Paths Cross

Hi! I know it's been a while for this one. Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy! :D For entertainment only :P

Chapter 13 – Like Old Friends

After they ate their food that they got at a local diner, they talked and joked for hours. Sharing stories about their crazy friends, and how they definitely made their lives more entertaining.

Daniel laughed as Betty told him about how the paparazzi chased her and Allison earlier that day, and the crazy questions they asked Betty wanting to know where she came from and how she and Daniel were suddenly engaged. They laughed heartily every time they talked about their supposed engagement joking around about when the big day would be and when he was going to get her a ring or else people would get suspicious.

Daniel was sure that any other woman would have felt panicked that they were on display for the whole word to see as being engaged; to him, Daniel Meade, no less, but then Betty said

"Daniel, I can bet you that there are a million girls in New York who would die to say they were engaged to you"

He laughed "That's ridiculous"

She looked at him like he was crazy "Nooo, it's not! You're a freaking catch. Any girl would be lucky to be with you"

He smirked "Oh ya, is that why you're marrying me?" he joked

She blushed "Hm… no comment"

"What? What does that mean?" he asked feeling offended

She laughed and said "want to know something funny?"

He grinned knowing she was trying to distract him, but said "What?"

She leaned close to him "so, when Allison and I were being chased by the paparazzi, Allison grabbed this one idiot reporter's mic and threw it across the park!"

"Nu-uh" he said in surprise

She nodded with a laugh. "Ya-huh, it's true! Scout's honor!"

"I didn't know you were a girl scout."

She shook her head "I'm not, but anyway, it was this idiot reporter with crazy hair. He insulted Allison's clothes"

Daniel laughed hysterically instantly knowing that she was talking about that idiot Suzuki. "That's seriously amazing! That guy always annoyed the hell out of me!"

Betty giggled "I can see why"

"His name is Suzuki; he's ridiculous! He always waltzes into MODE like he owns the place trying to get juicy gossip, especially about me or Wilhelmina"

She laughed "I can see that"

He laughed. She looked at him with a smile, seeing how much fun she'd been having with Daniel. It felt as though they were old friends and were catching up after years of not seeing one another. She found that so amazing.

She bit her lip and looked up to the tree as a distraction, admiring its beauty, rather than get caught staring at Daniel.

They were sitting under this huge oak tree, which like the others that surrounded the diner, had gold lights strung along the branches. It was such a beautiful seating area. "This is seriously so pretty" she said taking another glance around at all the trees.

Daniel watched her as she looked up at the trees in admiration. Her eyes were shining from the lights reflecting in them. She was the pretty one, he thought. He was having such a great time talking to her. He can't even remember a time when he'd ever talked this long with anyone, especially a woman.

He still couldn't suppress the happiness he felt in having her in his life again. She was amazing and he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their friendship. He suddenly became worried and took her hand causing her to look at him curiously.

"Betty, are you sure you don't hate me?"

She looked at him in confusion "Hate you? Why on Earth would I hate you?"

He looked down nervously, letting go of her hand "For the skydiving thing"

Betty laughed "I probably should. Like I said before, in normal circumstances I would have probably killed you" she said with a laugh. He looked disappointed.

She shook her head and smiled "Daniel, to me, it makes no sense to keep hate in my heart. Imagine what beautiful things I might miss in life if I was unforgiving or hateful."

A smile spread across his face as he listened to her. She smiled at him, and playfully hit his shoulder "And besides, we probably wouldn't be sitting here together right now"

His smile became bigger.

She bit her lip, looking down for a moment before looking to him again "And not only that, you changed your whole life simply because I quit working for you. You chose to make that a beautiful driving force in your life. If I chose not to forgive you when you came to my house to apologize, I wouldn't have worked with you on that project and I wouldn't have been able to see how sweet and considerate you can be."

She let out a sigh "In all honesty, I kind of wanted to stay and work for you, but I realized that I didn't want to write about fashion, that I needed to make a decision that was best for me."

He nodded in understanding, admiring that about her.

She smiled brighter looking at him. "Meeting you again has been so incredibly amazing"

He grinned brightly. She laughed "It's been quite an adventure" she giggled. He laughed finding that a true statement.

She bit her lip "besides the skydiving was actually really fun, despite me being scared out of my mind and thinking I was going to die at first" she laughed. He was smiling bigger.

