𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨

𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

it was a beautiful day, the sun casting a warm glow over the neatly manicured lawns and pristine streets of my gated community. i was enjoying the tranquillity of my morning walk, oscar happily sniffing around as we strolled.

getting a dog was not something i thought was going to be on my bingo card this year, but when i was in london, i was strolling with my crew on a day where we didn't have a show and ended up walking into an animal shelter just to see the cute animals as well as to put down a random donation to help the animals find a new home easier.

the moment i saw him, with his fluffy coat and those soulful eyes, i knew he was meant for me. he had that classic collie grace, and the way he trotted beside me as i walked through the streets of beverly hills made me feel like i was living in a glossy magazine spread.

my phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my reverie. i fished it out and saw that the malik was texting me. i tapped on the message thread and began typing a quick response, as i walked into a café.

𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐤🎸

hey wuu2 |

| im getting coffee whilst walking oscar

| bro im still getting used to this whole gated community shit

| wdym we have a commercial street all to ourselves?

look who woke up to brag😒😭 |

with that message sent, i headed into the café, the jingle of the door announcing my entrance. the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and i felt a little spark of excitement at the thought of trying their new seasonal drink. oscar waited patiently outside, his leash secured to a post.

i approached the counter and glanced at the menu, scrolling through my options while still keeping an eye on my phone. as i was about to place my order, i caught a flash of movement from the corner of my eye.

i looked up, and time seemed to slow down. there, standing directly beside me, was skai. she was busy typing away on her phone, completely unaware of my presence.

she looked stunning—radiant even. her silk pressed hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she wore a pair of stylish sunglasses perched on her head. i could feel my pulse quicken.

i was frozen, caught between the desire to acknowledge her and the instinct to retreat. i opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. my throat felt dry.

skai finally looked up from her phone, her gaze meeting mine. her eyes widened slightly in surprise, and for a split second, there was a flicker of recognition and something else.

"dani," she said, her voice a soft, almost hesitant whisper.

"skai," i managed to reply, my voice sounding hoarser than i expected.

the barista called out for the next person in line, snapping us both back to reality. skai quickly moved forward to place her order, and i followed suit, my heart still racing.

i didn't even mean to move so close to her, i only realised on moving day how close we now lived to each other. dante hooked me up with a realtor and i didn't want to get caught up with the details, i just wanted a nice place after moving out from jasmine and i's old condo.

we stood there in awkward silence, waiting for our drinks. skai's posture was tense, and i could feel the same unease crawling up my spine. i tried to keep my voice low, as if speaking softly would make it easier to navigate this uncomfortable encounter.

"so... you gon act like you don't see me?" i asked, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the edge in my voice.

"hello danielle," skai replied, looking up from her phone, her tone clipped. her voice cut through the tension like a knife, and for a fleeting second, her eyes met mine.

"how long are you gonna keep this up skai?" i asked, purposely keeping my tone down, in case anyone overheard our conversation.

i could feel the heat of the café's energy swirling around us, the chatter and clinking of cups fading into a distant hum as our conversation drew the focus of the room.

"i'm not keeping anything up," she said, avoiding eye contact.

the barista called out skai's name, and she moved forward to pick up her drink. i took a deep breath, summoning my courage.

"skai," i said, grabbing her arm gently as she turned to leave, i tugged it towards me and surprisingly she let me. "let's talk outside real quick"

skai looked at me, her eyes filled with wariness. she glanced at her drink and then back at me, seemingly weighing her options. with a resigned sigh, she nodded.

"fine. let's talk."

we stepped outside, the sunlight casting a bright glare that made it hard to see clearly. skai looked uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other as we stood near the entrance.

"why did you leave?" i asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "why did you just up and leave without saying anythin'?"

skai's face hardened, her eyes narrowing. "you know how it is. things are too... complicated."

"nah i don't care, leavin' like that was weird."

"dani, i don't mean to be rude but i don't care if it was weird, we're not supposed to be together period." skai said, her voice steady but filled with a quiet anger that mirrored my own.

i stepped closer, the distance between us evaporating as my heart pounded in my chest. i could feel the heat radiating from her. my gaze roamed over her, taking in the way her eyes sparkled with a mixture of defiance and hurt.

"look me in the eyes right now, skai denise thompson," i demanded softly, "and tell me that it was a mistake."

skai's eyes flickered with a storm of emotions, the vulnerability in her gaze clashing with her attempt to appear steadfast. i reached out and gently lifted her chin with my finger, the touch electric and intimate. our eyes locked, and for a breathless moment, everything else fell away.

"i'm waitin'." i breathed.

the silence that followed was thick with unspoken feelings, each heartbeat echoing in the space between us. the world outside seemed to stand still as we stared at each other, the intensity of the moment pressing down on us like a heavy fog. skai's eyes, filled with a storm of conflict, struggled to meet mine.

"it was a mistake," skai finally said, her voice trembling with a mix of uncertainty and determination. she looked unsure, but the firmness in her tone was meant to hold her ground.

i dropped my finger away from skai's chin, the intimate gesture replaced by a sharp, aching sense of finality. skai looked up at me with her big beautiful hazel eyes that always got me in trouble.

"cool." i said, my voice flat and detached, struggling to hide the depth of my hurt.

with that, I turned and walked away, taking oscar with me. each step felt like a painful separation from the warmth we once shared, the intensity of our conversation leaving a lingering ache in my chest.

𓏲𝄢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝!