To DP's lil sis, because she's been waiting a looong time for this chap and all our favorite lines! enjoy it!
Harry and Dana dropped the last bags onto the floor of Harry's cramped apartment.
"Dana, I'm worried about you. Your mom is going to cancel all of your credit cards, and you..you won't have any money. I'm just a teacher. I have no money...not like you're used to anyway."
"Harry, I have some cash and some accounts in the bank my mom can't touch. More than enough for college, so don't even worry about that. Other than that, I don't know what to say."
"I was thinking maybe you could call your dad..."
She looked into his hopeful eyes. Her dad wouldn't give her a cent, she knew that, he had a new family to support. His wife, Annie and their daughter, Allie. "ok, give methe phone...it's worth a shot." She dialed and waited for her dad in California to pick up the phone. "Annie, is dad there? ok...hi Daddy...yes, Dana...I know I haven't seen you since last Christmas...fine Daddy...you?...No Daddy, we're not getting along so well...She kicked me out Daddy...No, I found a place to stay..Yes, I know I can't come out there!..yes Daddy, I know you gave Allie my room...Daddy, I just need some cash!...Yes, I know you have to support Annie and Allie now...not too much..that should be ok...thank you Daddy...I'll email you the address I'm staying at..Ok..no,I have no time to talk to Annie and Allie...say hi for me...bye Daddy, thank you!" She hung up and nodded at Harry. She walked over to him and tried to hug him. Harry pushed her away.
"Dana..."
"What, so today you tell me you love me and now you're pushing me away?"
"It was a mistake...people make mistakes...and some little girls who are over-anxious about getting their teachers' attention might misunderstand an innocent little comment that means NOTHING!"
"Maybe mom was right. Maybe I am just a whore. Maybe I should make it my job...at least then I'd be loved for 30 seconds at a time. Better than what I get from you."
"Dana, you can't sell yourself like that!"
"Why do you care?"
"Because you're better than that!"
"If you really thought I was better than that, you would want to be with me."
"Oh please, Dana, this is stupid."
"Oh, so now I'm stupid?"
"I didn't say that!"
"I can't believe this. I lost it to you, and you act like it was NOTHING!"
"It? What are you, 4? Say the word, Dana! Stop playing games."
"Losing my virginity to you is not a game. Loving you is nota game!"
"God Dana, is that how you imagined it? On your teacher's desk. In the DUNGEON! That can't have been your fantasy."
"It didn't matter where, or how. Just as long as it was with you."
"Dana...."
"Damn it Harry, can you just stop it? All I want is you! Why can't you get that through your empty little head?"
"Just a little tip, Dana, when trying to get your teacher into bed, you shouldn't say that their head is empty."
"Back into bed, Harry. There's a big difference."
"Stop it with the guilt, Dana. It won't work on me."
"What guilt? I was just gonna ask you if you wanted to come back for seconds. It was a half-hearted attempt to seduce you...is it working?"
"Dana, stop it!"
"Oh, so it's not? Guess I'll have to be more forward." She leaned in and kissed him. He immediately pushed her away and glared at her.
"You'd better watch out, Senate. It's not too late for me to cry statutory rape!"
"You'd get in trouble for this too. Besides, I thought you never cried."
"If it gets you in trouble for being such a jerk to me, then maybe I would."
Dana..come on, do you mean that?"
"Yes!...no... maybe..dammit, I don't know!" Dana turned her head so that Harry couldn't see her starting to cry. Her emotions were all mixed up and she had no one to go to for help.
"Well, look who's decided to show her emotions. Welcome to the human race." Harry smiled at her, but he was only half joking. He reached out his arms to hold her, but this time it was Dana pushing him away.
"You know what, f*ck off! Leave me alone! Just go away." She saw him about to say something, and she was so sure that it would be a smart-@ss comment, she added, "F*ck you, Harry!"
"I thought that was the point of this!" Harry exclaimed, trying desperately to lighten the mood. She glared at him now, roles reversed. It was Harry begging for forgivness now. Harry who wanted love. "Dana, come on. I was kidding. I'm sorry."
"Well, I'm sick of your kidding!"
"Dana..."
"You sound like my f*ckin mother or something!Why can't I be more than just a student? Why can't I be more than the b*tch? the slut. the whore. Why?" She looked like she was going to cry again, but she made no attempt to hide it.
"Because you won't let yourself be."
"You don't know my life, Harry. You don't know what I go through...why I..You don't know me." She realized that maybe her reason for wanting him so much would split them apart. His lack of understanding for her situation.
"I know you better than you think..I'd like to know more."
"You could never know me, Harry. That b*tch who calls herself my mother. My dad, who doesn't love me with any more effort than it takes to pull out him wallet..."
"You left them, Dana. You called me. Remember?"
"Because I thought you'd want me here. I'll leave in the morning. I won't bother you anymore. It's too late now. Let's go to sleep now."She turned away from him again. "Harry...sometimes I don't want to remember them."
"Maybe I don't want you to leave tomorrow." Harry blurted out. He hugged her, and this time she welcomed his arms around her. He kissed her cheek softly and wiped away a shining tear from her soft skin.
"I'll sleep on the couch. I don't want to f*ck anything else yet. We can see about tomorrow in the morning."
"Forget it, Dana. Take the bed. You've never slept on a couch before. I can tell. Think of that house!"
"I'm not taking the bed from you, Harry. I won't disrupt your life anymore. Besides, I'd get lonely in that big bed all by myself...If I'm sleeping there, I'll need some company!"
"Dana, can I ever win with you?"
"I think this is a win-win situation, Harry."
"Dana, I think you'll live in a bed by yourself."
"I won't like it."
"You've done it for 17 years, you can do it tonight."
"Forget it, Harry. Take the bed, because I'm sure not taking it."
3am
Dana got up from the couch. She hadn't been able to sleep. And judging from the light she saw on in Harry's room, spilling through a crack at the bottom of his door, he couldn't either. She walked to his door and opened it slowly, creeping inside. When she reached his bed, she smiled at him and said "Insomnia kicking in, Harry?"
"Seems like it's contagious." He shot back.
"You know, I read a study that said insomnia is half loneliness."
"Really Dana?"
"Nope. Care to start one?"
"Dana!" She sat on the edge of his bed and smiled at him.
"Yeah Harry?"
"Um, are you ok? You had a rough day today. I'm sorry about before." He managed to force the words out of his throat, feeling like he was about to vomit.
"I'd be a lot better if I could get some sleep. Your couch sucks."
"Hey, I'm just a poor teacher. What do you expect? It's not the kind of life you're used to."
"It's the kind of life I want. With you."
"Dana, you're too young to know what kind of life you want!"
"Please...just let me stay here tonight, with you. I need to know what it feels like to wake up next to you."
"Bad. I kick in my sleep. You'll end up on the floor."
"I'm not joking, Harry! Please don't...not now."
"Dana..."
"Is that all you can say? My name in that warning tone?"
"Maybe all I feel like saying is your name, Dana."
"Harry?"
"Come here, Dana. You were right. This bed is too big for one person. It's lonely here all by myself." Dana smiled and climbed into bed next to Harry. She settled into his outstretched arms and let herself drift off to sleep with him. Harry kissed her forehead and he as well drifted off to sleep.