Dangerous to Know & Love (19 page)

He took another drink and noticed that a cute brunette in her mid twenties was staring at him. When she realized that he’d seen her, she smiled and slowly licked her lips. Part of him would have liked nothing more than to lose himself in a stranger, but another part rebelled, not wanting to have anything to do with her.

He smiled back but gave her a small headshake. She cocked her head to one side.
Are you sure?

Daniel shook his head again, and stood up, taking the whiskey with him.

Alone in his room, he lay on his bed with the curtains open, staring at the stars. Shortly before
2 AM
, and after he’d finished the bottle of whiskey, he passed out.

*     *     *

The next day Lisanne felt so light, so weightless, she could have floated away entirely. Only her classes, and Kirsty’s careful avoidance of mentioning anything Daniel related, kept her anchored to planet Earth.

He’d told her he liked her, he’d kissed her, he’d implied that there’d be more rides on Sirona, and he’d promised that they’d meet at lunchtime. A tiny part of her whispered that
of course
he hadn’t really meant any of it, and
of course
he wasn’t really interested in her: but that was just her usual lack of self-confidence spilling out. It was second nature for Lisanne to doubt anything positive that someone said about her. She was so used to being invisible at school and a vague disappointment to her parents, that being noticed was new. Being wanted, being kissed, being touched like that – it was all so unexpected. She felt giddy with happiness.

But midway through the morning, her fragile bubble of joy was punctured by a text message from Daniel.

* D: have to meet my tutor.

Be late for lunch. Later *

So that was it.

Of course.

He just wanted to find a way to let her down gently. Lisanne appreciated the text, she really did. At least he hadn’t planned to let her sit there looking like a complete idiot. Just a partial idiot for having thought his words, his kisses – that any of those things meant something.

Lisanne entered the cafeteria feeling as if she had ton weights tied to her shoes. Her heart sank still further when she saw Kirsty sitting on Vin’s lap, giggling into his hair, and Shawna flirting with one of Vin’s football buddies.

She slid into a chair and pulled an apple out of her bag. It was about all she could face eating even though fifty minutes ago she’d been starving.

“Hey, roomie!” said Kirsty, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “Didja have a good morning?”

“It was okay,” she mumbled.

Shawna sniggered. “Anyone would look that miserable if they had to listen to Beethoven and crap all day.”

Kirsty frowned and started to say something, but Vin recaptured her attention by kissing her neck and tickling her.

Lisanne took a bite of her apple and chewed sullenly. How could an apple that had looked all juicy and appealing this morning, now taste like sawdust?

She nearly jumped out of her chair when a warm hand stroked her cheek.

“Hey, baby.”

Lisanne yelped. “Daniel!”

There was an echo as Shawna purred his name, but he wasn’t looking at her so he had no clue she’d spoken. To everyone else it looked like he’d completely blown her off.

Daniel chuckled softly at Lisanne’s response and raised a challenging eyebrow at her.

“You expecting some other guy?”

“N-no! But you said you weren’t coming?”

“I said I’d be
late
– I didn’t say I wasn’t coming.”

“Oh!” she replied, her brain refusing to construct any answer that required additional syllables.

He smirked at her then glanced at her apple. “Is that all you’re eating?”

“Um, yes?”

“Huh,” he said, pushing his lunch tray onto the table. “Good thing I got two slices of pizza. I know what you’re like with my chips. And I got some salad, as well – girls like that rabbit food shit, right?”

Vin glanced over and laughed.

“You got that right, man!”

Lisanne was stunned by his thoughtfulness, then ashamed of her assumptions about him yet again. This boy! He surprised her constantly.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

His expression softened. “You’re welcome.”

He pulled out a chair and leaned in to kiss her hair.

Lisanne felt her face glow. He smelled so good, and his skin looked soft and smooth now that he’d shaved.

The world fell away, and for a moment it was just the two of them.

Then Shawna muttered, “Oh, please!” and the moment was broken.

They chatted about their Business assignment and Vin asked a couple of questions about Daniel’s motorcycle as he described it to his friends. But too soon lunch was over.

“Do you want to do something later, baby?” said Daniel as he slung his messenger bag over his shoulder.

