Before I Met You

Chapter 13

He finished telling me the rest of the story later that night with Leona. She didn't say anything the entire time he was ranting. I didn't either. It was as if my mouth was sewed shut and thorns were growing in my throat.

It seemed like he'd been holding that in for a while and finally had someone to talk to about it. I really felt sorry for him, but the most I could do to comfort him was nod and hold his hand. They were warm and shaky, so I rubbed them as he held on tight. It seemed to soothe him better, because he stopped tapping his leg.

After he told us, I asked him who it was that called, hoping it wasn't him. We're just chilling in Leona's room, waiting for dinner to be ready. Her grandparents are making pasta and bread and last night they cooked chicken and mac and cheese with veggies.

"It was my mom that called," Danny said. "She wanted to let me know that he passed away last night due to a heart attack. He was in a lot of trouble with the inmates there and one of them had poisoned him."

My heart dropped, but he continued.
"I don't know how to feel about it, you know? I mean, this guy has done horrible things to me but I still loved him because I thought it was normal. I thought it was something all dads did with their sons." He stared at the floor as he said it, making my heart melt. How could someone do this to their child?

I looked at Leona as she buried her face in her hands and wiped the hair out of her face. My mind was everywhere, but I kept thinking about how relieved that I am that he passed, so he can't hurt him anymore. But he never even got the jail time he deserved for what he did and the worst part about it is that if Danny knew that what he was doing was wrong, he would've been locked away behind bars for years.

"Do you think they know?" Leona asked.
"Who? The inmates?" He shrugged. "Probably. It's a small prison. Every secret will spread around in there like the flu."

Danny stopped talking and looked at the both of us. It was so silent, we could hear the crickets chirping from outside the window."Please say something?" he softly asked.

Although my throat was dry, I still managed to tell him how sorry and upset I was about this situation. Danny hasn't cried since earlier. His eyes were a little red and puffy, and his hair was a mess due to running my fingers through it too many times.

I can't imagine. I wont imagine. It'll traumatize me even more. My heart hurts.

Leona is mute again. She excused herself and walked out of the room, leaving the two of us alone. I knew this would be too much for her. He looked at me, I looked at him, and it was like that for  a while, and while his dark eyes sank into mine, I thought about how much he's hurting too. I can see it. 

In the past few hours, I realized that Danny isn't just some flawless, dream guy who makes coffee for a living and reads childish books in his freetime. He's human, just like me. He's hurting, just like me. He's been through a lot, just like me. I wonder if he realized that too when his eyes met mine, and I hope he sees me for who I really am, the person I try to hide.

•┈┈┈••✦ :🪷: ✦••┈┈┈•

Three more days until we leave. I couldn't leave his side and begged him to stay  the night as I held on to his arm but he couldn't because he had to work and was behind on a few bills, but he said that he'd text me when he would if they weren't busy.

Leona comforted me the entire night with sweets, hugs, and cozy blankets. We watched our favorite Disney movie, The Fox And The Hound while eating the old heart shaped cookies Danny and I made. It still tasted the same as when we first baked them.

My head was pounding and when I was planning on just resting my eyes, I fell into a deep sleep. I dreamed about coffee, paris, and love. It was the best rest I've had in days and I guess I really needed it because I didn't wake until the afternoon and when the sun had long risen.

I quickly threw the covers off of me once I realized what time it was. There were many notifications from my mom, David, and Danny, but I of course opened Danny's first.

He told me he stopped by and I was asleep and to text him when I wake.
"Shoot," I whispered, standing up and speeding out of the room where Leona was chilling at the diner table, writing. She looked at me and smiled. "Morning sunshine."

It was warm in the house as always, with a little candle lit on the fireplace. "My grandparents went to their check up at the doctor and you know they drive like sloths so we have the whole house to ourselves for a while."

I made a face at her and her smile faded. "What?" she asked as I opened the fridge and grabbed the orange juice. My head was still pounding. "I thought you liked spending time with me."

I shook my head to let her know that wasn't what I meant. "I'm trying to spend as much time as I can with Danny since we're leaving and I wasted an entire morning," I said with a groan. "You should've woke me," I playfully blamed her.

She shrugged her shoulders and took a sip out of her Elvis cup. Her obsession with that man is crazy. "I tried to but you wouldn't budge," she said. "You told me to wake you up later." Her face then lit up. "Oh, and he stopped by here this morning in his little barista outfit and said he needed to "figure things out with you, before you go,'' she quoted with her hands. 

She's more happy about all of this than I am.
I nodded once at her comment and went to the bathroom to get dressed. I don't want to waste anymore time. I left the door open so she could hear me. "So what should I do?" I asked her.

"You mean when we go back home? Like I said, do long distance. It's only just for a little while and I can fly you out here anytime so you can see him. I can't even lie, I think he's a pretty cool person. Definitely not my type, but I see why you like him.."

I finished brushing my teeth and threw on a black crop top with baggy shorts. "This sucks." It really does.

"Maybe if we lived here or somewhere closer, it'll be easier. But I don't want to stress about it. I'm still getting to get to know him so you're right, we can just be long distance friends."

After attempting to brush my curls, my hair looked like I haven't touched it in months. I looked like I also got struck by lighting, so I slick it back and put it in a ponytail. I didn't feel like putting on any makeup so I just did my skincare.

Leona didn't respond for a while, so I walked out of the bathroom to see her sitting on the bed, watching me.

"You know I'm so happy for you right? I mean, people like Danny are special. You only get this chance once in a lifetime." She then exaggerates with her hands. "Like imagine meeting the perfect guy in Paris??? I thought that stuff only happened in movies."

I blushed a little as I sat down next to her to where I could smell her fruity scent of perfume. I was so close our thighs touched. "Thank you Le." I let her words sink in and then I squeal. "He is perfect isn't he?"

She laughs. "Haha, for you sure. You know David is gonna go nuts when we tell him about you too."
Now what are you doing still sitting here? Send him that text and show up to his work so you can talk to him!"

I couldn't even say anything else because she pulled me off my feet and shoved me out the door.