Burning Willow

XIV

It was Saturday night, and I was lounging around in my bedroom, having nothing else to do.

Maya was still busy with her dancing, and me being the social butterfly - cough, - that I was, didn't feel like going to any parties tonight.

So instead I laid on my bed, searching through countless pictures of dresses for the ball.

I couldn't find the right one. Man, this was worse than prom.

Mom had left to go to Milan for the week. She would come back to town for the ball and some events gala, but she would leave again soon after that.
Dad was busy with work, and I hardly saw him. My stepbrother Matt and his fiancè were staying in Washington until the baby arrived.

All in all, it was a pretty decent week. And now that it was almost over, I could finally relax in peace....

Until the doorbell rang, that is.

Stifling a groan, I brushed off the crumbs from the chips I had earlier from my pyjamas.

I ran down the stairs. Nobody important came at this time, so I didn't need to look presentable.

I peeped through the keyhole. It was Daniel.

"Hey." I greeted, opening the door.

"Hello." He grinned back. "Why aren't you at the party?"

"There's a party tonight?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Don't pretend like you don't know."

"Right, Cassie's party." I tucked my bottom lip under my teeth. "Her parties always get a little too wild."

"And you're here instead?" He looked around. Realizing that the lights were still off, I flipped the switch, engulfing us in a warm halo.
"I could ask you the same thing."

He dug his hands in his pockets. "Came to check your laptop."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Your I.P. address is unhidden." He says. "I could hack into your laptop as fast as you could say cheese."

"Why cheese?"

"I like cheese." He said, all goofy. "Anyways, I just came to warn you."

I shook my head. "Wait, you tried to hack into my laptop?"

"Yeah."

I raised both eyebrows at him. "Wow, you're not even trying to deny it."

He laughed. "I never said I was a good person." He says.

"But you came to tell me to hide my I.P. address? What does that make you?"

"A decent person." He explained. "I just thought, if I could hack into your files as easily, anyone else could."

"But there's nothing important in them."

"You do happen to be a business tycoon's daughter." He said. "You don't know what people would do to get their hands on your laptop."

"Fine." I sighed. "How do I protect my laptop?"

"I could do it for you." When I pressed my lips together, he raised his hands in surrender. "Just trying to help, I swear. It's not like I'm gonna put a virus on the thing."

"With you, I'm not so sure." I retorted. "But come on, it's in my room."

I lead him up the stairs, where the light from my device was enough for the whole room. I handed it to him, but keep a careful eye out just in case.