Author's Note: Mah Beta finished betaing and so you get a chapter. Really short. The next one is reeeeally long though so I suppose it makes up for it.
Thanks to Androgynous Napkin fer betaing :P
Chapter 7- Danny D.
Johnny blinked. He had a doorbell? Then why hadn't George— whatever. Johnny sighed and trudged once again to the door, wondering if some god out there was laughing at his misery. His boots thudded hollowly against the wooden floor as he turned the knob and pulled.
"What—" He froze.
"Oh... sorry, I was just wondering if you... why are you staring at me like that?"
Johnny snapped his mouth shut with an audible click and swallowed. "Er... sorry. I..." He tried to come up with a good excuse. "Uh... all my neighbours are male?"
The woman grinned, quickly placing a slender hand in front of her mouth. "Sorry, sorry. It's just... 'all of my neighbours are male'? That's horrible."
Johnny sighed. He had never been quick with women. "Oh... right, Wendy. She's not as pretty as you, though."
Green eyes went hard and glassy. "Don't."
Unperturbed, Johnny tapped a nail against the doorway. "Bad dates or relationships?"
Her eyes widened. "What... how?"
"Your reaction mostly. Also, you're wearing all black on a plus twenty day with washed out jeans and long sleeves. You have no makeup but simple lipstick and your hair is tied in a pony tail. All the classic signs of a woman who has some rather bad memories and does not want to advertise herself."
She reached up to self-consciously touch her hair then pulled her hand away from the purple locks. "Oh. I didn't know I was so obvious."
"When you paint, you need to see details."
"You paint?"
"Yes. Oh, sorry, Johnny C." He stuck out a hand.
She accepted, her grip firm. "Danielle Diffen, Danny for short. How do you spell your last name?"
Johnny shrugged. "Just the letter C. You know, you're the first person to ask that since I moved in."
"How could they not ask... how long have you been here?"
"About two months by now."
She gasped. "And I never even noticed?! Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry."
Johnny drew back, slightly alarmed. "Um... it's not that big a deal."
She smiled, cocking an eyebrow. "Haven't lived in a residential neighbourhood before, have you?" Johnny shook his head. "Well, for your present you can take me out to coffee. How does tomorrow at four sound?"
"Um... perfect!"
"Great, bye!" Danny turned, purple pony tail swirling in the wind and walked down onto the street.
Johnny grinned. He had a date and hopefully she knew something about Oliver. He paused on his way to his easel. She never did tell me what she originally came here for.
