The interview

Chapter 3

A/N: Daniel's Bach pad is above, nice place huh?

A week later, Daniel sat up in his bed, rubbing his face. A cold wet nose rubbed on his hand and he smiled, looking up to see the dark silhouette of his large German Shepard dog, Jax. Daniel rubbed his dog's ears and grinned, "Hey buddy." He yawned, getting out of bed and walking to his closet pulling out a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms and hoody. He changed quickly and walking out of the dark room, switching lights on as he made his way to the bathroom, quickly brushing his teeth and washing his face before heading to his large kitchen, his living room on the other side of the wide of the room. He heard paws padding on the light hard wood floor and Jax rounded the corner, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. Daniel smiled at him before picking his bowl up and filling it with dog food, "Come get it."
Jax trotted to him and sat pateintly by his feet. Daniel put the bowl down and Jax dug in while Daniel just filled a bottle with water and picked up an apple. He munched on it as he stretched himself out and bounced on the spot a few times, he usual morning routine. He sighed as he looked to the copy of the NY Times on his white L sofa. He stood and picked it up, looking at his picture on the front page. He looked to the name under the photo, Melissa Warren. He frowned, so the woman who hadn't interviewed him was taking credit from the woman who did? He felt angry all of a sudden, 'That bitch!' He threw the paper down back on the couch and whistled to Jax who was licking up the rest of his breakfast. His ears twitched and he ran to the front door, looking back at Daniel. He picked his keys up and stuffed them into his pocket before opening the door and letting Jax run out onto the quiet, empty road. Daniel closed his door and pulled his phone from his pocket, plugging his ear phones in and picking a playlist. He began jogging down the gravel road, leading out of his yard and onto the road. Jax jogged beside him, sniffing his familiar surroundings as they came onto the main street and headed down their usual route. Twenty one Pilots blared in his ears as he and Jax ran down the street. It was still dark out, and the streets were barely still alive. Daniel took his phone out and looked at the time, 6:05 am. He shoved it back into his pocket and looked to Jax beside him, "Park?"
Jax's ears stood up straight and he looked to Daniel. He laughed softly and rubbed his head, "Ok, come on." He patted his leg and sped up. Jax happily kept pace, his tail wagging wildly. Daniel turned a corner with Jax and spotted the gates to Central Park. Jax began to speed up but Daniel let out a warning 'ah' and he slowed down again. Daniel sighed and frowned, thinking back to the article about him. He hadn't been able to get that blonde woman out of his head. Her laugh and smile were so... It was like he had been running around the country twice. Her brown eyes were so sparkly and inviting, as well as her full pink lips. He shook his head, 'Snap out of it Danny. You met her once, you didn't even get the balls to ask her out before she left.' He and his dog ran through the gates and took the path around the park, towards the forest and lake. Jax began barking and raced off. Daniel pulled his ear phones out, "Jax! Jax, get back here!!!" He called, racing after him. Jax turned to him and barked, looking to a woman wearing a neon pink hoody and black yoga pants. She was tying her long, honey and gold hair back in a pony tail. She turned as Jax began barking at her, jumping on his hind legs behind her excitedly. Daniel stopped when she turned and stared, 'No fucking way!' He grinned, it was her.
Lucy grinned at the dog behind her and knelt down, "Hi cutie!!!" She cooed, cupping his face and rubbing his cheeks. Jax's tail wagged faster as he attempted to lick her face, panting slightly.
"Aww, you're adorable aren't you?" Lucy giggled, rubbing his ears softly before brushing the fur under his chin.
"Hey stranger." A voice called. Lucy looked up from the dog as he turned his head and barked to the man. Lucy blushed in embarrassment when she saw his face, it was Daniel Walsh! She gulped slightly, "H- hi."
Daniel grinned wider, "I see you've met Jax."
"He's yours?" She asked, ruffling Jax's fur again.
Daniel nodded and smiled at his dog, "He likes you."
Lucy smiled at Jax, "Well he's a big softy, huh?" She talked to Jax using doggy talk, Jax staring her with his tail going wild. Daniel rolled his eyes and pushed Jax's nuzzle aside softly, "Back off bud, she's not your species."
