"Thank you for all of your help."
"Don't mention it, Betty." He smiled. He really wanted to tell Betty. "Hey Betty-"
"Sorry, Daniel, Henry's on the other line. I think he's on his way home."
"Oh. Right. Ok. Bye Betty" Daniel said sadly thinking maybe he really just had to let it go.
"Daniel..."
Daniel sighed. "Yes, Betty?"
"...I'll see you tomorrow." Betty said smiling.
"Good night, Betty." Daniel smiled and hung up.
"Good night, Daniel." Betty said looking at the phone.
"Oh crap, Henry!" "...hello?" Betty said answering the phone.
"Hey Betty, I'm on the way. I'll see you soon. Love you."
Betty smiled. "I'll see you soon, Henry. I was thinking we could watch a movie tonight."
"That's a possibility" he said and hung up. Betty looked at the phone strangely. She shook her head and looked at the dresses. She couldn't help but smile. He got her all the dresses she liked and apparently the ones that he liked. She smiled and put on the white one, putting away the others. Now she wondered why she never picked this one. It was so pretty. She picked up the card again and smiled lying back on her bed.
AN: :) :) I'll have the next part up tomorrow! :)