After the second call that comes through on Danny's phone, he turns the device off and chucks it into my glove box with an exaggerated sigh. He leans back in the passenger seat and I only look his way for a couple of seconds before I'm focused on the road again. I don't know where to take him but I haven't eaten since lunch and I don't know when the last time he had something was. And besides, everyone knows that problems are harder to face on an empty stomach.
Danny doesn't ask me where we're going, he just stares out the window as I continue to drive. I almost want to tell him to stop thinking but I know from experience that it's way easier said than done. When your mind's that fucked up, not thinking isn't an option anymore. Sleep or death has to take you before your mind stops running.
It doesn't feel right to put the radio on but I don't like the silence. It's deafening when I can hear every sniffle and sound he makes. God, I hate that he's upset because of his parents. And I hate the way that he's trying not to tremble. Like he doesn't want me to see the fact that he's afraid. I get it, Danny. I get it, it's gonna be okay.
"I-I know that all things considered, it probably sounds like I'm lying but my parents aren't terrible people," Danny says softly and I can't understand why he's still trying to defend them. I saw the bruises already. And I've seen the way he reacts to his parents. Why continue to lie?
I switch lanes and turn left, letting the silence blanket us for a minute before I respond. "I don't know why you're trying to protect them… they don't deserve that from you." My hands tighten on the steering wheel and Danny turns to look at the gesture. I guess he's wondering if I'm starting to panic again cause he watches me. I'm nowhere close to panicking. I'm just really fucking pissed that his parents would do this shit to him. They've got him so wrecked in the head, he probably thinks it's his fault.
Danny rolls his eyes with a scoff, slouching down further in the seat. "You have no reason to believe me but… why would I lie about this shit?"
Why wouldn't someone? I've been lying for twelve years about what goes on behind closed doors at my place, it only makes sense that Danny would too. We tend to hide the things that hurt us the most.
"Because it's easier that way," I say softly, continuing even after I hear Danny sigh. "Seriously. This way, no one knows what's going on so you can pretend that you're okay." I get it, Fenton. More than you'll ever know.
Danny folds his arms over his chest before looking my way. "I don't feel that way at all, Dash. If my parents were doing anything to me, I'd tell someone. But there's nothing to tell. And even if there was and I didn't tell someone, you can bet your ass that my sister would have by now." He shrugs when I glance his way and his stare slowly drifts out the window again. I don't know why he's still trying to bullshit but there's a sinking feeling in my gut that maybe he was telling the truth on Sunday. Maybe I fucked things up because I was so determined that his situation was like mine.
The silence that falls between us is uncomfortable and I can only imagine what Danny's thinking. I'm not sure how the hell it could be anything else but as much as all signs point toward his parents… what if it's not them? Then I've just been an ass and assumed that he was like me cause I'm that fucking desperate to have someone that relates.
"So, where are we going?" Danny asks, turning to give me a smile. It's laced with sadness but it still holds a touch of happiness and I don't know how he pulls it off. He may be bruised and he may be battling things that have left worse marks on his heart but he's still happy. He's not broken. I definitely can't relate.
We decide to stop for burgers but neither one of us want to stay inside the place and there's no one at the tables outside. We quickly claim one as our own and start eating. As I'm finishing off the last half of my fries, I catch Danny staring at me and I don't know if it's cause of the bruises or not but damn. Kinda makes me feel self-conscious.
"What?" I ask, cramming another fry into my mouth before I speak again. "Something on my face?" I make an exaggerated gesture of swiping a hand down my face to catch any ketchup or anything but Danny stops me with a laugh.
"No, there's nothing on your face." He aims his fry container toward the trash can and it sails in effortlessly. He looks back at me with a blank expression on his face. "Score," he says, a smile twisting his lips. He only holds my stare for a few seconds before turning away again. I don't know what to say but there's gotta be something. Some way I can convince him to tell me what's going on.
