Danielle’s POV
“Tyler?”
“Hey, Danielle.” He smiled.
I stood there frozen, not able to even move, staring at Tyler standing at the beginning of the walkway to the door. My heart was beating hard and fast, and I thought it’d beat right out of my chest. I didn’t know what to say, or how to even react to his sudden appearance. When my brain finally began to function, only one thing came to mind. Protect myself. I picked up a brick that was surrounding Jada’s flower bed, holding it in a defensive stance. “What are you doing here?”
He took steps forward. “I just came--”
“Don’t move any closer!” I yelled. “I swear I will kill you.”
“No, you don’t understand.” He stepped closer.
“Don’t test me Tyler!” I yelled gripping the brick tighter.
“Alright.” He lifted his hands in the air, backing away. I loosened my grip on the brick, but I still didn’t let my guard down. “I just came to talk.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
“Dani?” I heard Jaden’s voice. He came to the door looking at me, then Tyler, then me, then Tyler again. “What the hell is going on here?” He asked standing in between Tyler and I. Neither of us answered. He looked at me and saw the worry, fear, and anger in my expression, then looked to Tyler. “You’re the guy from the club, right?”
“Yeah. Hey.” He waved.
“What are you doing here? And Dani, why are you holding a brick?”
“She’s scared I’m going to hurt her.” Tyler answered. “I just came to apologize. Danielle, I’m sorry, for everything. You were trying to be a friend, and I took it too far. I had to spend a week in jail, and then they said you decided not to press charges. I’ve definitely learned my lesson.”
I stood speechless, dropping the brick to my feet. That couldn’t be the end of it. After all the hassle, and everything that he’s caused, does he really think that’s the end?
Jaden looked at the both of us confused. “Someone tell me what’s going on!” He demanded. I shook my head, not being able to find the words to explain what was going on because even I didn’t know. “Who are you?!”
Tyler sighed holding out his hand for a handshake. "I'm Tyler."
Jaden stood frozen, much like I was. "T- Tyler?" Now realizing exactly who he was, Jaden's expression turned from confused to angry. "You need to leave." He said sternly.
"With all due respect man, I can't leave-- I won't leave until Dani says she forgives me."
"Excuse me?" Jaden said, walking closer to Tyler. "You sexually assault my girlfriend, damn near rape her, and you want forgiveness?" Jaden grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground. "You don't deserve forgiveness!" He threw him to the ground and lifted his fist.
"Jaden!" He stopped and looked at me. I walked over and pulled him away from Tyler who was cowering in fear. "Calm down. You have way more to loose, and he's not worth your career. Go get the boys, and I'll handle things." He looked between me and Tyler, contemplating what he should do. "Go on. Just, make it quick." Jaden walked back in the house, and I could hear his footsteps running upstairs and him calling for the guy's help.
"You might want to quickly say what you really want. They'll be back in less than a minute." I said sternly.
"I'm here for forgiveness, just like I said. I'm sorry for what I did. I'm not trying to become best friends, or take you away from Jaden. I just want you to say you forgive me, and I'll be out of your hair forever." He started scratching his head nervously, and to be totally honest, he sounds pretty sincere to me.
"Why?"
"I'm leaving the country for a while... I'm going to Europe to maybe get signed by a label, and I can't have that on my conscious. It's been bad enough thus far, and the guilt has only gotten worse."
I stood there thinking, but then realized Jaden would be back any second. "I'm sorry for your guilt, and I believe you are sincere about your apology. But to be honest, I forgave you a long time ago."
He smiled, relieved of his guilty conscious. Only seconds later did Jaden and the cavalry come back. He stood his ground firmly with Mateo, Moises, and Chresanto behind him.
"Now, you have one last chance. Leave," Jaden crossed his arms.
"Or we'll make you leave." The boys said in unison.
“Come on Dani,” Madison said, coming from behind me with the rest of the girls. “Things may get a little violent.”
“It’s okay, Tyler isn’t going to start any real trouble… He got what he came for.”
“I’m leaving, I’m leaving.” Tyler said throwing his hands up in defense. He walked to his car and got in, mouthing a ‘Thank you’ to me, though no one else noticed.
We all went inside-- Moises, Mateo, and Chresanto high fiving each other and cheering. They said they’re official goodnights and everyone went back upstairs, leaving me and Jaden alone in the kitchen.
I leaned on the counter, with my hands in my head. It didn’t take long for the after affects of the drinks I had earlier to kick in. “UGHHH!!!”
“Are you alright?” Jaden asked me. I felt him wrap his arms around me from behind, and I instantly felt better.
