Defining Lines

Defining Lines- Part 6


“I’m Rayne,” I smile, “That’s a pretty name.” I note.


“I like Rayne better.” She smiles, “But I thought Dantes girl was named Esme?” She asks cocking her head to the side.


“I…wouldn’t be able to tell you.” I shrug trying to keep a smile on my face. “Dante and I are friends.”


“I didn’t know friends cuddle.” She shakes her head looking at her half empty bowl. 
I blow off that one, scratching the top of my head. I heard the sound of someone walking out from the hallway, causing both of our attentions to be brought behind us.


“Who are you?” A young looking mother asks while wrapping her hair in a scrunchy as she approaches us. 


“I’m Rayne,” I smile standing up to hold out my hand to her. She shakes it hesitantly before looking down at her daughter.


“She’s nice mama,” Amara adds.


“Rose,” She introduces herself. “Did you spend the night?” She asks.


“Oh yeah… I wasn’t feeling too good, Dante brought be back here.” I say slightly nervous.


“I can see why he likes you.” She says as a matter of factly, venturing to the kitchen, “I guess he’s done with Esme…” She mutters

“Esme?” I ask sitting on the stool across from her

 “His girl…thing.” She tries to explain. “Dios mio, the girl…” She mutters twirling her finger in the air, “Always had him wrapped around her little finger.”

I look down at the linoleum floor blankly before back up at her as she was pouring a glass of orange juice. 

“Mama, dejar de hablar.” A familiar groggy voice interrupts the conversation. Dante stands shirtless in his swear pants in the doorway of the hallway looking furious. 


“Elle no saba?” She responds to him in Spanish.


“No importa.” He mutters, “Let’s get your stuff Rayne.” He nods me towards him.

I look back at his mother with a meek smile as she sipped her juice with warning eyes to me. 


“I’m going to work,” She says putting her cup in the sink before disappearing into the other room to get her bag.


I follow Dante down the hallway back to his room where he was putting on a t-shirt now. 
“Let’s get you home.” He says flatly.


“Are you okay?” I ask slipping on my sandals that were in the middle of his floor.


“Perfect.” He says sourly. Dante brushes past me, putting on his own shoes while silently letting me know we were leaving now. 
“I’ll be back,” He says to Amara as we pass her, still on the couch with cartoons.


“Bye Rayne!” She smiles. I wave back before he urges me out the door rudely.

“You never told me where you went last night.” I say quietly.

“It doesn’t matter.” He says quickly.

 
“I can walk myself back.” I finally snap, suddenly annoyed. 
“I don’t know what’s up with you...” I shook my head stepping off his porch. “Sorry for passing out in your house, I didn’t know you were going to ditch me.” I say sourly, the thought of the whole conversation with his mother, tempted to spit out a sassy remark about that as well but decide against it.


“I didn’t think you’d notice.” He shrugs.


“Oh, I get it...You thought you could leave and not think I’d notice. That makes perfect sense.” I roll my eyes.


“You can go if you want.” He says crossing his arms.


I look up at him in total shock. “Wow...” I shake my head.

 
“Wait, I didn’t mean it like that.” He says quickly skipping down the two steps after me. 


“You know what, maybe we should just talk later.” I suggest opening his gate out to the boardwalk. 


“I know what they told you in there Rae...” He says still following me. I stop and look up at him, swallowing a lump within my throat. “Dante, if you have a girlfriend or something, that’s cool. We are just friends.” I shrug.


“I don’t...it’s really complicated.” He starts to say shaking his head.


“Well when you can really tell me, just let me know.” I say closing the gate behind me. 


~*~Dante~*~


I never would have expected a girl like her could get mad like that. She suddenly just put this guard up against me…but it’s not like I didn’t do the same.

I should have just told her, right now. I could have just told her. Dante, why do you do this to yourself? It’s not even complicated anymore!

She’s gone. Done. End of story!


I grab on to the gate clenching the iron bars in my fists angrily, watching her walk down the boardwalk in the same clothes from last night. God her cousin was going to kill me! 

I didn't want to hurt Rayne. I was scared to get close to her I realize. Something about her is different. She has this capability to make me let go, make me forget. I forget our differences that she doesn't see. 

Maybe it was good to let her walk away, that way I could think about everything. Take time to think about Esme, to think about her. 

"You should tell her babes," My mother interrupts my thoughts from behind me. I turn around to face her. 

"I thought you left." I say sourly.

"I was waiting for you to either go with her or come back inside," She says flattening out her scrubs while stepping off the porch.

"You guys didn't need to tell her." I spit.

"I figured that since you had a new girl over she knew." She crosses her arms over her chest challenging me.

"Stay out of my life." I shake my head brushing past her. She grabs my arm tightly, yanking me backwards.

"Don't talk to me like that." She says bitterly squeezing me tightly. "Don't hurt a girl like that. She isn't like us or the others, she deserves to be treated right if she's gonna get into anything with some one like you," She warns looking me deep in the eye. Great, one more person remind me she isn't latino! "I'll be back later mi amor." She says kissing me on the cheek

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So sorry I've been MIA for the past couple weeks! Crazy personal issues going on here =/ But please if you are still reading, vote, comment, and fan <3 I will have more this week