𝐈𝐓 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐑 ; daniel seavey

F O U R

This time, when Ashley sat down in front of Daniel, he noticed her.

He was in the middle of taking a bite from his sandwich when she slid across the table from him. He looked shocked, his eyes wide and his jaw still hanging open. Ashley would have laughed, but his genuine confusion held her back.

Without her consent, her lips twitched up a bit. "I thought you said it was alright for me to sit here."

He closed his mouth and nodded slowly.

"Then why do you look so surprised?"

"I didn't think you meant it." His eyes flitted away bashfully, as if he didn't intend to blurt that out, and Ashley's chest suddenly felt like it was being stabbed with a hot metal rod. "I thought you'd find someplace better to sit," he added. "No one really wants to be around me anymore."

Ashley was at a loss for words. How do you reply to something like that? She's only known Daniel for two days and she already can't stand the thought of him continuing to live in this endless hole of sadness.

His whole face flushed red as he pulled his hood closer to his head, as if attempting to disappear. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He then abruptly left his seat and dashed out of the cafeteria.

"Daniel wait!" Ashley chased after him, not caring that the whole lunchroom was staring at her.

She was able to catch up to him as he rounded a corner. She grabbed his arm and held it tight as he tried to shake her off.

"Daniel listen to me. You have nothing to be sorry about." He still wouldn't face her, so she decided upon a different approach. "Would you like to come to my house after school tomorrow?"

That got his attention. He turned around slowly. She could practically see the hesitance in his eyes as he pursed his lips and looked at her earnestly. "Really?"

"Yeah. We can even work on our art project while you're there." He still appeared unsure, so she added, "I want to spend time with you, Dani. I want us to be friends."

His eyes suddenly brightened. "Um, okay. Sure. I-I'd like that." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry for running off. I was just-"

"Daniel, like I said before, you have nothing to be sorry about."

She smiled at him, and although he didn't smile back, she felt like she helped repair a little part of him.

And for now, that was enough.