Part 8. Goodbye, Daisy!

(Danielle)

We were silent the whole way to the hospital. He called Liam, his friend, once, and told him where he was going. He did not say anything about me, though.

After what felt like hours and hours, it was only 50 minutes away from school and I knew it because I had gone there a hundred times in the past one and half years, we were finally there.

I waited for Aaron as he parked the car. We both stood there for a minute, until he nodded.

"Come?"

I said yes as he walked and I followed him through familiar looking corridors, white walls and I tried hard to blend in. I didn't want anyone to notice me or call out to me. They all knew me here, but I didn't want Aaron to know that.

We stopped by Daisy's room and I stopped by the door, not wanting to disturb them. Daisy was propped in a chair, with the machines plugged in for her to go. My eyes turned wet as soon as I saw her.

Aaron hugged his dad and said something to him. His mom was not there.

Milan looked at me and started to say something, but I pressed a finger against my lips and she nodded her head with a sad smile.

I watched Aaron bending down and kissing Daisy on her forehead. It melted my heart. I felt like my heart was a gooey mess. Suddenly I didn't blame him anymore for hating me. As far as he knew, I was the one his sister was in this way, not moving.

Even I would hate myself if I had been the reason for this comatose state of the vibrant, ever smiling, ever dancing Daisy.

When he looked up from her, his eyes were red and his brows were puckered. I wanted to go to him and hug him, but I could not.

After a while, his dad left too, saying he had to finish paying the bill for the ambulance and had to talk with Daisy's doctor for the arrangement.

Aaron looked at me for a second before he turned away. I knew he was angry seeing me here. I could see it in his eyes. Whatever his intentions were, before, his anger was real now.

I turned away from him, ready to walk away, unwanted here, when he grabbed my hand.

"You deserve to be here, too, Danielle. She was your best friend and whatever it was-" He stopped halfway.

"But-" I hesitated.

"No. Go. Talk to her." He said as he let my hands go. A tear rolled down my cheeks as I walked in and looked at Daisy, memorizing her familiar face.

I held her hand in mine. "Come back, Daisy. Come back. I need you now more than ever." I walked out and. Aaron and I stood there until doctors and nurses walked in the room.

"I should go." I told him and he shook his head.

"Wait in my car. I will be there in five minutes, okay?" He said as he handed me the key to his car.

"Thanks Aaron." I said as I hugged him. I was so grateful to him for what he did to me. He wouldn't know how much, how much seeing Daisy right now meant to me.

He stiffened next to me and then softened. I pulled away, suddenly aware how close my heart beat was to his, how fast mine was.

"I will wait in the car." I said, almost running away from him. Maria, the head nurse, saw me fast walking and waved at me. She gave me a soft smile and whispered everything will be alright. I nodded before I walked out of the hospital. I opened Aaron's car and sat down, and thought about Aaron and how... How strangely different his actions were... I didn't know what changed, or why, but he was trying and my heart was slowly warming up to him.

And to be honest, that scared me.

***

(Aaron)

When Danielle left, I talked with Daisy's nurse, Milan, for a minute, thanking her for all that she had done for Daisy.

"We will all be praying for her." She said and I gave her a grateful smile. She had been there for Daisy when I couldn't. Of course, I knew it was her job, but it wasn't just a job to us. It was more, more...

My mom came inside and she looked at me with a questioning eyes.

"Where is Danielle? I wanted to see her." Mom looked around.

"She is gone." I lied and mom looked disappointed.

"Why did you let her leave?" She asked before she walked towards Daisy. "Did you see your friend? She misses you, we all miss you, sweetheart. Won't you open your eyes?" Mom whispered before she turned towards me. "Aaron, be good to her, please. She has no one, you know."

I don't care, I thought with a stubborn frown.

Daisy was rolled down the corridor and I watched as she was laid down in the stretcher. Mom and dad waved to me and then they were off.

I watched as the ambulance disappeared before I walked back to my car, where Danielle was waiting.

She was leaned against the window, her eyes closed and she looked tired. Beaten. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and her body was shaking and suddenly I felt like an asshole for tormenting her for so long.

When I walked closer, she jerked up and turned away and I knew she was wiping her tears away so that I wouldn't know.

Why Danielle? Why can't you ever show me how you are feeling?

Because then, you will use it to hurt her, won't you?

I opened the door. "We have the rest of the day off. Do you want to go somewhere?"

"Where?"

"Are you hungry?"

"No." She said as she turned away from me.

"Really? Are you, Danielle Landon,  actually rejecting an offer to eat?" I asked with a small smile. She shrugged.

"I just want to go home."

And when I realized she had just called her dorm room --now ours-- home, my heart felt weird and strange and the feeling was confusing.

***

(Danielle)

Tuesday morning, I woke up to a gloomy sky and an even gloomier Aaron. He was lost in his own world and he walked past me without bothering me, but strangely I wanted him to stop and look at me and bother me. To talk with me. It didn't make any sense, but so was my life, lately.