I down a few swallows of my drink before I gather my trash too. "I swear, if I don't buy fast food at least once a week, the bank is gonna think there's something wrong with me."
Danny snorts and we both leave the table together, ditching the last of our trash before we head to my car. I'm still crap with words but I feel like maybe I'm getting better. Cause it doesn't take me more than a couple of seconds to decide what to say once we've reached my car.
"Listen man, whatever's fucking with your head… just remember that it isn't your fault," I tell him, even putting in the effort of touching his shoulder. He starts at the contact and turns to look at me. I don't take my hand off of him but it doesn't seem to be bothering him.
The look on Danny's face gives me the impression that I'm being naïve about whatever's going on with him. Maybe I am but it's not his fault. He probably couldn't hurt a fly, much less get himself into a shitty situation like whatever he's dealing with.
"You really don't understand," Danny says, exhaling as he looks away from me. He keeps his gaze on my car and doesn't speak for several seconds. "I should head back."
What, while he's still figuring everything out? No way.
"Alright, come on," I respond, brushing by him to get to the driver's side. Danny only hesitates a second or two before he tugs open the passenger door and collapses into the seat.
Danny fiddles with the radio dial when I turn the engine on. I don't recognize the song he stops on but he leans back in his seat and easily nods his head to it. I find myself watching him but I can't for too long. The way out of the parking lot is clear so I take it, probably going a little faster than I should but Danny doesn't say anything. I don't know if he's aware yet but he'll probably realize it pretty soon. I'm not taking him home just yet.
I take the familiar back roads I do whenever I'm on an angry drive and Danny doesn't question it at first. He flips through the radio stations a couple times but settles on a song I vaguely recognize as something mom used to play. Something about green eyes or maybe it's blue eyes… either way, it sticks in my head even after the song ends.
"Now you're just keeping me out of my house," Danny points out, a small smile pulling at his mouth when I glance in his direction. The smile widens a little before he exhales, uncrossing his arms. "I told you, my parents aren't the reason for the bruises you saw, Dash."
I haven't decided if I believe him or not. And I really shouldn't be wasting his night… but I have to make sure. I give him a shrug and turn down one of the shortcuts to an old movie theater downtown. Like I suspected, Danny questions it as soon as the building comes into view.
"What are we doing here?" He glances around the parking lot but there's no one here at this hour. I pull into a space and I open my door before I look back at Danny. He raises an eyebrow and glances around the area again. "Dash, what are you doing? I don't think this place is open."
I step out onto the pavement and give him a smile. "Come on." He stares at me like I've gone insane or something but I slam my door closed and start for the front door before he can say anything. There's complete silence behind me and though I falter once or twice, I don't stop going. And sure enough, Danny gets out of my car and slams the door closed, following after me in silence.
Clouds are gathering in the sky but the forecast didn't call for rain… at least, not as far as I saw earlier. Doesn't matter, I'm not planning on being outside for too long. Just as long as it takes to pick the lock on the front door.
My mom was friends with the woman who owns this theater and in the summers, she used to let my friends and I in for free. It's been years since I've stopped in here but they have an impressive collection of old movies and it's the perfect thing to take Danny's mind off all his shit.
"Okay… what are you doing?" he asks, stopping next to me as I crouch down in front of the door handle. "Seriously, are you trying to get caught or something?"
I roll my eyes and glance up at him. "Sure, that's exactly what I'm trying to do." I fiddle with the lock for a few seconds before Danny comes to stand on my other side. "What? Do you know how to do it better?"
He snorts. "Course I do." Danny quickly pushes me out of the way and tells me to keep watch. I don't know why, this town is so dead that no one will see us or even think to look for two kids nosing around here.
It only takes Danny a few seconds to pick the lock and then we're inside the theater. Almost as soon as we step inside, the clouds break and the rain starts pouring. We both look toward the sudden noise but neither one of us mention it.
