"Mom!" Addie shouts, walking up to an older woman in the kitchen.
I stood by the archway and smiled at the two of them.
Her mom pulls away and turns her attention towards me. "Ah, and you must be Danielle!" she gushes, walking over to me.
"Hi Mrs. Costa," I greeted her.
"Oh please, call me Angie," she insists, pulling me into a hug. "I've heard so much about you,"
"Really?" I laugh, giving Addie a look.
I see her roll her eyes before she gives me a smile back. "I'm gonna go talk to dad okay?" she asks. Her mom nods at her before turning to me again.
"Here why don't you sit down," she motions to the table in front of me. "I just made some muffins, do you want one?"
"Oh no, I'm okay," I shake my head and sit down. She takes a seat in front of me and she hasn't broken eye contact for a while.
"You don't know how good it is to finally meet you. Everytime my daughter comes home it's always, Dani did this and Dani and I did that." she laughs.
"She talks about me that much?" I ask.
"All the time you wouldn't believe it," she smiles. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen her this happy over someone,"
"I'm sure I'm not the only reason why she's happy," I grinned.
"Either it's you or that boy she keeps mentioning," she shrugs.
"You mean Callum?" I tilt my head. She nods at me and smiles. "Those two are so good for each other,"
"And how can you tell that?" she asks, taking a sip of her drink.
I took a deep breath before answering. "Because I know Callum and I know he's nothing but great to her. Trust me, I hear it all the time." I put my hands under my chin and smiled.
"Well I'll take your word for it," she shrugs, standing up. "Poor daughter of mine always had boy trouble,"
"Why would you say that? She's gorgeous and it's the boys' loss," I got up as well.
"It's not the boys' fault. My daughter is one picky girl and unless you're lucky, she'll ignore you like the plague." she takes another sip of her drink before heading into the kitchen.
I followed her, interested in what she had to say. "Do you mind if I ask you why she does that?"
"I wish I could tell you," she sighed. "Listen, if you asked I'm sure she would explain, but something happened. I just wish I knew what." she sounded defeated and I wondered if I should've even asked.
"I'm sorry–" I was cut off by a loud crash in another room. I whipped my head towards the sound and walked towards it.
"Oh Cooper! You can't jump on those boxes!" Angie complained.
I saw a small golden retriever trot around the living room. It looked at me and came up to sniff my feet. "His names' Cooper?" I bent down and patted his head.
"Yep and he's a playful pup. We got him a few months ago and boy has he been a hassle," she chuckled and kneeled down. "Isn't that right Coop?"
The puppy left me and jumped over to her, giving her kisses and a few barks. I walked over to the boxes he knocked over and put them back up.
"So uh...where did Addie go?" I asked, putting up the last box.
"Her father's room, it's down the hall and to the left," she smiles, holding Cooper in her arms.
I stood up and actually took a look around the room. There were decorations everywhere. Accent pillows, a wreath hanging over the fireplace, orange and yellow covering the room.
"You like decorating?" I asked.
"That's all Addie. She comes home every holiday and her favorite thing to do is decorate," she laughs. "Now if you'll excuse me, Cooper here needs a walk."
I nodded at her and headed to Mr. Costa's room. I walked down the hall and followed the only noise I could hear, beeping. I finally reached the room where the noise was coming from and looked inside. I saw Addie sitting next to a bed, talking to who I guess would be her father.
"Visitor," I said, softly knocking on the open door.
Addie turns her head and smiles at me. "Dani, come," she motions for me to sit next to her so I do. "Dad, this is Danielle I always talk about. Dad, Danielle, Danielle, my dad." she introduces us
"Oh, it's finally good to put a face to the name," he holds out his hand for me to shake. He looked to be around his late fifties, early sixties if I had to say.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Costa," I shake his hand.
It was hard to focus on just him with the beeping from the giant machine and the wires that ran up his body. I tried not to show how bad I felt, but he seemed to notice anyway.
"Ah stupid cancer, stuff won't go away," he croaks.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I give him a small smile.
"Eh don't worry about it," he waves it off. "I'll be back on my feet in no time," he laughs before coughing.
"You will dad, but how about you get some rest okay?" Addie offers.
"I will, but where's Coop? I wanna see him before I go to bed," he asks.
"Angie took him for a walk. I think they'll be back soon," I said.
"Oh, first names already," he jokes.
"You know mom, dad. Always wants to be called by her name," she laughs.
"Well then, call me John,"
"It was nice meeting you John," I smiled before getting up from the bed. Addie walked me out and I waved at him before leaving the room.
~~~~~
"So tell me Dani..." Addie started sitting up on her bed. "What's up with you and Hunter?"
I took the pillow from beside me and tucked it under my arms. "It's a lot to listen to," I sighed.
"I'm all ears,"
I nodded at her response.
Here we go.
"Freshman year of highschool I walked in with people who I thought were my friends. Things happened and they all left me," I started.
"I'm sorry to hear that," she whispers.
"Don't." I shook my head. "I can barely remember their names. Anyways, a few months go by and I've been working as hard as I can, yet I was still the quiet kid in the back of the class. I didn't care though," I shrugged.
"One day a new kid came into class and he seemed nice. I don't remember how, but we became friends. For a year he was the only person in school I would talk to despite his popularity. He was on the school's hockey team and I remember him being a very talented player. At the time my mom put me in figure skating classes so we would always hang out at the rink, skating around for hours," I felt myself smiling at the memories.
"I thought everything was going well until one day, a Friday, my sophomore year."
I took in a breath and looked up at Addie. She was staring at me but her eyes told me she was listening.
