The Coward Meets Mr. Perfect (Meeting the Misters Book 1)

(15) I Shouldn't have Seen That...

Chapter 15

As Anira started calculating the items that the woman was going to buy, I walked out to where Daniel was. He was sitting on one of the benches to my right. I joined him without a word. After a few minutes of silence, I whispered, "I'll find a way to pay you back."

He looked at me as though he thought he misheard me. "What?" He asked.  

"I'll pay you back somehow. For the clothes." I looked down at my hands. It was very chilly for a September night with a slight cold breeze that shimmied itself through my thin clothes and made me shiver.

Daniel didn't say anything for the longest time. Then he shifted next to me, and I felt a warmth envelope me. I looked up to see that he was only in his olive green T-shirt. Around my shoulders, he had placed his sweater. "Do you always refuse gifts so persistently?" He asked in a low voice.

"Eh?" He had lifted one foot onto the bench and now rested his elbow on his raised knee as he leaned back and stared out at the parking lot.

"I'm asking if you can even accept a small gift." He said a little more forcefully.

"But it's not small." I protested.

"It is to me." He turned those serious dark eyes on me.

We stared at each other for what seemed like a long time, then I finally looked down. "We agreed that I was only going to be your slave. Why are you spending money on me?"

I felt his body tense up next to me and he lowered his foot to the ground. "To make the lie believable." He said shortly.

I had nothing else to argue with when he said that, so we sat in an awkward silence.

Suddenly, Daniel asked, "What did you and Anira talk about?"

Caught off guard, I gasped. "W-well..." I said. I didn't really want to tell him we were talking about his past, I don't think he'd appreciate that. "Just...you know, stuff. Girl stuff." I lamely said.

He didn't reply, but stared off into space, as though he were deeply thinking. "I was afraid that she would question you a lot about me. That's why I snapped at you earlier. Sorry."

Astonished, I found my eyes stuck on Daniel. He seemed so different right now. But I didn't comment. And neither did he. But this time...our silence was quite comfortable as we sat next to each other.

I burrowed deeper into his jacket as the wind blew a little harder and my nose was assaulted with the smell of Daniel. Heat suffused my cheeks at the smell and for some reason, and I felt my stomach do flips. His smell was so intoxicating. I wondered what kind of cologne he used...

"Alright, are you guys ready?" I jumped as I heard Anira's voice. She had just exited the store. she had donned a big comfy-looking sweater and on one arm dangled one of the store's bags.

"I-I thought you got off in ten minutes." I stuttered.

Anira shrugged. "So I got off ten minutes early. I'll just come ten minutes earlier to work tomorrow."

"You can do that?" I asked.

"Of course. My boss is cool like that." She smiled as she tipped the end of my nose with a finger. "You should stop looking like a little mouse, opening your eyes that wide. We've got a lion over here who'll eat you alive if you show him any weakness." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder at Daniel who was already heading over to wherever Anira's car was, so he didn't hear what she just said.

I laughed at her humor, but to myself, I whispered, "He's already found my weakness..."

"What was that?" Anira looked at me.

"Oh, nothing." I shook my head and bundled tighter into Daniel's jacket.

"Aw, he's so sweet. He gave you his jacket? No wonder he's rushing to the car." She spoke louder than normal so that Daniel could hear her.

I laughed and shot her a small amusing look.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She lightly ruffled my hair and I laughed again.

"It's just when I first saw you, you reminded me of a greek goddess, a little surreal." I confessed.

"Mmmmh." Anira replied sticking her hands deep into her sweater pocket. Then she laughed. "I'm too young to be a goddess, but I'm flattered."

"How old are you?" popped out my mouth before I could stop it. "Ah, no, you don't have to answer-"

Anira's head fell back in laughter and the wind picked up her hair, ruffling it lightly as she laughed.  I wished I could look more like her. "I'm twenty-one." She smiled down at me. "I like you. Unlike me, you say what's on your mind. Even if you don't mean for it to come out, it still slips out."

I pouted and looked away. "I don't think that would be a compliment."

Anira giggled. "It is!" She insisted as we got to the car. A nice burgundy Honda Accord. One of the new versions. I always wanted one for my first car ever since I was in seventh grade.

Daniel climbed in the front right away without asking and I pouted. I wanted to get in the front. I huffed and got in the back.

When we got in, I was thankful for the blast of warm air that filled the recesses of the car. And I relaxed in the back seat.

"So," Anira said as she pulled out if the parking lot and onto the street, "Have you guys had your first date?"

"Yes." Daniel said.

And at the same time, I said, "No."

Anira darted a quick glance at both of us before back at the road.

"Yes we did, Dez, remember? The coffee shop." Daniel said as he looked back at me, hinting to me with his eyes.

"Oh. Y-yeah. I thought you took me there so we could...discuss something." I answered him feebly.

"It was a date." He said more forcefully.

"Aww. Desiree's so naive, and you're just amusing, Danny." Anira laughed.

"Why am I amusing?" Daniel growled, looking like his feathers just got ruffled.

"Look at you! You're getting upset because Desiree didn't know you asked her on a date." She said.

Daniel didn't answer, but glared back at me.

The rest of the way, Anira kept the conversation going with questions and talking about the past. I learned a couple of unexpected things about Daniel from her. Like, his favorite food was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and that he adored kitties.

I also learned a couple of his embarrassing moments. By the time we reached my house, I was dying of laughter, and Anira was defending herself from Daniel's revengeful hands.

I got out, grabbing the bags of clothes as I did. I was still chuckling as I said my farewells and started walking towards my front door.

"Oh, wait Desiree!" I turned to see Anira getting out of the car and heading towards me. "Here." She handed me the bag I saw her with when she left the store earlier. "It'll look beautiful with your favorite outfit." She winked and smiled. "And I think Daniel will like them too." She bent down and whispered the last part in my ear and I was able to look past her shoulder to see Daniel in the car.

His expression was one of longing and pain. I don't know what was running through his mind, but his eyes were fastened on the girl next to me, and I never saw a more vulnerable look on the guy. Suddenly, it felt like someone had stabbed my chest, and I felt like I couldn't smile right when I looked away from Daniel's forlorn face up to the woman I started looking up to as a big sister.

I nodded. "Thank you Anira." I said, finding a small smile to show her before I turned and walked away.