"So, why'd you drag me here?" Danny asks, starting further into the dim lobby. I spare another glance at the sky before I let the door close behind us, completely shutting out any light left in the gray sky. I hear Danny exhale and I follow after him in the darkness.
"This place has a bunch of old movies. Good old movies," I stress. "My mom knew the owner so I came here a lot as a kid," I tell him, in hopes that he'll forget about the breaking and entering part of this, attempting to give him a smile in the darkness. "Come on, you can pick one out and I'll set it up to play on one of the screens."
Danny lets out a sigh. "Why do you care about showing me old movies?"
"Cause," I say softly, coming to a stop as I try to avoid running into him. I can't really see him in the darkness but I reach out for him anyway. "Something's fucking with your head. A-And I want to help you forget it for a while." I don't even care what I have to do to distract him… but this darkness reminds me of when we were at the beach. And he was too drunk to remember that we almost…
"And uh… h-how do you plan on making me forget?" Danny questions, his breath on my cheek again just as I touch his shoulder. He shivers a little at the touch and I can't imagine why I'm picturing the beach setting again but fuck… that'd definitely make him forget for a while. Fuck the movie, I could… distract him with a kiss…?
I feel like time moves slowly as I put my other hand on his shoulder and he exhales softly. We're leaning in toward each other and I only know because his breath is tangling up in mine and I feel like I'm only breathing in because he is. If he weren't drawing in any oxygen, I wouldn't remember how to. Sh-Shit… a-am I really about to kiss him?
"Wh-Whatever works," I mumble and we slowly lean toward each other. We're probably closer than I've ever been to kissing someone without actually kissing them and a tiny, minuscule part of myself wants this to happen. Not just to distract him. And not just to see what it'd feel like. I could have kissed Kwan at any point when he was questioning things, but I never have before. No… I want this from Danny. And I can't explain to myself why I want it. I just do.
"D-Dash, I-I… wait, I-"
Light suddenly fills the lobby and we both turn toward the source. The door is flung open and someone's pointing a flashlight at us. I sort of recognize the build but the voice is what gets to me. Makes me realize who the hell is standing on the other side of that light.
"Hey! What are you two doing in here?" Brent Andrews, one of the deputies my dad works with, demands, stalking toward us. I glance at Danny again and we only have to lock gazes for a split second before we've decided.
"Run!" I tell him and then our feet are pounding against the carpet of the theater, the officer yelling at us to stop. But we don't stop and I don't remember the last time I've run this fast off the field. Danny's laughter echoes down the halls and soon the same sound is spilling from me. What are the odds an officer would stop by the theater to check things out the same time we pick the lock and sneak in? Gotta be like fucking astronomical timing or something.
Danny and I spend fifteen minutes hiding out on the floor of an empty theater room while the cop searches the building. Eventually, he gives up and we hear his car pull away.
For a minute or two, neither of us move. I don't know if he's thinking what I am but I don't want to leave yet and discover the cop waiting for us in the lobby. I'm sure that'd look great if the chief of police's son was caught breaking and entering somewhere.
"Unless your grand plan is to keep me here all night, we should probably head home." Danny gives me a smile that I barely catch but there's a tiny bit of light from one of the lighting strips lining the stairs. I return the smile and hope he can see it too.
"Alright, come on."
We slip out of the theater room as quietly as possible and just to be safe, we take one of the side exits instead. Thankfully, the police car really is gone so we're able to get back to mine easily.
"That was crazy," Danny comments with a laugh as I pull out of the parking lot. I aim a grin his way and he quickly returns it. It… definitely was crazy but not just cause of the cop showing up. More like what almost happened right before he did.
My mind was running in the dark and things between us could've majorly changed. I don't know what we'd be doing right now if we hadn't been interrupted but now that we're out in the car, I'm thinking a little more clearly. And I don't want to kiss Danny anymore. At least… I don't think I do?
