My happiness

How could anyone not like him...

One last touch up. And, done. I look at myself in the mirror again and try to find any imperfection. Nothing I can change with my make up. Great. I look at my phone. A little after 10pm.
Daniel and I actually agreed to be gone by 8 pm. My stupid self just forgot that at time no one in this house is actually sleeping but really awake still eating dinner.
Wanda is already sleeping Bella as well. They  both need to wake up early tomorrow to get Bella to her dance classes. She has a dance recital afterwards. I hope mom and dad are already here at that time. I'm pretty sure they will. They never miss Bella's dance recitals.
I put my phone into my bag, turn around and leave the house through my window. Daniel's already waiting for me there.
"Hi!", he says afterwards giving me a hug.
A hug.
He's wearing black baggy jeans with a black hoodie. I smile into his hoodie. Then break the hug.
"How are you?", he asks as we both walk towards his car. I look at him. "Pretty great.", I admit. I'm not lying. I'm actually feeling really great right now.
"You look great. I mean, you always look great. But today you're looking extra great...", he stutters.
Suddenly my shoes seem to be really interesting. It's kind of akward. I've never had this type of conversation with him. My face starts feeling warm.
Please don't let me be blushing...
"Uhm, Lila and Mike are already there, so we'll be driving alone."
I slowly nod. This was something we'd spoken about before. I don't know why he's repeating it.
"I know.", I say smiling at him. "You told me earlier"
He nods. "Right"
Silence fills the air as we start entering his car. It's kinda awkward, although we often have these type of moments. This time it feels different. It's weirder.

The sound of a phone ringing gets my attention. I quickly take a look at mine making sure no adult that could get me into trouble is calling me. That's when I notice that the ringing sound in fact isn't coming from my phone. It's his.  I'd be freaking out if it was mine. But he seems fine for the fact that the person calling ist his mother.
I can see it from here.
Mom💕
It says. Pink hearts next to the name.
That's so cute...
He looks at me for a while smiles then picks up the phone.
"Hi mom.", he starts.
"Hi my munchkin, how are you?"
His face turns red.
Munchkin?
I chuckle a little, but the thought that she might hear me makes me stop.
"I'm great...sorry for not calling you back earlier I was studying for the exam I told you about."
"Oh thats no problem, you were studying so it's totally understandable!", her voice sounds so proud. Really I somehow expected his mother to be different...
She's so...sweet?
"What are you doing now?", his mom kept asking.
"Just watching a movie, eating pop corn and stuff."
I can't but to grin.
Such a liar.
He really reminds me of myself.
"That's good...and your brother, what is he doing now?"
Brother?
"In his room."
"Is he taking good care of you?"
He looks at me in embarrassment. 
"Mom, He's not taking care of me!"
She laughs out loud.
"Is someone listening?", she then questions.
"No! I just wanted to remind you that it's not true."
"Alright big guy, tell you brother I said good night and you sleep well aswell. Good night munchkin."
"Good night mom, love you. Tell dad good night from my side. Bye!"
"Will do, bye!"
He hangs up the phone.
"Munchkin." I say not being able to stop laughing for a while. He's laughing with me.
He's got such a beautiful smile. Really insanely beautiful.
"You can't tell me your mom doesn't have a nickname for you cause that'd be crazy.."
I keep laughing to distract him from wanting to know the answer. She does have some nicknames. I'd just be the one being made fun of if I told him.
"You look cute laughing..", Daniel suddenly drops.
Oh my...
I can feel the heat on my cheeks...
"Says you."
ALANNA.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.
"Sorry, what I meant to say is, thank you.", I correct myself.
You're so embarrassing.
Literally so embarrassing...
He just looks at me. A soft smile on his face, and starts the car.
"So, you have a brother?", I ask him breaking the silence once again. He nods.
"He's 6 years older than me and supposed to be watching over me when my parents are gone, which is basically all the time."
"Oh...so is he good at taking care of you?"
I burst out in laughter again.
"You're the worst, Alanna"
He shakes his head in disbelief that I'm still making fun of him.
I love it!
And I also love the fact that he doesn't get mad at me for doing it but instead laughs about it.
"I take care of myself, my parents know that they just feel better telling themselves he's taking care of me when they're gone working."
That makes sense.
"So your parents are often away working?"
He nods again, his gaze always on the road.
"Always. But it's okay, they've always been here for us they started doing it after both of us got old enough to take care of ourselves."
I nod.
"It's better this way. When they're gone I get to do more stuff with my friends and when they're here we mostly do stuff as a family plus there's also the fact that they don't control me that much anymore."
He's right. That's a big advantage.
I always take it whenever mom and dad are gone. But specially when mom is gone, cause she's constantly scared and checking up on me. So with her in the house sneaking out won't work that well.
"Let me guess.", he starts again.
"Your parents are also gone for work?"
"Yup, they're coming back tomorrow."
"And your aunt is taking care of you? How doesn't she notice you're gone?"
I look at him raising my brows.
"How doesn't your brother notice you're gone?", I question back.
He stops the car. We're here? I take a look around. Indeed we are.
"He knows I'm gone. I tell him just in case. He doesn't care anyway."
"Well my aunt takes sleeping pills, so it's pretty easy to sneak out specially since she goes to sleep early."
He side eyes me.
"What?"
"Nothing, just didn't expect you to do these kind of things."
I roll my eyes at him and look out the window.
God, this house is full of people...
And the music is a mess.
I can already sense that I won't be staying here for a long time.
"Alanna are you mad?"
I turn my head back to him.
"No?"
"Cause I just said this because you have like perfect grades and you read Lots of Books and everything."
Now I side eye him.
Seriously?
Because I read books and everything?
He's so weird....
"I'm not mad seriously.", I admit.
I keep looking out the window. "Now let's go.", I sigh.
"It looks like lots of fun in there."

