Guardian Angel

Chapter 18 - Daniel

Daniel knew she was right. If he wanted to be more than the friend she didn't tell her boyfriend about, he had to be there when she needed him. He wished he could explain her why he had disappeared into nowhere. He wished he could tell her what he was and what he was willing to do for her. He wished he could tell her the real reason he had wanted to meet her at the library in the city centre instead of the one at her school. But he couldn't. Not until he had found a way to be with her for the rest of her life. Not until he knew for sure he would not just take her happiness away without giving her anything in return.

"And before you ask, yes I'm still angry about that." Melody shrugged her shoulders.

"You have all rights to be." Daniel nodded. "I'm trying to be better, okay?" He smiled and Melody rolled her eyes, but smiled back at him.

"It's almost impossible to be worse. Not if you still want to be called friend, at least." Melody sighed. She had had her fair share of fake friends over the years.

Her first best friend, Thomas, had been her first love too. He had asked her to date her when they had both been seven and he had broken up with her when they had been eight.

Melody had been to a hair dresser and had cut her hair without asking permission to do so.

Daniel had always believed that even for an eight year old that was a stupid argument and most of all he had seen how heartbroken Melody had been.

Maya, a girl in her class, had taken Melody under her wings and all had been fine for a couple of years. Then Maya had all of a sudden lost interest in Melody and had stopped being the best friend she had been for years.

Daniel didn't know if it had been fate or bad luck, but this circle had repeated itself over and over.

Every time someone had chosen to become Melody's best friend, they had eventually let her down again too.

A part of Daniel was hoping that maybe that would happen with Max too, but another part of him knew that if Max would break Melody's heart no one would be able to glue it anymore. Daniel's only chance was making sure that Melody was the one breaking Max' heart. Daniel's only chance was finding a way to become a real competitor and win her heart in an honest, direct duel with the boy who had made her smile like no one else had ever done.

"Let's first see if this library has what you're looking for." Melody walked towards the huge gates of the library.

Even though the library at her school was already quite impressive, the one in the city centre was even bigger. And of course the psychology books and the books about myths, rites and folklore were not located anywhere near each other.

"I think you need something about self harm and suicide prevention?" Melody used the words almost without thinking about it and Daniel saw a few people around them tensing their muscles.

His lips curled up into a smile. Despite everything thoughts like that had never crossed her mind and he admired her for it.

She had been in so much pain. She had endured so much. And still she used the words self harm and suicide as if it were nothing but words in a study book.

"Yes, yes I think I do." He didn't, but he followed Melody to the right section and he watched her while she cocked her head and let her eyes go over the titles.

She looked calmer than she had ever done before and a smile was playing around her lips.

Daniel knew that Max was the one making her this happy and he knew he was selfish for wanting to take that away from her. But Daniel hoped that maybe he could give her something even better.