With bleary eyes, I read the time on my phone:2:36 a.m.
Though that isn’t what has me blinking repeatedly until my vision focuses, has my heart slamming against my rib cage, or is scattering my thoughts all over the place.
It’s the four messages from Daniel.
Daniel: Are you awake?
Daniel: I found something that belongs to you. I can wait until Monday to give it to you, but if you want it now, I can take it to you
Daniel: I feel like this might be very important, so I’m going to take it now
Daniel: I’m here
That last message was sent two minutes ago.
My fingers hover over the keys as I contemplate whether I want to reply to him. As far as I know, I didn’t drop or leave anything. I only took my phone and my house key, and I have those with me.
I almost type to leave whatever he found on the doorstep, but my fingers work of their own accord, typing what they please.
Me: I think you got the wrong person
Daniel: No, it belongs to you
Me: I’m pretty sure it doesn’t
The thought of him accidentally bringing me something that belongs to another girl does weird things to my chest. But morethan that, I feel a flash of anger coursing through me. It makes me wonder if he confused me with her, if he was with her after I left and mixed us up. Because Bryson did that.
My phone buzzes in my palm, interrupting my thoughts and horrid memories.
Daniel: I promise it’s yours
Daniel: Let me give it to you and I promise I’ll leave
Huffing out a harsh breath, I stalk to the door, unlock it, and pull it open. The light fixture that’s pinned to the wall helps slightly illuminate Daniel’s figure. He stands on the other side, now wearing a backwards cap, still shirtless, wearing swim shorts, socks that reach his midcalf, and sneakers. The gold chain with the safety pin somewhat glints in the darkness.
“What is it?” I ask, getting straight to the point. The sooner he leaves, the sooner I can go back to sleep and pretend like I didn’t enjoy having his hands around me earlier.
He digs into his pocket and opens his palm. I scoff a laugh because I see nothing until a small glint catches the corner of my eye. I turn my phone light on and stare, dumbfounded, at the tiny round rhinestone sitting in the middle of his palm.
“You drove all the way over here to bring me that? How do you even know it’s mine? The girl who had her arm around you had some on too.” I stare at him, irked and bemused.
“I didn’t drive, I, uh, ran here.” He scratches the nape of his neck. I peer around him and only spot my car in the driveway, which shocks and somehow melts the frustration away. “And I know it’s yours and not hers because you have ten of these on each eye. You’re missing one right”—he lifts a finger and points beneath my right eye, faintly touching the skin—“there.”
I don’t want to stand here and act oblivious, but I’m having a hard time grasping the fact that Daniel counted the rhinestones on my face. I don’t know when he had the time to do that. And heranhere. That explains the little beads of sweat clinging to his temple.
“Oh.” I bite the inside of my cheek, hating the way it warms. “You didn’t—you shouldn’t have bothered. I was just going to throw them away.”
“Oh,” he chuckles sheepishly, slips the rhinestone back in his pocket, lifts his cap, and runs his fingers through his hair. “I guess I should’ve waited until Monday.”
I fidget with my ring. “You should probably get back to?—”
He laughs this time, but it holds no humor, just bitterness. It shocks me because I’ve never heard him sound like that before. Granted, I’ve not known him for long, but he’s always so happy.
He sighs deeply and exhaustedly, and again he removes his cap and runs his fingers through his hair. God, why does he keep doing that? And why do I so badly want to touch his hair?
“I didn’t want to say anything because it wasn’t the time and I figured maybe it wasn’t something you wanted to know. But the girl who stood next to me is myex-girlfriend, Amanda.”
My jaw goes slack. It physically drops and it takes me a few seconds to recover, and Daniel must know that much because he doesn’t speak—probably letting me absorb the information or connect the dots. Though I don’t need to. I recognized her the moment I laid eyes on her.
