Dennis postponed Secret Santa. I asked him why, and he made an excuse about his relatives coming over that day. I thought it was a lame excuse, and tracked him down at lunch in the school's Commons to see a nasty bruise on his left jaw.

He didn't give me details of what happened, but Thomas' dad, Mr. Sanvedra had hit him last night when he was hanging out with Thomas. I was so angry that I was starting to yell profanities.

"I'm angry too Mave, but can we please not make a scene?" His voice low, his head hanging down while he stared at his lunch.

Mr. Sanvedra, the Spanish teacher walked by and wouldn't even dare look in our direction. Dennis tensed, and gave me a warning look. I was going to give that motherfucker a piece of my mind when Dennis took hold of my arm to stop me.

"Mave, please." He begged. "Just stop it."

"We need to do something." I told him, still glaring in Mr. Sanvedra's direction. "He hurt you."

"Thomas looks worse." He said, gritting his teeth. "When I left, he had a bleeding nose."

"More reason why we should tell someone." I said. Dennis took a deep breath, and shook his head.

"Thomas doesn't want to." Dennis said painfully.

He told me that Thomas has ignored his text messages and calls. Eventually Thomas answered his texts saying that he needs some space. Dennis knew that it was because his dad will beat the crap out of Thomas if they ever hung out again.

"I tried everything." Dennis said and finally taking a bite of his sandwich. "I tried talking to his dad again, but he acts like he doesn't know about me and Thomas. I really think it's over, Mave."

He ranted for a while. I let him rant, and I listened. I was so angry that I considered going behind his back and talk to Mr. Sanvedra myself. Dennis knew me too well and warned me not to do that right after I thought of it. He said that it will make things even worse.

"I hate this." I finally said, after Dennis told me everything.

"Me too." He replied.

"Everything alright?" Dani approached, sitting beside Dennis and across from me.

"Definitely not." Dennis answered Dani, and picking up his things. "You can tell Dani. I'm done repeating that story. It makes me upset just thinking about it."

Before I could ask where he was going, he said that he's just going to the gym for the rest of the lunch period.

"I'll see you whenever." He said when he left.

Dani gave me a questioning look but didn't ask.

"That is quite a bruise on him." She finally said.

"He told me once that the world is genuinely starting to become a more accepting place." I told her, sighing. "Why do people still hate that we can love whoever we want to love?"

"Such fools." Dani replied. "But there are many reasons. For starters, religion plays a big role. People strongly follow what they believe in."

"But that's full of crap." I said. Dani smiled at me, and shrugged her shoulders.

"It doesn't matter what they think of your kind of love. What matters is that you are being true to yourself. You can love whoever you want, but there would always be people out there who would think that it's wrong."

I stared at Dani, and I became scared. She sensed this and held my hand. I gripped hers tighter.

"I don't- Dani, I don't want that to happen to you or me- Or to anyone." I said.

"Me too." She said. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

We didn't say much during our lunch period. Mostly because I was yet again, thinking about Dennis' situation. I thought about being in his shoes, and it made me so angry. Dani again sensed my mood. She got the idea of what happened to Dennis, but didn't press on.

"My Aunt Susan runs a non-profit organization for LGBTQIA+ youths. I've met some of those kids, and they've been through a lot. My auntie provides food, shelter, clothes, and counseling. Her team is really making a difference out there." Dani said. "She even brought up the idea of starting one here in Prince Albein. That's her main project right now. She's coming to visit soon, and you would want to meet her."

I looked at Dani, and her eyes brighten up when she started talking about her Auntie.

"People like my Auntie would fight their whole lives to protect the kind of love we deserve. I aspire to fight harder than her, but I still have a long ways to go. If we keep fighting, then maybe the world would become a better place. Not just for us, but for others. Won't that be cool?"

I sighed dreamily because I can't help but admire Dani even more than before. I was so in love with this girl, that I can't even keep it in anymore.

"You're giving me that look again like you want to kiss me." She said quietly, but grinning nonetheless.

"Correct." I said.

"So why don't you-"

I cut her off by daring myself to give her a soft kiss on the lips in the Commons Area for everyone to see. I didn't care anymore if anyone saw. These feelings are true, and I want to be true to myself. It was almost embarrassing that it took this long for me to realize.

"You're getting pretty hard to read, Maverick." Dani said, blushing in her seat. She looked around if anyone saw, then she looked at me. I didn't even dare to see if anyone saw us kiss. My focus was on her.

"I would like to do that again." I said. "But the kind where it's just us?"

"Maverick-" Dani started but bit her lower lip as if to think of the right words.

"I'm sorry, is that too much?" I asked, suddenly feeling anxious.

"No, no." Dani replied quickly, and shaking her head. "I just want to make sure that you're not rushing into things. Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of my entirely life." I replied. "Would you come over after school tomorrow? I have the whole house to myself this weekend."

"That desperate, huh?" Dani teased, and joked. I smiled at her, knowing that my face was probably the colour of a tomato.

"Not desperate. Just excited to see and feel things that I should be feeling... More like I desire to share it with you."