I dig my phone out of my pocket cause it's vibrating like crazy. I only glance at the screen for a second before I hold it out to Danny, my other hand still on the steering wheel.
"Hey, would you tell me what Alex is saying?" I ask, already pretty sure it's just him checking up on me cause I haven't texted him in a few hours. "My passcode's-"
"Zero-one-zero-four, right?" Danny asks, rolling his eyes as a smile slowly tugs at his features. "I remember. I'm surprised no one's messed with your phone yet, that's like the easiest passcode in the world to guess." He laughs softly as he types it in and I don't want to bring up any kind of dark shit. I've had a lot of fun pretending I'm not as fucked up as I really am but… I don't feel like laughing this off.
"It's uh…" I clear my throat and start again when my voice dies on me. There's no point in stalling anyway, he'd figure it out soon enough. "That's the uh… the date my mom left."
Silence quickly becomes a passenger in the car and Danny's quiet, 'oh' is barely audible.
I don't want him to feel bad about it cause how the hell was he even supposed to know? So, I clear my throat again to disturb the quiet and gesture toward my phone, my eyes never leaving the road. "See what Alex wants, will you?'
"H-He's asking where you are," Danny mumbles quietly. "Then he uh… then he says, 'I swear if you're home I'm going to come get you." He glances up at me with a puzzled expression. "What's he talking about?"
I'm not really interested in dragging Danny down into the whole 'my dad didn't pay the power bill cause he wanted to leave for a couple days and watch me suffer' thing so I decide against mentioning it at all. There are a thousand reasons why I'd be staying with Alex and not at my place.
"Nothing, I'm just chilling with him for the night. We're supposed to rematch a game we played last time and I totally kicked his ass but he swears I was cheating." I give Danny a grin but he doesn't return it. The smile slips from my face pretty easily and I sigh, turning my gaze back to the road. So much for honesty.
I hate that silence has kind of become our thing now. It's like this space that fills with everything we could but don't say. I hate being like this with Danny. I wasn't supposed to have to pretend with him but I can't drag him down into this shit. Or… maybe I can.
"Uh… b-basically, my dad's outta town for a couple days. And Alex was… Alex was worried about me alone at my place so he wants me to crash with him tonight. He's probably just trying to make sure I actually come to his place instead of ignoring him." It's the watered-down version but at least it's closer to the truth.
Danny's quiet next to me and I guess he's just processing it all or something. "Can you send a text back to him saying that I'm taking you home first?" I ask, sparing a glance at Danny only cause I want to make sure he will. The last thing I need to happen is have Alex panic and meet me at my place cause he's that worried. I wouldn't put it past him.
"Okay," Danny says softly and the sound of typing replaces the silence for a minute or two. When he's finished, the quiet returns as he places my phone on the console between us. Maybe silence really is our thing now and maybe that's not just a bad thing. Maybe our silences allow us to think and consider everything and they're only uncomfortable cause we want to tell each other the truth instead of careful lies. Maybe the next time I feel like being silent with Danny, I'll tell him more of the truth instead. Maybe next time, he'll do the same.
When I drop Danny off at his place, he comes around to the driver's side and leans against the door with a smile. "I had a really good time tonight," he tells me, pulling out a smile from me too.
"I did too," I tell him, angling myself in my seat to see him better. "Aside from the cop finding us essentially breaking and entering." Even if a night in jail woulda been worth the smile on his face.
Danny laughs a little, quickly nodding. "Yeah, that was kind of a bummer."
There's a slight hesitation between the both of us and I wonder if he's thinking the same thing that I am. It was mostly a bummer cause the officer interrupted what would have probably been a great kiss. Or at least a great something. I don't know why the idea of kissing Danny is still pretty tempting but I can't do that. Not when I don't know how he would feel about it. I don't even know how I would feel about it. I'm curious enough to try it but… god, I really don't want to fuck anything up between us. …it's weird to randomly kiss a friend, right?
