What If He Didn't Die?

Chapter 32: A Childhood Ritual

(Flashback contd...)

It was just like any other day. I went to school with Dan and I was coming back home with him too. He was humming casually with the radio and was completely unaware of the lump building up in my stomach.

I'd told him I could manage my ride back home but he insisted on driving me, and I did not have the guts to argue, because if I did, I'd have to tell him why I was pressing it so much and I wasn't ready to bring that up.

He looked sideways at me and I smiled at him just in time to avoid any suspicion. While on the inside, I was only hoping he would just drop me and leave without any unfortunate encounters.

When the car stopped outside my place on the roadside, I kissed him and left without wasting any more time. Something about the way he kissed back, told me that he was sensing the awkwardness but I wished that I was only being paranoid.

The sun was almost setting and I could see the sky styling colourful hues as I walked down the stone pavement to the front door.

"You're home." I turned around to find Jacob walking toward me with his shirt hanging on his buff shoulder, revealing all of his athletic abs. I sighed and turned back towards the white door, that was still a few meters away.

"Here I thought you were gonna miss our childhood ritual." He taunted in a tone.

"Turns out you don't know me at all," I replied while he hopped in front of me and hit the doorbell.

"I have the keys, step aside," I stated rudely.

"Come on Easy-peasy, let me take the advantage of this little minute with you."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I was not interested in this conversation at all and I had no idea how I was going to pull this stupid dinner up.

"Where is your shady boyfriend by the way?" I looked at him with anger in my eyes. My straining fingers that were now folding down into a fist really wanted to punch him in that smug face with all my strength.

"You-"

"You looking for me?"

That knocked the air out of me.

I turned around abruptly on my heels with the hope that I was hearing it all wrong but there he was, standing tall and broad with his head tilted to a side and his intimidating grey eyes boring holes in Jacob's frame.

This was all going the wrong way already.

I took two quick steps toward Daniel blocking any chain of communication between him and Jacob. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked softly placing my hands on his chest but from what I heard, clearly, it came out all wrong.

His eyes fell on me after he had completed his scary glaring at Jacob. "Came to give you this." He held his hand in front of my eyes with my denim jacket. My eyes got busy admiring the aesthetic view of the ink on his hand striking a sharp contrast against the pinkish sky.

"You left it in my car in the hurry to meet him." He said sarcastically making me roll my eyes and smile sheepishly.

I heard Jacob groan behind me before its feeble sound was murdered by another sudden loud noise. I turned back to find mom standing there with the door open. Her eyes stopped at Daniel and in a quick minute of connecting the dots, her face lit up with unpleasant realization.

"Hello." She said, sounding as civilised as she could manage.

I felt Daniel's body stiffen up beside me. "Hi Mrs Brown, I'm Daniel Smith." He said in a deep voice and I noticed my mother struggle to form a smile on her face.