"Oh my god, you sound so profoundly gay." Dani said, now laughing. I shook my head in disbelief and rolled my eyes at her.

*

The rest of the day was a blur. Natasha texted me apologizing for not showing up for lunch. She got busy and was behind assignments so she stayed for extra help. I texted her saying that she didn't need to apologize for that and straight up asked her where she got the hickey. Nat could only reply a,

Later.

I was also so caught up in being worried about Dennis and Thomas that I got hit in the face with a basketball during practice today. Gina was the one who chest-passed me the ball during scrimmage and almost pissed herself from laughing too hard. Everyone tried hard not to laugh but they all failed and giggled.

They stopped laughing when I ordered them to do five sets of suicide drills. I joined them too, while trying to urge them to keep up the pace. After, most of the girls were laying on the floor panting and begging for a water break. Dani handed out their water bottles, while Gina was gagging in a trash bin which made everyone groan in disgust.

"I shouldn't have eaten that burrito right before practice." Gina said, spitting in the trash and gulping water from her bottle.

While everyone was huddled on the ground and resting, Mrs. Russ spoke to us about practice during break. We set up dates to meet up at the school gym and was handed sheets of paper for reminder. Mrs. Russ also gave me a spare key of the school gym saying that we could set it up to whatever drill I want to practice with the girls. I felt the key heavy on my palms and thought about the responsibility I must have to earn this.

After that, Mrs. Russ ended the practice for today and sent us to go change and go home. As usual, I went to the less busy bathroom in the other hallway and changed there. Dani did too and I can't help but stare.

"Okay, geez stop looking." Dani said while smirking at me. She threw her sweaty jersey at my face before going in a stall to change there.

"Sorry." I said, feeling really bad about it. "I just- Damn am I turning into those people who obnoxiously stare? Hit me when I do it again."

"I was just kidding, Mave. I don't mind if it's you. But it's different this time." She paused. "You make me nervous."

"Me? I make you nervous? Have you met you?" I said incredulously, which made her chuckle.

It was a comfortable silence after that while we both change. I was going to give her a ride home too and smiled at the thought.

"Would you like to grab hot chocolate or something before I drop you off?" I asked when we were walking towards my car.

"Mm, I was thinking more of a matcha tea latte." Dani said, and flinging her gym back on her shoulder.

"Ugh, is that the one that tastes strongly like grass?" I asked, wrinkling my face in disgust. Dani rolled her eyes.

"It's an acquired taste." Dani defended. "Plus, it's high in antioxidants, which can boost your brain function..."

I let Dani rant about her love for matcha and I just stared at her while enjoying her presence. She let me try her drink on the way to her house, and I still didn't like it. Dani enjoyed my look of disgust while I hurriedly sipped my hot chocolate to get the taste out of my mouth.

We briefly talked about Dennis and Thomas on the way home, and I told her that it's been bugging me the whole day. Dennis hasn't even replied to my messages yet, and I was getting worried. When I pulled up at the Dubois' driveway, Dani pulled out her phone and scrolled down the her conversation with Dennis.

Can you please tell Mave that I'm okay? She's been blowing up my phone and won't listen to me when I tell her that I'm fine. I just need time for myself right now.

"Fine." I said sighing but feeling a little relieved.

"He knows you're worried about him, but you need to give him a place to breathe right now." Dani said, while gathering her things. "You can be a bit much, and I mean that in the best way possible."

"How so?" I asked, now curious.

"You obviously care deeply about your friends and get overly protective of them even though they tell you that they can handle it."

"They need help, then I'll help." I countered, now feeling defensive.

"I know, Mave." Dani said, smiling at me. She reached forwards and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Her touch sent a shiver down my spine, and she smirked because she knew that affected me. "See you tomorrow?"

"Mmhm." I said, nodding my head getting lost in her light brown eyes again for the nth time.

"What, no kiss this time?" She asked, grinning.

I melted. I fucking melted when she said that. So I leaned in and felt her lips envelope mine immediately. Dani deepened the kiss even more when she took hold of the back of my neck and pulled me in. Her fingertips felt hot when it ran through my loose hair and down my neck again. My lips burning, and my breathing heavy as I felt her tongue briefly touch mine for a second. I can't help it, I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and reached for her.

Dani giggled a little and matched my pace to a more slow kiss. She was unbottoning my jacket until I accidentally hit the car horn which made us both jump in horror.

"Darn." I said, trying to cath my breath and giving Dani a shy smile.

"Yeah." She said, also breathless. "I better go before my grandma wonders where I am."

"Y-yeah." I said, my stupid brain not functioning properly at this point. "Tomorrow. See. I'll, tomorrow."

Dani seemed to find this funny and leaned in for another quick kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow Maverick."

"Mmhm." I said, blushing at this point and shutting my mouth before I can say anything more stupid.

She flashed me her stunning smile before leaving and running up to her door. I leaned my head back on my head rest and a silent chuckle escaped my pulsing mouth.

Holy Mother of God, I want her so bad.