Reseda, the gate, and me

Chapter 13

It was now just over a week until the All Valley championships. Word had started to get around about Daniel competing. You were at your locker that Friday by yourself when you got tapped on the shoulder. You turned and it was Daniel.

"Oh hi..." You began, not like you usually did whenever you saw him. It was either 'go away' or 'I don't wanna talk' or 'leave me alone'.
"Can I please talk to you?" He begged, seeming more pushy than usual. You couldn't keep avoiding him, otherwise he was never going to go away.
"Alright. Come with me." You lead him round behind the science block.
"What do you wanna talk about?" You asked politely.
"I um... I..." He stammered until he eventually blurted it out, "I wanna go out with you."

Those words hit you like a slap in the face. Not what you were expecting at all. At first you were overjoyed, but the more you kept asking yourself 'why me' the more you realised. If Lou hadn't told you about Ali and Johnny, then you would've genuinely thought Daniel wanted to go out with you. But it was obvious - with that information - that now Ali was off the list, you were next. Your heart broke.

"Oh, so that's how you're gonna do things?" You began, "Pretend that you've always wanted to go out with me when really, now that you're done with Ali, I'm just next in line."
You could see in Daniel's face he was shocked you knew about Ali.
"Yeah, don't act all innocent. I take it you didn't see Lou was working there." You continued.
"Oh right, so you got your little detective best friend to spy on me, huh?" He scoffed.
"Well you know what? It serves you right!" You yelled, "I'm sick of this. I am not gonna be second best anymore! But the fact you were ready to do that to me breaks my heart. And you know what's funny? Ever since you came here in September, I liked you. I really liked you, yet all you ever saw me as was as a friend while you and Ali were flirting, and talking, and going out on dates. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty and I don't want pity, but it hurts because this isn't the first time she's done this to me!"
"Done what?" Daniel asked sharply, "I get it, the girl's a user, but what did she do to you?"
"She's taken a guy away from me before and used me as the messenger between the two of them." You sighed, "What's worse is that she knew I liked him."
"Hold on, you're not talking about Johnny Lawrence are you?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I'm talking about Johnny!" You answered.
"That asshole?" Daniel cried, "Well aren't you glad she did what she did?"
"How can you say that?" You scoffed. This was a side of Daniel you did not like seeing.
"Oh just get lost!" He yelled, "You and Ali are both just a waste of my time."
You stood there in disbelief as he leaned against the wall angrily, not looking at you. You didn't quite know whether to apologise or throw an insult.
"Just go already!" He turned to you suddenly, anger in his voice. You quickly flinched away from him and at that moment the anger seemed to disappear from his face.
"Oh no. No, no, no. I didn't mean to scare you." Daniel began shamefully, with forgiveness in his eyes. Yet you felt unnerved. Sure, he had a hot temper when it came to Johnny - but he'd never shown it with you. He got closer to you.

"Just go away. Don't come near me." You backed away sharply, before running out from behind the science block.
"y/n? y/n!" Daniel called after you, but you had gone. You'd held back tears of anger all throughout that argument, but as soon as you got to the bathrooms you locked yourself inside a stall, slowly sank down to the floor, and cried your eyes out.