"A-Anyway, I guess I'm trying to say thanks," Danny says, his smile widening. "You really know how to get me out of my head, Dash."
I give him a smile but it doesn't last for longer than a couple seconds and his shoulders drop when my expression does. "You never told me what those bruises were from…" I trail off, leaving the conversation open for him to decide.
Danny hesitates a second, rocking back on his heels as he considers his options. He glances toward his house and I wonder if he's checking for his parents. If they didn't do it… why the hell is he so skittish around them?
"Yeaaah, about that," he starts, shaking his head a little as he stops leaning back on his heels. "So, you're just gonna have to trust me on this. My parents aren't the reason for the bruises but they don't…" He runs a hand down his face. "Fuck."
He's starting to look and sound like me when I'm trying to come up with an excuse to explain away some of the damage my dad's done. I want to tell him that he doesn't have to lie but I don't want to push him away again.
"You probably don't believe me and I get it. This looks really suspicious to you with the way that I'm kind of… weird about my parents but I swear, they're not doing anything," Danny says in a rush, looking back toward his house again with a sigh. "They don't know anything about the bruises and honestly, it's better that way. You… have no idea what would happen if they knew about this."
I really want to believe him about his parents. But there's not another explanation, is there? I haven't seen him have any kind of trouble with anyone other than the cheerleaders, but that's mostly mockery. I don't think I've ever seen anyone lay a hand on him at school.
Danny shakes his head a little, letting out a soft breath as he finally looks toward me again. "It's probably gonna take a while for you to believe me and I guess… I guess I'll just have to wait it out or something cause…" he trails off, his gaze dropping from my face as a slight flush grows on his. "Um… c-cause I really like hanging out with you. A-And I don't want to stop talking because of this."
I really don't want to stop talking to him either. There's something about Danny… he's just a lot of fun to be around. I'm ready to repeat his sentiment back at him cause I really do like hanging out with him, but he stops me with a look.
"S-So, I'm willing to forget the fact that you don't really believe me about this b-but you have to promise you won't be constantly looking for things that aren't there. Like trying to catch my parents doing something awful, okay?" He presses his palms against the side of my car again, his smile slowly returning.
What am I supposed to do? Say no, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this and drive off? It doesn't matter. It really doesn't fucking matter anymore. If he doesn't want to tell me yet, he doesn't have to. And I'm sure as hell not gonna do anything that pushes him away again.
"A-Alright," I stutter, managing a smile of my own. The chill and bite in the nighttime air that comes with October has settled in for good but I don't think it's the only thing raising goosebumps on my arms. Danny's smile might be another reason I'm suddenly cold.
Alex is still up when I get to his place and something tells me he's trying to make it seem like he wasn't waiting up for me. It's not even eleven but I'm pretty sure that he's one of those early to bed, early to rise type of people.
"Hey," I say as I sling my overnight bag from my shoulder and make my way into the living room. He follows after me and I toss the bag onto the couch. I wander into the kitchen, quickly locating a glass and filling it halfway with water. I bring the glass up to my mouth but stop just short of touching my lips. "Sorry I took so long," I mumble before tipping the glass backward.
Alex folds his arms over his chest, leaning against the counter next to me as I drain the water. "I heard something on the news about a break-in at the theater downtown."
I almost choke on the water as he asks me if I know anything about the incident. I want to respond with something like, "Well since I was there…" but I don't know how Alex feels about minor illegal activities for fun. Even if it was totally worth it.
"Uhh… why would I?" I question, darting a glance in his direction as I dry my face with the bottom of my shirt.
He hesitates for a second before he responds. "I thought I saw your car in the parking lot on my way home. But maybe it wasn't yours." He waves his hand like it doesn't matter either way. Thank god, I really don't want to have to admit to sneaking in for fun.
