Between Then & Now || Currently Editing for Wattys 2022

26.

The parking lot looks both exactly the same and completely different than it did when I had left it the night before.

"Ah," Dante starts, putting the car into park a few spots away from my van. "So this is the Mystery Machine you told us about."

"Ew." I wrinkle my nose and laugh. "Why did you call it that?"

"Well, it's a van. You travel around in it. I bet you even have a dog."

I chuckle and nod, undoing my seatbelt. "I mean... Yeah, I guess you're not wrong."

"See? Mystery Machine." When I look over at him, he's studying me and then he nods affirmatively as if he's decided something. "You look like a Velma. Ya know, I always thought she was underrated as a kid."

I laugh again and shake my head. "Maybe you just have a thing for nerds."

"Maybe I do." He shrugs and leans back, reaching into his pocket for something. When he sits back up, he has his phone in his hand. "I have to go back and get some sleep before my next ordeal with Jeff, but... maybe I could get this nerd's number?"

I roll my eyes and take his phone. Putting in the contact, my heart is pounding, but I add, "Maybe you should take Jo up on flirting tips."

"I don't know." He takes his phone as I hand it back to him and shrugs. "It worked didn't it?" After a moment, he adds, "If only Jeff had known it was that easy."

I giggle and snort. "Jeff didn't take me to the middle of a glowing forest," I respond, then add, "and successfully not murder me."

"Yeah." Dante leans back to put his phone back in his pocket and wrinkles his nose a bit. "About that. Maybe next time don't just go out with random people you just met. Or at least bring pepper spray."

I laugh, and so does he, the dimple forming in his right cheek. Then, I hold my keychain up, presenting the small canister of pepper spray attached to it. "Not that dumb."

"Okay, okay." He chuckles. I notice the bags under his eyes as he looks back at me, but he's still smiling as my eyes fall back down to his forearm again, his hand on the wheel, to the phoenix tattoo. My curiosity is killing me, so I finally clear my throat.

"What– what does your tattoo mean?" I nod to his arm, and tuck the piece of hair that falls into my eyes behind my ear. "Sorry if it's personal. It's just... very cool."

His eyes look down at his arm, eyebrows wrinkling a bit as if just remembering the large piece is there. "Oh," he chuckles, and turns his arm around, exposing the way the tail of the phoenix wraps around his wrist. "Um, a bit of a long story." He lifts his hand from the wheel and itches the back of his neck before replacing it.

When he looks back up at me, I raise an eyebrow and grin mischievously. "Well, we have time."

He looks at me and turns his head, puzzled. I add, "In case you didn't notice, I'm kind of holding you hostage."

He laughs, finally recognizing the familiarity of my words, head back. He nods and looks back over at me then back down at the tattoo. "Well... I'm not sure if you caught on, but I don't drink." I raise my eyebrow. A bartender? Who doesn't drink? He notices and nods. "Yeah, ironic, I know. But, a few years back, after my mom lost her job and I had to drop out of school to make ends meet for her, I kind of... developed a problem." He pauses and looks down at the floorboards. I study his jawline again, the way his eyelashes touch his cheekbones, the bump on the bridge of his nose. When he looks back up at me, I nod, giving him my full attention. "I messed up a lot of relationships, lost a few jobs because I never came in on time, always dealing with one hangover or still drunk. One day, I don't know why, I just... I got in the car because I just... I was out of alcohol and my head hurt so bad and it felt like everything was just shit. So, I went out to get more booze, and I ended up hitting a tree."

For a moment, he just stops and stares out the windshield, and I almost want to jump in and tell him that it's okay, that he doesn't have to share if he's not ready, that it's his business and I shouldn't have asked. But then he looks over at me and tugs on the collar of his shirt, revealing a large scar across his collarbone. He lets go of the collar and pulls up the sleeve of his t-shirt, the scar leading over his shoulder and down his arm. As my eyes trace it, I realize that it continues along his whole arm, partially concealed under the tattoo.

"My car practically wrapped itself around the tree." He lets go of the sleeve, letting it fall, and meets my eyes with his again. I look back and forth between them, trying to tell him that it's okay, trying to make sure he's okay. He sighs, and smiles softly. "I'm not sure how I survived. Supposedly, I was flung out of the windshield before the car even hit the tree. I'd forgotten to put my seatbelt on, but that's probably what saved my life." He runs a hand through his hair. "The next thing I remember is sitting up on the side of the road, a searing pain all along my right shoulder and arm, and, when the medics got there and rushed me to the hospital, I was told that I shattered my collarbone, and my whole arm." He looks back out the windshield and continues. "I quit drinking after that. And I got the tattoo to cover up the scars after my arm finally healed from surgery and everything. I got my life together–and I got a phoenix because, in a way, I was lucky to get that second life."

There's a pause. For a moment, it sits in and gets comfortable. And I let it because when I open my mouth, no words come out. I'm not sure what to say.

"So... that's why you DD for everyone else."

Still looking through the windshield, he nods, a more grim look on his face. "I don't want anyone to make the same mistake I did. They might not be so lucky." Finally, he sighs and looks back at me. He smiles again and it quickly fades away as he continues. "Especially not Jo–she helped me out after everything happened, believed in me, told me that everything would be okay. She's like a younger sister I never had."

I smile and nod, finally understanding the bond between them. For a moment, I think back to Tessa and wonder if she would have done the same. But the obvious answer stares me in the face so I turn back to Dante. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. And I'm glad you had someone to help you." His eyes meet mine. They're a bit wide, almost like he's shocked that I... didn't judge him. I glance down at his right hand still on the shift then up at his hands, and, slowly, I move my hand over to grab his and give his fingers a tight squeeze. "You should be proud of yourself." I let go, watching as his eyes soften.

He nods and chuckles, brushing past my last comment, but I see in his eyes that it meant something. "Yeah, if only she'd quit stealing all the girls I actually like around here."

I blush and smile, grabbing my phone and grabbing the car door handle. "Well, like she pointed out earlier, I'm, unfortunately, straight." He wrinkles his nose, and I giggle, opening the door as he shifts the car into drive. I smile back over at him and finally give him a wink. "Maybe not so unfortunately, now, though."

He chuckles as I step out of the car. I lean down to look back down at him in the driver's seat.

"Text me?"

"Only if Jo doesn't get there first," he grins.

I smirk and lift up my phone, wiggling it in my fingers. "She already did."

As I walk back to my van, I try my hardest not to look back at him as he drives away, not wanting to feel like I'm in the final scene of some cliche teen rom-com from the 90s. But, as I cross my arms over my chest, the sun just starting to rise over the Tavern where my night started, I can't help but take one glance back, catching Dante's tail lights as his car disappears into the street beyond the parking lot. At first, I don't think he could have possibly noticed. But, when I slide open the van door, Thelma quickly trotting over to meet me, I hear a car horn honk from slightly down the road.