The Hidden Storyteller (KickthePJ, Discontinued)

06: Tension

October 15

*PJ's POV* 

"Goodbye guys! You should come by again sometime soon." I said, giving them each a hug.

"How about we do a quad collab at some point?" Dan suggested. I smiled and nodded, having already thought of suggesting that, and Phil and Thalia agreed. The three of them started their journey back to their car, but Thalia hung back for a second while her brother and his best friend walked on. After Dan and Phil have rounded the corner wall, blocking them from view, Thalia turned to me and placed a smile on her lips that would enchant anyone who saw it.

"Thank you for letting me experience your personal Oscar's Hotel." Thalia said looking back through the doorway and then again at me. She paused, as if she wanted to say more, but she simply gave me a look and a smile, and then she rounded the corner and was gone. I stood in my doorway for a second after she had left. And I said, to Thalia and to no one in particular,

"Of all the creatures that have come and gone in this hotel, you are by far the most intriguing."

*Thalia's POV*

I sat in the car, smiling widely at everything my eyes passed over.

I am elated.

"So." Phil began. I was waiting for him to start firing up the questions. "How was your first experience with everybody's favorite space kid?"

"It was incredible. You two are lucky to have a friend like him." I replied.

"Actually, I'd say all of us are lucky to have a friend like him. You're included, Lia- he seemed quite enamored with you." I refrained from saying anything about that, as I'm sure my red-tinged cheeks did all of the talking Phil needed to hear.

I looked into the front of the car, specifically at Dan. He's been quiet ever since we left PJ's, and that's not normal Howell behavior.

"Dan, are you okay?" I asked. He did not respond. Phil shot him a look, but couldn't do anything because his hands were on the wheel. I reached forward in my seat and placed my hand on Dan's shoulder. The second I did that, he flinched, seeming to come out of a trance. He looked at my hand, and followed my arm all the way up to my face. I lightly smiled at him, and asked my question again.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm alright." Dan said. Now, if I didn't know him, I would have believed that. But because I know him and I know what it sounds like when people are lying, I knew full well that Dan was not alright. But I left it alone for the time being, sitting back in my seat without saying a word. I tried to remember if I'd said or done anything to upset him, but I couldn't think of anything off of the top of my head.

*Dan's POV*

I felt the weight of Thalia's hand removed from my shoulder, and she said nothing. Hopefully that was enough to convince her that I'm okay.... Rather, that I'm okay by her standard. I glanced back at Thalia in the rear view, and then focused my eyes on the road before me. She was gazing out the window with a smile on her face, her blue eyes assessing everything in her wake. It's not that I'm not happy that she's befriended PJ, and it's not that I'm jealous of him. I just... I wish that all the smiles she's bestowed on PJ and everything out that window had been turned in my direction. I hope PJ appreciated every smile from Thalia he's gotten. A smile like that is enough to quicken the heartbeat of anyone in an instant.

After a minute, I cast another glance in the rear view mirror, and was surprised to see her staring right back at me. Her arms were wrapped around one another, and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed. There was no trace of the smile that I saw just minutes before. Her blue eyes seemed to hypnotize me the longer I held her gaze. I blushed, quickly lowering my eyes to my hands placed in my lap. I could feel her gaze on my every move.