Started With a Lie

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Forty-Nine

Daniel walks me to my door even though it's a bit of a risk with the Hitler and all. I linger in the hallway, playing with my keys in my hands but not actually opening the door. The pale fluorescent lights wash out the tan in his skin but still his eyes are shining as they look at me. My heart's beating fast for no reason.

               "So, thanks for another great Times Square escapade," I say, fiddling with the key that unlocks the dorm. I can't seem to look him in the eyes. "See you tomorrow?"

           He nods and makes a noise in agreement. "Yeah."

           I look up and he has his hands on his hips but he's staring off into space. His eyebrows are pinched and his mouth is pursed in thought. "Daniel?" I say.

           "Mm," he says, but his eyes hold a sheen over them as if he's not really here. I don't talk for a minute and when his ears start realizing the silence, his head snaps up, hazel eyes alert. "Sorry, what?"

            "You okay? You've been zoning out the entire way home." And I know why but what I don't know is why I'm tip-toeing around the subject. Are we just going to ignore and forget the whole Daniel putting his head on my stomach thing and me responding with touching his hair? It wasn't like we kissed but still....What even are we anymore?

            "I...Yeah, I'm fine," he says, standing straight as if deciding to play along with me to pretend like it never happened. He nods profusely and runs a hand through his hair. "Yeah, okay, see you tomorrow."

              "Bye," I say as he smiles fakely and then turns to head down the hallway to the elevator. I stand there for a while just watching him walk away. Holy hells...what just happened on that train ride home?

             Suddenly, Daniel stops an inch from the elevator like a deer caught in headlights. At first, I panic because I think the Hitler is here but he straightens and then turns around. My eyes widen before I start to rapidly shove my key into the doorknob, trying to make it seem as if I wasn't staring at him as he left. I hear the swift movement of his feet but I act like it's something casual.

           Then he's in front of me, tugging on my left arm, and looking at me straight in the eyes. His mouth moves to form words but he shuts his eyes and sighs before actually talking. With a reddening face, he says, "I was going to ignore it but I can't. I just fucking can't. What the hell was that back there?"

             What do I do? Do I act like I don't know what's happening? Do I just nonchalantly answer? Should I be breathing? I don't know.

           "Back where?"

            "The train, Ivory. Don't play dumb."

           "Well, back on the train, you sat down and I stood up and people shoved around us and we almost missed our stop but we ran and then we quickly walked home before curfew and—"

            "Ivory."

           "Okay!" I say, giving up and throwing my hands up. "I...I don't know what happened there, okay? It was you! You put your head on me and I don't know why you did that but then I guess I was sort of okay with it and yeah!"

            "Well, I only did that because you've been staring at me weirdly all day and it isn't the type of stares you give your 'pals', Ivory. You've started staring at me the way I've always stared at you! Well, that sounds weird, and I just mean—I don't—Gah!" he cries and then he takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. Daniel puts them back on. "I like you! Okay? You told me you weren't looking for anything like that and I said okay but then you start looking at me that way and it's hard to fucking ignore and you're mixing me up!"