“Um, well,” said Lisanne hesitating. “I, um, I have band practice tonight.”

A look of something like pain washed across Daniel’s face, then it was gone.

“You want me to give you a ride home after?” he offered.

Lisanne was desperate to say ‘yes’, but it was just too selfish, forcing him to come to the club when she knew how hard it was for him.

“No, it’s okay, thanks. Roy said he’d take me back.”

Daniel nodded but he didn’t smile. “Text me when you get back so I know you’re home safe.”

*     *     *

The rehearsal went well. They were all still on a high from the previous Saturday, and full of ideas for songs to extend their set from 45 minutes to an hour.

Roy’s cellphone interrupted them.

“Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Got it. How much? Okay. Yup. You got a deal.” He ended the call and grinned at them. “We got that booking for the Down Under in three weeks. Graeme heard we were rockin’ this place and he wants some of the action. Pay’s ninety bucks each.”

He launched himself at Lisanne and scooped her into a bone crushing hug. “And it’s all thanks to baby girl!”

Lisanne gasped and tried to wriggle free. Roy whirled her around and deposited her on her feet, breathless and dizzy.

“This deserves a celebration!” he said. “Let’s crack open the beer!”

Lisanne felt her smile slip. She liked the guys, but they were all older and she knew they drank a lot.

Roy seemed to have forgotten his promise of taking her home. When he offered her a beer she took a small sip and surreptitiously looked at her watch. It was nearly 11
PM
already, and she had an early tutorial to get to in the morning.

She wondered whether it was too late to call Kirsty, then remembered that her roommate had planned on seeing Vin.

Lisanne decided to call a cab.

“Um, I’m going to take off now,” she said, still hoping that Roy might remember his promise.

But they waved and carried on drinking, seemingly quite content to let her make her own way home. Irritated, Lisanne stood outside and called the cab firm that she used before, but all she got was the busy tone. She tried again a minute later, biting her lip and looking around nervously, but it was the same result.

Then she noticed a man watching her from across the street, and decided it was smarter to wait inside the club. She banged on the door and yelled, but nobody came.

She’d just scrolled down to find Roy’s number when the man called out, “Hey, sugar. You want some company? I’ve got twenty bucks.”

He crossed the street toward her.

“Pick up, Roy! Pick up!” she muttered desperately.

There was no answer.

She started walking down the street and was terrified when the man followed her. She ran, her heart pounding, fear making her fast.

Someone, there must be someone! But there was no one around, no one she could ask for help.

Stay in well lit areas!

She knew that was important, but every other building was in darkness and the area was rundown and seedy, and all she could hear was the sound of her own echoing footsteps.

With her lungs aching, she came to a halt outside a TV repair shop, where a dim light illuminated the bars on the windows. Her hands shook as she sent a text to Daniel, hoping he’d have his cellphone with him this late.

* L: can you come get me? Am outside TV shop

West River St. LA xx *

She breathed a sigh of relief when his reply was immediate.

* D: wtf?! On way. Keep your phone out. 911 if you need *

She slumped down in the filthy doorway, her knees no longer able to support her. Fear pumped through her body, making her shake uncontrollably. She saw the man walking up the street toward her, clearly still searching for her. Squeezing herself into the darkest corner, Lisanne held her breath. The seconds ticked by as the man walked slowly on the other side of the street, peering through the gloom.

Lisanne thanked God for the broken streetlights and clutched her phone more tightly to her body.

Her nerves were stretched unbearably by the time she heard the guttural roar of Daniel’s Harley a few minutes later.

He pulled off his helmet quickly.

“Are you okay?” he said urgently, checking her up and down as if he was looking for obvious injuries.

Lisanne nodded but felt hot tears spill down her face from fear, from relief. Daniel pulled her toward him tightly and she sobbed into his chest, feeling the cool leather of his jacket against her face.

Strong arms wrapped around her and he rocked her gently, murmuring wordlessly into her hair. After a minute he gently pushed her away and ran his thumbs over her cheeks, brushing away the tears.

“What happened? Why are you here?”