Natasha's pov

"You don't get it Steve. She's not doing okay. I saw her that night, I've never seen her cry like that specially not in her sleep." , I try to explain. He doesn't believe me. Why doesn't he believe me?
I saw her.
I tried to calm her down.
It didn't work. And it's not the first time it's happened.
"Natasha you have nightmares all the time and you're okay."
I shake my head.
"I'm not okay Steve, that's the thing. And if she's like me then she's sucking it all up..."
I look down. Tears threatening to roll down my cheeks.
"That won't end well Steve, believe me, it won't."
Suddenly I feel his two soft hands cup my cheeks.
"Nat, look at me.", he whispers in repeat.
I just shake my head.
No. I can't. I'm crying. I barely cry in front of people.
"Hey, hey.." , he softly tells me.
"It's okay..."
I finally look up. My eyes meet his ocean blue eyes. Suddenly I feel comfort surround me.
Even if it's just a little. It makes me feel better.
"No it's not."
"It's Alanna we're talking about here. If she's suffering I'm suffering. I can't live without knowing what's going on with her and right now it feels like I don't know anything about her at all."
He gets me closer to him and hugs me. I just sob into his shirt. My tears are staining it and he doesn't care. He simply rubs my back and tells me it's okay.
Although I know it's not, I try to believe him.
"She never talks Steve."
"I know Nat"
"If she doesn't talk how am I supposed to know how she's feeling...?"
"Don't worry, we'll talk to her tomorrow after Bella's recital."
I nod. We'll talk to her and everything'll be okay.
Just believe in it Natasha.
Everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay....
I nod.
And nod.
And nod.
Believe in it Nat.
Believe.

Alanna's pov.

It's so boring here...
Lila's gone with Mike...
I just hope for them that this little incident doesn't repeat itself.
I love her, really, I just don't get why she keeps doing mistakes after mistakes.
I'd stop doing anything for some time if it was me after that incident.
But I mean she's my best friend and I'll support her at everything she does. And if she ends up getting pregnant someday, I'll be a proud cool auntie.

"You look like you're having fun.", I hear a familiar voice call out. His familiar voice.
"Totally.", I respond.
He sits down next to me.
"Yeah me too.", sarcasm is plastered on his face while he says it.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do here.", I admit.
"If the music was better it'd be a whole different story"
" You know what, let's go do something else. Let's go get some snacks and watch a movie or something."
"A movie?", I ask in shock. He wants to hang out with me? Alone?
"Yes! Not in a weird way of course. We can watch something at my house, whatever you want. I'm pretty sure that'd be a lot more fun."
And there it is. That cheesy smile I love.
"Okay let's go."

***

"Okay we got everything. Popcorn, Diet Coke, all the fruits you wanted AND sparkling water.", Daniel tells me while putting each one of the snacks on the little table in front of his couch.
"Now the movie."
He stares at me.
" You choose."
I look at him. Which movie?
Let me think.
Let's see if he really wants to watch anything I want.
"Titanic.", I say.
"Alright.", he simply answers.
What?
He actually wants to watch it with me?
"What?", he asks. "I told you I'd watch whatever you wanted."
I can't but to smile at him.
How can someone not like him?
"Now slide over I wanna sit down too!"

*hours later*

"C'mon why are you crying Alanna?", Daniel asks rubbing my back while hugging me.
"He died!", I sob.
"You told me you'd watched the movie before... I thought you knew"
"That doesn't make the movie any less sad!"
"Oh..", he whispers. "Yes, yes you're right.."
Oh god, it's pathetic. That's insane. Why am I acting like this?
I'm probably getting my period soon. Otherwise I wouldn't be acting like that.
What a disaster.
Doesn't matter. Somehow I don't feel so judged by him. He's just comforting me. So for the first time I feel like it's okay to cry in front of someone else.
I look at the clock. Almost 3 am.
Oh!
"Uhm.. it's kinda late.", I admit.
"Yeah I can get you home if you want to."
"Please..."
"Of course, let's go! Let me just get the car keys."

Today a longer part! Sorry for not posting for so long!
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Thanks for reading💕
E