I'll Be Right Here | ✔

24 | Successful?

Derek

I STILL CAN'T believe I got Aaliyah to come with me to Denny's.

I mean, aside from the part of that guy helping me out towards the end.

I, Derek Sam Walker, am able to have a second chance with Aaliyah.

I hope. Oh God, what am I saying! Of course I can... right?

I eye Aaliyah looking at a painting. The same painting that caught my eye when I first entered Denny's with Spencer about two months ago. Fortunately, I looked up the painting immediately the next day and was able to find some interesting facts about it ― as well as the painter himself.

"Salvador Dali," Aaliyah whips her head around so fast, I'm scared it might just fall off.

She wrinkles her eyebrows. "Who?"

"Salvador Dali drew that painting," I wonder if I've made the wrong move.

"You mean painted, right?" her voice comes out more as a statement.

I bore my eyes into hers, determined not to lose this ― whatever this is. "Created, yes."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Creation and painted are the same."

I force myself from rolling my eyes. "Not exactly."

"And how would you know that?" her voice seems a little deflated now.

I take out a menu to hide my growing smirk. "Because I took art for a year."

Aside from taking Band for a year, I also took Art my Sophomore year. Just for good old times sake, and to expand my creativity. Turns out it was a good call, because I learned many beneficial things from it. Like take right now.

"Oh and by the way, why'd you even show up to my Band concert?"

I try my best to hide the guilt in my voice. "Yours?"

She seems pretty annoyed by now. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what'd you mean?" I figure I've had enough with the menu.

"I just wanted to know why you even bothered showing up," she sulks.

I contemplate telling her about my relationship with Olivia. I mean, that is why you got here isn't it? Yeah but ― "You wanna get some Froyo first?"

She checks her pockets. "Uh... I don't have any money."

"It's okay. My treat," After all, I did force her to come to Denny's.

I hand her my twenty dollar bill. "You sure?"

God, when did our relationship become this insecure?

I nod my head. "When am I not."

She mutters something before leaving.

I watch Aaliyah take her spot in line before taking out my phone and checking my messages and mails. I used to be big on social media before Cameron's death. I'd always make sure I was on top of my game when it came to recording big or small events ― and I would always be the first to post about it. The last post I remember posting was when we went as a family together to the theaters to watch The Good Dinosaur. Cameron wasn't on his game, like he usually was. I came to know later that everyone in my family knew that he wasn't going to make it. Everyone except me.

I shake out of my trance, refusing to cry and eye Aaliyah, who's playing with her fingers.

"You okay?"