Mr. Cupid

Chapter 14

"Caleb? Are you okay? What the fuck happened?" I jumped at the sudden voice, not expecting there to be someone here.

I shot my gaze up instantly, trying to focus on the figure leaning in front of me, only to realize it was Daniel. I was stunned, not sure how to react, so I just sat there with tears rolling down my face staring up at the all new superstar of the school. I didn't really want to react to anything either. I felt drained all of a sudden, after what happened in the hallway just minutes ago.

"Damn it, Caleb." Daniel said with a little frustration in his voice. He scurried into the bathroom and came back with a tissue box. He came and sat next to me, taking a tissue and bringing it up to my face to dry my emotionless flowing tears.

I was crying, but not sobbing. I didn't make a sound, I didn't make an expression either. But when Daniel looked into my eyes, when he ever so carefully dried the tears asking the simple question of "What happened to you? Who did this?" I completely lost whatever it was that put me in that catatonic like state.

I hiccuped, I scrunched up my face, and I sobbed. A fresh batch of tears falling once again. I remembered Peters face, the look in his eyes, the way he was getting closer to me, the way he grabbed my hips before I spat on him, everything. The smell of cheap beer on his breath, to his oddly messy and scary expressions on his face.

Daniels face was flooded with worry. "D-Daniel he -h-he..." I tried to talk through my emotions, but I couldn't. Daniel put his finger to my lips in a manner to shush me and pulled me close to his chest. At first, I tensed up, and was scared, but then I realized it was different. It was safe. Comforting. Loving...

My hysterically crying calmed as the minutes passed, resting in his embrace.

"Do you wanna get some fresh air?" Daniel asked gently, which I replied with a small nod.

I got up shakily, with the help of him and walked onto the balcony. I was suddenly overcome by the soft cold breeze of the night, refreshing against my skin. I went over to the railing, grasping onto it and feeling the shake of the house from the bass of the music playing downstairs.

I grasped my senses. I took deep breaths and calmed down. I should have known Peter was going to do something. I'm so stupid.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Daniel asked, coming from behind me and taking a spot next to me.

"No. Not really." I said. Daniel sighed and looked out over the balcony. You could see over some of the city from here, so it was a beautiful view. Especially at night.

"Before we moved over here," Daniel started, "My sister lost her eyeliner while she was packing so she made me go out and buy her a new one. I got to the store and they were sold out of the brand she told me to buy, so I grabbed something next to it. Apparently it was an eyebrow stain? Her eyelids were black for a month."

I looked over at him with a smile. "You didn't read the packaging?" I asked, amused. He shrugged and smiled innocently.

"Hey, it was black and it looked like an eyeliner tube. So, I took it. And she didn't bother to look at it either so it's not fully my fault!" I couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"I didn't know you had siblings." I said, still smiling and looking at him. His smile kind of fell, but it was still there.

"Yeah. I don't talk about my family a lot. It's just something I don't like to bring up." He said, looking down for a second then back up.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Is there... a reason why?" I poked my nose into his business. "O-oh I mean, you don't have to tell me, I was just, curious, eh." Why am I so awkward.

"Haha, no I don't mind. My family is just naturally distant from each other, and not very open to things except what they already know, I guess." Daniel had a distant look in his eyes that kind of made me feel weird. "What about you? Any siblings?" He asked. I shook my head no.

"My mom was pregnant when I was eight, but she had a miscarriage after my dad passed away. It's just my mom and I." I said, looking out over Alex's backyard again.

"I'm sorry about that." Daniel said a bit quietly. I looked over at him with a small smile.

"It's okay. It's just a part of life some people have to go through. I'm not going to dwell on it." I said. He looked down as if he was trying to decipher an alien language.

"Do you miss him?" He asked gently. I looked at him, hazel eyes flaming with assortments of color.

"I don't remember a lot of him, but yeah. I do." Daniel's hand caressed the side of my face. He leaned closer. I found myself fluttering my eyes closed.

His hand fell from my cheek, and my eyes flickered open. "We should go back downstairs." He whispered softly. He turned and exited the room. I was left standing on the balcony, my head confused, my heart racing and cracking silently as the party went on downstairs.

Yet, I found myself following his steps.