He went out as soon as I woke up, calling out a goodbye to me.

I dressed, and this time I took time to match my denim with a shirt that matched. I didn't want to meet Damien, like a clown, not again. His name made me smile.

"You look ordinary." Damien said as he saw me in my locker. "I thought you wore it like that as a statement. But you are just another girl."

"Exactly. Sorry for dashing your hopes." I said as I pulled my book out.

"Where to, madame?" He curtsied and I laughed.

"AP English." It was my only AP class.

He walked with me before he walked to his class. I smiled as I walked in and Aaron glared at me.

"What?" I whispered.

"Nothing. Don't smile too much at him." He said with a grunt.

"Why not?"

"Shut up and listen to Ms. Avery, if you want to graduate highschool. You have no time to waste on Damien." He said with a frown.

"Aww, million thanks for your concern." I said before turning away from him.

When the class was over, I walked to my Arts class. I loved the class and Ms. Thompson. She was too cool for a teacher. I turned to a new page and started drawing a full flair gown. Millie sighed as she saw it.

"This is beautiful, Danie."

"Do you want it?"

"Really?" Her eyes widened as she touched the drawing, her fingers soft and her eyes excited.

"For prom, maybe? My gift." I said and she squealed.

Ms. Thompson looked up from her canvas and walked to us. She picked my notebook up and sighed.

"This is fabulous. When you become famous, remember me." She said with a smile.

"I would never forget you." I said earnestly. It was true, too. She had always been the one who encouraged me to see through my passion. And here I was, only because of her.

The next class was Chemistry. Mr. Boston was talking something foreign and I tried so hard, to listen. When the class was over, I walked towards my locker and saw Sean leaning against it, talking with Millie.

His eyes followed her every move and I smiled inside. Millie was oblivious to it.

"Hi guys," I said.

"How's life?" Sean asked.

"Hot..." I fanned myself and Millie looked at me with question in her eyes.

"Did Logan finally notice you?" Millie asked, her eyes widening in amazement.

"Logan? Hah! Why would you ask that?" I asked unfazed, though I knew why she asked it. Logan was my crush, for months now.

"So? What is the matter? Did you find someone to replace Logan?" Sean asked.

"The hot one. Damien..." Millie said and Sean glared.

"He is hot." I sighed dreamily.

"You change your crush like T-shirts." Sean narrowed his eyes at me.

"Come on dude, it isn't my fault. And Logan didn't even look at me like I am a woman. As far as he is concerned, I am still five and he is my brother." I said irritated and Sean chuckled.

I left them two and walked towards The cookie corner for my evening shift.

"Hey Boss," I waved at Bessie as I freed Sarah from her place. I cleaned the counter and got ready for my shift.

"Hey Danielle. I didn't know you are working here." Damien walked in, and the place suddenly looked smaller.

"Are you sure you are not stalking me."

"I swear." He chuckled. "But now that I know you are working here, I will be a regular." He said and I shook my head.

"You are a flirt, Mr. Vincenzo."

"Do you mind?" He winked.

"Nah, go on. I need someone to boost my ego."

"You don't need ego boosting." He chuckled and this time I actually flushed.

"Are you going to order anything or are you just here to flirt with my employee, boy?" Bessie asked as she came out with a tray full of freshly baked cookies.

"Salted caramel Cheesecake and two dozen of those delicious looking cookies, to go." he smiled like a small kid and I liked watching him smile. It made him look less dangerous and more approachable.

Until...

A loud thud echoed throughout the shop and angry muffled voices followed. I stood there startled to move and Damien watched it obviously waiting eagerly for the entertainment.

I saw Samantha marching inside, her face pale and tear streaked. Her mascara was smeared and her eyes were red and puffy.

Shit, I don't need this drama here.

Following her was Aaron, his face rigid and his lips flat.

My gossipy bones got fire alert and I sharpened my ears as I noticed Sam-cow sat in the corner table, and Aaron pulled the chair away before he sat down.

"Life's getting better and better," I said to Damien, who was now staring at Samantha, deep in thought.

"Your order?" I asked politely to Sam-cow and Aaron. Aaron's eyes locked with mine and they seemed to be begging me.

What!

"Give me poison," Samantha spat and I flinched at the intensity of her glare.

"Ma'am, we only have Rat poison, though I am sure that'll work well on a rat ike you!" I said in my most friendly voice.

Aaron chuckled lightly and I was taken aback at how good he looked when he smiled. So unnaturally good and I felt my heart racing a little too fast to my liking.

Samantha stared up at me and narrowed her cat-like eyes. Her glare intensified as she noticed Aaron chuckling.

She stood up from her chair, pushing it angrily back and then stomped towards me, though the effect was unnecessary, as I was standing just a few feet away.

"You-" she glared at me, her sentence half done. "You, you-"

"Try to finish the sentence and then continue to glare," I said with a breathy laugh. "I have all the time left in the world to hear you out."

