Secret Desires

22: Truth For A Truth

I took a deep breath before pulling open the glass door. The small bell above rang, announcing my presence. I avoided making eye contact with curious eyes looking my way. That hadn't stopped me from becoming red in the face from the unwanted attention. 

A few tables were occupied by small families enjoying their meals. The table closest to me had two small children that stared at me shamelessly. A family in a booth was arguing over whose fault it was that the pitcher of water at their table fell over. An older man and woman sitting near the back were holding hands atop their table as they enjoyed two cups of coffee, no food in front of them. A single waitress seemed to wait on all the tables as she filled water glasses and asked if anything was needed. She was just noticing the booth with the spilled pitcher of water and attending to it.

I did a once over again and quickly found who I came here to see. I'd missed her the first time. She waved at me, in greeting and to grab my attention. I waved back and felt my heart sink a bit as I realized where she was sitting. What booth she was sitting in.

On my walk here, I avoided walking passed the library. I took a longer route which is why I was running a bit late. The decision to come here today was a feat in itself, but I hadn't considered that we would be sitting in the same booth that-

"You're late." I took my seat across from her, sliding toward the window. Dani smiled at me, an eyebrow raised in question.

Avoiding the library was a natural thing now. I did a wonderful job at avoiding certain topics, people, places, or anything that felt too much. There was still so much I wasn't ready to face, but I was getting there. And deciding to come here today was more than just a baby step.

"Sorry, I um... This diner isn't really my favorite." It wasn't much of an explanation but it was reason enough.

"Why?" I cleared my throat as I picked up a menu and started skimming over the specials today. I wasn't really reading what I was looking at as my throat tightened. Should I just tell her? I was used to not having to explain myself because the people I hung out with already knew. That or they just assumed.

"I came here with Nolan. We sat in this booth." The words came out almost nonchalantly as if casually bringing up the boy that hurt me was no big deal. I waited for some snide remark or subtle insult, my eyes still skimming over words.

The jingle of keys made me look up from the menu. Dani was already standing, collecting her belongings in her arms. Before I could question what she was doing, she gestured for me to follow.

"Let's sit at the booth in the back." She walked away without looking back or waiting for my response. I blinked in surprise, folding the menu and quickly putting it back in its holder.

The people next to us watched as we moved tables. I could see the question on their faces, but it wasn't any of their business. That thought hadn't stopped me from turning red as I took a seat at our new table. Dani set her drink down and smiled at me.

"Thank you," I muttered. She shrugged.

"The sun was in my eyes." A lie, but I was grateful for it. She looked down at her menu, smiling to herself. I felt the need to thank her again, but I didn't. I couldn't help but stare at her.

It was as if a bit of the hard exterior seemed to fall away with just that smile. It was the small things about her that shocked me more than anything. I was still shocked just by the fact that she called me to hang out. She's never called me before, not even a text. I had no idea how she even got my number.

That makes three Sandovals that have reached out to me this past month now. Drew has texted me every other day while Layla calls me almost every night to vent or just talk because she's bored. I've started to look forward to our late-night conversations. And It honestly was a shock when Dani called me a few days ago. Her wanting to hang out is something I never even considered as an option before. I figured David would have been the one to reach out to me next.