Forged Bonds (BxB)

CHAPTER 8

"It wasn't so bad, huh?" Danielle said while she drove us back to her house.

"It was okay" I shrugged.

"The guys liked you" She told me "Surprisingly, they did"

"Thanks" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm curious about one thing though"

"Hm"

"I lost my sleep at 6AM" She gave me sided glance "And you weren't there when I woke up"

I kept looking ahead, my expression remaining the same, as if what she just said hadn't made my heart stop together with all my body movements.

"I was probably in the bathroom" I explained.

"You know, that's also funny, because I actually stayed up for an hour before falling back asleep" She added. I thought that the reaction of my body to her words couldn't get any worse, but I was certain it was my veins' blood turn to stop "Long trip to bathroom, don't you think?"

"What are you trying to say?" I sighed, pretending I wasn't bothered. It was a new thing pretending I didn't care. I usually showed what I was feeling. Only when that feeling was anger, of course. Which usually was.

"C'mon, Jack" It was her turn to roll her eyes "It's okay you've made a friend. I don't get why you're so uptight about showing you're a human being"

If she had had my life, she would understand. But she didn't. Her parents loved her. She had friends who made her laugh. She had a boyfriend who took care of her. And her childhood was probably filled with happy memories of birthdays, Christmases, and whole photo albums of important events of her life, such as her first day to school, her first missing teeth, and whatever good parents valued in their children's lives.

The only childhood pictures I had of me were the ones my aunt Charlotte, Kaden's mom, took and kept in her house. But I didn't need pictures, because I remembered everything. I could never forget.

"You're not saying a word about it, then?" She brought me back to reality.

"Since you're so curious about my life, you could answer me a couple of things as well" I changed the topic so it wouldn't be about me anymore. Danielle shrugged, as if saying go ahead, I have nothing to hide. I envied that "What was that scene all about in your boyfriend's house? You and your friends started to talk in Morse Code as soon as Mark got into Jeovanni's room"

"That isn't my story to tell, Jack" She said after a second of silence "It would be disrespectful to Mark and to Jeovanni if I told you. You're friends with Jeovanni now. He'll probably tell you eventually. Just don't push it, alright?"

I snorted, but said nothing. I just didn't want to say she was right out loud.

"Are you down for going to a café?" She asked me "I'm still hungry"

"Sure" I shrugged.

*

Once we got into the café, we saw Lucas sitting at the table of the corner with what probably was his family. I was going to pretend I didn't see them, but Danielle immediately walked over to where they were, waving so she would catch their attention, and throwing me under the bus in the process.

"Hey everyone, I just came here to say hello" She smiled politely at them. Meanwhile, I just weirdly stood beside her.

"Hi Dani" Lucas waved "Hi Jack"

Danielle looked at me with raised eyebrows for a split of a second, not disguising her surprise.

"Dani, how pretty you are" The mother of Lucas reciprocated her smile "And I'm so sorry, but who is this beautiful gentleman?" She looked over at me. Kill me now.