First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 11

  I look down at Dani but before I can double check to make sure she is okay, she gently grabs my arm and turns me around. "Let me check your back sweetie." I start to protest as Dani is tugging my shirt out of my pants. "Do not say you are fine Taytum because I know that had to have hurt. I'm checking your back so hold still."

  I swallow and breathe in a deep breath as I feel her fingers graze my sides when she starts to lift my shirt. "Dani, I will be fine. The door is unlocked anyway and if someone was to walk in it would look very inappropriate."

  Dani lets go of my shirt and hurriedly walks to her office door locking it then turns around. "Now you don't have an excuse" she states with a look that basically says 'do not argue with me.' I sigh in defeat because I know there's no use in telling Dani again that I am fine. As soon as she steps in front of me she looks up at me with worry still in her eyes. "Taytum, can I please check your back now?" Looking down into Dani's eyes and the way she asked, I couldn't do anything but just nod my head yes.

  Dani slightly smiles, "sit there on the edge of my desk so I can get to your back better." I do as she requested then go ahead and pull the back of my shirt up. Suddenly I feel Dani's soft fingers skim across my skin but not where I landed on her high heel. Instead she skims her fingers down my spine, tracing my tattoo. As she reaches the lower part of my back she whispers "I didn't know you had a tattoo on your back." Her voice is so quiet it seems like she is talking to herself instead of to me.

  "What's the meaning behind.... Oh my God, Taytum you're bleeding a little. Let me grab my first aid kit." I watch as Dani rushes to the storage cabinet in her office and grabs a first aid kit then rushes back over to me. I hear her open the first aid kit and when I try to turn around and look to see exactly what she is doing, I am stopped by a hand on my shoulder. "Just sit still, this may sting a bit but I need to clean the little bit of blood off." I hiss as Dani dabs a cotton ball on the small cut to clean it. "I'm sorry sweetie, I know it hurts."

  "It's okay Dani, it just stung a little that's all." Dani dabs the cotton ball on the cut or scrap again but this time it doesn't sting as much.

  "Okay, at least there wasn't a lot of blood. The top piece of my high heel definitely cut your back but it's not bad. I knew it was worn out but I didn't realize it was that bad or sharp enough to do this. I'm going to doctor it and put a bandaid over it so hold on." I wait as Dani gets that ready then suddenly feel her cool, soft fingertip smoothing ointment over the small cut then she puts a bandaid on it. I hear her sniffle as she is closing the first aid kit. "Y-You're good to go sweetie. I am so sorry." She starts to walk by me to go put the first aid kit up and has her head down and I hear her sniffle again.

  I quickly slide off of Dani's desk and gently catch her arm, turning her around to face me. "Hey Dani, what's wrong?"

  Dani shakes her head then wipes her eyes. "I caused you to get hurt because I was careless and not thinking." See looks down at the floor and sniffles.

  I take Dani's hand in mine and with my other hand I gently bring her head back up so she can look at me. Our eyes connect as she is looking up at me and I use my thumb to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. "Dani, you did not cause me to get hurt and I'm fine, okay. I would land on 100 of your high heels if it kept you from getting hurt."

  "You have jokes now, huh Taytum?" Dani asks as her serious gaze is locked on me then she cracks a smile. I feel my heart rate speed up as we look into each other's eyes. I have an overwhelming urge to tell Dani how I truly feel about her or to kiss her as my eyes flick down to her lips.

  "Dani I..." I clear my throat and create a little space between us. "I brought iced coffees for us. The coffee will be really watered down so come on. I figured you might need a pick me up especially if KK went to bed a little later which probably caused you to go to bed later as well." Still holding Dani's hand, I lead her to her desk where the coffee and piece of cake awaits. I am such a chicken for not telling her how I feel about her. Obviously I know the feelings are not mutual so it's probably best for me to just keep them to myself.

  Dani sits in her office chair and I take a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk then I slide her the Caramel Vanilla Swirl. She turns the cup around to look at the label and her eyes quickly snap up to me. "You got me my favorite drink? How... how did you even know I liked the Caramel Vanilla Swirl?" She takes a sip and closes her eyes and happily sighs as she savors the taste.

  I smile as I watch Dani but as her eyes start to open I quickly look away from the beautiful woman in front of me. "Thank you Taytum, this was so sweet of you and I definitely need this."

  I smile at Dani as I slide the coffee cake over to her as well. "I also grabbed you this. I noticed before that you have had a piece at your house so I thought you might like it as well."

  Dani smiles at me "you didn't have to do this Taytum but thank you, very much. You are a sweetheart. I do love their cinnamon coffee cake." She tears open the bag and grabs a plastic fork from her desk. I watch as she licks her lips in anticipation of that first bite. Once she has a piece of cake on her fork, she leans forward and extends the fork out towards me. I raise my brows and Dani beats me before I can say anything. "Come on and have a taste." At those words my mind definitely did not go to the piece of cake she was offering me. It went somewhere it should not but can you really blame me?

  I rise from my seat and reach my hand out to grab the piece of cake off the fork. "No, just eat it. It's falling apart because it's so moist." I completely stop and my eyes lock with Dani's. She has a smile on her face waiting for me to try the cake. She is killing me with how oblivious she is to the way she says some things. I mean there's just ways to word things differently, especially around a lesbian or hell, anyone for that matter. Especially when it's... her saying it.

  I lean forward, open my mouth and eat the piece of cake off the fork Dani is holding out for me. I sit back down in the chair and she is watching me like she's waiting for my reaction to the cake flavor. I nod my head in appreciation of the flavor because it's not as bad as I assumed it would be. Dani glances at the fork and sees a little bit of the cake still on the fork. "You left some" she says as she eats the little bit left on the fork then starts eating the rest of the cinnamon coffee cake.

  Dani throws her trash away then glances at her phone. "Shit, there's three minutes until time for class to start." I glance at my watch and sure enough, Creative Writing 3 is about to start. "Go ahead and go Taytum. I will be there in a couple minutes since I have to put my heels on."

  "Dani, I'm sorry for making you late, I...."

  Dani cuts me off with a stern tone of voice. "You didn't and it's fine. Just head on to the lecture room. Go."

  I sigh as I get up to leave and grab my backpack "Sure."

  As I'm heading towards the door I feel Dani's hand wrap around my wrist. "Taytum, wait." Dani turns me to face her and offers me a slight smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be short with you. I've never been late to one of my classes but that doesn't mean it's your fault. I had not even thought about the time after my whole falling incident. Are we good?"

  I bring my hand up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Dani's ear and suddenly realize what I was about to do. I drop my hand back down as I look into her eyes. "We're good Dani, we're always good. See you in class." She smiles that beautiful smile and as I head towards the door I faintly hear "thank you sweetheart."