Chemistry

Chapter 4: Daniel

Daniel pulled into the driveway of his two-story home in his gray, 2010 Toyota Tacoma. His parents had gotten him this truck on his 16th birthday, and Daniel's been trying to keep it like-new every since.

"I'm home!" Daniel shouted from the kitchen as he stepped through the back door. He turned around to lock the door, and slung his backpack from off his shoulders.

"Your snack's in the microwave!" he heard his mother shout back. She was upstairs in her office speaking with her client over the phone. Karen Diggins was a criminal defense attorney; one of the best on her side of Atlanta. Daniel's father, Joseph Lehman, was a marine biologist. As you can see, Daniel's parents were two very successful people. Which is why they put so much pressure on their son's grades, so that he can be just as successful.

Daniel's parents got divorced when he was 14-years-old. Karen ended up having custody over Daniel, while Joseph had custody over Tyler. Tyler was Daniel's 12-year-old brother. They were extremely close, and still are. It was like their parents had never divorced because they all still act like one big family. Even towards Joseph's new wife, Stephanie.

Joseph lived four houses down from Karen. The parents claim it's to keep the kids' relationship strong, but Tyler and Daniel believe that their parents still can't stand to be too far apart from each other. Tyler still thinks that there's hope that his parents will get back together, while Daniel already knows that ship has sailed.

Daniel strutted over to the microwave to see what his mother had prepared for him. He grabbed the handle and pulled it forward. "Yes!" Daniel whispered to himself once he saw the inner contents. He reached his hand in and grabbed the plate of pizza rolls.

He had already put one his mouth when his phone's ringtone went off. Reaching into his pocket to retrieve the phone, he tried his best to keep the plate stable in his hands. The phone said that he had a text message from Kyle. Kyle was Daniel's best friend and has been since sophomore year.

Daniel slid his finger across the phone to read the text.

"we gonna ball today?" it read.

Daniel texted back, "Yeah, come over."

He threw another pizza roll in his mouth, slid the plate back into the microwave, then headed off to find his basketball. Daniel jogged upstairs to his room. The ball was usually kept on the side of his bed by the window. He threw himself on the bed, stomach down, and stretched his arms to the ground to get the ball. Once the ball was in his hands, he walked out of the house and dribbled the ball until he reached his basketball goal. It sat to the left, on the edge of the driveway.

Tiara. Daniel thought as he shot the ball. He missed.

He began to wonder who this cute girl was. Where did she come from? What's her story? He's been in the same school system since Pre-K and has always thought he knew everyone in the school. Apparently not. He shoots, he misses again.

Where did she live? Who were her friends? What kind of people did she hang out with? He yearned to know. He shoots, the ball did a full 360 around the rim, and fell off.

"Dude, what happened to you?!" Kyle had said walking down the street towards Daniel's house.

Daniel turned around to face him. 'I don't know man!"

Kyle was coming up the driveway when Daniel shot again, and missed again. "What happened to you?" He asked again when he was finally in talking distance. Kyle was referring to Daniel's poor basketball skills.

"This is just my warm up," Daniel smirked.

Kyle laughed and snatched the ball. "Well your 'warm up' needs a little warming up." He looked up at the goal and released the ball. It went in, nothing but net. Easy.

Daniel went to go catch the ball. "One on one?"

"Nah, three on four," Kyle sarcastically responded.

Daniel laughed. "My ball. Check," he said standing at the edge of the pavement." He released the ball downward letting it hit the ground once.

Kyle stood a few feet in front of him and caught it, he bounced it back to Daniel.

Daniel caught it and began to dribble the ball around the driveway. "Where were you today?" he asked, maneuvering around Kyle's blocking.

"At home. Sleep," Kyle thrusted his hand downward to knock the ball out of Daniel's hand. But Daniel was too quick for him. He had already bounced the ball between his legs.

"Why?" Daniel asked. He shot the ball. For the first time that day, it went in.

Kyle nodded his head as he went to catch the ball. "Nice. My ball." Kyle went to the edge and checked the ball. "And why not?" When Kyle caught the ball Daniel had bounced back, he began to dribble. "Did I miss anything interesting?"

"Nope," Daniel replied stealing the ball from Kyle. He immediately shot the ball without even dribbling. "Except that John and Kaylee broke up."

"Why'd they break up?" Kyle asked tossing the ball to Daniel.

"Cheyenne sucked him up," Daniel answered. "No check."

"That girl has no self respect," Kyle said through the struggle of trying to get the ball.

"Uh huh," Daniel said in agreement fully concentrating on the game. Kyle ended up stealing the ball from Daniel, and he shot. It went in.

Kyle smiled cheesily, "2 to 1." He bounced the ball to Daniel from the edge of the pavement, checking it.

"At least Kaylee's free," Daniel reminded his best friend. He smirked.

"Oh yaaas!" Kyle shouted. Daniel was blocking Kyle when he laughed. 'But I don't wanna go in to soon, ya know?"

Kyle shot and Daniel lifted his hand to block it. Kyle had scored another point. "Yeah, I feel you," Daniel responded.

They played for about two more hours before they were both too tired to go on, and sat down in the driveway of Daniel's yard. "Good game," Daniel stated as he leaned back on the ground with his knees up. He breathed in his nose and out of his mouth to catch his breath. Unlike Kyle who was panting heavily.

"Yeah, yeah," Kyle said. Daniel had beaten Kyle 30 to 23. Kyle was sitting up with his knees up and his arms extended; his elbows resting on his knees.

"How do you play in those jeans, man?" Kyle asked once he noticed what Daniel was wearing. Daniel looked down at Kyle's red basketball shorts.

"I can play in anything," Daniel replied. "I'm just good like that."

"Whatever," Kyle responded still salty from his loss.

Daniel laughed at Kyle's irritation. They sat quiet for awhile.

"Do you know a girl named Tiara?" Daniel finally asked.

Kyle wiped the sweat that was running into his eyes with his white t-shirt. "Tiara who?"

"I don't know her last name."

"Is she black?" Kyle asked.

Daniel smiled. "Yeah."

"Yeah, what about her?"

"How do you know her?" Daniel requested ignoring Kyle's question.

"She was in my Biology class last year."

Daniel sat up. "What's she like?"

Kyle shrugged. "I don't know. She's quiet...and really smart."

"And cute," Daniel added staring ahead.

Kyle looked at him unsurely. "You like her?" He said it with slight disgust.

Daniel's smile disappeared. "Why'd you say it like that?"

"No, it's just that I never thought you were into black girls."

Daniel squinted his eyes at Kyle's ignorance. "I'm not into 'black' girls. Just like I'm not into 'white' girls," Daniel started. "I'm into girls, period. Their race doesn't matter to me."

Kyle shrugged. "Okay, man."