𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆𝑇𝑅𝑈𝐶𝐾, djs

[CHAPTER 12]

𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆𝑇𝑅𝑈𝐶𝐾

After hanging out at the nightclub with Daniel for a few hours, Alex decided it was time for them to leave.

Daniel never questioned her request and immediately downed his drink and led her outside. Alex couldn't help but like the affection and how sweet Daniel was being to her.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

Alex asked as Daniel led her outside, rubbing her bare arms from the cold.

"Yeah, don't worry I'm fine baby."

Daniel glanced over at Alex.

"You okay?" She nodded quickly.

"Just a little cold, that's all." She made her way to the car and opened the passengers side door.

"Wait princess," Daniel said quickly, taking a moment to pull off his black, denim jacket and place it around Alex's shoulders.

"I wouldn't want my angel to get a cold." Alex rolled her eyes playfully but gladly excepted his jacket. She slipped into her seat, pulling the jacket over her shoulders and bare arms.

"Thanks Dani," she said softly, glancing at the boy next to her.

He slipped into his seat and gave her a genuine smile.

"No problem sweetheart." He reached into his pocket and pulled put his cellphone, "Take a picture with me?"

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"That photo better not end up on Instagram, Seavey." Daniel held up his hands.

"It won't."
"Promise?"
"I promise, baby." Daniel smiled.

"Now picture?" Alex nodded and moved into the camera frame, allowing for Daniel to snap a few pictures of them; she didn't even noticing his arm wrap around her shoulders to keep the jacket in place and to keep the girl warm.

Surprisingly Alex leant into his touch, eventually laying her head on his shoulder and letting her eyes fall closed. Daniel glanced down at her, not daring to move. She looked so peaceful and content; he wanted that image imprinted in his mind forever.

"Princess?" Daniel asked softly after a moment, a smile playing on his lips.

"Hm?" She opened her eyes. "Sorry." She pulled away and leant back in her seat, a part of her missing his warmth.

"Let's go home."

"Yes Ma'am," he said, pulling out of the parking lot and driving off.

"So princes..."
"Yes Daniel?"

"we have an interview to do on Monday, which is when you have your spring week am I correct?"
"Which you are correct," she replied, turning her attention to Daniel,pulling the jacket over her shoulders.

"The interview is at about 11:00am on Monday and I was wondering if I could return that favour then," he said, making a turn.

"Favour?"

"Yeah, the favour of me staying at your house when I showed up with my bag a liquor in the middle of the night." Daniel grinned, stopping at a red light and looking at the girl next to him.

"You complain that your life is boring and I think I've made it pretty interesting lately."

"Yeah, you have," she replied sweetly, each word she said filled with honesty. Daniel smiled wide at her words.

"So I was wondering if you want to drive up to Hollywood for the day and do some site-seeing? I mean, you live in LA but not in central Hollywood, so let me take you there for the day and show you around." She thought for a moment.

"Yeah that sounds fun."

"Really?" Daniel asked, taking a turn.

"You want to go out with me again?"

"Yeah," she replied, "like you said, my life has been more interesting lately because of you." He smiled.

"I'll pick you up on Monday around 1:00pm then." He pulled into her driveway and unlocked the door.
"Bye baby."

Alex smiled softly.

"Bye Dani," she replied, getting out of the car and making her way inside, briefly greeting her brother Charlie before going upstairs.

Daniel sighed and drove off, the events of the night replaying in his head. He was still in disbelief that she had agreed to go out with him tonight and on Monday.

She was something special.

"Don't fall for her Daniel," he muttered to himself while he drove,
"you know you can't."

Meanwhile, Alex stripped off her dress and the jacket, placing Daniel's  jacket with the hoodie in one closed her eyes, not looking forward to the hangover headache she would get in the morning. But Alex had fun, and she figured it was worth it.

As sleep began to overtake her, her phone began to ring. She rubbed her eyes and answered the call.
"Hey Mads."

"Hey, me and Liv were planning on going to the beach on Monday. It is our first day of spring break, after all," Madison said in a hushed tone.

"The boys might join us too."

Monday. Alex had agreed to be with Daniel for the day, but didn't want to ditch her friends.

"What time are you going?"

"11:30am." Alex could manage. She would make an excuse to leave with Daniel. Simple.

"Yeah that's fine, just pick me up along the way."

"Okay, goodnight baby, get some sleep. You sound tired," Madison replied sweetly. Alex smiled.

"I will, goodnight." She sighed and hung up the call, opening her instagram and scrolling through her feed, searching for a name.

                                      𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙡
"Who's the girl?" Jack asked, peering over Daniel's shoulder at the photo of Daniel and Alex.

"Just a girl I met," Daniel  replied simply, shrugging a shoulder.

"Is she a fan?" Daniel shook his head, setting his phone down and leaning back on the couch.

"Well she's hella pretty," Jack said, sitting down next to him.

"You going to ask her out?" Daniel shook his head.

"You know I can't Jack."

"I know," Jack replied, throwing an arm around his friend's shoulders.

"But maybe she can be an exception of that rule you have. Your "No falling in love" rule."

"Probably not." Daniel shrugged.

"She's just a friend and I have that rule for a reason. It's hard for me to date when we leave so often, hence my rule."

"It'll probably be 'friends with benefits' in a week." Jack grinned. Daniel laughed and playfully punched his friend's arm.

"Oh shut up." Daniel's phone chimed, making him reach into his pocket and pull it out again. A grin formed on his face as he checked the notification.

Instagram: alexbarnes started following you.

Daniel opened her instagram account, briefly scrolling through her photos and pressing a single button before placing his phone down.

                                    𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭
Just as Alex set her phone down, a notification popped up on her screen.

Instagram: seaveydaniel started following you.

Alex couldn't help but smile as she set her phone down again, closing her eyes and falling into sleep.