But damn, leave it to Alex to see my car the night I convince Fenton to break in somewhere with me. Though really, he didn't take much convincing. And he picked the lock in record timing, which was seriously impressive. Kinda seemed like he'd had practice before. …Wait. If Alex saw me on his way home, he hasn't been back at his apartment for very long. He closed up the garage before he left with me to tell me where to pay the power bill.
"Hey, Alex?" I ask, leaning away from the sink to look at him. He turns back to me, one eyebrow raised in silent question. "How long have you been home?"
He holds my gaze for a few seconds before shrugging. "I don't know, does it really matter?" he asks, pushing away from the counter. He wanders around the kitchen, opening and shutting cabinets and making various noises at the contents of each. "Did you already eat something?"
Is he really avoiding my questions? What the fuck is he trying to hide?
"Yeah… I got something earlier with Danny," I tell him, setting my glass on the counter so I can cross my arms. I watch him continue to open cabinets for another few seconds before I speak, gaining his attention again. "Did you?"
"Hm?" Alex glances over his shoulder at me before nodding. He doesn't seem like he's interested in giving up any kind of information but I'll wear him down. This is Alex for christ's sake. I know how to get him to talk.
I move away from the counter, wandering back into the living room. "I'm sleeping on the couch, right?" I ask, already knowing the answer is yes. There's not room in his apartment for another bed aside from the air mattress he's dragged out for me in the past but I'm good with the couch tonight.
Alex opens and closes half of the cabinets again before following me into the living room. "Yeah. Unless you want the air mattress." He shrugs when I shake my head. He uncrosses his arms and starts out of the living room. "I'll get you some more blankets."
"Hang on, it's still early," I say, nodding toward the television. "Let's see what's on for a little while." I give him my best attempt at a smile and he hesitates before crossing over to the couch and sinking down on one end.
I join him after snatching the remote from the TV stand. The last thing playing on the television is some news report with an anchorman sporting an obvious toupee. Dude looks like he could use some serious plugs or something.
"You wanna see a game?" I ask, channel flipping in search of one anyway. The silence stretches between us and I've never seen Alex so lost in his own thoughts before. Sometimes he gets quiet and work seems to weigh on him pretty heavily but he's never been this distant.
He glances toward me after a few seconds, nodding. "Sure."
I don't know or care who's playing. I just stop channel flipping on the first football game. I think Alex can tell that this isn't about what's on TV or spending time with him. I think he can sense that I'm interested in figuring out about the elephant that's been between us since we left the power place. Maybe that's why I'm not surprised that he speaks before I find the balls to.
"Let me guess… you have questions about Kendra," Alex says, running a hand through his hair. He softly exhales, his gaze never leaving the television even when I turn to look at him.
I shrug but the gesture goes unnoticed. "Yeah, I do."
Alex exhales again but this one sounds weighted. Like there's so much he could tell me about her but at the same time, he can't. Maybe he buried it a long time ago, maybe he doesn't trust me. Or maybe it hurts so bad that it leaves him curled in a ball on his mattress, praying for morning to break so he can leave the quiet emptiness.
"I do too… haven't seen her in who knows how long and god. Her blonde highlights used to drive me crazy. She was all I could think about some days and the reason I was late to my jobs on more than one occasion." Alex leans his head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "She was amazing, y'know? The first real girlfriend I had and…" he trails off but I know there's more. I've never heard Alex talk about anyone like this.
"So what happened?" I ask, trying to prompt the rest of the story out of him. From what I saw earlier today, it kinda felt like neither one of them really moved on. They looked at each other like they'd been drowning and the only oxygen left was one another.
Alex turns to look at me, one eyebrow quirked upward. "What about you? Why were you breaking into the theater tonight?"
Oh. Guess it's my turn to pretend to be interested in the ceiling. I can still feel his eyes on me but I guess giving a little information up to gain some in return isn't that awful.
"To distract Danny," I tell him, probably the only honest thing I can say about it. Yeah, I had fun sneaking in. And even though we were caught, I can't bring myself to regret it. Cause it was for Danny. And remembering that smile on his face brings one to my own.
