Edited on 24th June'19
We were just a door away and Daniel pushed that and I came to know what it took to be called a college-guys area. The music was different from what was getting played outside and it felt like I was in a live Enimen's show. It shook my core with the beat thuds. And more than that the crowd felt massive. The guys had big vodka bottles in there hand, drinking it, upside-down. It seemed like a competition. Girls looked like goddesses from ramp walk in ultra-small clothes.
People were smooching rough in public. They were even making out, in open! At some corner, I was witnessing Hollywood style serious fights and people around were looking least bothered. That's right, fights were going on in open and there was no bouncer allowed in this area.
Suddenly I understood why Logan never introduced his friends to me in parties. I clutched Daniel's hand so tight that even he noticed my fear. He looked at me, assuring all would go well, but I could not help my eyes wandering through the fights, the vodka competition, and the make outs. I thought of asking him to go back to our innocent world outside but Daniel pulled me through the middle of the crowd. I tried to stop him but he didn't stop. He pulled me through a corner staircase and we hopped on that crossing three floors until we reached an open passage. We could still hear the music here but it faded a lot and there was hardly a person here. We crossed the passage and we reached the roof. It was so quiet here and the black sky with dark-grey clouds looked awesome.
"This place?" I asked Daniel, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Yes. This is not the terrace but the lower floor. People won't come here, nor will your brother."
"You must be thinking silly of me getting scared of my brother" I whispered.
"Nope, I know how brothers can be asses. I have a small brother too and he hates me like hell." Daniel chuckled.
"Sorry, I ruined your party. We hardly have music here or lights.."
"Hmm, lemme see," Daniel said and lit on his cell LED and started shuffling through his cell when a track of 'Give me love' by Ed Sheeran started playing. I smiled at that when Daniel extended his right hand to me and said, "May I have the honors, Mam?" I giggled and casually gave my hand to his and he swirled me in his arms, holding my back firm.
I was never this close to a guy in my life before. Call me a drama queen but now I truly felt the way Anne Hathway felt in Princess Diaries. We were dancing, or to correctly phrase it, Daniel guided me elegantly through different dance moves and I struggled badly, mostly because of my poor dancing skills and partly because of Sally's High heels which my brothers didn't notice and I could have had something of a party type apart from my junk dress.
But Daniel's sturdy hold saved me every time I stumbled. He was a heck of a patient guy to guide me perfectly through the art to swirling while holding his fingers and within minutes I was dancing way better than I ever did. It went for a while but it felt eternity for me. We laughed at his silly jokes and of course my silly dancing skill.
The only worm in a pie was Sally who was ruining my moment by texting me about my whereabouts every now and then. Frustrated, I switched off my cell and continued my skill-less dance.
The breeze was cold and Daniel took off his jacket and put it on me.
"What?" He asked when I stood still with a funny smile.
"The other day, you said you are a womanizer. You can be anything but a womanizer," I said in plain voice and I found Daniel amused. "What?" I asked in return.
"That's just your judgment. The fact is you know nothing about me, Ria." Daniel replied.
"Then tell me all. I want to know everything about you," I said that and we stopped dancing, but we still held each other close.
Daniel sighed and then said, "I was not brought up like a normal child, Ria. I saw a rough life all my childhood." He slowly withdrew his hands and we sat on the fence guard while he reduced the volume of his music which was now playing soft tracks of Taylor Swift.
Daniel sighed and thoughtfully went on, "We were a happy family when I was a kid. Mom, dad, me and my little brother, Justin. We did have financial troubles, I got to know when I used to eavesdrop mom and dad's talks, I was always a troublesome child. But still, we were happy, until a day when police came to our doorstep. They took away my dad. We got to know that my dad, who used to work in a toy factory, was fired from there a month back and he had been stealing since then with a new group on the streets to fulfill our needs.
"We were deserted badly and we faced the worse when dad was sentenced for four years of jail. Mom started working hard, taking on 2-3 shifts daily but never in our life she let me or my brother leave school. I remember how my mother and I used to cry so many nights to our beds, but we never used to let the other know of this." Daniel felt silent for a second and I held his hands with a gentle smile.
