My One and Only ?

Chapter 05

Melissa's POV:

I glanced up and saw Daniel sitting on one of the branches and whistling.

I called out his name a few times but he didn't respond. I observed his ear phones and realized the music is probably too loud for him to hear me calling him.

I looked around for a small stone and threw it at him. It hit him on his left shoulder and he did get distracted.

He looked down for the source of the stone and smiled when he saw me.

Daniel jumped down and sat in Indian style in front of me.

"Hey there! I didnt see you sitting..." He said, plucking some grass off the ground.

"Yeah, neither did I. I got to know you were here only when I heard you whistling." I responded.

"Uh that... okay..." He said as he sheepishly grinned and ran his hand through his hair.

"So, what's got you here today? Another argument?" I asked.

"Nah. No argument.. Just thinking of home, I mean thinking of California." He said.

"California?" 

"Yeah, life back in California. Um... I used to stay there earlier, with my dad..." He said and smiled.

"Oh, that's why I didnt see you around before now." I said, stating the obvious. (Duh me!)

"Um... yeah... I shifted here last summer, took some time off and um... joined school this year." He said.

"So technically you are a year older? To me, I mean..." I asked him, again the obvious.

"Uh, yeah..." He said and smiled.

"But Ms. Ernstwell has been here since quite some time now..." I said, trying to figure out the back story.

"I used to live with my dad." he said, with a straight face.

"So, Um... Ms. Ernstwell and your dad are...?" I asked, kind of embarrassed.

"Yeah, they dont live together. They got separated 4 years back." He said.

"So why'd you move here?" I asked and he didnt say anything for about 5 seconds.

"You dont have to tell me if you dont want to... I mean, it's okay, I understand..." I said trying to make things less awkward.

"Melissa, relax. You are not intruding. I moved to Iowa because my dad got transferred to LA, and I didnt really want to go there" He said and shrugged.

"Oh... So the whole shifting thing must have been pretty hard, right? I mean I can bet California is way different than Iowa..." I said, sounding

slightly sympathetic.

"Kinda... I mean I like Iowa, it's all so calm and stuff. But yeah, I miss the kind of life I had there and my friends, you know..." He said.

"I can only say that Iowa isnt half as bad mate. And friends, make new!" I said, smiled and shrugged.

"We'll see. Anyway, why are you here today? Personal problem yet again?" He said and winked.

"Haha no. Had some business to manage earlier so couldnt attend the class and cant enter in the middle. So, passing some time?" I replied.

"Um, why does this "business" give me an ugly feeling?" Daniel asked.

"Because it kinda is ugly." I said.

"Melissa, serously, what are we talking about here?" He said, frowning.

"Um, care to miss your next class?" I asked him.