Beauty And Her Beast

3 - The Revival of Lola

"Your name is Danny?" he asked.

"Oh! My name's actually Daniela but everyone just calls me Danny. This here is Aubree."

Aubree smiled at him through the rearview mirror and Ray nodded, his eyes focusing back in on Danny. He studied her for a while before he remembered his jacket was sitting in her lap. Ray hadn't had a very good relationship with his father and the man had been dead for years now, but the jacket was the last thing Ray had of him and he couldn't bring himself to part with it. It was his dad's favorite.

The bastard.

"So where was Kyle?" Danny asked, not noticing his silent plea for the comfort of his jacket once again.

"Who?"

"Kyle. The guy who owns the mechanic shop? Do you work for him? What was he doing?"

He was busy cleaning piss off the floor and crying.

"Kyle was occupied. I don't work for him."

Danny and Aubree shared a knowing look. Ray clearly wasn't one with words.

The rest of the ride was done in silence, Bastille singing softly in the background. No words were spoken but Danny could feel Ray's eyes still on her and when she would turn, hoping she could sneak a quick peek at him, she was always caught and blushed profusely before turning back around in her seat quickly. It was childish and like playing a game of peek-a-boo but Danny couldn't help herself and the last time, when she stuck her tongue out at him, she was happy to see him smile softly back in her direction. His chest bouncing once as he made a sound between a chuckle and a scoff.

Aubree pulled over in front of the nearest Red Line station and Danny felt a sense of dread wash over her when she realized this would be where they parted. Ray got out of the car and before Danny realized what she was doing she was getting out of the car too. They stood in front of each other, Ray clearly waiting for her to say something since she had been the one to get out, but Danny just stood there awkwardly, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. She could hear Aubree snickering from in the car and knew she should hurry up and say something but, after deciding to get out, her brain had completely abandoned ship and it was every man for themselves.

She couldn't think of anything and the more she stood there the more she wanted to be hit by a car or shot in the head. Anything that would get her out of this situation.

Eventually, it was Ray who came to her rescue, the ghost of a smirk on his pink lips as he looked down at her.

"Thank you, but there's no need to walk me in."

"Um no, no of course not. T-Thanks again for the help with the car. I didn't mean to make you leave your friends."

"It's fine. I wanted to help."

The corner of Ray's lips twitched as he fought to hold back a wide smile. The rain stopped on the drive over and his hair was drying in messy curls and his shirt clung to his chest. Even after being so wet Danny could still smell his aftershave and feel the heat radiating from him. His attractiveness still floored her but now that she'd managed not to swallow her own tongue, she could at least speak normally.

"Then all I can say is thank you. I'll see you around Ray."

Ray nodded slowly, his lips parting as his tongue darted out to wet them. Just like Danny a moment ago, he was simply staring now and he knew he should have said something but no words came to mind. He knew what he wanted to say and what he wanted to happen next but he couldn't force himself to make any of that reality.

In a last desperate attempt to be closer to her somehow, Ray took a step forward and reached out, clasping a strand of her dark hair between his fingers. It was soft and silky and he was tempted to reach for her cheek next but the gasp that slid through her lips and the blush that painted her cheeks was enough for him.

Now he knew at least that he wasn't the only one affected.

"Have a good evening Daniela." In an instant, Ray was gone leaving Danny standing on the sidewalk breathless and her heart pounding. He disappeared inside the station and Danny swallowed before composing herself as best she could and climbing back into the car.

Aubree was on her immediately.

"Oh my gosh Danny why didn't you get his number?!"

"Because I was too focused on trying to breathe properly!" Danny shrieked, dropping her head against the dashboard with a defeated groan. Aubree laughed and pat her back gently before pulling back into traffic. "That was soooo embarrassing! He probably thinks I'm some fish mouthed dumb freak or something."

"I doubt that sweetheart. You're super cute and he was all over you. Besides, he can hardly judge anyone's speaking ability with all his one-word monotone answers."

"It doesn't matter anyway. I probably won't ever see him again."

"Oh you're seeing him again Daniela Grant. In fact, you're seeing him again this weekend." Aubree said and she seemed way too confident for Danny to take her seriously. Danny had lived in Chicago all of her life and she'd never met anyone as......well as dominating as Ray. She doubted she'd be lucky enough to meet the boy a second time. So, even though she wanted to believe Aubree, she couldn't do anything but laugh.

"I wouldn't bet any money on that Aubree."

"Maybe not money, but I'd bet a sexy brown leather jacket and an iPhone."

At the mention of the jacket, Danny jerked forward and looked down at her feet where, sure enough, Ray's jacket sat with his phone sitting on top of it. Shoot! She'd forgotten to give that back to him when he left.

For a moment Danny was freaking out and felt terrible about taking his things but, as Aubree smiled and reassured her that this was a good thing, Danny couldn't help but believe her. This hadn't exactly been the way she wanted it to happen, but this was basically a guarantee that they would in fact meet again.

And when they did, well Danny would be prepared.

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And chapter three is complete! How was it? I don't have much to say in this author note but I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please don't forget to comment and vote :)

edited 4/15/18