The Secrets We Keep

Mornings

Piper turned over feeling a warm body next to her. The warmth soothed her and made her smile. The body turned and wrapped their arms around her but she was already waking up. Opening her eyes she put her hands on the soft and dark skin running them down the hard abs she saw. "If you wanted more you could just ask," She looked up at Dante and smiled.

"I was just making sure I wasn't just drunk dreaming." Piper sat up happy she had put a tank top back on when returning from the bathroom. She looked around a little embarrassed she had some clothes laying around. "Sorry about the place I...I just don't have much time."

"Don't worry about it." Dante sat up and put his back to the wall. Piper wanted to stay in the moment for as long as she could until she saw the morning sunlight through the window. She jumped up and looked for her phone finding it on the floor.

"Shit!" Running to the closet she grabbed her waitress uniform and started changing. 

"What's going on?" Dante asked.

"I'm late for my morning job." Piper pulled the dress over herself and turned to Dante who she wished had a shirt on so she wouldn't get distracted. "I've seriously got to get out of here, so just leave when you want, my neighbor will be coming by soon so don't worry about locking the door." Dante pulled his jeans as Piper ran out of her room then out of the house. Dante took a deep breath and looked around a little concerned he wouldn't find his shirt.

Piper ran to the car and tried to get to the restaurant as fast as she could. Throwing her hair in a clip she ran in only to get the disapproving look from her manager but a smirk from her coworker. "You're late Ranger!"

"I'm sorry It won't happen again."Piper ran behind the counter to the back to put her bag away Frannie following her.

"You, girly, are never late. Please tell me you were late for good reasons." 

"You do remember I'm seventeen right?" Piper asked taking her bag off her shoulder and shoving it into the small locker.

"Yes and I'm twenty-four and miss my teen rebellion days. So who was it?"

"A boy from my school. I don't normally see them since I'm in the GED program."

"And?" Piper smiled as she clipped her nametag on and walked with Frannieback out to the main floor. "That good, for a seventeen-year-old. Color me shocked. Oh, and can you give me a ride home at the end of our shift, Penny has the car tonight." Piper agreed as she continued on to take orders in the section she usually worked. 

Spending her weekends working at the restaurant only to return home for a nap then follow it by the night job she didn't see the same fun weekend her friends got. But during the week she could sleep then go to school for the days, the other two she cares for her mother, and then go to the night job. There was a balance, but not by much. For Piper, it was enough. She could support her self, pay for the things her savings couldn't cover which thankfully wasn't a lot, and get things as needed. But it left her with very little time left for with her mother.

Piper spent the six hours on her feet already tired but thankful she could co home and sleep for a couple of hours before having to go to McDonald's. As promised she drove Frannie home before going home herself. Once there she walked up to the apartment and opened the door removing her shoes as fast as possible. She dropped her bag and finally looked up seeing the living room straightened up and the kitchen clean. "Diana?" she called out removing her jacket and putting it in the closet. "I thought you said you would never touch this place."

"She did," Piper jumped let out a gasp when she heard his voice. Placing a hand on her chest she turned to Dante surprised he was still there. "Sorry. I kind of had no ride and well...I felt I could do something nice."

"Seriously?" Piper walked up to him. "Why?" Even though she couldn't really see it on his skin she could tell he blushed by the way he acted flustered.

"I'm just going to be flat out honest, I liked you. When you still went o school I mean. I had the biggest crush on in ninth grade." Piper's jaw dropped. "Diana did stop by and she told me about your mom. About you have not much time to clean up so I took the liberty of doing it myself." Piper was a little surprised. She's never seen that kind of maturity in any boy their age. It made her heart flutter and she just looked up at him. "I wouldn't offer this to just anyone but I know you don't have much time but if you ever want to do what we did last night again I'm a call away." Dante started to walk away but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her. She got on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. He immediately placed one hand on her waist and the other on her cheek. When she pulled away she just looked at him with wonder.

"You are amazing." he kissed her this time picking her up allowing her to wrap her legs around him. He walked them over to the couch and laid her down. 

Piper didn't have time for a boyfriend. Not the way that would be good for them both. But the fact he stayed, he cleaned, and confessed he had a crush on her made her want to make time. She wanted to be seventeen. Knowing that she hated she had to be responsible so young. She didn't want to but she had to. She'd come face to face with her reality a long time ago. Piper could have him the way he offered. She loved what he could do to her and he loved what she could do to him. A good compromise for a messed up situation she was in and she wanted to take it.

"The ride I could get is finally here," Dante said as he put his shirt back on and she felt a little upset about it. "I'll get going."

"Dante" Piper stood. "How am I supposed to call you if I don't have your number." Dante smiled as he walked up and pecked her lips one last time before heading for the door. 

"It's on the fridge." Piper smiled and crossed her arms as she made her way to the kitchen finding it on the fridge as promised. 

Piper smiled and quickly put it in her phone before heading back and seeing the door that leads to her mother's door. The smile she once had faded knowing tomorrow's doctor's appointments would be filled with the answers she'd want to hear. Her mother in deep sleep most of the time forced to have a bedpan or diapers due to the meds leave her mother not very consious a lot of the time. But when she was awake she'd be happy and bridge despite the darkness that plagued her for years.

Piper finaly went into her room and laid down on the bed looking up at the ceiling wondering what would surprise her next.