Before December 31st
AIDEN
I can't believe it. Firstly, I didn't expect Garth to actually follow through with the dare. Secondly, I most definitely wasn't expecting the girl to be Cleo.
But the surprise that hits the hardest is feeling whatever it is that's working its way inside of me. It's the kind of feeling I should only be having for Emma. It's a mixture of envy and protectiveness for Cleo, and even irritation towards Garth at the same time.
Come on, I tell myself, think about Emma. I should be thinking about Emma, not worrying over Garth taking Cleo out or something stupid like that. I hardly know Cleo. And she hasn't made it seem like she wants to get to know me, either. So why do I feel so...cheated?
My thoughts fall back to Emma. I have been planning to ask her out properly. I don't want everyone to just assume we're together, that's too flimsy. I want it to be official. But I also want it to be perfectly set up when I do ask, so I've been trying to come up with the right way to do it.
Judging by the way Garth is gazing at Cleo, he won't be much help. This is something else I was not expecting- Garth falling head over heels for her already. For some reason it makes me uneasy and my stomach churns. They just met! I thought Cleo was a girl with more wit about her than that.
A small voice nags at me inside my head. Hypocrite. You have only had one conversation with Cleo and just look at the way you feel. And let's not even start on the way you went about getting to know Emma.
It's all so confusing that I'm getting a headache. I know I'm attracted to Emma, not only her physical appearance but her personality, too. But there is something about Cleo that draws me in, almost like there's a mystery about her that wants me to unravel it. How am I ever going to figure this out? I put a palm to my forehead and groan out loud, without meaning to.
"You okay?" Cleo's voice drags me out of my thoughts. She's looking at me with concern in her magnificent green eyes.
"Huh?" I feel a bit dazed and my headache is only getting worse. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. But I should get going, so I'll see you both around. Enjoy that date." I direct my wink at Garth and force myself to act nonchalant and carefree, as if it couldn't mean less to me if they go out together.
Swinging my backpack over my shoulder, I leave the library without looking back.
~ ~ ~
On Monday morning I still have a headache. I didn't sleep well the past two nights and I'm unsure whether my oral is going to impress Mr. Hardwell or not. Nothing I do impresses him really, so I guess there's no need to get my hopes up.
On my way to history class, I bump into Cleo again, in the same place as I did when we first met. Except this time, I don't bump into her physically, rather, I come across her and another guy in the hall. The dude is almost my height and wearing a tank top that reveals the tattoo he has of an eagle in flight on his left arm. He also wears a glinting silver stud in his right ear.
He's talking in a low, menacing tone to Cleo and she's shrinking back from him against the wall. There's confusion in her eyes and her small frame is tense. It's clear he's trying to intimidate her, and I feel anger rise inside of me at the sight of it. Before my mind can process what my body is doing, I pace forward and place myself between them.
~ ~ ~
CLEO
It's just a normal Monday. Other than the fact that my thoughts keep on drifting to the whole Garth situation. I wonder when and if he is actually going to take me out. And I wonder at Aiden's reaction to the whole thing- he seemed to not care at all. I couldn't deny that it made me disappointed, but I ignored that. It wasn't the first time he'd disappointed me anyway, I should really stop expecting more from him.
Garth and I get on well enough. He isn't as sharp as Aiden seemed to be, but he is easy to be around. Still, something inside of me says that's no good reason to move too quickly with him.
I'm walking down the school hall, my mind wandering far away as I clutch my books to my chest, when all of a sudden a voice all too familiar rings out, crashing through my thoughts.
I stand still in my tracks, frozen.
Daniel?
I blink, and realize it is him. He's standing in front of me. He seems to have gotten so much taller than when I last saw him, when we were both almost fifteen. His hair is the longest I have ever seen it and I notice that the rumour I heard about him having a tattoo is true. It's a soaring eagle on his left upper arm. Something comes to me, and I remember Daniel's favourite bible verse from back when the name Jesus would still make him excited.
"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:31.
I ponder for a split second if the tat could be linked to the verse, but only for a moment, before he says my name again.
"Cleo!" He's almost yelling. "I'm talking to you, so stop your daydreaming. You always did get your head stuck in the clouds easily."
I flinch at his tone. "Daniel. Long time no see. I thought you were still in Massachusetts." His parents are divorced, and he's been living with his dad in Massachusetts for a while. Or so I thought.
I haven't had contact with him for a long time now. I used to try messaging him, but he never replied, so I gave up.
"Well, I'm back, so now I'll be around to remind you of what you could have had." His grin is arrogant, his stance hostile yet boastful, and I can't place his demeanour as that of the boy I used to know. "Miss me much?"
I want to say yes. Yes, Daniel, I've missed you so much. But not this fake person, not this mask, this façade. I miss the real Daniel. But I know it's better to just shut my mouth about that and move on. "I have to go. Maybe I'll see you around." My body feels stiff and uncompliant as I force myself to start walking away.
But Daniel is having none of it. He takes one big step to the right to block my way and I find myself backing off, pressing up against the wall.
I take a deep breath and try to keep my voice quiet and firm. "I need to go, Daniel."
"After all this time? You wanna act like nothing happened?"
"No. Something did happen, but it won't do any good going back there now. It's in the past." I honestly hadn't thought that he was mad at me. Upset, yes, upset enough to end our friendship, I know that. Sad, maybe. But I hadn't realized that he was furious, like he seemed to be now.
At the back of my mind I'm wondering if it's really me he's mad at, or if there's something else that's going on. But I'm too nervous to ask, so I try to push past him again.
I feel a burst of surprise and a gasp escapes when he grabs my shoulder and shoves me back. He has never treated me, and as far as I know, any other girl, so roughly like that. He wouldn't. Or, the Daniel I knew wouldn't. This seems to be a different Daniel entirely.
"What happened to you," I say, under my breath. It comes out as more of a statement rather than a question.
"What?" He leans forward, his eyes narrowing. I swallow and decide not to repeat what I said.
"Please let me pass, Danny." I use the name I used to call him when we were kids, hoping it will soften the shell he's hiding beneath. But I see that it's a mistake when his eyes harden.
"Do not call me that." He clenches his jaw. "You lost the right to call me that."
I feel a flash of indignation. Before I can convince myself it's wiser to bite my tongue, I counter with, "Do you really think I was the one who ruined things? Because I think you and I both know that isn't the truth." He just glares at me and doesn't say anything, his nostrils flaring slightly. I hold my books closer to me protectively, preparing to go on. "What, or who, has you worked up like this? It isn't me."
"You think you know it all!" His shout makes me jump and almost hit my head on his chin, he's so close. "But you have no idea-"
"Hey, man." Suddenly Aiden has come out of nowhere and pushed his way in front of me. He faces Daniel, his shoulders rigid and his voice tight with held in temper. "Back off."
From behind Aiden, I see Daniel's face change from surprise to irritation, and then darken with anger. Judging by the way he's making fists out of his large hands and how his skin tinges red, this can't end well.
---
Author's note: Hey! Thanks for reading! I worked for a while on this, editing and re-editing it but after days of trying to get it right, I still don't feel it's quite there. I'd love to know your thoughts, though. Feel free to comment and let me know what they are, and vote if you enjoyed it.
I felt it was time I introduce Daniel. And although doing it in this way doesn't portray him in the best of lights, I'm working on building his character and this just needs to be a part of it.
What do you think about Aiden and Cleo's confusion over each other? And do you reckon that Daniel has a bigger, more serious reason for the way he acted towards Cleo?