When Danny finally found the moment to approach her, Dalma was taken by surprise again. It happened on an English class when the Professor asked them to make an essay in pairs for a debate that would follow and would represent half of their final grade.
"Daniel Alvis." Was the first the Professor called and, without waiting for his response, he already started writing. "Iz Wallstein." He knew this was the pair but Danny interrupted him.
"Actually," he spoke after clearing his voice, "I'd like to try another approach. I think we've managed to pull, myself and Iz, everything from our both minds... I want to change my study partner." He concluded. "I think it's good to make a change from those who became our twins in school activities."
The Professor, who usually showed no interest in the chosen pairs, shrugged indiferent.
"Who did you think that might be foreign to your concept?" He asked.
Although Danny searched the room, he already knew whom to choose.
"If Joely doesn't mind," he introduced and Joely started to look at him with reticence thinking she was to be chosen, "I'd like to be study paired with Dalma." He ended.
"Fine." Said the Professor without asking Dalma if she agreed. "Anyway, I think that it's better to match pairs of different genres for this essay. It will be the most important, interesting and intelligent essay in the world, he made them curious. And it will be a debate between individuals in pairs, he added like he was just thinking about it, smiling as if he had had a brilliant idea. I want you to do your job well, be impartial and come with examples, he asked.
Danny looked at Dalma. He didn't think he could debate an issue against her.
The others also changed their traditional pairs but not many, not those who already received high grades together. Joely was irritated by the change and started to have a little grudge against Danny from that day. She wasn't going to pair with Iz so, she took Alex, though Alex wasn't a good student and always made bad jokes but she knew he was going to do what she wanted and, most importantly, she'll not have to spend time with obnoxious Iz. Anyone was a better than the sullen Iz.
Danny remained, after hours, in the empty class. Dalma also stood to plan their study meetings. Danny was going to come to her house first. She didn't even know who was this boy who had been a shadow of Iz until that day.
"I wanted to talk to you for a long time." He addressed her very sincere. "I was lacking courage." He seemed to apologized. "Sometimes you need to be reminded that we're all humans and we cannot intentionally hurt each other every time we dare to look for new friends, new acquaintances."
Dalma was still dazed by the sound of his voice when he wasn't supposed to answer a question in class or present some essay, moments when he always had emotions and his voice was strangled, almost cryingly. Now it sounded calm and melodious. It was pleasant to listen to him as if somebody familiar was talking to her and she had no reason to fear or to look for hidden motives of his approach.
"It took a cold shower to wake up to reality and tell myself that I wasn't doing anything wrong if I tried to be more open." He continued with little understanding of his words from Dalma. "And now that I succeeded, I'll say everything I want to without fear of a pathetic fail. Here it comes..." He announced preparing himself and her. "I probably won't have a better opportunity than this and I would've never done it if, lately, I wouldn't have received some attention from you."
Dalma was puzzled by this but said nothing.
"And I think I would scold myself for the rest of my life if I won't do this, if I won't tell you that I've 'seen' you from day one, before you showed that you like me too." Danny succeeded to conffess.