Her eyes went into a slit as she scowled and she grasped my apron and pulled me close to her face. If only she was a man, I would have kneed in her balls, but she didn't have any.

"You boyfriend stealing bitch, why are you like this? You know I like him and yet-- shit. Bitch. Why? You filthy tramp, this is why your mom and dad don't want you."

Aaron jerked up. "Samantha... Shut up." He hissed.

"Why? Why are suddenly defending her. I am your girlfriend. Not her." She screamed.

Thank God there were no customers, except Damien. He took a step closer and I shook my head. No. I can take care of Samantha.

"Are you finished?" I asked and rolled my eyes. "This is too much drama for my taste." I said.

"You... You bloody bitch, you bloody murderer. You should be in prison..."

I didn't know how she could so easily lie through her eyes. Nobody knew what exactly happened, but she knew the truth.

"Don't." I raised my hand to cut her off.

But she wasn't going to stop, not now.

"Don't? Don't what? You killed Daisy, oh, she's in a coma, alright, but she is not  going to open her eyes. It is obvious she's going to be dead sooner or later." Her voice was vicious.

That did it. She could talk about me, but never about my Daisy.

I shrugged her hands off of me and then grasped her silk blouse, tightening it around her neck. She looked pale now, when she realized what she had just said. Her eyes flickered to Aaron and back to me.

From my side eyes, I could see Aaron furiously standing from his chair, but he stopped when he noted me.

Samantha's eyes widened in fear. Her breathing hitched.

I slapped her hard across her face, leaving my finger print on her makeup caked face.

My Daisy was going to come back and I wouldn't allow anyone to say otherwise. Samantha had no damn right to talk like this.

"Talk like that again and I will kill you, this time I'll be the real murderer." I growled. "Samantha, you and I both know whose fault is that, don't we... Do you think I am always going to stay silent?" I whispered so that only she could hear and she stiffened.

Was she aware that I could spill the secret about that night here, now?

"Let me go." She struggled as I tightened my hold further.

"If I ever hear you utter one word about Daisy, you will see the side of me you have never seen even in your nightmares."

Damien came behind me and gently pried my hand away from her blouse. He then wrapped his arms around me as tears leaked from my eyes in helpless fury.

"Leave," he growled at Samantha and she turned and looked at Aaron.

"You are a bitch, you know. And Samantha, we're so over!" Aaron's callous voice rang just as viciously and her shoulders slumped, as she walked away, leaving a light ding.

"Do you want water, hon?" Bessie asked as she put her hand on my back.

"Yes, please and sorry for this drama." I sniffed.

"Not your fault. Don't worry about that." Bessie said as she grabbed a glass of water.

Aaron stood there, his eyes kind of void and empty. I wanted to run away from the place and hide from him. But I could not hide in my dorm room, because Aaron was there, too.

Bessie placed a hot chocolate in front of me after a minute and walked back inside.

"Are you okay?" Damien asked worried. His eyes held a hint of concern and it made me feel strange. Like I was not so alone.

"I am fine." I said in my most convincing tone. I drank the hot chocolate and felt immensely better. "You should go. Your order is ready."

"I know, but... Okay. Call me if you need anything. I will be there." He scribbled his number.

Aaron's eyes narrowed at him and Damien quirked his eyebrows. I could see the boys didn't like each other very well.

"Bye to you, too, McCarter." He said as he walked away.

I looked at the paper as if it was my lifeline and folded it carefully before pushing it inside my pant pockets. All the time I was aware of Aaron's eyes on me. It was unsettling.

"You wanna go to our room?" Aaron's voice was uncertain.

"Go away." I said.

"I am sorry she said about you-"

"Nothing you haven't said. And I don't care about any of that shit. But your girlfriend really did cross a line when she-"

"She is not my girlfriend and trust me... I wanted to punch her and broke her nose when she said that about Daisy." He said as he grabbed my hand. "Come on now, let us go."

"My shift is not over." I pulled my hand away from him.

"Bessie can she go?" He called out and Bessie said yes.

"Now. Are you coming?"

"I don't want to." I said as I stood up and started cleaning tables.

"Stop being so stubborn, Danielle." He said. I stopped moping the table and glared up at him. Stubborn, I'll so you stubborn!

"Aaron McCarter, I don't know what game you're playing with me, but I know better. We are not friends and get the heck away from me." I shouted. He winced, but it looked like he was not going to go away.

"I'm not playing, Danie. I can't get away from you... We need each other through this. I know I was wrong to blame you for Daise, but... I need you now. Daisy is far away and I don't have anyone... Who understands what I am going through." He whispered as he looked at me.

I wished I could say whether he was being truthful or acting. I wished I could read his mind.

I stared at him half longingly and half scared, because I knew I didn't trust him. Not fully, not yet.

There was a voice inside me, which urged me to turn my back and walk away from him.

But I did the worst mistake of my life at that moment. I nodded. Not knowing how this was going to come back and haunt me.

"Let us go to our room."

___