Lucy laughed at Jax's face when he looked back up to Daniel and pouted down at him, "Aww, is he being mean?" She cooed, rubbing Jax's head.
Daniel smiled, "I'm horrible I know." He then nodded to her outfit, "So, wanna run with us?" He offered, "I mean, we're obviously going the same way."
Lucy blushed and nodded, "Ok. If you don't mind."
He smiled and gestured for her to go ahead. She smiled shyly and began running down the path. Daniel hung back and tilted his head, letting his eyes trail down, 'Damn.' He began to run after her, biting back from saying his thoughts out loud. He joined her side while Jax ran ahead. Daniel saw her red cheeks and raised an eyebrow, "You're all red again." He laughed. Lucy blushed brighter and looked away, "So?"
"You're not still embarrassed about seeing me in a towel are you?" He laughed.
Lucy covered her face, "So what if I am?!"
"Hey, at least you didn't see the boys." Daniel tried. Lucy frowned at him and he held his hands up, "Alright, not the point." He laughed.
Lucy nudged him, not moving him and grunted, "You're so heavy."
"Thank you." He smirked, flexing his arms under his hoody, "I work out." He winked. Lucy rolled her eyes, trying to hold her blush down, "I never would've guessed." She mumbled sarcastically. Daniel smiled and moved a little closer to her, "Soooo, I saw that article today."
"Oh?"
"And there was only one name on it. It wasn't yours was it. You told me your name wasn't Melissa."
"It isn't." Lucy sighed, looking down at her pink and white running shoes.
"So this Melissa is taking credit for your interview?"
"No, not really. She wrote the questions, I just asked them."
"That's not the point. You added your own questions right? I didn't see the passionate and charity questions on that paper, so she technically is." Daniel shook his head, "It's wrong."
Lucy sighed, her breath coming out in thin streams of vapour, "It's her way." She shrugged, "She's a bitch."
"Then why do you work with her?"
"Because she's my mentor. I'm stuck with her until I 'learn' my way around being a journalist."
"Didn't you go to school for that?"
"I got a degree and everything." Lucy rolled her eyes, "Apparently I'm not NYT material yet. So fucking every guy I see must be the right way." She grumbled sarcastically.
Daniel let out a low whistle, "Slut and a bitch? That's a hell of a combo."
Lucy nodded, "Uh huh. Trust me when I say you don't want to meet her. If you did, she'd constantly be touching you and trying to take you out of the room to find a janitor's closet or something."
Daniel laughed and shook his head, "I'm not that weak. Well... Maybe. Depends on who it is." He shot her a wink. Lucy blinked in surprise and blushed, looking ahead of her. Daniel smiled slightly, "So, if you're name isn't Melissa, what is it?"
"Why are you so desperate to find out?" She sighed.
"Ok, I'll guess, tell me when I get it right. What letter does it begin with?"
Lucy sighed again before deciding to amuse him, "L."
"Ok... Lauren, Lois, Laura, Lyra, Laina, Luna, Liana, Liane, Lacey, Landa, Linda, Linsey, Lara, Loraine, have I seriously not got it yet?!"
Lucy giggled and shook her head, "Not even close."
"Are you kidding me?!" He sighed, "C'mon, tell me."
Lucy rolled her eyes, "Lucy." She smiled.
Daniel puffed his cheeks out, "I was gonna guess that next." He mumbled.
"Sure you were." Lucy smirked.
Daniel smiled, glancing over to her, "I like it."
Lucy blushed but smiled, "Thank you."
Daniel smiled wider as they came to the lake and he slowed to a stop, catching his breath and taking a swig from his bottle. He offered it to Lucy who accepted it, still blushing. She tossed it back once she had a sip and stretched her legs again, sighing. They watched as Jax sniffed around the lake's edge curiously before bolting forward into it.
"Jax!!!" Daniel yelled while Lucy laughed. The German Shepard bounded around the shallow edges in the water and barked at them. Daniel groaned and handed Lucy his phone, "Give me a sec." He sighed, running over to the lake and trying to catch his mad dog. Lucy sat on a bench and watched the scene, giggling. Daniel reached to grab Jax's collar but the dog dodged him and ran for Lucy instead, yapping at her and panting. Daniel ran over to him but Jax once again, darted away as Lucy tried to help. The two collided and Daniel landed on the cold hard path, grunting. Lucy screamed as she fell and landed directly on top of him, "Ow, sorry." She laughed.
