Painting The BadBoy ✔

55 | The Goodbye. For Now

"I don't wanna leave." I pouted. I rested my arms on the railing of the balcony, admiring the city view outside.

"Aw, but I was so eager to get rid of you." Nate grabbed a chair and pulled it next to me.

I threw him a glare. He chuckled. "Kidding." He said. He looked around, his gaze settling on the flowers that climbed the edges of the railing. "You know, mom and I used to sit here when I was little. Dani was still a baby, running around in diapers."

It was hard imaging Dani in diapers. The guy wore a leather jacket for God's sake.

He sighed. "Whatever happened to the four of us?"

I turned my head towards me. His messy hair was long, and flipped over his forehead. "If you don't mind me asking, how'd your dad pass away?"

He licked his lips. "Brain tumor." He said. "Which is why mom is so careful around Dani. She thinks..." He released a breath of air. "She's very pessimistic sometimes."

I was beginning to realize Dani's condition was worse than he made me believe. Not that I already knew, but Dani wasn't taking his medicines either.

There goes that promise in that bin in the corner.

"But she's so much fun. I've met her a couple of times in the hospital."

"Really?" Nate mused. "I'm glad she's getting better."

"Me too." I replied. "Is she gonna come live with you once she's out of the hospital?"

"Hope so." He replied. "I'm... I'm thinking of asking Gabriella to move in with us."

"What?!" I yelled, a huge grin breaking out on my face. "That's great!" Huh, I could imagine them getting married someday. "How old are you guys anyways?"

"I'm twenty-two. Gabriella's a year younger."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure you guys will make beautiful babies."

Nate looked and me and blinked. "Uh, thanks. I guess."

"Anytime." I chuckled.

"AND THE LEMONADE ARRIVES." Dani roared, balancing a tray of three glasses in one hand, and a plate of cookies in the other.

He placed them on the small circular table in the corner, and joined us.

"I hope that lemonade contains only lemon and water." I narrowed my eyes.

"And sugar." He said, munching on a cookie. "Why?"

"With Dani, you never know." Said Nate, nudging me in the shoulder.

"Stop ganging up on me." He accused. Nate passed me a lazy smile and handed me a cookie.

I mumbled a thanks and munched on it. Mmm... chocolate.

"Are you all packed?" asked Nate.

"Sadly." I replied. "I never wanna leave this place."

"We can come back anytime." Dani smiled at me.

No Dani. No we couldn't, because you couldn't travel.

The doorbell rang, and Nate got up. "Must be Gabriella. She said she'd come with us to drop you off at the airport."

Once he left, I quickly gulped down the rest of my lemonade and finished devouring my cookie.

"Hey Gabriella!" I said, walking back inside with Dani and hugging her.

"Hey." She said. "Ready?"

I nodded, grabbing my bags. They were more stuffed than usual because of all the things Gabriella had made me buy.

We drove to the airport in Nate's car, Gabriella and I sitting at the back. I looked at the city one last time, wishing I could see it again.

The buildings and streets were the same, just different people walking on the pavements, different cars that drove on the roads.

When we arrived, Gabriella and Nate got out with us and Nate handed me my bags from the trunk.

"Wait!" Gabriella cried, reaching in and grabbing a large bag from the trunk among other things. "I almost forgot..." she said, handing the bag to me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Think of this as an early Christmas present." She said, hugging me for the last time. "Maybe next time I can come over to your place."

"I would love that." I smiled at her.

Nate came forward, pulling me in for a bear-hug and instead lifting me off the ground. I squealed, yelling at him to put me down.

He chuckled. "Bye, Valencia. Have a safe trip." He turned to Dani, and looked like he wanted to say something. But he thought better of it and instead said, "Call me when you get there, okay?"

"No problem, bro."

And then Dani was leading me inside, and I was leaving Spain behind.

For now.

~.~.~.~

If you asked Dani, he would tell you that I was being irritating.

I guess you couldn't blame him though. I had asked him if he was okay a gazillion times by now.

"If I didn't have a headache already, I'm getting one now."

I leaned back into my seat. "I'm sorry." I apologized. "I'm just worried."

"I know." He squeezed my hand. "You don't have to be."

But I did. I had every reason to be worried, because I cared for him. My anxiousness had nothing to do with Dani's mom's words, or Nate's. I could see it for myself- the way Dani leaned his head into the seat and screwed his eyes shut as if his eyes hurt, or the three pills he had just taken with a glass of orange juice.

I stayed quiet after that.

The plane landed in our own city this time, so we luckily wouldn't have to drive back home for another four hours.

We were in queue at the passport check area, and I was next to Dani who was typing on his phone.

I reached into my handbag for my passport. Fumbling around, I remembered that I had given it to Dani before take-off.

"Dani." I mumbled. "Do you have my passport?"

My voice was loud and clear, at least to me. But he didn't hear it as he continued typing.

"Dani?" I asked. When he didn't show any sign that he had heard me, I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Hm?" Dani instantly looked at me, raising his brows.

"I asked you something." I frowned.

Dani tilted his head slightly. "No you didn't."

My forehead creased as I pursed my lips, my heart sinking a little. I hadn't been talking in my head, and I was pretty sure I had been loud. "Do you have my passport?" He was probably distracted.

"Yeah. Sorry I forgot to give it to you earlier." I watched him dig into his bag and pull out my passport.

My shoulder fell a little as I watched him take out another four pills and pop them in his mouth when he thought I wasn't watching.

Daniel Price, you're one heck of a guy.