Alex shifts on the couch, lifting his head from the cushion to watch me. "He's the one I met at your game last Friday, right?" he asks, waiting until I nod before he continues. "You've… never mentioned him before these past few weeks."
Danny was never on my radar before. And honestly, I was fine with the idea of just seeing him when I needed help with my algebra homework. But he's more like a friend now and even if he doesn't want to let me in on his secrets yet, I'm willing to wait. I just want to be there when he decides that he's ready to let someone in.
I scratch at the back of my head, feeling Alex's eyes on me the entire time. "He's kind of a recent addition to my friends," I say, not sure why I'm being careful in my wording. It's not like Alex cares who I hang out with. The only one who really gives a shit about Danny is Paulina. Which… is probably gonna be a problem if we're seriously gonna try to date again.
"Do you always break and enter with your friends?" Alex asks. He raises an eyebrow when I glance back at him. I know my face is flushed cause I can feel the heat but the look on Alex's face just kinda confirms it for me.
I shrug but knowing he wants an actual answer, I let out a quiet breath. "N-No, not really." I don't want to say, 'Danny's special' cause not only is it true, it sounds weird. Like we're not just friends. And I don't like the way that my chest is starting to kind of be okay with the idea of not being just friends with Danny.
Alex starts to say something, probably ask another question, but I cut him off. "A-Anyway, it's not like we hurt anyone. We were just playing around and I was only trying to make him forget all the shit he was thinking about." It's the truth. As close as I can get to it anyway. "It was just to make him laugh, alright? I promise I'm not turning to a life of crime."
He rolls his eyes, leaning back against the couch with his arms crossed. "I know you're not." A smile tugs at one corner of his mouth as he shakes his head. "Just try not to get caught next time."
"Hey, I wasn't caught this time," I argue, smiling before I've even finished defending myself. "And besides, I don't really plan on breaking in a second time."
The game isn't that interesting and I know we both have more questions for each other, but somehow we fall silent and neither one of us tries to break it. I think Alex wants to tell me the shit crowding up his mind but I'm not gonna push him for it. I just hope that by now, he knows I'm always here to listen. Not because of everything he's done for me and not because he cares. I'm here for him because I care a lot about him. Pretty sure I always will.
Alex gives me a set of blankets and a pillow before he goes to his room for the night. I'm restless as fuck so I end up pacing the kitchen while I down half a glass of water. I'm kind of glad Alex wouldn't let me go home tonight. Spending time in a dark house isn't exactly fun and I'm really fucking happy that I don't have to end tonight on a bummer.
Danny and I patched things up and this thing with Paulina is starting to feel like it's working out.
Paulina's always been that one constant thing in my life that I somehow always find my way back to. I've missed her like crazy and part of me is really happy that we're gonna try this again. But the other part of me is wondering if we're supposed to be together at all. With as many times as we've fucked things up… should we really be giving this another shot?
I collapse onto the couch with a groan. Alex's place seems warmer than my own and maybe it's cause I know I could turn the lights on if I wanted to. Or maybe it's cause I know there's someone down the hall instead of being by myself. Hell, maybe it's cause dad's never been here. Either way, it's starting to feel like the garage isn't my only safe space anymore.
My phone vibrates on the floor, the noise muffled a little by the carpet. I debate on whether or not I'm gonna check it before I remember that I don't have my alarm clock with me so I have to set my phone to wake me up. Ugh. That means I'll have to hear some crap ass tone first thing in the morning.
I lunge off the couch to grab my phone, settling back against the pillow with a groan before I look over the screen. I can't stop the grin from coming when I realize who's texting me. That should probably be some kind of sign or make me realize some shit but I don't focus on it, simply reading his words instead.
From: Danny Fenton
Hey, I hope you got to Alex's safely.
