blue jay | janiel

twenty five

Daniel

It was 10am when I woke up, kissed a very cute sleeping Joey, and walked to the kitchen. I searched the wooden cabinets for a box of batter and a frying pan. Soon I was making pancakes, flipping them over whenever they turned a light golden colour. I turned off the stove after I made a stack of pancakes and set them on the small dining room table. Then I sliced up some strawberries and trickled some blueberries on top of the pancakes.

My phone vibrated in the pocket of my sweatpants and I fished it out.

Incoming call from Clark

I answered immediately.

D: Hi sir, how are yo-

C: I want a report on my desk by 5

D: A report?

I repeated.

C: Yes. As you know, all undercover officers need to write a report almost 3 weeks in the mission. You will need to document the progress you have made during your stay at the Motel Plaza and note any important details and information you've found

D: But I don't have a computer here. What am I supposed to write the report with?

C: You have a car don't you? Drive home and use yours

D: Uhh okay

My house was 20 minutes away, and with NYC traffic it would take longer.

C: Right. Bye now

He hung up the phone and I shut my eyes, rubbing my forehead and groaning.

Suddenly someone jumped on my back, throwing their arms around my neck. I screamed and trashed around to see it was Joey.

J: Good morning!

He giggled.

D: Oh my god Joey you scared the shit out of me

He laughed and I tried getting him off my back but he held on tightly.

J: Who was on the phone

D: My brother

I blurted out. I don't know why that was the first thing that came to mind.

J: You have a brother?

D: . . . yeahh

I lied. Joey didn't seem to care and he got off my back. Then he noticed the pancakes on the table.

J: Pancakes for meee?

He gushed, his hands cupping his cheeks. I nodded meekly and he kissed me on the lips before pulling a seat and sitting down. I took a bottle of syrup out of the fridge and set it on the table.

J: Aren't you going to have some?

He asked, drizzling syrup all over his breakfast. I sat across the table and absentmindedly took some pancakes for myself. I lost my appetite but forced a piece of food in my mouth. Joey was babbling away about something but I wasn't listening. I couldn't write a fake report, that was illegal. Lately all I'd been doing was illegal things.

J: Derek?

D: Hmph?

I was out of my thoughts and saw Joey watching me with a concerned look on his face.

J: Are you okay?

D: Yeah of course

I faked a smile but worry clouded my head.

J: You don't look okay

D: Geez I'm fine, can you just lay off me for once!

I snapped. Joey frowned, raising an eyebrow.

J: Sorry for asking

He muttered, pushing away his now-empty plate. I instantly felt bad and sighed.

D: I didn't mean to snap, I'm just stressed. My brother is uh, in the hospital and I need to see him

J: Uh oh. What happened?

My eyes drifted to my car keys on the kitchen table.

D: Car accident

J: That's terrible! I hope he's okay

D: Yeah he's fine, just a little roughed up. I'm going to leave in 10 minutes and come back in the evening

We stood up and Joey wrapped his arms around me, breathing in deeply and resting his head in the crook of my neck. Then he planted several kisses on my cheeks before leaving my motel room and going into his own.

> > >

It was surreal being in my 2 bedroom apartment. It felt like I hadn't been in here for years.
I walked in my room and tears welled in my eyes. I hadn't realized how homesick I was. I crawled in my king sized bed and lay my head against an old cushiony pillow. Now this was pure comfort. My covers were zebra print and I pulled them up to my neck, shutting my eyes.

I don't know how much time passed when a loud shriek woke me up.

X: Daniel! You're back!

My eyes burned as I opened them and saw my best friend and roommate Hope. She rushed over to me and jumped on the bed.

H: How've you been? It's been way too long!

D: I've been alright

I sat up halfway, leaning my elbow against the bed.

H: I know you can't tell me all the details but how's the whole super badass undercover mission going?

I paused, and frowned.

D: It's a mess, oh I wish I could tell you everything. I need help Hope

H: Then tell me what you can, Danny

She said, placing her hand on mine.

D: Okay well. . .you know how before I left I told you I'd be going to a motel on the other side of town to find some thieves?

H: Yeah. They were murderers too, weren't they? I saw it on the news all the time

D: Yeah they were and well...I found them

H: Oh my god Daniel that's amazing! How many were they?

D: Two. One was 18 and the other was some older guy

H: So did you just get back from the police station after turning them in?

Hope smiled, full of excitement.

D: Not quite

H: What do you mean?

D: Listen Hope, the reason I'm telling you this is because you're my best friend but you have to promise you won't tell anybody, okay?

H: You're scaring me Daniel

She said, her smile faltering.

My friend Hope was a bit of a goody goody, and I wasn't sure how she'd handle the news. I definitely wasn't going to tell her everything but I had to get something off my chest. I sat up all the way now and had a hard time looking at her.

D: I-I didn't turn them in

H: What? Why?

D: Because I'm in love with the 18 year old and don't know what to fucking do