“I’m perfect.” I turned around and kissed him passionately. “It’s all behind us now. I have a feeling he’s not going to be back… You guys scared him off.” I said, as a joke to myself. Of course I know they really didn’t scare Tyler all that much, but why tear down Jaden’s ego?
“We were pretty intimidating.” He laughed. “Did you like how I said ‘If you don’t leave,’ then the guys finished my sentence ‘We’ll make you leave’ all together? I thought that was pretty cool.”
“Did you guys plan that?” I joked.
“Yeah, we took like 30 seconds while Teo was putting on clothes to make a game plan… I accidently walked in on him and Sky in the middle of his uh… Birthday surprise.”
I laughed loudly, burying my head in Jaden’s shirt to try and muffle the cakeling. “Oh god, that’s hilarious.”
“More like disturbing...”
I giggled once more, getting it all out and playing with the hem of Jaden’s collar. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For protecting me… I’m glad I had my big strong boyfriend there for me.”
“Oh you could’ve handled that punk. I heard that threat. ‘I swear I’ll kill you!’” He mimicked me, tightening his grip around me so I was closer to him.
“Well, I needed something to make him keep his distance.”
“You know, it was actually kind of sexy. I uhh… I had to fight the urge to rip your clothes off of you.”
I chuckled remembering I said the same thing to him earlier. He lifted the bottom of my shirt, slipping his hands beneath it and rubbing my lower back. “Well do it now… Don’t fight the urge, embrace it.”
“Good idea.” He lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and kissing me. I smiled into the kiss as he walked up the stairs and into his room-- managing to lock the door without breaking the kiss. He laid me on the bed, finally disconnecting our lips to take off his shirt. I ran my hands down his chest, as I often enjoy doing.
He leaned down kissing me again, and ripping my shirt open. “I’ll buy you another.”
“Don’t bother… It was yours.”
~*~
November 8th
“Jaden, have you seen my school books?” I asked him, rummaging through his the bookshelf in his room.
“School books? We have school books?” He asked looking up from his computer.
“Really, Jaden?”
“Sorry. I do all my work online. Why do you need them anyway?”
“I’m about to leave for class, and I need my books.” I got on my knees looking under his bed.
“Hey, Dani… Can I ask you a question?” He asked cautiously.
“You can ask, but no promises that I’ll answer.” I said bluntly giving up on searching under the bed, and walking to Jaden’s closet..
“Okay… Well I know you haven’t talked to your family in a while, and Thanksgiving is coming up. I was just wondering if you planned to go see them?”
I sighed heavily. “Can we talk about this another time?” I yelled from the closet.
“Well, I guess but--”
“Found them!” I pulled the books from a pile of clothes, though a couple of Jaden’s ‘special’ magazines were pulled out with them. “Eww. You should really get rid of those.” I scowled throwing the magazines at him and walking out of the room, downstairs.
“Wait up!” I heard Jaden yell from his room. “I’m coming with you.” He caught up with me as I was walking out of the door. “So, no to Thanksgiving in New York?”
I stopped abruptly in my tracks. “Jaden, I really want to have a good day, and not to be a bitch or anything, but you’re really dampening my mood.”
“Oh sorry, I just thought--”
“I know, and that’s sweet. Just… Ask me later. Okay?”
He nodded his head, and we continued to walk to his car. “Mr. Keller is going to be so excited.”
“He definitely is going to be surprised.” Jaden opened the door, allowing me to get in before he went to the driver’s side and got I as well.
“We haven’t been in class in what? A month or so?” Jaden asked as he drove out of the driveway and got on the road.
“Yeah, a little less than a month. What do you think Mr. Keller is going to say when we walk in?”
“Oh, Mr. Smith and Ms. Summers. So glad you decided to grace us with your presence. Please take a seat and don’t disrupt my class.” He mimicked.
I laughed at Jaden’s imitation of our teacher, as I opened the door of the car and began to walk toward the building. As we stepped in the class, all eyes turned towards us. Mr. Keller stopped speaking, turning his attention towards us as well.
“Well look who it is class, Mr. Smith and Ms. Summers. It must be Christmas if they’ve decided to grace us with their presence.” Mr. Keller said sarcastically. “Go a head, take a seat. And don’t disrupt my class.” I smiled to myself thinking about Jaden’s imitation and how it was right on the money.
Jaden and I went to the back of the room, sitting at an empty table. I took my books out of my bag, and Jaden took his phone and headphones out, putting them around his ears and turning on his music. I can’t believe I thought he came along to actually learn something.
~*~
November 25th
Danielle’s POV
I sat on the couch flipping through channels on the TV, trying to find something to watch. I’d been sitting here for about an hour and was bored out of my mind. Jaden, Moises, and Mateo had a business meeting, and everyone else is busy, leaving me with nothing to do.
