You, Me, And The Divide

Chapter 8

"So you're Daniel Jackson," my dad said as he stayed stiff and entirely unlike himself. "Come in. We were just about to eat. You can join us."

"Thank you, sir," he said and looked up to meet my eyes as my dad closed the door behind him. He smirked at me and winked while he was facing away from my dad.

I was shell shocked. Katie pawed at my back unable to speak either. She pushed me to walk down the stairs the rest of the way, and it was an extreme effort to move my legs. I didn't date much. In fact, I only dated two guys in my life, so this illusion that my dad was meeting a "boyfriend" was trouble. Not even my family was convinced that Danny and I weren't together. My heart was aching over the fight with Allen still, and I just don't think that Danny was the better option of people to show up for breakfast. Toby was smiling widely when we entered the kitchen. He was sat at the table in his usual spot next to dad. Dad was insisting Danny sat at the end of the table between where he and I sat. Toby was overjoyed by that. Katie sat down in the seat across from Toby with wide eyes. I finally sat down.

I know the rumors of Danny and I dating was just that; rumors. However, that never stopped the fact that he was a gorgeous heartthrob that made girls swoon. I wish I was an exception, but I'd be lying if I said he didn't make my heart race every time he walked me to class or put his arm around me. Even though I didn't want to date my new found friend, I couldn't deny that he made me nervous, and that lack of control was frightening. So when I say that he went out of his way to meet my dad and sat beside me at our dinner table, it isn't the kind of matter that goes unnoticed. In fact, I think I'm dying a little on the inside right now as my dad watches me carefully. Danny pressed his leg against mine under the table making me even more tense while he remained cool and collected.

"Hey, dad, can you pass the syrup?" I asked trying not to think about the searing warmth that was Danny's right leg.

"So Daniel, what brings you to these parts today?" dad asked as he passed me the syrup.

Dad made waffles, his specialty, which were always incredible, so rather than facing the tension that was growing around me, I was stuffing my face. Toby was eating with a smile as he watched down the table. Katie was simply frozen pretending to be interest in the food, but her hands shook as she cut her first waffle. I went back for a second one.

"Well, Is talks about her family a lot, so I figured I'd come and meet you all for myself," he said as he helped himself to a waffle.

"Issy is some girl. Isn't she?" my dad said without any sense of amusement.

Danny looked up at me with a smirk, but spoke to my dad. "She's definitely something, sir."

Just like that, my dad broke his serious face and clapped Danny on the back with a laugh. Dad, Toby, and Danny spoke freely and without tension. Katie and I only inputted small chuckles though. After the tension of this morning with Allen, we weren't prepared for Danny's presence in the crowded Tyler house. Michael Tyler, my father, was in love with Danny. I called it from the start that Danny was too charming for his own good. Now they were chatting over breakfast about the school's football team this coming season. Toby was smiling over at me in approval, but I wasn't up for this excitement. My heart couldn't handle it. Katie and I excused ourselves and began cleaning the table. A piece of conversation caught my attention, and I listened to Danny talk about the funeral last weekend. He had been avoiding the topic like it was the plague. I tried to ask him if he was okay the other day, and he just said to drop it.

"We saw you at the funeral Sunday. I know the Boggs really appreciate your father paying for Clara's funeral. I'm sure he knew about their financial issues over the years with Clara around and all," dad said unawarely. "Did you know her well? She worked for your dad for some time."