Crashing into Dane.

23

Dane's POV

I knock on Cheryl's door immediately after she closes it. I am so worried. I didn't expect this, I didn't expect her to be leaving. Urgency is surging all through my veins when I walk into her room. She's packing her clothes into her bags by the handful, her mind as busy as a hive. I can tell she's not comfortable with this whole situation, how do I get to talk to her without being overbearing...or a nag?

I sit by the bed and watch her move.

"I can't tell Dad, he'll freak out and it could cause problems." She twists a coat angrily and shoves it into her bag. I say nothing.

"I can deal with Thandie. I'm not the little girl she tried to manipulate all those years ago. I'm not. I can live in that house alone, I don't need her gold- digging shadow lurking in our house." She's breathing heavily and I can see her hands starting to tremble now. I don't want to see her cry, she's had enough of that. But still, I don't move, I don't say a word.

"You know what? I'm going to ask her exactly what she wants when we get home. I'm not buying her bullshit. Imma call her out and get her out before she's even unpacked."

I don't know what's happened with her aunt, I know I can't ask. All I know is what my mom told me, that her mom had left her when she was just a kid. I commend her father for raising such a strong, young woman, and seeing all that be shaken by the appearance of this so-called aunt of hers, makes me believe she can't be a good woman at all.

Cheryl's done packing and sits by the bed next to me and rests her head on my shoulder. "It was pretty weird, but awesome staying with you guys."

I feel heat flush through me from her closeness. I let out a sigh, "You don't really have to go, Cheryl. I can talk to my mom. I can clearly see that you don't want this woman around. I'm sure she'll understand."

She shakes her head and stands, walking to her bags, picking a couple of them up and exhaling. "No. I need to deal with this now. I don't want dad ending up involved in this mess. I really don't."

I walk towards her and take the bags from her, slowly. I place them on the bed, beside me gently and reach my arms out to her.

"Come on, Dane," she avoids my eyes, "don't be a corny prick. I'm not moving to China. I'll literally be in the next street."

I ignore her and move closer, not minding the fact that I still haven't showered, and pull her into me. This is a familiar feeling running through me, the heat, the emotion welling up inside me that I can't describe. But today, something else lurks inside my emotions, regret, worry. She's leaving and it'll never be the same. Living together made us so much closer in the past weeks, I don't know if the chance for me to understand how I feel has passed or not, I just know she's leaving too soon and we won't get to be as close again.

"It won't be the same," I breathe out and hug her tighter.

"I can't breathe, Dane"

I chuckle and let her go, "I feel like you just say that to get out of my hugs."

"Guilty," she chuckles. Still standing a few inches from me, her golden brown eyes piercing into mine like she's trying to say something else.

I can't take my eyes off her and her closeness draws me in. I lower my face towards hers and she leans in. I lose myself for a second in her strong, rosy scent before I realise I can't be doing this. Taking advantage of her when she's in such a state. I avoid her lips and kiss her cheek. Swallowing hard as I pull away.

She throws her arms gently around my neck and draws me in, her eyes flowing into mine, the breath between our lips hot and still. My mouth goes dry and I can't feel my heart beat.

Footsteps in the corridor send us jumping away from each other and my mom appears from behind the door. "All packed up?"

We both clear our throats and Cheryl smiles sheepishly, avoiding my eyes again. I want to laugh. Had my mom given us a few more seconds... we'd have kissed. I would have kissed Cheryl. I can't believe I waited all this time to do it and now I might never get the chance again, it was the heat of the moment.

My mom grabs the last of Cheryl's bags and stops before we head out, "Cheryl. If anything goes wrong, let me know and remember, you'll always be welcome here." She kisses her on the forehead and starts walking. Cheryl nods and we follow, neither of us daring to glance at the other.

****

Cheryl's POV.

I leave my bags by the door to my room and head back downstairs as quickly as I can. Thandie is skimming the house with her conniving eyes and has her bags all neatly set by the living room. I watch her closely and try to imagine the reason she could be here, playing house.

I clear my throat and she turns to look  at me, smiling.

"How did you know I was at the Mapanzura's?" I ask her, not faking the hostility in my voice.

She exhales, "this house needs to be dusted up, really badly."

I bore into her eyes with as much accusation as I can, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, come on, Cheryl. I took care of you as a baby, you probably don't remember. What has your father said about me?"

I cross my arms over my chest and lean into the door frame, "don't you dare talk about dad. And he never talks about you, there's nothing to say about you people...just a bunch of wicked old tales. He didn't say anything."

She frowns, "Oh, Cheryl. Why are you so upset? I'm here to help."

"With?"

"Your father is critically ill in a hospital in a foreign land, you're here all alone. I'm sure you could use and extra hand around the house."

I scoff and shake my head, "I'll figure you out, mainini. I wouldn't unpack if I were you."

I turn on my heels and head up to my room. Shutting the door behind me I realise how much I had actually missed this place, my bathroom... My little mirrors by the headboard... Dad. I sigh and sit up on my bed, getting a whiff of my armpits. Ew, I need to shower.

I let the water run for a couple of minutes as I look myself in the mirror. The time between when I last glanced at my reflection in this mirror and now seems like an eternity. So much has happened and changed, I'm hoping things continue to change, especially with Dad. I twist my hair into a bun and walk into the shower. I desperately needed this warm water all over my back.