Between The Two of Us

Chapter Two

Afterlife played in the background as James opened his eyes. The clouds were being lit the calming hue of the sunset. Everything was calm within the jet plane. The phone started to ring as James got up for a stretch. Chanel grabbed the phone and answered it. James just heard a little bit until he heard someone say Danny's name.

"What's happening?" James spun around rapidly.

"It's a Danny Knowles who wants to speak to you sir." Chanel said and handed James the phone after he waved her over insisting that she hurry.

"Who is this?" James asked.

"It's me." Danny said on the other end of the line.

__________

His heart was crumbling but there was someone who had a connection to his sister.

James Grey...

The boy he fell in love with in high school. The boy of his dreams. Who he thought was the love of his life. This is the boy that Mell wanted Danny to end up with so badly.

The phone was right there and all he needed to do was call Lucas for James's phone number. That's all he needed to begin a flame that he quelled so long ago. Harrison was now the love of his life but to deny James the information of Mell's death would be a horrendous act. James deserved to know about Mell's death just as much as anyone who was ever close to either of them.

Danny would've wanted to know if Kat died.

He picked up the phone and called Lucas.

__________

"No..." James said as he sat back down onto his seat.

"Is everything okay, sir?" Chanel asked James as he stared out the side window.

"I'm coming." James said.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

__________

Mell looked at James as he ate the dinner that Danny gave him. She just coiled and chuckled a little bit.

"What?" James said feeling self conscious.

"It's just a funny thought I had." Mell said. "I mean... You two could end up getting married. Between the way you two act with each other and the way you sometimes bicker about things, you'd think that by now you two were already married."

"Sometimes I feel like we already are." James smiled thinking about proposing to Danny. "It feels so good to think about a future like that with him."

"Why think it?" Mell said. "Make it come true!"

"What are you talking about Mell?" James asked confused by what she was proposing.

"It's simple." She got up from her seat and whispered,"Let's buy the engagement ring."

James heart skipped a beat. It was a nervousness that felt good. A smile spread across his face yet he felt so deeply rooted into his seat from the sheer fear of Danny saying no to the proposal.

"By what if he says no..." James said.

"He'll say yes and maybe that'll keep you two together while you're out at sea." Mell winked and grabbed James. "We're going out little bro!"

"Okay, don't stay out too late!" Danny shouted back to his sister from the kitchen.

"I can't wait for you to pick out the ring." Mell said.

__________

Chanel looked at James as he sat to look outside his window. He was contemplating about his life and everything that he had hoped his life would become. Then he got up and told Chanel to leave him alone for a little while.

He looked out the window and hoped he could find the ring he'd been waiting to give to Danny.

_________

The ring was beautiful. It was a dark shiny silver ring with a diamond in the middle. It wasn't an enormous diamond but it was bright enough to be seen.

"I hope he likes it." James said.

"I'm sure he'll love it." Mell said. "Everything will probably change completely between the two of you. Hopefully, in a good way."

"We're basically a married couple at this point." James chuckled. "I think he'll say yes."

"I'm positive he will. And you'll stay."

"I'm considering that heavily."

"I know you'll stay. Especially for him."

"Especially for him." James said as he looked at the ring in his hand.

__________

Remembering that day wasn't helping James at all. It made him sadder to even think about it. Times supposed to heal but all it did was rust James's heart. He'd become cold and calculated. There was something about losing Danny completely that led to James to lose hope.

His dreams had come true. He was a successful author and his dream for Danny had come true. There was Danny with his dream and his goal in life being accomplished.

James was alone because he knew Danny was the one and people only get one "one".

__________

The restaurant was fancy and beautiful. There was a chandelier in the middle of the restaurant lighting up what seemed like the whole entire night. Everything was so perfect. It had to be if James was going to propose to Danny.

James sat nervously as he waited for Danny to get from the restroom. They had been done eating their food a long time ago. It was time for James to propose to the love of his life.

That's when Danny came out of the restroom with the happiest expression on his face.

"I'm going to Harvard!" Danny smiled and hugged James. "I'm going to study at my dream school!"

He was so excited. His dreams were coming true. In that moment, all James could think about was about how far away Danny would be from him. As Danny spent the rest of the date talking about all these little things about Harvard James couldn't help but feel like a wall. James was just an obstacle to Danny's dream and maybe Danny was an obstacle to James's dream.

James smiled as Danny kept going on about Harvard. That's when James chose Danny's happiness over his selfish commitment. They can follow each other's own dreams.