SATURN, Daniel LaRusso x reader

VII | flatline

I BUMP THE volleyball over to my teammate before she sets it back over to me. We continued to go back and forth with the ball until she decided to take a time out, then grabbed a water bottle that was resting beside her on the gymnasium floor.

Using my jersey, I wipe off the sweat of exhaustion from my forehead, gaining hold of some water myself. Volleyball is the only sport that can take my mind off things. I realized that I haven't been myself lately. Although it's obvious, it's nice to be sure of it now.

A week has passed since that night, and I've been keeping to myself since—like avoiding Daniel, ignoring my brother whom I'm ashamed to call my twin, and distancing myself from Johnny. I've got no more space for negativity. Unless it's coming from Alex.

I know I'm not supposed to miss him but I cannot help myself. Someone deeply placed inside my head tells me to talk to him. But I don't know what to say—or do. I'll tell you what I'm not doing. Men are so confusing.

"Think fast," Leah swiftly chest-passes the ball, and I surprisingly catch it. She sends me a smile before leaving about a two-foot distance between us. "What are you thinking about? I noticed you spacing out."

I sigh at the question, knowing that there are many ways I can respond to that. Yet I stick to saying, "Nothing. Just boy stuff."

"Wanna talk about it?" She has a comfortable smile relaxing on her complexion, making it hard to say no. — which is how I end up here, outside, observing the girl setting a cigarette in the middle of her lips. She then reaches the smoke towards me but I shake my head.

"No thank you," I decline. "I don't smoke. But, where was I? Oh, yeah. So I go to where he lives, knock on his door, and then we argue for a bit. Then I dunno... something changed for a second. The next thing I know is him kissing me then me going down on him."

The redhead's mouth fell agape at my words, looking at me like I was insane. Oh god, I hope I'm not. "You went down on him?" She rhetorically questions however I still shyly nod my head. She leans against the brick wall, putting the cigarette to her lips again, inhaling then exhaling the smoke. "Did he like it?"

"I think so..? He told me to stop mid-way. Of course, I did—but I was so confused. Then he told me he had a girlfriend, which is such bullshit because why did he wait to tell me?" I space out for a brief second, rethinking everything that happened that might step by step. My sight trails over to the cigarette before I eventually give in. "I'll take that smoke."

I set the smoke between my lips, inhaling and exhaling with coughs. "Oh—what the fuck?" I cough, Leah, patting my back like she's burping a baby. Her giggles surrounded my ears, but that didn't stop her from asking if I was okay.

"You did good for a first. Anyway, continue?"

My hand brushed through my hair, also resting my head against the wall, gazing up at the atmosphere as if it would assist me in finding my words. "I just hope Daniel doesn't think I'm some sexaholic. 'Cause truth? I kinda liked him. It's like ever since that party I've been different. He's so handsome and nice, and I can probably never have him."

"So you like like him?" Leah went on with her interviews. I shrug, genuinely having no clue if I like him or not.

"I don't know," I frankly answer. "At first I swore I didn't, but it's something about him. How can you not like him? But he has a girlfriend, and I still miss Alex. Plus, I'm pretty sure he hates my guts," I guarantee.

A drop of rain plops onto both of our heads, hastily look up to the sky to see it drizzling. "Oh shit," my teammate slightly panics, "I have to go before it starts pouring. Do you have a ride? I can give you one if you don't."