Page 15 of When Midnight Strikes
13
Danny
Iwake up to a new text message, and my heart skips a beat from anticipation as I open it. I sit up straight in my bed as soon as the name that shows up on the screen is Cole’s. I click to open his message as excitement takes over me.
Cole:Hey you. Want to grab dinner this weekend?
Me:Hey, sorry I had fallen asleep before your message came through last night, and yes, Friday works for me if it works for you.
Cole:Friday is perfect since I don’t have to work the next day. Do you like Italian food? I know this cute little bistro Paul and I sometimes have lunch at.
Me:Yeah, Italian sounds perfect. Did you want to drive together since we both live in the same place? It just would seem silly to take two separate cars if we were just leaving and coming back here.
Cole:Sure, how about I drive since I know where it is? Come by your place at seven p.m.?
Me:See you on Friday at seven p.m.
Cole:Oh, and Danny, make sure you dress the way you normally would on a date because that is what this is, in case you weren’t aware.
My cheeks heat and my lips quip into a smile. He follows up that message with a winky face. Well, that confirms it. I am going on a date with Cole. The person I have watched from across the hall this whole time without so much as being able to say a word to him.
Oh crap, what am I going to wear?
What do people even wear on dates? I haven’t been on one in so long. I’m starting to forget what dating even is. I walk into the living room wondering if Vivian left for work already. I get my answer when the couch is empty and the blanket she used is neatly folded on top of the pillow.
I get in the shower after stripping off my pajama pants and t-shirt. The warm water makes me want to crawl in a ball underneath it and go back to sleep. My body is quickly woken back up when the cold air hits my skin after stepping out of the shower. I grab some clothes from my drawer, and as I’m pulling up the remainder of my jeans, Felix presses his body against my leg, letting out a low meow. I look down at him and sigh. “I know you’re hungry, buddy. Just give me a minute. I’m a bit caught off guard today.”
He follows closely behind me into the kitchen and circles around his bowl as I reach for the cat food from the pantry. I then grab some eggs and cheese from the fridge after pulling out a pan and get started on my breakfast for the morning. An egg and cheese sandwich sounds perfect to me right now.
After breakfast, I sort through my closet for something date-appropriate. Nothing is really jumping out at me, so I send Melanie a text message telling her I need her fashion advice before snapping a picture of my wardrobe in my closet and sending it to her. She texts me back right away.
Melanie:What’s this fashion emergency for?
Me:I’m going on a date with Cole and want to make sure I look perfect.
Melanie:Walking up the stairs now. See you soon!
Before I can send another message to her, a knock comes to my door. I don’t have a chance to actually open it because it comes swinging open the moment the lock clicks. Melanie comes stumbling in with her long golden hair bouncing around her face after pulling off her scarf and coat. Her face is beaming. “So, show me the way to your closet, and let’s find you the perfect thing to wear for your hot date!”
I laugh. “Melanie, I didn't say to come over right this second. The date isn’t until Friday.”
She walks toward my room, and my curious cat follows behind her. I lift him up and tuck him under my arm while patting his fluffy orange head with my free hand and I follow Melanie to my closet.
She shakes her head as she runs her hand through all my clothes. “Yeah, you definitely need my help. But I’m sure we can find something to work with in this closet full of gloom and doom. Not sure if you are aware, but the emo look is out.”
“Well, when you look the way I do, you don’t want to draw more attention to yourself with bright clothing.”
She ignores my comment and her eyes light up at the sight of a pair of tight-fitting black pants and a burgundy sweater. She lays both pieces out on the bed and reaches back in my closet to pull out a black leather jacket to complete the outfit.
“Yes, these would look perfect on you. You’ll have him slamming you against a wall again in no time.” She shoots me a wink.
My face blushes at the remembrance that she knows everything that happened between Cole and me at the New Year’s Eve party. I wasn’t going to tell her, but she managed to pull it out of me, and it was hard to hide it since the evidence was all over my flushed face, bruised lips, and rumpled clothes as I walked down the stairs, adjusting my mask while trying to regain my balance. She saw Vivian and me head straight for the bar and lost sight of us before she could question me right there and then. She knew what we were wearing that night, so she knew exactly who to look for. She snaps her fingers in front of my face, pulling me out of my memories.
My eyes meet hers with a hint of annoyance. “Okay, I get it, my wardrobe sucks, and yes, I’ll wear the outfit you picked out for me, Master.”
She laughs. “Okay, well, good. But while you were in dreamland, your phone was blinking like crazy.”
I glance over to where my phone is, and it’s lighting up from a missed call, so I hurry on over in hopes that it was Cole calling me. Why would Cole be calling me when he usually texts? Maybe that just means we are taking our phone relationship to the next level. I pick up my phone, and my shoulders sag in disappointment. It’s my ex-boyfriend, but why the hell is he calling me? Patrick broke up with me a year after the accident. He wanted to stay friends, but I just felt way too betrayed to stay in touch with him. It was hard to be friends with someone you once shared everything with. I thought Patrick was the one, until he had proven otherwise, and now I want nothing to do with him.