She grinned looking at his eyes, loving that his smile was making them sparkle like jewels, especially with the speckles of light from the decorations reflecting in them. "So, thank you, Daniel! For all of the beautiful moments"

He smiled while she continued "like seeing you in the park when you found me" she smirked, causing him to look down, embarrassed. "Having lunch with you, our two hour, crazy, fun lunch," she laughed; he looked to her with a grin.

"...being pretend engaged to you" she said causing both of them to laugh.

She continued "You saving me from falling into the fountain when all of those crazy people were after me" she said with a giggle making him laugh. "This adventure, speaking to your mom, meeting your friends Becks and Mike"

Daniel smiled watching how her eyes shone brighter whenever she smiled or laughed. Her eyes suddenly looked glossy "Not to mention all of the amazing, beautiful things you say to me. Thanks to you, my life is a little more beautiful" she said looking into his eyes.

He stared at her for a moment in awe of all the lovely things she told him within the past five minutes. He was amazed by her. "You are seriously the most amazing woman I have ever met"

She looked surprised by his comment, but looked away blushing. "Thanks"

She looked to him "I think you're rather amazing, yourself"

He grinned "That's great" they laughed, Betty's face reddening.

Daniel had never been so enamored by anyone like this. She wasn't just beautiful on the outside; he could see that she had a heart of pure gold; the light that emanated from her was apparent in not only her beautiful bright smile, but her charismatic and vibrant personality, and that incredible giving heart.

He knew that day she slammed into his life that she was special. He wished he could go back in time and stop himself from doing all those hurtful things to her. He was an idiot back then, and listened to the wrong people. All he could do now was make it up to her.

He grinned, "Hey, so, what do you say we go skating?" he suggested hoping she'd still want to hang out with him some more.

Her eyes lit up "Skating? I've never been skating before"

"Really?" he asked in surprise. She shook her head. He smiled and said "I'll teach you"

She smiled looking at him, but then laughed as a thought crossed her mind. She shook her head at her thought.

He smirked and said "What?"

She giggled "I was just thinking that everything you want to do with me involves danger"

He laughed, "But skating isn't dangerous"

She shook her head "Ya-huh, I could fall. I'm very clumsy, Daniel. You should know that" she said referring to herself slamming into the glass door of his office a year ago.

He grinned "trust me, I remember that"

She slapped his arm "hey! I was so nervous. Don't make fun"

"You were adorable"

She bit her lip, feeling her heart skip, but tried to ignore it and said "Seriously, I'm very surprised at myself that I haven't tripped, or knocked into something in front of you yet" she blushed at her own clumsiness.

Daniel grinned "well, actually, you almost fell in the fountain"

She laughed, blushing "You see!"

He laughed, finding her so cute when she blushed. "Come on, it will be fun. It's just like dancing, but on wheels"

A smirk crossed her face "So, you're a good dancer, I take it?"

He laughed shaking his head "No, I'm pretty bad. I suck, actually."

Betty giggled "well, I guess that is something I can teach you. I love to dance. My nephew and I always play that dance game and have mini competitions."

Daniel grinned "I would love to dance with you"

Betty felt her heart jump anxiously. Goodness, everything Daniel did or said seemed to make her 'feel' him. She was ridiculous. How could she possibly feel so close to him, and so connected to him? It was insane. She was nuts.

She tried to ignore her crazy-for-Daniel heart, and pretend she was unaffected by what he said "So, skating?"

He nodded a smile sweeping his face. She smiled "alright, it's a date!"

Daniel's eyes lit up; she realized what she said as soon as it came out and tried to clarify but only managed to completely embarrass herself. "I mean uh...I just meant I um...not a date, friends, skating, just uh, Oh God, I mean I agree, that's all. Skating."

She could see he was trying not to smirk, but his eyes were sparkling with humor.

He spared her anymore embarrassment and said "Cool! It's going to be fun, I promise." He felt excited to get to spend more time with her.

Her face was still rosy from being embarrassed. He couldn't stop smiling. She was way too cute when she was embarrassed. He was definitely looking forward to their skate date.

He looked to her as she smiled at him, her cheeks reddening again. He grinned, their 'not date'.

AN: hope you enjoy! I'll try and have the next chapter up tonight. :D