A Soldier's Girl

Chapter 2:

Chapter 2:

Pulling into the driveway, I sneak across the grass and climb the lattis in my dress and high heels. Getting on the roof I crawl to the window I want, and slowly jiggle it open. Getting it up high enough, I stumble in and Daryl clicks on his bedside lamp and looks at me in shock. Sitting up, he is shirtless and notices my distraught manor. It's been a long time since I climbed in his window late at night.

"Beth...what's wrong?" More tears stream down my face and I hurry to his bed and lay down beside him. He simply holds me close and rubs my back. My head is on his chest and he is sitting half up with his back against the head board.

"You were right, Daryl. You were right. I was an idiot to think you weren't right." He understands now. I feel his chest restrict and he just keeps holding me, like he always had. Whenever I was upset, he would pull me in close and hold me for a long time, always making me feel safe and secure. Sometimes, rarely, he would hum me our favorite song, 'Hold On' by Tom Waites. This wasn't one of those times. I know he wants to say I told you so, but he never does. He could always say that when it's this kind of situation, but he never does, because he knows he doesn't need too.

"Beth, are you okay though? What happened?" I snuggle my face into his chest and close my eyes.

"This college guy shoved me against the wall and shoved his tongue in my mouth as he tried to feel me up. I... I hate guys. I hate them." Propping me up, he looks into my eyes, and smiles as he wipes them for me.

"Well, we're definately not a smart bunch. Haha, let's get you something to sleep in." Getting up, he leaves me in the bed and goes over to his drawers. Pulling out my favorite tee shirt of his- a black Rocky Horror Show one, and a pair of his red plaid pj pants, he hands them to me, as he pulls my heels from my feet. Helping me up, he unzips my dress for me and before he turns around so I can change, he kisses my forehead. "It'll be okay, Beth. You'll find a guy some day who will want to give you the world, because you'll be his."

My eyes swell with tears and my chest pangs with emotions. He rarely speaks this way to me. So sweet and sensitve, full of wisdom and care- it's almost like he's speaking from a romance novel. "Now, get changed. We have a full day ahead of us. I want to see your new moves. "

Turning around, he waits for me to get dressed. Part of me wants to just go up and kiss him, hold him, and not care about boundries. But I know this is not what he wants or would think of wanting from me. We've been friends for 18 years, I have no doubt in my mind, that if he wanted that from me, her would have recieved it a long time ago. Finally, I pull on my clothes, denying myself what I want and crawl into his bed. Crawling in next to me, we cuddle close on his twin bed, because we never make the other stay on the floor. He holds me close, but I know it's only to keep me from falling off the bed.

...........................................................

Morning breaks and I awake on Daryl's chest. His arms are tight around me and I can feel his whole body breathing. Trying to get comfortable, without waking him up, my leg accidently touches his morning erection and he moans as he wakes.

"Sorry. I didn't want to wake you... I was just trying to get comfortable." I whisper to him. Smiling, he rolls onto his side and I fall to the bed. He releases me from his grasp and stretches. I stretch too, but not as abrupt as he does. He shoves a hand into my face and nearly pushes me off the bed, but cataches me at the last moment. Laughing, I curl back into his chest. "Thanks for almost killing me. Asshole."

"Potty mouth. I saved you from the trechorous fall." He brushes hair away from my face and I just smile and gaze into his mystifying blue eyes. I don't know why I keep thinking these thoughts, but I do. And there's this feeling in my stomach that makes me feel sick and ticklish.

"Daryl, can we always stay like this?" Looking down at me, he seems confused and I can't help but feel this is a mistake.

"We'll alway be friends Beth. We'll always have each other... but I, I have to tell you something. I wanted to tell you last night, but you had Prom and then the party, and you were upset, that I just didnt' want to tell you then." Sitting up a bit, I look at him and feel my heart begin to race. What could he have to tell me?

"Wha... what is it?"

"I'm leaving in four days."

"What! Why?" I sit up all the way and he pulls himself up and leans against the head board. He seems forlorn and crushed.

"I'm going into the Navy. I deploy on June 11th... I wanted to tell you, but you had a lot going on."

"Daryl... why didnt' you tell me a long time ago you were doing this?" I push my hiar out of my face and he does the same.

"I wanted to tell you, but things kept coming up. Beth, I just hop you're not mad at me."

"I...I'm not mad, I just... wish we had more time, ya know. But it's not like you'll be gone forever, right?"

"That's the other thing. I'll be gone for six years."

"So I won't see you till I'm 24! That's not fair! Daryl! What am I gonna do without you?" He scoots closer to me and tilts my chin so I look at him. Tears are streaming down my face and he wipes them with his thumbs.

"Beth, I'll always be with you. I'm in your heart, right?" He becomes sad and I push myself at him.

"Of course... but I need to tell you something." He looks at me confused and I feel my heart exploding. "I don't think you're gonna like it though..."

"Probably not, but what is it?" I hesitate before speaking my dark secret.

"I've.. I've liked you for a long time... and I wanted you to know before you left. I know you don't feel that way about me, but I hope we can stay friends." He takes it in, then pulls me close.

"I'm not a bad guy Beth. Of course we'll still be friends. It's just... it's not mutual. I'm leaving for 6 years and I don't want to start anything. You get that...right?" I begin to cry and he pulls me into a tighter hug. Tears stain his bare chest and I have small shakes in my chest. I knew he wouldn't feel that way about me. I knew he couldn't love me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm perfect. Just wanted ya to know, ya know. That's behind us now. It's fine."

"Okay."

But it's not okay.