Chapter Twenty-Four:

"What's up with you and salads?" I asked Dani, as I watched her order one of the healthy choices on the menu. We were now at a local café restaurant downtown, and the girl behind the counter was staring at Dani in an odd way.

I striked up a conversation with Dani, because I personally didn't like the way she looks at the barista. It was... weird.

"Healthy eating appeals to me." She replied, and smiled at the girl behind the counter. "Debit, please." Dani told the girl, and I saw the wink that she gave as well.

I gaped at her. Not because of the ridiculous "healthy eating appeals to me" crap, but because I've just witnessed how Dani made it look so easy to hit on someone. I rolled my eyes in disbelief, and went over to where the pick up station is.

Didn't I, Maverick Bridge, confessed what I thought about her just last night? I admitted that I might like her as more than a friend, didn't I? Did I imagined it happening? Did that conversation really happen? Sighing, I stared back at Dani and watch her shamelessly flirt with the barista.

If it did, then I guess it didn't matter to Dani. My confession or whatever it was, didn't seem important enough, I guess.

Dani was leaning a little closer to the girl, and they were engrossed in a deep conversation. I couldn't help but feel annoyed. I was hungry, and that barista should've already made my cappuccino, and my quesedilla by now if Dani wasn't wasn't so-

"Earth to Mavey." Dennis nudged me, and interupting my thoughts. "You okay, bruh?"

With crossed arms, I made it obvious enough that I was being impatient, and huffed away my messy bangs.

"I'm just starving." I said. "You know I'm not myself when I'm hungry."

"Sure." Dennis said, and sipped his drink. "So, is Dani gay?" He asked, and joined me watch the flirting encounter. I stared at him blankly, and sighed impatiently. "Or is she just being super friendly with that worker-"

"What do you think?" I asked grumpily. "Where the hell is my food?" I added, loud enough so the girl behind the counter could hear.

Soon enough, Dani and the worker broke apart. Dani joined us at the pick-up station, and waited for our food and drinks. She has this smug look on her face, and I frowned at her, feeling so irritated.

"I think... I think I got myself a date tomorrow." Dani said, grinning to herself, and holding on to a piece of paper with a phone number on it.

"I knew it. You're gay!" Dennis whispered excitedly at us. He looked so happy that he actually hugged Dani.

"Uh, same goes for you." She said, and awkwardly hugged Dennis back.

"I'm half gay. But still gay." Dennis joked, and chuckling.

"I thought you knew already that I'm-"

"Oh no, this is a surprise for me. " Dennis said excitedly, still grinning.

"But I thought Maverick told you...?"

"It was none of my business, so I kept it to myself." I said grumpily, and took my drink from the barista girl and started sipping. I needed caffeine badly, mostly because I couldn't survive the day without it.

"Oh." Dani said, smiling at me sheepishly. "That's very thoughtful of you."

Then I stared at her. I stared at her, looking for a clue as to maybe she's playing with me. I knew last night happened, but yet she's acting like it didn't. It might not be a big of a deal for her, but it was for me. Fuck this. This is too frustrating. I didn't want to stress about Dani, because I knew that there are a lot of things to be stressed about.

So I looked away and shrugged.

"Let's sit down, I have a lot of explaining to do." Dennis said, and Dani and I followed him.

Dennis started from the beginning, which became more interesting.

As it turned out, his "secret" relationship with Thomas started way back in the eight grade. That surprised me, because I had no idea. I thought they were just the best of friends, but- Apparently not. The wink Dennis gave me tells me they did more than just kissing, and I rolled my eyes at him in utter amusement.

"We had an on and off relationship." Dennis explained. "Mostly because we dated girls, and convince ourselves that we're not into each other."

"How can you live with that?" Dani asked.

"I couldn't. That's why I'm with him now, right?" Dennis replied, laughing. "Anyways, we dated other people, and then I dated Natasha. It was new for me, because Natasha was in our group of friends, and I usually date someone that none of my friends know."

Dennis continued on, but seemed to forgot about his burger, so he stopped and took a huge bite and started talking again with his mouth full. Luckily we understood what he was saying.

"I loved Natasha. I adored her. She made me forget about Thomas, but Thomas didn't forget about me, and so he made it his mission to take Natasha away from me. I know, I know, he's an asshole by doing that... But I wouldn't have realized that I love him more than Natasha if he didn't interfere."

"Okay, hold on." I said, lifting up a finger and let a second for all of the information to sink in. "What the fuck.."

"I know, I know, I know, we're horrible people but we both didn't regret anything okay? Besides, it broke even when I found out that Natasha willingly went with Thomas, so that's her betraying me-"

"This is so twisted." I cut him off, and actually laughing now. "Now that you explain it this way, I'm finding this whole thing a bit absurd, and hilarious. I bet if this was a television plot story, it's probably more well known than 90210."

"Or, Faking It." Dani added.

"Shut up you guys." Dennis said, but he was grinning. "What I don't understand is why Natasha got mad, I didn't think she has the right to be. I would've thought she would be happy for the both of us."

"Natasha is a homophobic bitch." Dani spat.

"Let's not be so quick to judge." I defended my best friend, and raised an eyebrow.

"Mave, she insulted me, Dennis, and Thomas! You were there when she spoke about us." Dani said, staring at me in a way that scares me.

"I know that, and that was a horrible thing. But she's... You can't blame her. She feels rejected. She feels like nobody wants her-"

"But that doesn't give her the right to insult us." Dani cut me off, and actually getting pretty angry.

"She didn't mean what she said okay? Natasha doesn't know what she's saying, and she's just hurt-"

"Are you actually defending her?" Dani asked, her voice rising.

"I am." I replied, also raising my voice. "Because as her best friend, it's my job to understand what she's going through. And to tell you honestly, I'm scared because she won't even talk to me now. I get that you're mad about what she said, but don't go talking behind her back because I will beat the shit out of you."

Dani narrowed her eyes, and I felt my face hot with anger.

"Uh, guys... we better head back to school." Dennis interupted, and taking a hold on my arm. "Hey, you okay?" He whispered.

I frowned, and looked away from Dani.

"I'm fine." I replied, still obviously upset. "Let's just go back."

Unedited.