I heard the door open, and I ran over just in time for Jada to step in. “Hey.” I said eagerly.
“Umm… Hi.”
“What’cha doing?”
“Well, I’m going to put all these groceries up in the kitchen.” I looked down noticing the bags in her hands. “Want to help?”
“Of course.” I took the bags out of her hands and walked to the kitchen setting them on the counter. “So how was your day, Jada?”
“Pretty good. Tiring actually. You?”
“The exact opposite… I’ve been bored out of my mind since I woke up.” I took a bunch of cans out of the bags, setting them in the pantry.
“I see that. I’ve never seen someone so happy to put up groceries.”
“Well, sorting food is my passion.” I said with a light laugh.
A small silence passed before Jada spoke again. “So, Danielle, do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?”
“Not really. I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Are you sure? You know you can borrow the jet to go to New York. I’m sure your family is really missing you.”
“I’m not too sure about that… I haven’t spoken to them since that big argument during the tour.” I put up the last bit of food in the fridge, then sat at the kitchen table across from Jada.
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know. Before we left I told them not to call unless they were going to apologize… I doubt they have anything to say to me now.”
“Awh, I’m so sorry, Dani. We never meant to come between you and your family.”
“No no, it’s okay. I mean, if they can’t understand who needs ‘em right?” Jada opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped not knowing what to say. “I do miss them though… Especially my little sister Tori. I can only imagine how she’s grown since I first left a year ago.”
“Maybe you should call them. I know they’d be thrilled to hear your voice.”
I sighed deeply. “Can I ask you a question?” She nodded her head. “Do you think it was the right decision? You know, choosing Jaden over my family?”
She looked down at her hands, thinking of what to say. “Well, I can’t really say for sure… Only you know what’s really the best for your life.” I looked down in disappointment, taking her answer as a ‘No.’ I felt Jada’s hands hold mine, and I looked up to see her eyes straight on me. “But I will say this, Jaden is going to be there for you no matter what. We are here for you no matter what. Jaden loves you, and so does this family; including the unofficial members who seem to have moved in.” She laughed.
“Thank you, Jada.” I stood to give her a hug, embracing her in thanks. I pulled away, and she placed her hands on my shoulders. “Being a mother myself, I know your mom misses you deeply. Please consider going to see your family for the holidays.”
“I will.” I assured her. She hugged me again before I walked out of the kitchen and to Jaden’s room. I was grateful to have that heart-to-heart with Jada, and I was definitely going to consider her advice.
~*~
Jaden’s POV
I was riding in the car with Mateo and Moises, on the way home from our business trip. The two were arguing in the back seat about the new design of our winter line coming up, often using words in spanish that I couldn’t understand.
“Is there anyway to shut them up?” I asked Keith, my driver/bodyguard.
“I’ve gotten used to it… I have twin sisters.”
I sighed pulling my phone out of my pocket and going through my contacts looking for a number I wasn’t sure I even had. I scrolled and scrolled until I reached the J’s, seeing my own mother’s name then Danielle’s mother below it.
“Hey, can you guys shut up for like 5 minutes?” I yelled to the bickering brothers in the back. They calmed for a moment allowing me to dial the number.
It rang and rang, and I was sure I was going to get no answer. I took the phone from my ear reaching for the red button on the screen, before I heard a faint voice come from the phone.
“Mrs. Johnson?” I said quickly putting the phone back to my ear.
“Yes? Who is this?”
“Hi, it’s Jaden, Danielle’s boyfriend.”
“Oh, uh… Hi? I didn’t expect your call.”
“Yes, I know it’s unexpected. I could call back if you’re busy…”
“No, no, no, it’s fine. I just never thought that’d you’d call after…” She trailed off. “Well after that debacle between our families.”
“Yeah, I didn’t really think much of that afterwards… Jason was just trying to protect Danielle, and I understand that. It’s actually what I called about, do you think that maybe our families could maybe bury the hatchet and come together for Thanksgiving? I know you haven’t spoken to Dani since the last time we were in New York and I also know she misses you guys a lot.”
“Yes, we miss her too. Jason and I wanted to call but we didn’t think she’d want to speak with us. We just wanted to give her some space until she was ready.” I heard her breathe into the phone. “I guess that’s another mistake made by us.”
“Well the good thing about mistakes is that you can always fix them. How about this, I get Danielle up there the day before Thanksgiving, and bring her to your house. That gives you enough time to talk it out and make everything right.”
“Sounds perfect. Thank you Jaden. I’ll be sure to put in a good word with my husband for you.”
I smiled happily. “Thank you, Mrs. Johnson.”
“Jaden, call me Jane.”
I smiled even wider. “Thanks, Jane.”