hard | daniel seavey

chapter seventeen

The sound of loud knocking interrupted my thoughts. I tried to ignore it, hoping it was just a neighbor and that they'd go away. But the knocking grew louder and louder. I groaned getting up and swinging the door opened.

"Madi, are you okay? I tried calling and when you didn't answer I thought something was wrong and so I asked Zach where you lived-" Daniel rambled on but stopped short when he looked at me. I tried wipping the tears away, but it was too late. He had already seen the mess I was. "Oh no, what's wrong?"

I let him in, sitting on the couch. He sat next to me with a worried look on his face. I calmed down a bit before telling him. I told him about the party and the pictures and how Aaron promised to never hurt me like that again. Daniel didn't say anything as I spoke. He nodded along, taking in everything I was saying.

"He promised things were going to be different when it would be just us. But different turned into worse." I let out a shaky breath. Daniel's hand rested ontop of mine, squeezing it a bit.

"I'm sorry. No one deserves to go through something like that," His voice was calming and instantly made me feel better.

"I'm just done. I'm gonna go over there tomorrow and end things." My mouth spoke for me before I had a chance to think them out, but I did mean it. I was tired of the memories constantly haunting me and making me feel less. Daniel's lips fought to curl into a smile, but he kept it serious. "Can we just go to bed? And then we can talk in the morning?"

Daniel nodded and stood, holding his hand out for me and walking the staircase to my room. We laid down like normal, with my head resting on his bare chest and his hand drawing shapes on my back. We laid there in silence, but we're both wide awake.

"Daniel?" I asked, even though I knew he was awake. He hummed in response. "I know I haven't made these past couple of easy and I can get complicated, but I just wanted to thank you for being here."

Daniel turned on his side, now facing me. He pulled me by my waist so that our chests were now touching.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." His lips were inches from mine. I knew he wouldn't kiss me, as a response to my request to keep things slow. I closed my eyes before reaching up and placing my lipsnonto his.

The kiss the night he taught me how to play piano was rough and spontaneous, a 'in the moment kiss'. This one, however, was more gently and passionate. Daniel's soft lips were careful as the moved over mine. His hand laying on the small of my back, pushing me closer to him, if possible. One of his hands slipped under my shirt, the coldness of his rings sending shivers up my back. I giggled against his lips, causing him to pull away.

"What?" He asked, worry filling his voice.

"Nothing, your rings are just cold." I smiled up at him. Through the darkness I could see his cheeks were now tinted pink as he smiled. I placed the pad of my thumb on the line of his jawline, gently tracing it.

"Goodnight, Madi." Daniel said, planting a small kiss on my forehead.