Rumor

Chapter thirty-three: Four more days

"Danielle." Wren's whisper wakes me up.

"Yeah?" I groan and sit up. Wren and I are still laying across his couch. I must have fallen asleep.

"Your phone has been going off nonstop for the past five minutes." He says and just like clockwork my phone starts to buzz on the table across from us.

I reach out to grab it and see that Derek is calling. "What time is it?" I ask Wren.

"5:26." He answers.

"Shit." I mumble as I press the accept button. "Hey." I say knowing I'm about to get an earful.

"Where are you? I told you five!" Derek says harshly into the phone.

"I know I'm sorry I'm leaving right now." I apologize and say my goodbyes before hanging up.

"You're leaving?" Wren asks.

"Yeah, I was supposed to be back by five." I say and Wren smirks. "What?" I ask.

"Nothing it's just that your thirty minutes late, with me, and Derek is going to jump to conclusions about what made you late." He says while laughing a little.

"Ohhh." I say and blush a little then tug on my jacket. Why am I blushing?

Wren walks me to the front door. "Do you want me to walk you there?" He asks.

"No it's okay, Derek would probably throw a fit anyways."

Wren laughs a little before smiling. "Maybe we should give him something to actually throw a fit over." He says with a cocked eyebrow.

"Sorry, I was given strict instructions to shut this sorta stuff down." I say and Wren smiles playfully.

"You were never one to break the rules."

"Whatever! I don't remember but I'm sure I broke a rule or two." I say and act offended.

"Never Derek's." He says and takes a step closer to me so that we're inches apart.

"And?" I question what he's getting at.

"Maybe you should try it." He says and takes one step even closer.

I don't protest as one hand wraps around the back of my neck and pulls my lips to his in one effortless move.

We move together and pull away breathlessly. Wrens face holds a giddy smile and I can't help but smile too.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He says and I nod.

"See ya." I reply before walking out of the house and closing the door behind me.

I walk back to Derek's as quickly as possible, the whole time wondering why he was so keen on me being home by five.

"Finally!" I hear Derek groan as soon as I step into the house. "Why are you so late." He quickly starts the interrogation.

"I fell asleep." I answer and Maria appears by Derek's side.

"You fell asleep." Derek repeats what I say but he doesn't seem like he believes it.

"Yeah."

"Whatever, everyone is waiting." He says annoyance clear in his voice and stalks off to the living room.

Maria stays behind and once Derek is gone she lightly hits me.

"Did you do something you shouldn't have!?" She asks knowing I'll tell her the truth.

"No, I swear I just fell asleep." I say and she nods.

"Alright, come on." She says before she too stalks off into the living room. This time I follow.

"Danielle!" Megan and Paul scream and run towards me as soon as I enter the living room.

"Hey guys." I say equally as happy to see them.

I hug each of them then turn to Jake and Sydney and hug them too.

"How have you been?" Sydney asks.

"Good." I answer and she gives me a short smile.

"Dinner is ready!" Jason yells from the kitchen and instantly everyone migrates. I stand up to follow everyone else but I'm pulled back down by my arm.

"Wait." Maria says. She waits until everyone has left to talk to me. "Give me details!"

"There's not much to talk about." I lie and she easily tells.

"Now." She orders sternly.

"We-uh." I stutter a little. "We kissed."

"What!" She gapes.

"It's not a big deal." I say and she looks at me with a shocked expression.

"Do you know what would happen if Derek found out. This is the second time you guys have kissed and your supposed to be taking it slow."

"I know." I sigh.

"Let's just make sure Derek doesn't find out." She says and I nod.

"I don't find out what?" Derek's voice suddenly appears.

Both Maria and I snap our heads up to see Derek in the entry of the living room.

"Uh." Maria stutters as Derek walks over and takes a seat next to Maria.

"Nothing." I say rudely and stand up to leave.

"Sit back down right now." Derek orders sternly.

I glare at him but reluctantly do what he says.

"Derek." Maria starts but Derek cuts her off.

"What is it?" He asks.

Maria nudges me letting me know I'm on my own.

I sigh before I talk. "Wren and I kissed."

Derek's annoyed expression changes to angry right away. "What!?" He almost yells. "What do you think your doing?" He asks angrily then stands up from the couch and starts pacing.

"I don't know." I say annoyed.

"I want you to stay away from him from now on." Derek orders me.

"No." I say with attitude and he stops pacing and looks at me.

"What?" He asks like he didn't hear me.

"You don't get to tell me what to do." I say and Maria looks at me with wide eyes.

"What's going on with you?" He asks me anger suddenly gone. "We don't even talk anymore and it's killing me. I'm just trying here Danielle and I don't know what to do anymore." He says seriously.

"Whatever." I say and stand up to leave. This time no one stops me.

I'm just sick of Derek and his bullshit.

"Fuck!" I hear Derek say loudly enough for me to catch and I stop and listen.

"Derek." Maria sighs. "Come here."

I hear shuffling and I can tell Derek has sat back down.

"I can't do it anymore." Derek says and I can tell he's crying. "What did I do?"

"I don't know, she's a teenager this stuff happens." She says.

"Not like this." He says quietly. "What should I do?"

"Just sit her down and talk to her later tonight." Maria suggests.

"Okay." Derek sighs and I hear them get up.

I quickly shuffle my way into the kitchen and start to dish up.

"There you are." Jason says and hugs me. "Are you ready for your album to be released?"

"I am." I say happily.

"Four more days." He says with a smile.

"Yeah. For more days."