"I uhm–I walked in and everyone was staring at me. And I mean everyone. I thought I might've had something on my face but when I checked there was nothing there. I asked a girl why everyone was staring but she just looked at me and walked away. Feeling uncomfortable I went to the only person I trusted, the boy I met last year."
"I was just about to reach his locker when I heard him say something I'll never forget. I didn't even see his face but I knew his voice. It was him." I stopped for a moment before I continued again.
"What did he uhm–what'd he say?" Addie asked.
I looked up at her with a frown. "He said Thompson's such a slut. She always tells me about the guys she gets with every time she sees me. She's so easy dude I remember her telling me about getting with a senior last month."
I paused. "That's what he said. Word for word. I could never forget how I felt at that moment. Betrayal. I felt betrayed by the only person I trusted. It hurt even more knowing that he was the one who started the rumor," I started to choke on my words.
"Oh Dani..." Addie took my hand in hers and squeezed it.
"What's worse is that after that Friday I planned to talk to him about it the upcoming Monday. When he didn't show up I thought, I'll tell him tomorrow. The next day he didn't show either. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. He never came back after that day and I was never able to get any sort of apology."
"That's so fucked up I'm sorry," she says.
"That's only half of it," I sighed. "I was quickly named the slut of the school and no longer was I a nobody. Everything changed after that rumor. I tried for months to deny it but after no success I decided if I can't reject the role, why not just play it." I sniffled.
"So I became the slut of the school. I showed up to every party and got with any guy who wanted to. I told you my parents were alcoholics right?" I asked.
"Yeah,"
"Well I started to steal it and bring it to the parties instead. Just like them I became someone who would drink a lot. I was never in my right mind when I got with a guy because I thought drinking would take away any regret and pain I felt. It only helped so much before I started to forget my feelings. Of course I always felt like shit afterwards and it became worse when I would remember how I got here."
"I started to not care about anything anymore and only wished that highschool would be over. I hit a breaking point when my parents died. I was just accepted into college and decided that I was done being the worst version of myself. So I changed and swore to one, never drink again and two, never end up in a one night stand situation, but...we all know how that went," I coughed.
"But in three years I became a whole new person. I met Callum and it took me a while to trust him. Everyday I thought he would backstab me, but that day never came. And I think it's because of him that I'm still here today," I felt a tear slip from my eye and wiped it away.
"But everything stopped the day you asked me to drop off your jacket. I tried forgetting everything from my past but when you said his name out loud I froze."
"Hunter..." she whispered.
"His name still makes me feel weird. I thought to myself, no way could he be here right now, but there he was. Standing in front of me, standing in Callum's apartment, smiling at me. It was like I was paralyzed, time was rewinding and I remembered all the pain he caused me years before. He looked down at me and that's when I realized he didn't know who I was. But I changed so much so how could he?" I explained.
"So that's why you left so abruptly," she whispered.
"Yeah, and it's why I haven't been to the apartment. Because everytime I see him I just remember the things he said and the betrayal," I said choking up. "And the anger I feel towards him is unimaginable, but I almost feel stupid because it's not reciprocated,"
I've never told anyone this story, not even Callum. But in four months I was able to put my trust into the woman in front of me and spill everything I wished to forget. Somehow I felt relief finally being able to tell someone. This time I didn't feel scared about what I was saying because part of me knew she would understand.
"Listen Dani, if I had knew back then what I knew now, I would have never talked to him
but–"
"You don't need to apologize for anything," I cut her off. "You did nothing wrong. I understand that you're friends with him and that's fine, but I just can't be around him myself if you understand."
"I get it but I think I might have a way to make this situation a little better," she offers.
"How?" I tilted my head.
"Well you said after he left, you never got an apology so..." she trailed off. "Why don't you tell him who you are?"
"I can't do that. I only have one more semester until I will actually never see him again. It's best if he doesn't know me ok?" I defend.
"But this might also be the last chance you're able to get an apology." she counters. "Listen, I know the last thing you want to do is bring up what happened, but I think all this built up guilt and anger is because you never got closure in the first place," she explains.
I take a moment to think. Maybe she's right. Or maybe this will all just blow up in my face and make everything worse.
"You think it would work?" I asked.
"Only if you try." she says. "It's been how many years?"
"Five,"
"Five years. That's a long time, and definitely long enough for someone to change because the Hunter I know would never do these things. Because as you say, he's too childish," she reasons.
"But that can also be the reason he doesn't care about what I have to say–"
"And why would you say that?" she asks.
"I–I don't know. Maybe because of all the shit he's put me through. He doesn't seem to have morals," I raised my voice. This was getting to be too much.
She shook her head at me. "I'm sure he cares and I'm sure he has morals Dani." I tried to say something but she held up her hand to stop me. "Listen, I don't support anything he said about you but it's been years. You just have to understand that the both of you aren't who you used to be, okay?"
I took in what she had to say. Maybe she was really right about this. I just don't know if I can bring myself to request an apology.
"You don't have to make up your mind now," she shakes her head. "Why don't we get some rest, we spent a long time in the car and it's late."
I nodded at her as I got up. Before I could walk out the door she said my name. I turned around and looked at her on her bed.
"You know I love you right?"
I let the words linger before I answered. "I know," I whispered. "I love you too."
I shut the door behind me and walked down the hall into the guest room. I sat on the bed and thought about what she said.
I could tell him who I was. But the bigger question was,
Am I ready to tell him?
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and you'll find that out soon.....or maybe never
ily guys and please comment what you think. i love the feedback so far!!