He continued, "But you know what, Ria... people who say money can't buy happiness, they are such big fools. Because when money leaves you, even relations leave you. Well, I got to know it in a hard way when my love of my life, my first love, Venesa left me all alone, just because I didn't have any money to take her out and my dad was serving his sentence in jail. I was just 14 at that time." He said and I felt shiver all over my body.
And at that moment I was just not listening to Daniel's story but also realized how cranky I used to behave with my brothers when all I get from them was their love and care. And Daniel was even younger than my present age when he faced all these situations, alone. But at the same time, I felt a sense of fear, fear that we may never get along together. Not because of my brothers but because of his past, when he kept repeating that he didn't believe in love.
Daniel told how much he loved Venesa. I could easily feel that because of the way he remembered every single detail of their dates and could describe how perfectly beautiful she looked and how sincerely Daniel used to choose her gifts and pack them himself. And I could feel Daniel's pain when he said how coldly she broke up with him on Valentine's day when Daniel used up every penny of his savings to arrange a romantic evening for her. His only mistake, he chose the venue to be under a big tree and not an exotic restaurant. My blood boiled within every time I heard that bitch's name from Daniel's lips.
I cleared my trains of thoughts when Daniel kept silent. "I am sorry, Daniel. I feel so sorry that you had to face all these things." I was honest.
Daniel smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "But I am not sorry, Ria. My life taught me to fight for myself when I had to protect myself and my brother all alone, my brother was just seven years old then. I learned to earn my own wages when mom fell sick. I learned to fight for my family when people from nearby homes used to insult or allure my mother. And most of all, I learned not to wait for anyone, my dad never returned home after he was released from jail. Mom and I searched for him for months to get any clue of him. Anything at all.
"Well, we did find him but the person we met was not I used to know as my dad. He got friends with the local goons in the jail and he was now too spoiled to return to his family. It was not until last year when I finally decided to leave my home and relocate to any place possible.
"My mom was not keeping well. Dad's memory haunted her every day and this affected my little brother the most. We chose Beaufort. And that's how I landed up here, Ria" Daniel said and switched off his music, which was still getting played softly on the background.
I cupped my hands over his. I didn't have to console him at all. He was much stronger and matured than I was or I could ever be. But I felt an urgent urge to show him that I cared for him.
I always had a thing for handsome and cute guys, but Daniel, he was different and every time I met him, I knew him better and wanted to know even more about him. And the most important thing, I was never this serious and strong headed for any other boy.
Daniel faced me now and took my hands in his and continued, "But I feel better here, this place, the school, my new friends and then, You." Daniel said softly and my breathing stopped for a moment.
"Me?"
"Yes, Ria. I never was able to share all this with anyone else in here before. But with you, I feel things easier. After Venesa left me, I started to believe that all girls are cheaters and are only after money and looks. But every time I see you I feel a different vibe. I have hardly known you but it's like I know that your heart is pure and you cannot hurt anybody.
I never felt so relaxed and calm with anybody else. I feel very protective of you. I feel happy when I am with you and I don't know why. And look at you, you are atleast 3 years younger to me... Oh my God! What am I doing?" Daniel was all fine until he started freaking out and got up.
"Ria, I swear, it's not because of me boozing. Do you wanna leave? It's ok if you wanna leave." Daniel said and he was suddenly very sad and he anxiously started pacing back and forth.
And I don't if it was the weather or Daniel's blabbers or just my hormones, but I was kissing Daniel! I just started kissing him but it lasted hardly a second or two when I retreated. Suddenly it was my turn to freak out. I turned red, never in my life I had acted this bold.
"I am sorry, I.," I said took a step back towards the wall when Daniel stepped forward towards me, taking me in his arms and started kissing me passionately. He moved a few steps forward until I was stopped by the wall. He had his hands by my face and then they moved to the sides of my waist and I hugged him to get closer to him. I moaned under his touch and his passionate kiss. All my life my friends described me how great it felt to have your first kiss but none of them did justice to what I felt right now.
"Ria..., is that you?? !!!"
My feelings were on cloud nine and then I heard that loud roar and my whole body froze for a moment.
This was a first-time close interaction between my two favorite characters. Did you like it? Please tell me!! :D