Linger

F I F T Y

"'No perks so it's not really worth the risk'?" Daniel repeated.

"Daniel, I didn't mean it," I pleaded, following him out onto the staff parking lot. It was mostly empty as school had just ended and most of the faculty was still inside. 

"Sounded pretty convincing to me." 

"It had to be so that they don't suspect anything about us! I'm trying to be careful."

He didn't give me a reply as he kept walking. The silence causing my heart to weigh heavily in my chest. 

I sighed. "Fine. If I did mean it, when have I ever tried to take advantage of any perks of being with you?" 

He stopped as we reached his car and he faced me. "I can't really talk about this right now, Madison. I have to go. Bran needs help." 

My face immediately fell. "Is he okay?" 

"Yeah, I just have to meet him at--" He patted his pockets before swearing under his breath. "He didn't give me an address. Hold on." He pulled his phone out and dialed. "His car broke down so I have to pick him up," he explained before the dial tone rang through the air.

"Dan the man!!" Brandon's eager voice exclaimed through the phone. "What's happening?"

"Hey, I'm on my way. Where do I pick you up?"

"Oh, right!" He swore. "What's the address here again?" Some ruffling could be heard on the other line before Brandon spoke up again. "Looks like it's 1818 West Tree lane."

"West Tree lane . . ." Daniel mumbled as he typed it into his phone before he pulled his thick eyebrows together. "Hold on .  . . Hey Bran, isn't that--"

"Oh, gotta go! My phone's on low battery and it's freezing out here. See you when you get here, 'kay?" Brandon said before the line went dead. 

Daniel stared at his phone flatly before lifting his gaze to me. "Do you need a ride?"

I blinked at him, slightly taken back by his words. "Um, I'll get one." 

"Come on." He opened the passenger door. "We'll figure this out." His eyes connected with mine and I couldn't help the way my heart fluttered. 

Even though there was a slight misunderstanding between us, I was relieved he wasn't letting it totally get in the way of everything between us. 

With a quiet 'thank you', I slid into the passenger seat and he closed the door before jogging over to the driver's seat. 

I peered around the empty parking lot just in case but thanks to the staff parking lot being all the way on the other side of the school, no one seemed to be in sight. 

"Probably not the best idea," he mumbled as he buckled his seat belt and started the car. 

I turned to him. "Why?"

"You're trying to be careful, yet here I am giving you a ride from school." 

"Yeah, but there's perks." I gave him a smile. 

His eyebrows raised up in intrigue. "Yeah?" 

"Yeah, but they're perks only we can know about. That's why I couldn't say anything." 

"Hmmm," he hummed in response, keeping his eyes on the road. 

I sighed, slumping in my seat. "You're still mad." 

"No . . . Just thinking." 

"About?"

"The address Brandon gave me. I just realized that's the address to his offices. He shouldn't need me to pick him up from there."