The Campus Demon {Nanowrimo 2020}

Chapter 21

"Why do nice people fall for the wrong ones?" Danny asked, pouring pure white alcohol into the wine glass Jessica was holding. She shrugged, wiping her tears dry with her unoccupied hand. Danny tipped the bottle lower to add more scotch but she gestured with a flick of wrist that she was fine. She didn't want to get so drunk as to forget the reason why she was at a club exactly five p.m. in the evening.

Danny obeyed her instruction, screwing the lid back in place and placing the bottle where he could easily reach for it; across from him. "I think it's because they feel that's the kind of love they deserve," Jessica said, gulping half of the content in one go. The hot liquid slightly burned her chest as it went down her patch throat, warming her insides.

"You think so?" Danny inquired, settling on a high stool.

"Yeah, at least, I do," Jessica concluded. She tilted her head, scratching the back of her neck, an act, showing she was tense. The soft music that had been playing for a while was replaced with a much stronger jazz and she had to raise her voice in order to be heard. "So, tell me, how did you get to know Valentina?"

"I didn't say I did," Danny quickly supplied, signaling to one of his uniformed colleagues to cover for him while he continued the chat.

"You didn't?" Jessica's brows shot up in accusation, a smirk forming on her lips. "I know that's a big lie, it can't be possible."

"Oh, why so?" Danny leaned in, looking seemingly interested.

Jessica took a sip of her drink, wincing as it scalded her tongue. "Do you want a mix for that?" He asked, toying with the faded gold necklace his father gifted him. It bore a sign of the cross, making her forehead crinkle. She wanted to ask him how he got it but she kept quiet, pressing her lips into a thin line. Jessica hated nosing into other people's business.

"Sure." She raised the glass of half finished liquor, smiling briefly as he added coke as a sweetener.

"I knew Val during my year one in the university. We met at this building where they do clearances and stuffs," Danny started, chuckling at the faint memory.

"Oh." Jessica's mouth rounded, suddenly realizing something. It had been there but she'd been too blind to notice. "You liked her, right?"

Danny heaved a deep sigh. "Unfortunately yes, I did." His eyes grew moist, his lips trembling ever so softly.

"I'm so sorry," Jessica apologized. "I shouldn't have brought the talk up."

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine." He blew out a shaky breath. "She didn't like me back, but we were close, so close you'd think we were a couple. But that was only during our discreet meet ups. Fikkie was in the picture and for some reason, she didn't want to disappoint him. She loved him too much for his own good," he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Waoh, I can imagine what that must have been like for you." Jessica took a sip of her drink, eyeing Danny from the rim of her glass. He picked at one of his piercings, the one on the side of his nose.

"It was purely hell. Mental torture, I couldn't stand it. But I wanted to still be there for her. She wasn't all that strong like she made people believe. She had this crippling anxiety anytime something went wrong. That bastard, Fikkie caused everything!" Danny exclaimed.

"How do you mean?" Jessica asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"He was always like Val this, Val that, but then she found out that he was dating another girl. She just didn't have her face at the time. She confronted him about it. She'd been caring for him you know, based on the contract she had with his step mum."