Stronger than Before

Chapter 3

The bell chimes once again as the door to the cafe is pushed open, causing me to glance up hopefully. My hopes sink slightly as I observe a young mother bustle into the teeming cafe, herding two toddlers towards the counter. He's ten minutes late. He is still coming isn't he?

Checking my phone for the millionth time, I don't notice Dan arrive and I jump slightly as he slides into the seat opposite me.
"Sorry I'm late!" He throws me an apologetic look. "Traffic."
A broad, goofy grin slides across my face as he signals for the waitress' attention. Of course he was coming. After all, it was him who organised for us to meet here!

We order two coffees and as Dan chats animatedly, I sit staring absent-mindedly at him, struggling not to have to pinch myself. It all feels so surreal! Here I am in a cafe with, not just anyone, but a boy! A boy I have barely met but who already causes a fluttering of butterflies in in my stomach every time he smiles.

Leaning my elbows on the table, I decide to ask Dan the question which has been pressing on me since I first met him. "Why did you move here?" I say quickly when there's a break in conversation.
Fixing his gaze on me for a minute, he pauses. "I just never really fit in at my old place, that's all! Things just weren't working out." He shrugs.
I nod slowly, taking this in. Dan had struck me as the type who is always popular in school. He'd already made a large group of friends at St. Mary's!
"Where was your old school?" I ask.
Dan, looking at me intently for a moment, breezes: "On the north side of the city. Not much to say about it really- can't say I miss it greatly!"
Sensing his unwillingness to talk about his past, I just nod once more and decide to drop the topic.
Downing the last of his coffee, Dan puts down the cup and rises from his seat. "Come on!" He beckons to me as he heads for the door. "Let's go across to the park!"

Wandering slowly through the park, talking casually as autumn leaves flutter down around us, I have to bite my lip to suppress the smile that itches to spread across my face. Never before had anyone from school ever really given me a second glance, apart from Ruby of course, and now here I am in the park with a boy I had only just met! Maybe things were finally looking up. Maybe everything would change now because of the boy with the chiselled cheekbones and the tousled, blonde curls.

We stop by the duck pond and watch a father and son wrestle each other across the water from us, playing a friendly game of football, and I chuckle to myself as they both collapse on the grass, their bodies heaving with laughter.
Suddenly, Dan is knocked off balance as someone slams into him. I wrap an arm around his shoulders to steady him as a freckled, gap-toothed boy apologises quickly before scurrying away, his friend close on his heels.
"Watch yourself kid!" Dan roars after them, a sudden gruffness to his voice.
Surprised by his change of tone and the furious look in his eye, I look at him. "Are you ok?"
"Let's go," Dan replies flatly, heading back up the path that brought us in.
I stand still for a moment before hurrying after him, ignoring the repeats of Ruby's words, "He's bad news", running around and around in my head.

At the gates Dan turns to me, breaking his silence, his voice once again possessing its original gentle lilt.
"I suppose this is where we part," he grins crookedly at me.
"Yeah!" I find myself at a loss for words as my eyes lock with his.
"Well I'll better be going," he says, breaking the trance.
Blushing, I nod. "Yes, eh, I'll see you on Monday." I begin to turn away in the direction of the bus stop.
"Not so fast!" He laughs and before I know what's happening he swoops down, slides a hand firmly under my jaw, and presses his lips against mine.
The smell of coffee tingles my nostrils as I feel the texture of his dry lips against my own.
But before I know it, Dan pulls away again and winking turns away. "Now, I'll see you Monday!"
Mesmerised, I stay fixed to the spot, watching him disappear into the distance as I run two fingers over my lips, savouring the moment.
"No," I whisper to myself. "He is definitely not the person Ruby thinks he is."