Secret Desires

15: Time To Talk

        "Hello?" There was no one in the living room or dining room. As I rounded the corner to the kitchen, I froze. Dani was coming up from the basement with a box in her hands. She was in loose pajamas and thick blue socks. She started to close the door behind her before she saw me. I waved awkwardly to her. She rose an eyebrow, giving me a cheeky grin.

        "Friends with the enemy are we?" My mouth went dry. Before I could say anything she laughed. "Relax. I'm joking." I huffed out a noise that could pass as a laugh. It was more forced than anything.

        "Were you sleeping?" I asked. She placed the box on the counter. I thought it looked familiar, but I wasn't sure.

        "Unfortunately," she sighed. "I missed the whole show." Dani grabbed a glass from the cupboards. Instinctively, I glanced down to inspect my hand. There was scabbing on what I knew would be a scar. It didn't hurt anymore at least.

        "You know she hit him?" She was filling her glass with water as she peered at me from over her shoulder.

        "You know he deserved it?" Her words caught me off guard. What had David said to deserve that? Dani gave me a look that felt insulting.

        "What?" Dani nodded, leaning against the counter as she faced me. She had one arm crossed as she sipped from her glass of water.

        "How much do you know about them?" I scoffed, kicking at the baseboard. I knew nothing before tonight. The only knowledge I had of David and Vanessa's relationship is whatever she shared with me. It hadn't been much either.

        "She told me how they met and - "

        "She what?" Dani stepped toward me, her face draining of color. I swallowed, backing into the wall. "What did she say exactly?" Danis' grip on her glass tightened as she took another step toward me.

        "That they met when she was in anger management," I answered quickly.

        "And?"

        "And that they started to hang out before they dated." Dani stared at me for a long moment before finally blinking. Her demeanor changed slowly, her grip on her glass loosening. She rotated her shoulders with a tight smile. My heart jumped when she suddenly laughed. I was pressed against the kitchen wall feeling something I hadn't felt in a while.

        "Yeah, that was early January of last year. Do you... Wanna sit?" She slid the box along the island countertop, moving to sit on the stool closest to her. It was an effort for me to leave my spot.

        "Okay," I muttered. She sipped from her glass as she waited for me to sit across from her. The stool wobbled beneath me as I took my seat. Dani eyed the jacket I was still wearing. My body was still trying to warm up.

        "I told him to throw that jacket out a long time ago." She shook her head, rolling her eyes. I glanced down at myself feeling a bit self-conscious now. This was Vanessas' jacket. It would be a constant reminder here that it belonged to David's ex.

        "Why didn't he?" I asked. Dani glanced down at the box, her upper lip twitching into a sneer. She didn't bother to compose herself even with me noticing.

        "He won't admit it, but he was hoping she would come back. She didn't. She was too hung on her ex after he drunk-dialed her when they were still together. Which is a shame. David really liked her." David had said himself he liked her a lot. I didn't know who her was at the time he told me. I asked if he missed her and he said he only missed the friendship. He said she was happier and so was he.