Respect

Chapter 30: One and Only

Daniel's POV
"Why did you choose to remain with me? I mean, you could have gotten rid of me and gone back to your normal life, but you chose to stay.... Why?"

"Do you not want me anymore?" she said; smiling, looking at me from the corner of her eye.

"Of course not. Besides, if you leave, who will I take care of then?"

"I didn't stay behind because you were keeping me safe..."

"Why then?"

"Because.... I wanted to" she said

"What do you mean?"

"Daniel, I'm not looking for reasons to leave this place. I'm fine here, I'm.... happy, to say the least"

"You're happy? With me?" I asked in disbelief

"Yeah"

Hearing her say those words made me feel something I had never felt before. She had chosen me to begin with and now, she was happy, being around me.

I walked her to her room that night and something in me pushed me to ask-

"Hey listen"

"Mm hm"

"Earlier today, when Brady was throwing a fit, he said something that caught my attention"

"He said a lot" she chuckled

"One thing in particular.... He said you.... loved me...."

Her eyes widened when I said those words. Darting her eyes around, failing to keep eye contact with me.

"Um, I don't remember hearing that to be honest. He said a lot and I'm...a bit tired, I'll try and get some sleep. Goodnight Daniel"

She said every word nervously and I've seen this before, I mean, I can read people like a book, it's part of my profession.
She swung the door to close it but something in me made me stop her. I held the door causing her to stop.

"How long are we going to stay like this Athena? How much longer will we lie to ourselves?"

"Daniel... " she murmured softly

"Athena, I've been running away from my feelings for you for so long. I feared, if you knew who I really was, you'd leave me for sure, but you didn't. I don't need someone to tell me to open my eyes to this reality that you feel the same, because I feel it. Every second we're together and you can't deny it" I said feeling myself weak, impatiently waiting for her response.

"Daniel... I....--"

She tried to speak when I lunged towards her pressing my body against hers, holding her so tight to not let her go, as we shared our first kiss. I could feel myself drowning in her warm embrace. Her lips so warm, plump and soft, I didn't want to let her go. Time seemed to have stopped. When all of a sudden, I pulled away. Something in me pulled away.

"I'm sorry about that" I said shakily and feeling my knees weak.

I walked out of her room and practically ran to mine, I knew I had screwed up this time.

I hit my head in anger as to why I let that happen and worse still, why I walked away like a coward.

"Why would you walk away?!"

This had never happen before. I'd never run from a woman. But there was this, 'innocence' about Athena that made me feel so tainted and unworthy of even coming close her, let alone touching her. I tried getting some rest that night, failing miserably. I couldn't get over how she must have taken it.