"It's cool. I just cracked my spine but whatever." He struggled back. Lucy pushed herself up and smiled guiltily down at him, "I really am sorry."
Daniel opened his eyes half way and smiled, "Oh don't be, I kinda like how this turned out." He smirked. Lucy looked down at their position and blushed, she was laying right between his legs and pressed against him. She squeaked and pushed herself away, "Oh gosh sorry!!!"
Daniel laughed as he pushed himself onto his elbows, "It's fine. You owe me now though." He pushed himself up further and stood, holding his hand out to Lucy and pulling her to her feet. She blushed, frowning, "Owe you?"
"Uh huh, you've seem me practically naked and was checking me out, don't think I didn't notice, and now you've fallen on me."
Lucy blushed brighter but nodded, "True... Sorry."
Daniel laughed and leant against the bench, "Stop apologising and let me name my price."
Lucy nodded in embarrassment and sat down. Daniel joined her and looked to Jax, still running around, chasing birds and squirrels. He then looked over to Lucy, "So, you left so quickly after the interview I never got the chance to ask you out for a drink or some coffee sometime."
Lucy blushed and looked at him surprised, "You wanted to ask me out?"
"Well yeah. Why are you so surprised?" Daniel laughed, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees.
"I, I just didn't expect you too. I mean, I'm not exactly much to look at and guys asking me out is a rarity honestly."
Daniel's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Seriously?"
"Yeah. I wasn't exactly considered pretty in high school and college, I pretty much secluded myself from guys because I felt like they were laughing behind my back most of the time." Lucy rubbed her hands together to warm them, "I guess I was paranoid."
Daniel shook his head, "No. I get it. I was kind of the same with girls. Though I wasn't exactly into looking for a relationship. But, for the record, I think you're way prettier than any woman I've met." He smiled sweetly. Lucy blushed and looked away, feeling awkward. Daniel smiled wider and blushed bashfully, "Sorry, I can be pretty forward sometimes."
"I see that."
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, "What I'm trying to say is, I'd really like to get to know you. So maybe we could grab some coffee later or do dinner one night?"
Lucy nodded slowly, "Sure, why not?" She smiled, 'He is a really nice guy.' She looked to him to see he was grinning widely, "Great! So, coffee? Dinner? Maybe both if I'm lucky?" He tried, getting a small laugh from her. Lucy shrugged, "Maybe." She jumped to her feet, "I kinda need a coffee now anyway." She said, rubbing her hands together. Daniel stood and looked over his shoulder, whistling. Jax exploded from the trees, triumphantly carrying a giant, thick stick in his mouth. He trotted proudly towards them and dropped the stick at Daniel's feet. Lucy giggled while Daniel rolled his eyes, smiling as he rubbed Jax's head, "Nice job." He praised, picking the stick up for him to take again. They began walking towards the exit of the park and Daniel stretched his neck, "So, you working today?"
"Yeah. Yaaaaay." Lucy groaned, waving her hand in the air half heartedly.
Daniel laughed, "You were really looking froward to working there huh?"
"How could you tell?" Lucy blinked in surprise.
"The disappointment on your face whenever you talk about anything to do with it. Is because of the Slitch?"
"Slitch?" Lucy laughed.
"Crossword of slut and bitch, like it?" Daniel smirked.
Lucy laughed harder and shook her head, "You're... Weird."
"So I've been told. You liked it though."
Lucy smiled and held her forefinger and thumb apart slightly, "Maybe just a little bit."
Daniel smiled triumphantly and tugged at his hoody, "My work is done."
Lucy sniggered again and shoved her hands into her pockets to keep them warm. Daniel saw this and smiled slightly, "Cold?"
"No, I'm sweating my ass off." Lucy said sarcastically. Daniel poked his tongue out at her before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pair of gloves, "Here."
Lucy smiled thankfully and slipped the gloves on, they were miles to big for her but warm, "Thanks."
Daniel smiled back, her hands were so small compared to his, it was kind of cute.