Best Friends?

Chapter 8

Dan seemed slightly confused when I showed him to my girlfriend, but he still smiled and greeted her warmly.

Margaret and I have been together for a while now, we have been seeing each other for about three months. She was similar to me, in ways. She also loved animé, which is pretty awesome. Margaret lived in Manchester, and I was in her class in year 11 as well. She was in London to meet with family members, and while I was at the shopping centre, we reunited in a way. I guess you could say I had a teeny crush on her. A teeny crush on her gorgeous auburn hair that fell in waves on her shoulders, her cute little laugh, her bright green eyes that glowed with perfection.

   Earlier I told Margaret that she could come back to my flat, it was time for her to meet Dan any way. "Margaret, this is my flat-mate, Dan!" I introduced them.

   Margaret returned a smile, as warm as a summers day and replyed to Dans hello with a genuine, "Nice to finally meet you Dan!"

   Dan nodded, "uh- I'll go get us some drinks. What do you want Margaret? We have some wine..."

   "You can call me Marge, I'm sober. But I'd love a glass of water and ice thanks."

   Marge had a drinking addiction six months before I started to see her again, she wasn't a full blown alcoholic, but she was drunk most of the time. She told me that once she was sober again, it felt refreshing, and that she never wanted to go back to that place of strange warmth and blurry images again.

   As Dan left to go get us glasses of water and ice, Marge took off her trench coat style jacket and I lead Marge around the house, then finally we sat down on the couch in the lounge. I set my arm around her neck and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek right before Dan walked in carrying the drinks, "Here you go!" Dan smiled as he handed us our cold drinks then sat down himself on the chair across from us.

   Marge and I nodded a thanks. After a while of conversation we began talking about what Marge did after high school. "I decided I wanted to become a nurse, so I went to University, tiring I know. I wanted to drop out but honestly, who wants to be that university dropout? I'm here to get to my goals not throw them away." She joked, not noticing how awkward Dan looked when he tensed up his muscles slightly.

   I knew this was a soft spot for Dan, the whole drop out thing. So I took it into my own hands to usher Marge out of our flat for the night. "Sorry Marge, I am looking at the time now, 9:30! I feel bad but, I have an appointment in the morning and it's getting late-"

   "Oh Phil! You don't have to be so polite! I get it, it's late. We will see each other later anyway." She grinned and stood up, her green eyes slightly gleaming with forgiveness.

   "I'll take you out to your car, be right back Dan." I stated and got up to walk my girlfriend out, Dan just nodded and took another sip of his water.

   I grabbed her coat for her and wrapped it around her smaller frame. She was only 5 foot 8", a perfect little height for a perfect girlfriend. "What a gentleman!" Margaret snickered and we walked out the front door.

   It was only a mere mist in the breeze as we stood outside her car. The night sky reflecting in her happy emerald irises.

   "It was a good night tonight Phil." She persists in her soft northern accent.

   I bring my hand up to her cheek and give a small kiss on her smiling lips, her cinnamon perfume engulfing my senses.

   "Good night Margo."

   "Good night little Philly."
>•<
I wake up to the sound of piano keys playing a soft melody in the room next to me. A soft song, not one I've heard before. My clock reads 1:26, and even though I don't want to be tired tomorrow, I do actually have an appointment in the morning, I want to go see Dan, I haven't seen him much lately.

I peek my head in the door, Dan's light is on and he sits at the piano. His fingers hover above the black and white keys, yet he plays nothing, "Dan?" I whisper, entering the room.

Dan turns around. His face is red, his hair is messy and his eyes were full, of fake happiness. It's back.

"Dan what's wrong?" I ask him, and my voice shakes.

"Nothing really, I'm just a little tired." He tries to reassure me while smiling.

I sit down on his bed. He must of tried to sleep, his sheets were in a bundle and blanket awkwardly spread around. Dan got up and came to sit next to me, visibly trying to hide his feelings. I spoke next, "You don't have to hide anything from me, Dan, I'm your best friend here."

His dark eyes are clouded, tears perhaps? Dan just shrugs, "Yeah, I'm fine, trust me." His voice cracks near the end of his promise.

I don't really believe him, we've been here before. But last time I asked him a bunch of times, he broke down completely. Not sure what to do, I brung him into a hug. His head nuzzled into my neck and he hugged me back while I breathed in his warm fragrance. I held him like that until he parted from my body himself.

"Margaret seems really nice." Dan broke the silence.

My stomach fluttered at her name, "Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her sooner," remembering what happened earlier I add, "she doesn't know about your whole, drop out deal. I'm sorry about that."

Dan shakes his tired head, "no need to apologize for her, she didn't know." Something flickered behind his eyes.

"Dan are you really okay?"

"Yes Phil, stop worrying about me anyways. It's late, I'm going to get some sleep, your going to get some sleep. Good night!" Dan climbed under his sheets.

"Good night Dan!" I grinned uneasily and ambled my way back to the comfort of my warm, comfy bed.

Dan will be fine, I reassured myself, just get some sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meeting Marge was a lil' awkward.

Hey, even though I don't have many readers, I was wondering if you could give me some feedback, or anything you think about the book. Constructive criticism is okay with me. Don't think it's being mean, it really helps me to know when and where I mess up, to become a better writer.

Thanks!