Daddy Issues

50 - Tired of me yet?

To his credit, Dan puts on a brave face and manages to make it through the movie without any sign of protest all the way until Edward looks like he's about to vomit when Bella walks into class.

'Hey,' I scold him when he snorts loudly. 'You're ruining the movie.'

'Impossible.'

I laugh and throw a piece of popcorn at his face. He catches it at the last moment and pops it into his mouth.

'Great reflexes,' I say. 'Maybe you're a vampire too.'

'No way, the dude's a vampire? Now you're ruining the movie.'

'Ha ha.'

'What's he doing now?' Dan asks, frowning at the screen where Edward is now staring very intensely and very creepily at Bella. 'Is this really what all the girls were going crazy for?'

'You'll be happy to hear that I was actually team Jacob. But Mel was an Edward girl and she took that very seriously. Almost ended our friendship.'

'I can't believe you'd never seen the Lord of the Rings, but you've seen this crap.'

'I can't believe you don't like this. Isn't it practically the same, anyway? Magical creatures, a little fantasy, a little romance...'

Dan turns to look at me with a face that would have you believe I just compared his mother to Adolf Hitler. That is until he sees my face and realizes that I'm messing with him.

'I almost forgot how easy it is to rile you up,' I chuckle.

'It isn't,' he grumbles. Which only makes me laugh more.

I guess this is easier than I thought it would be. Here on the couch watching the movie, it's kind of like how it was in the beginning too. That was a little weird, because I hardly knew him. But it was nice too.

'We don't have to watch it,' I say. 'I was just wondering how far you'd go to keep me happy.'

He gives me a look like he's just been caught. Did he really think I wouldn't see through all the extra effort?

'Am I doing too much?'

'Oh, no, not at all,' I tell him quickly. 'You can never do too much. In fact, if you really want to be my friend so bad, I say step it up.'

'What would you like me to do?' he asks with a small grin on his lips.

'Hm, let's see... Next time I come over I'd like a bucket of KFC and some fresh donuts. I mean these snacks are not a bad start, but I want to be eating myself sick, okay? And throw in a signature cocktail as well. Oh, and you know what? I'd like my own personalised house slippers. That I'll put on after an extensive foot rub from a professional masseur.'

'A masseur?'

'A hot one, obviously.'

Dan shakes his head, but laughs loudly. I'm glad to find out he still appreciates my impeccable sense of humor.

'If that's what it's going to take to get you to hang out with me, consider it done. I'm really glad you're here.'

When he looks at me with those earnest eyes, I don't have anything to say back. So I just smile at him. And swallow to try and get rid of the sudden dryness of my mouth.

After he left, I didn't think about how he might feel. I knew he was upset, but I just felt angry at him. But now... Now I picture him left alone in the house after I smacked the door in his face. I know he must have felt terrible about keeping the truth about the kiss from my mother because he's the most honest person I know. I imagine him leaving the house knowing that he just broke not just my mom's heart, but mine too, when all he wanted was to make us both happy. And then he was alone, when he hates being alone. I wonder where he went. Did he find comfort with friends, or did he check into some hotel to be miserable all on his own?