Girl Crush

Chapter 4

 Dani headed downstairs Sunday morning to find her mom sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading a book. She glanced at the cover. It was another Danielle Steel. Dani rolled her eyes. Her mom loved Danielle Steel. Their bookshelves were filled with just about every book she'd ever written. Dani had tried to give them a shot but it was definitely not her thing.

"Just you this morning?" her mom asked as she glanced up at her.

"What?"

"No Eddie last night?"

Dani laughed, pulling down a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and pouring herself a bowl. She grabbed the milk from the fridge, adding it to her cereal. Getting a cup of coffee with just a bit of milk, she joined her mom at the table.

"No, there was something with the band or something. They were having an extra practice, something about them having trouble with a new song they want to play on Tuesday," Dani explained, shrugging as she took a sip of her coffee. "Besides, Eddie and I aren't a package deal or anything. He isn't always here."

"No, he isn't," her mom agreed, setting down the book. "Sometimes you're there. If they were having practice, why didn't you go?"

"I didn't feel like it," Dani offered, wrapping her hands around her mug. Her mom was giving her that look. The one that said she knew something was going on and Dani wasn't being honest with her. "Look, I don't have to be with Eddie all the time. I am my own person, you know. We're not attached at the hip."

Her mom snorted, rising to get more coffee. "You could have fooled me. The two of you have been a constant twosome for five years." She refilled her cup and sat back down. "I didn't mean anything by it honey. It just surprises me that you didn't want to go watch him practice. You always do. You seem to really enjoy it."

"I do," Dani admitted. "I love hanging at practice with the guys and listening to their music. I just...I don't know."

"What?" her mom questioned, leaning forward, laying her hand over hers. "Is something wrong? Did you and Eddie have a fight or something?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Dani insisted, shaking her head. "It's just...well, Robin said something that made me think a little and I feel like maybe I need to start doing some stuff that doesn't always include Eddie."

"Why?" Her mom's head tilted to the side, her eyes watching her closely.

"Robin said that everyone at school thinks me and Eddie are dating."

Her mom laughed, leaning back in her seat and Dani got annoyed. It really wasn't funny. She didn't need the whole school believing they were together when she was trying so hard not to think of them that way. Besides, it wasn't true, and if she stood a chance in hell of ever getting a date, she couldn't have everyone thinking she was already taken.

"I'm sorry sweetie," her mom said, seeing how upset she was getting. "I shouldn't laugh, but I don't see what the big deal is. I can certainly understand why people would think that. They always see you guys together. What else did you think everyone would think?"

"The truth, that we're just friends," Dani insisted.

"So, why do you care so much what anyone else thinks?"

"Because, how am I supposed to ever have a shot of going on a date or getting a boyfriend if everybody thinks I am already attached to Eddie?" Dani groaned, throwing her hands up in front of her.

"Is that something you're looking for?" asked her mom. "You want a boyfriend?"

Dani shrugged, running her fingers over the grain of the wood on the table. Was that something she wanted? Maybe. She knew how she felt about Eddie, but she couldn't exactly tell him. Didn't she deserve to find someone? Someone who would want her back? Someone she could actually have. And maybe if she did find someone, she could finally stop obsessing about her best friend.