𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 ✧ 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter eighteen.

"you look stunning." 

mrs walter walked over to me as we all found our seats at her ceremony.

even after the drama, i had still been invited. and even after the drama, i still loved this family. i had to show up in love and support. 

i smiled in my rose gold dress that was shimmery and tight on my waist, and hugged her hello. 

"congratulations, mrs walter." she just smiled and rubbed my cheek with the back of her two fingers.

"hey." i turned around to see cole, and his scent hit my nose and we faced each other. i seemed to fall in his arms, and he received it all too well. he hugged me tightly.

we had honestly barely talked since the other night, any of us. but i knew it wasnt in a bad way, we all needed our space.

tension was felt as danny walked in and sat down at the table designated for the walters. he didnt look at any of us, didnt speak a word, and neither did we. thankfully, the room abrupted into claps as the crew was called up on stage, saving us all from awkward silence.

"dr. katherine walter has run her clinic for nearly 15 years..." the host introduced mrs walter with a sweet summary of her clinic and her hard efforts, she smiled and walked quickly to the podium to accept it.

"thank you," she started, but i began to tune her out when i saw cole's eyes on danny. 

his hair was disheveled slightly, hanging in front of his eyes, almost hiding the anger within them.

guess they havent talked since the play, i thought to myself. i had really hoped that they had.

danny caught them awkwardly, and shifted his away. i tried to catch them, longed to catch them actually, but he didnt even show hesitation in turning his body away from me also.

a few days later, and i still hadnt known how i felt.

cole and i had already started something. it was solid, and i was confident in it. finally. 

why was danny feeling a desire for the same thing? where had this come from?

and should i feel the same way? do i?

another burst of claps jolted me out of my thoughts, and cole gave me a look.

"you okay harper gray?" he chuckled deeply, and i rubbed my sweaty palms on my dress.

i tried to nod, but it made some dessert get stuck in my throat and i coughed instead.

he grabbed my hand from underneath the table, and his eyes were sincere. i could tell he was worried, was sensing something wrong with me. i wish i could tell him what exactly it was.

danny and i's eyes caught each other, and i just looked down.

 chatter rose in the room again, and everyone continued eating their desserts. 

it was then danny abruptly pushed back his chair and got up. i tried again not to show how much it startled me.

that was it. he was mad, he was leaving. he was done with this.

but he walked around the table, and stopped at my chair.

"harper," he muttered softly, "can we talk?" it was then i looked up at him, standing above me, "outside?"

"i dont really know if she wants anymore alone time with you." cole had said the words quite harshly, and i looked at him with wide eyes.

danny just shook his head at the boy, but didnt even look at him, waiting my response.

suddenly, i was mad at both of them.

doing this tonight, and being so bitter about it. but, at the same time, i couldnt blame them. we hadnt seen each other, or obviously talked to each other, in days. it had to be done sometime.

"yeah, lets go." i said to danny, not even looking down at cole as i got up. but i felt his shocked eyes on my back the whole walk out. 

we stood outside, in the cold, for a few seconds. 

i crossed my arms, chills dancing along them as i leaned against the cold brick wall of the ceremony building. danny stared at his shoes.

"look, harper," he took in shaky breaths, "i dont want to waste you time. or act like we have anything else to talk about." i looked up at him, "please just listen to me."

i  tucked my hair behind both of my ears to tell him i was all ears.

he let out the biggest sigh, "im so sorry harper. for all of it." we stared at each other for a second more, "look, the other night," he spoke slow, "that was complete improvision. nothing more." he spoke confidently, "i always thought that there shouldve been a kiss there. it made sense for the characters, for the scene, and it felt right in the moment. it felt right with you." i nodded along to his words, which were so certain and calm. they werent rushed or anxious, he had thought about this, "and i dont even mean that romantically. i knew you would appreciate what that brought to the scene and the plot. and i didnt do it because of some interior motive. or feelings, or-" he struggled to find the words, but ultimately his shoulders sunk, "i dont know what im trying to say."

i opened my mouth to try to help him out, but he cut me off before i could.

"because whatever im trying to say didn't spark me doing that," i finally rose to make eye contact with him, "ended up all hitting me right after i did it."

my jaw stayed open, and his eyes finally met my own, again, too.

"i dont understand." i said, but i did.

"i didnt kiss you because i liked you or wanted to," danny spoke just as confidently as he had been this whole time, "but ever since i did it, i cant stop thinking about it."

the world seemed to shake around me.

he did like me. cole did too. 

and i was left standing in the middle.

suddenly, i was mad.

mad that it had gone this way. the way i always had seen it going. dreaded it going. right when everything was right and good, it wasnt. it messed up. and it was falling apart.

"look danny," i huffed, trying to keep my voice calm, "i dont know what i think about any of this yet." i shook my head, my hair falling from behind my ears, "but you have to talk to cole." i made my voice stern, and i saw his eyes sink with dread, "im not being anything for anyone if its going to break you two apart. or ruin things." i softened my eyes, "thats happened enough in this family, and i cant be the source of more."

in a few moments, danny shoulders sank. but i knew it was in a good way. he understood. he knew i was right.

he knew what needed to be done.

"youre right." he said, "i'll talk to him."

i slowly pushed my back off the wall, walking up to him a few feet away from me, and hugged him.

his height was perfect for me to put my head to the side, and rest against his chest. it was warm and comfortable. and we breathed heavily against each other. feeling the weight of the world around us.

he was just as lost and confused as i was, and i dont think either of us knew what to do. at some point, he walked back inside, and when i did, i saw the walter family still waiting and talking to people around the room.

but danny and cole were gone. and so was cole's truck.