What I like about you

19

"You did what?! And said what?!" Blair screams from the other end of the phone.

I don't even have it on speaker and she is about to burst my ear drums.

"Yeah...it's nothing, B." I try to assure her but I know it won't work.

"No, Danny. It's not just nothing! Wait, did he say it was nothing?" I can hear the anger start to rise in her voice.

"No, he didn't say that." I rush out.

She scares me when she's being protective.

"Then what did he say?" She crossed her arms, her dark curls bouncing from her ponytail.

"He just said that he didn't want to lose me. He's been hurt a lot and it wouldn't be fair." I shrink under her scrutinizing stare down.

"It wouldn't be fair for who, you or him?"

That's a good question. So good that I don't even have an answer. I just stare back at her.

"Come on, Danny! You need to step up and do something about this. You really like this guy, I can tell. And it's not normal for you to like someone for this long. Hell! It's not normal that you liked anyone at all. But, if you want him, you're going to have to show him. Don't let him give you that 'I don't want to lose you' bullshit! You need to tell him something now! You shouldn't have to wait for something that should already be yours."

She's right. I do need to step up. I shouldn't have to wait for him. He's scared to get hurt again and hurt me, but life is scary. There's so many things that can go wrong but there are also hundreds of things that could go right. Nobody can tell the future, but if he keeps letting his fears get in the way, he won't like his.

"Yeah, you're right. Thank you, B." I softly smile at my best friend.

"Anytime, Danny. Ice cream?" She bounces in her seat.

"Of course!"

Blair turns the car on and speeds off towards the ice cream parlor.

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Blake's POV:

"You need to be working harder! Don't you want that scholarship for UCLA?!" He slowly paces around the study.

"I am working as hard as I'm able to, dad."

"Well, not hard enough! You've been lolly gagging around with a little girl all the time. She's a bad influence!" He sneers, my hands balling into fists as they rest on the chair arms.

"She isn't a bad influence. She's a goody-two-shoes, the most law-obedient person I've ever met." I try to keep my calm, my blood boiling.

"Maybe she's not bad, but she sure is messing with your head! You have t been keeping your head in the game!"

I jump up, surprising my dad.
"I've played better than I ever have since I met her!"

His eyes glare at me from where he's standing, his hands in the pockets of his pants.

"She's the best person that I've ever met."

"That's hard to believe." He scoffs.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I growl out.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that, you said that about one of the other girls. What was her name? Elaina?" He smirks, an evil glint in his eyes.

He's trying to piss me off. That's why he's mentioning her.

"Don't talk about her."