Mr. Cupid

Chapter 18

"Hey Caleb." Daniel suddenly said from behind me. I was walking out the school doors and I jumped when I heard his voice. He was leaning on the wall beside the door, so I didn't see him while coming out. "I was waiting for you." He smiled. I saw he still had the pie.

"Oh. Oh yeah!" I said, stupidly. "Well, then, let's get going?" I asked, with an awkward smile. He nodded and pushed himself off the wall into a walking pace.

We started down the street, away from the school and towards the neighborhood. It was quiet yet content between us. The days started to get colder as the year came to a close, so scarfs and jackets were everywhere.

"So uh," Daniel spoke up, breaking our content silence. "On my way to the front of the school I ran into that Jennifer girl and she asked about the pie. I told her that you gave it to me and she said that you took it before she could have some so I gave her a piece." I looked at him with a disgruntled face.

"What? That's obscure!" I grumbled displeased. Well, there goes my good mood. "We were partners in Home Ec and she didn't give two shits about that pie, only my journal. And when I gave it to her she took off."

"Huh." Daniel mumbled with a stern thinking face as we walked. "Why'd you give her your journal?" He asked, and I looked away.

"She uh, she needed help with some things." I lied, kinda.

He let out a loud sigh and said bluntly, "you're fucking awful at lying, shrimp." I looked up at him with a slight offended look.

"Excuse me?" He rolled his eyes.

"I said you're awful at lying, first off your voice got more quiet and you looked away." I felt my face get a little warm and I crossed my arms, pouting a little.

"I do not." I grumbled quietly. I heard him chuckle lowly.

"Okay, Pinkie. Whatever you say." It was quiet for a few moments, then I remembered something I wanted to ask.

"So... about the football game coming up..." I started off, a little gently. I saw his face slowly rest into a scowl. I looked down at the passing sidewalk. "Are you going to play?" I mumbled gently.

He scoffed, "Of course I'm playing, Caleb. I'm the quarterback for Hades sake."

"Well, I just wanted to ask since you didn't know about it, and your reaction to finding out wasn't... great." I whispered, feeling a little bad that I brought it up. But, he shouldn't really be mad at me for asking, right?

"Well, it isn't really any of your business either." He grumbled. I was slightly taken aback at his defensiveness.

"Well excuse the fuck out of me for giving a shit." I kind of shouted. He looked over at me and sighed.

"It's whatever." He concluded.

"But is it really, Daniel? Just fucking whatever?" I argued. "I thought we were closer than that at this point but I guess I thought wrong." I sped up my pace and started walking away from him.

"Shit. Caleb! I didn't mean it like that." Daniel shouted after me. I turned around to look at him, trying to fight the tears from spilling out of my eyes.

"Mean it like what? Like I didn't mean shit to you? Like we didn't fucking share anything?"

"I never said that, Caleb! I fucking care about you. I just..." Daniel looked down, a black expression playing along his face.

"You just what?" I pushed, voice cracking a little at how I felt utterly useless in this situation.

"I... I fucking can't." Daniel begged. I couldn't stand looking at his broken strained expression any longer.

"Daniel, who fucking hurt you?" I asked, sternly. He looked at me, face full of regret and sorrow.

"Too many people." He walked closer to me and sighed. "Too fucking many."

"Talk to me about it. Let it off your chest. I can see you're suffering under your happy dickish facade." I demanded. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"Where do I even begin?"

"Wherever the hell you feel like it should."

~~~

We walked the rest of the way home. I made some tea and put out a few snacks for us. Daniel made excuses the whole time, avoiding the conversation we desperately needed to have. And, I let him for a while.

"Athena and Poseidon are... and that concludes... mhn." I mumbled as I typed the final sentences on our essay. I looked up from my laptop screen to see Daniel sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, mug in hand while he was staring off into space. I sighed, and closed my laptop.

"Daniel." I spoke. He didn't react at first. "Daniel, hey." I snapped my fingers in front of him and he snapped his intent gaze from the coffee table to me.

"Huh? What is it? Something wrong?" He questioned.

"Nothing. I finished the essay." I told him, and he looked confused.

"Oh. Did it turn out good?" He asked, avoiding the question he knew I was going to ask.

"Yep." I said unamused. "Anyways, we need to talk. And you know what about."

"What? Talk about what?" Daniel asked, still avoiding his past.

"Daaaaannniiieeeel." I whined. He sighed, and sat up, putting his mug on the table and facing me.

"Where the fuck do I even start, Caleb?" He sighed, holding a taut expression.

"From the beginning."