Shadowheart

Chapter 20

Saturday morning. Dahlia wakes up. She does her usual morning routine. Shower, fix her hair, brush her teeth and dress up. Then she goes downstairs to make breakfast. She looks around and breathing in relief. She hasn't been alone in her home for years, and today is a very special day for her. She gets to celebrate alone, no abusive father nor her mother, just peace in her home. She tours around her house, then decides to clean it for the day... Because tonight is her date with Daniel, and good timing because of her special day.

She puts on Flyleaf before sweeping and moping the floors and vacuuming the carpets. Dahlia also washes her bed sheets along with her parents'. After a while of cleaning gross spots and hidden beer bottles and cans, she goes to the fridge to eat some yogurt. She turns her head to her dads beer. Remembering that Maxie may not be her father, she grabs the bottles of beer, poured them in the drain and throws them outside in the trash can. She's had it. Had enough of his drunken habits. It's a good way to mellow out from a rough week, just freeing herself from the mess in her house.

A mail truck drives in front of her house as she was throwing out the trash. The mailman was going to put the mail in the box until he sees Dahlia walking up to him.

-"Can I have those? I live here."

-"Yes sure. And you are... Dahlia Rivers, by any chance?"

-"Yeah, that's me."

-"This one's for you." He hands her a letter, with the logo of Santa Fe School of Arts.

-"Oh my... Ummm... Thanks!" She quickly grabs it along with the rest of the mail.

She quickly runs inside, putting the rest of the mail aside to have a peek at the Santa Fe School of Arts letter, the first and only college she applied to. As she slowly opened up her letter, she hears her house phone ring.

-"Hello?" Dahlia answers.

-"Hello, cutie." A male voice is heard on the phone.

-"Umm..."

-"Wassuuuup?"

-"Who is this?"

-"It's me, Daniel, ya dumbbutt."

-"Oh! Daniel, hi!"

-"Did you forget you gave me your house number after school?"

-"Yeah! Sorry, I forgot... I had a pretty busy day."

-"Parents?"

-"No. Well... I mean thank God they're gone, but I just decided to clean the house in the meantime... Before tonight."

-"And what was today? I remember you saying something about-"

-"Can we forget about that? I just wanna... Focus on tonight."

-"On what to wear, what kind of fancy dress you're gonna put on?"

-"Nah, I'm not that fashionable to begin with."

-"I know you don't try to be beautiful but somehow you always pull it off."

Dahlia froze for a second, a bit confused about what he said. -"W-What?"

-"Nothing. Anyways, I pick you up at 8?"

-"Yeah! 8! Sounds great! I'm at the beige/blue house on Tully street."

-"Are you ok, Dahlia? You sound like... Super energized or something."

-"Well... Honestly, Dan. It's been a long week and well... Just by hearing your voice it just... Lifts my spirits, you know?"

-"Well, are your spirits lifted?"

-"Mmm... I guess so."

-"Well keep on lifting, they gotta reach for the sky!"

Dahlia laughs, sitting by the kitchen counter. -"Well... 8 o' clock... Please don't be late."

-"I won't, Dahlia. I promise."

Daniel hangs up. Dahlia had a smile that couldn't be removed for the day. This special day couldn't have gotten even better than it should. The little smile in Dahlia's face would most likely not wear off as she would be with the one person who truly does care about her.