The next day at school, Dani's sitting in class on one side of the room, while Joe is on the other side. She glances back and shows a small smile towards him.
He notices her looking over at him but he quickly turns his head back to the front of the class, causing Dani to do the same while feeling nothing but pain and confusion.
~~~
Mia walks into the coffee house after school and a confused expression comes to her face when she sees another employee standing behind the counter. "Kyle? I didn't know you were working this shift."
"Yeah, James called me and said that I was working today."
The look of confusion doesn't leave her face. "Oh...well, I guess we'll be working this shift together then."
James walks out of the back office and motions for Mia. "Uh, Mia? Could I talk to you a minute?"
She walks over to James and stands in front of him.
He looks down at her confused. "Didn't you get my message?"
She shakes her head.
"You're not working today, Kyle is taking over your shift."
She gives him a look of confusion. "What? I already agreed to take this shift weeks ago."
"Yes, I know. But I felt obligated to listen when someone came in here and told me you have been working yourself to death."
Mia's face turns to confusion and anger when she realizes there are only two people who would have done that without her permission.
"I should have known better than to give a high school student a full time job. I just wish you would've felt safe enough to come to me and tell me that you were feeling over worked."
She shakes her head at James. "Wait? What? No, I'm not feeling over worked. I'm perfectly fine and who told you that I was working myself to death?!"
"A young man came in here yesterday...I think his name was...Logan?" He nods. "Yes, Logan something."
She drops her arms as anger takes over her face she shakes her head and turns, walking out of the coffee shop with determination.
~~~
Dani's sitting at the kitchen table with her father, starring at the birthday cake he made her.
Mr. Landon looks over at her with an apologetic smile. "I should probably just buy the cake from now on, huh?"
"That would probably be best." She pushes the plate away from her and looks down at her lap in sadness.
"I didn't think my cake would make you that upset." He smirks jokingly.
She forces a small smile and shakes her head. "No, it's not the cake."
He sighs and leans forward. "I didn't think so."
She looks back down at the cake just as the doorbell rings. She stands up and looks over at her dad. "I'll get it." She walks out into the living room and opens the front door.
"Hey." Joe looked like he hadn't slept and his eyes were glazed over like he was in a completely different place.
"Hey." She forces a small smile as she feels the nerves rising in her stomach.
"Can we talk?"
She nods and walks out on the porch, closing the door behind her.
Joe walks further out on the porch and turns back to her with a somber expression. "So...about Saturday night...when I brought you home...what happened exactly? Beause...I'm a little confused."
Dani's eyes widen and she forces a smile as hurt takes over. "Confused? Wow, and here I was thinking I was a little too obvious." She laughs softly at herself. It was her way of covering up her pain and dealing with tough situations; she would make jokes but it wasn't how Joe dealt with things.
He closes his eyes and looks at her intensely. "Please...don't make a joke out of this."
She nods and glances at the ground. "Sorry."
He puts a hand on the back of his neck and stares down at the porch. "I'm with Taylor." He stated it as if not only reminding Dani but himself as well. He continued to stand there and stare at the ground as if he was contemplating his entire life.
She realizes he's not going to say anymore so she speaks quietly. "I know."
He states another fact while staring at the ground. "I really like Taylor."
She swallows the lump in her throat and nods. "I know...and Taylor likes you...but...I like you too..." She almost whispers the last four words before looking up at him with a small smile.
He steps towards her with a small smile and takes her hands. "I love you..."
She stares back at him with hope but she had a feeling that sentence wasn't over.
"...you are my best friend."
All of a sudden her heart feels like it's about to bust out of her chest. She was his best friend...that's it...that was all she would ever be.
He looks down with a sad and unsure expression. "...but-"
She quickly interrupts him, not wanting to hear anymore of his easy let down speech. "--I get it. That's that."
He looks up at her and as soon as he sees the hurt in her eyes his heart drops into his stomach.
"You go be with Taylor and we will just pretend like nothing happened. We'll be...just friends." She smiles a sad kind of smile and waits for his response.
"Landon...I-"
She motions for him to leave with a saddened smile, hoping he will just leave it alone because one more second and she just might drown in her own tears. "Go, Adam."
He pulls her into a hug as regret and heartache flood his head and his heart. He had to make a choice, he knew that. He didn't want to hurt Taylor but hurting Dani felt like not only a knife in her heart but a knife in his as well and he couldn't help but feel like that meant he made the wrong decision.
She hugs him back, wishing this was the beginning of something, not the end of a once amazing friendship. She plasters a fake smile across her face as Joe pulls away.
He pulls back eventually and kisses her on the cheek. He lingers there for a moment before moving back just slightly. He stares into her eyes for a moment before dropping her hands and turning to walk back to his car.
She closes her eyes for a moment as he turns and walks away. She watches him drive away and slowly sits down on the steps outside her house. She leans her head against the railing as a few tears fall from her eyes. "...but you kissed me back."
~~~
Mia rushes up the steps to Logan's apartment door and begins banging on it angrily. Logan jumps at the loud sound and stands up from the couch, walking over to the door to open it. She gives Logan a scowl before pushing past him and making her way inside.
"Sure...come on in." He closes the door behind her and turns around to face her.
She steps up to him and begins speaking loudly with anger. "What gives you the right?! I mean, seriously? What makes you think you can just waltz into my place of work and negotiate my hours with my boss?!"
He suddenly understands her anger and throws his head back. "Mia-"
She interrupts him still shouting in pure irritation. "-Don't 'Mia' me! Why would you do that?!"
His anger increases along with his voice. "I don't know how you could think that I would just sit back and do nothing while you worked yourself to death!"
She throws her head back runs her finger through her hair, getting frustrated. "Gosh! You are so annoying! Why wouldn't I think that you could just sit back and do nothing?! Why do you have to butt in?!"
He steps closer to her, trying to give her anger right back to her. "Because!"
She looks at him with wide eyes, waiting for an answer. "-Because why?!"
He interrupts her quickly by putting his hands on the back of her neck and pulling her lips to his.
Her eyes widen at first and her first instinct is to push him away but for some reason she couldn't. She hasn't been able to let anyone get this close since what happened to her...so why did it feel so right having him this close? She slowly feels herself giving in and smiling as she kisses back with just as much emotion.
He slowly pulls away and leans his forehead against hers with a small smile before examining her expression. She smiles up at him and whispers. "I think I get it now." He smirks and begins laughing softly. She laughs along with him but eventually leans forward, kissing him again.