From: Danny Fenton
I really did have fun tonight, Dash. Thanks :)
God, what is it with him and emoji's? I don't think I really mind them though. Cause I can picture a smile on his face. See the way it creases the skin around his eyes, making them look like half-moons. I can hear his laughter in my mind like it's the only sound I've committed to memory. So, I don't mind those stupid emoji's from him. And I also don't mind getting him out of his head for a few hours.
To: Danny Fenton
Anytime
A/N:
The sheer amount of angst I put these boys through should be illegal lmao
Yooo! Thanks for coming back to read this update. How's your week been? Had anything interesting happen? Or are you like me and a fanfic updating is like the highlight? (I'm a nerd and have been re-reading a favorite fanfiction I discovered last year and omfg. I can't even describe how much fun I'm having reading it again. I've caught things I missed the first time through which is so cool considering I thought I had this thing freaking memorized. I get so jazzed every time I get the chance to re-read a chapter or two – even just one scene is enough to get me hyped. Sometimes, I start wondering if that's how people feel reading my fic and it's really strange to think about?)
First and foremost. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASTRO! :D You're such a cool person and I really love that this fic got us talking. (even though we technically met on the blog) I literally can't imagine what my days would be like if I didn't know you and wasn't able to randomly text you about stupid shit or the latest torture I've put Dash through. Happy birthday, you nerd. :) (Go send astrophantompines sweet happy birthday messages on tumblr, they definitely deserve to have the best birthday ever!)
Yaaaaay, Danny's finally back! You guys excited to see where his angst is going? ;) I'm excited to tell it, honestly. I don't get to talk about this boy enough. I know this is Dash's story but like, Danny's such a precious angel and I want to protect him. (I mean, first I wanna mangle him a little bit. THEN I'll protect him.)
I've really enjoyed reading all of your speculations on why Danny's so awkward and scared around his parents. It's seriously been so much fun, I've been sending screenshots to friends of mine excitedly discussing what you've been saying so… keep it up if you want to?
Speaking of speculations. A couple of you messaged me after my hints about the anniversary piece I wrote and seeing as it's going up in 2 days, now's the perfect time to tell you all what it is. …You finally get Danny's POV! :D
The anniversary piece is the ending of chapter 27, where they return from the beach and Dash questions the bruises – told from Danny's eyes. If you've been curious about what Danny's been thinking, now you get the chance to see it. Gotta be honest with you, I'm ridiculously excited to release this piece and see your reactions. (Side note: It's called "We Could Be Stars" and will be posted as its own fic with an explanation that it's a companion piece to this fic in the summary.)
Back to this chapter though. A lot of you have come up with some really cool speculations on what was up with Alex and Kendra and those have been a lot of fun to read through too. I can't wait to see your thoughts now that there's a little more information about her. (Like I've said before, no one escapes this angst. …poor Alex. Even I feel bad for him ;p)
Ayyyy, what about that almost kiss, huh? …I'm such a tease. But Dash is finally starting to realize that hey, maybe he wants to kiss Danny. Unfortunately, he still isn't at the "that isn't exactly a straight thought" part yet, but it's coming. All in good timing my friends. (side note: a lot of you have been talking about how excited you are for when Dash realizes he's gay… just for clarification purposes, Dash is very much bisexual. I'm not upset at all by the fact that some of you see it as a gay vs straight thing for Dash. I'm just letting you know, he's bi as fuuuuuck in this)
The title of this chapter comes from 'Temptation' by New Order, it's the song that Danny played on the radio in this chapter as well. It's such a great song, tbh. And the opening about the grey eyes and green eyes and blue eyes… definitely gets stuck in your head. Give it a listen though, it's great and one of my favorites.
Anyway, I've rambled on enough, I'll let you guys get back to the rest of your Tuesday (or whatever day you're reading this). Thanks for checking out this update, I really love seeing what you all think of the latest torture I've put these characters through so please let me know what you think! See you all next week!