Lisanne explained briefly, and when she got to the part where Roy started drinking, Daniel swore loudly.

“Motherfucker! I’ll kill the bastard!”

He was all for going back to the club and showing Roy just how pissed he really was.

“Please, Daniel. I just want to go home.”

Immediately, he looked contrite. “Yeah, sure. Okay.”

He handed her the spare helmet and kick-started the bike. Lisanne felt much happier when they left the club area behind and were heading back toward the campus. She snuggled into Daniel’s broad back and felt his hand brush over hers as she pushed her fingers into his jacket pockets.

Once they were at the dorms, Daniel insisted on walking her to her room, which meant sneaking in through the fire exit. Lisanne desperately hoped no one would see them – she’d had enough drama for one night.

She’d just pushed the key in her lock, when the door sprang open, with an anxious looking Kirsty bearing down on her.

“There you are! I’ve been so worried!”

Then she saw Lisanne’s red eyes and tear marked face with Daniel standing behind her, and immediately pole-vaulted to the wrong conclusion.

“What have you done to her?” she hissed, pulling Lisanne behind her and pointing at Daniel accusingly.

“Nothing!” he snarled, fury etched into every plane of his beautiful face.

“Kirsty,” whispered Lisanne, “he saved me.”

“What?” snapped Kirsty, whirling around. “Right – I want to know everything. You sit over there,” she ordered Daniel, “and you,” she said to Lisanne, “tell me everything.”

“Fuck that!” growled Daniel. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“Daniel, please,” gasped Lisanne. “I can’t take any more tonight.”

“Can’t you see you’re upsetting her!” shouted Kirsty.

“You’re not helping!” said Lisanne, fresh tears stinging her eyes.

Daniel and Kirsty eyed each other angrily. Eventually, he walked further into the room and sat stiffly on Lisanne’s desk chair.

She told the story again quickly, almost smiling when Kirsty’s reaction to Roy’s irresponsible behavior was the same as Daniel’s, although with slightly less profane cursing.

Kirsty shook out her long hair and stood up.

“I apologize, Daniel,” she said, formally. “I jumped to conclusions.”

“Yeah,” he said bitterly, staring her down. He turned to Lisanne, his expression still angry. “I’m going to take off now, baby doll. Will you be okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said with a weak smile. “I mean nothing happened. I just panicked. I’m sorry.”

He looked at her seriously. “I don’t want you wandering around those streets at night,” he said. “Next time wait inside the club. Fuck Roy, I’ll come get you. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said. “Thank you.”

He kissed her on the cheek, shot another angry look at Kirsty, and slipped out of the door.

“That boy can’t accept an apology,” said Kirsty, as soon as Daniel had gone.

“
That boy
shouldn’t have needed one,” Lisanne shot back.

Kirsty looked at her in surprise.

“Lis! You turn up here, over an hour late, bawling your eyes out with Daniel looking like he wanted to kill someone – what was I supposed to think?”

Lisanne closed her eyes tiredly.

“You just assumed that he was in the wrong. He
saved
me, Kirsty. If you just knew how amazing he is…”

She stopped abruptly.

“Whatever,” said Kirsty. “I’m just glad you’re safe.
Don’t do it again!
”

Then she gave her a huge hug.

“Now go get ready for bed. You look as exhausted as I feel.”

“Yes, mom!”

Ten minutes later, Lisanne was pulling the duvet around her when her cellphone buzzed with a text.

* D: sleep well, beautiful. See you at lunch tomorrow. *

Chapter 9

Lisanne did sleep well and was one degree short of blissful when someone knocked on the door the next morning, minutes before she and Kirsty were due to leave for class.

Kirsty was applying her usual industrial layers of glossy lipstick.

“It’s for you,” she said without looking away from the mirror.

Lisanne rolled her eyes. Kirsty was Ms. Popularity on campus – it was sure to be for her.

She pulled open the door and a sophomore that she dimly recognized was leaning against the door.

“Which of you’s dating Zef Colton?” she said with a yawn, drumming her chipped fingernails against the doorjamb.

“Um… do you mean Daniel Colton?”

The girl looked bored. “How the hell should I know? Yeah, are you her?”