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Authors: J. C. McClean
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“Oh, right … thanks.” I managed to mumble as he brushed my nose with a napkin.
Danny smiled at me but I found myself pulling away – this was b ordering on dangerous territory so I decided to take the easy way out.
“Are you ready to go?” I enquired, praying that he would take the hint that I wanted to go home. I felt bad but it was a necessary evil.
Danny looked a little disappointed but he flashed me a small half smile nonetheless. “Yeah, sure – let’s go.”
We left the café and made our way back to the car in silence. It was an incredibly uncomfortable journey home and I was extremely relieved when Danny pulled up outside my house.
I reluctantly turned to face him. “Well, I guess I’ll see you Monday …” I trailed off, not knowing what else to say to him.
Danny smil ed but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for the company.”
I nodded and got out; waving him off before I made my way up to the front door. The house was in darkness so it was safe to assume that my mother was in bed and for that I was grateful – I didn’t want to be interrogated about where I had been. I sighed heavily as I climbed the stairs to my room – I had a feeling that I wouldn’t get much sleep tonight …
My lungs felt like they were on fire. I could taste the salty water but there was nothing I could do to stop it from rushing into my lungs. I was choking while I screamed out for help and I could feel myself slipping in and out of consciousness. Suddenly, I could feel strong arms around me and hear someone comforting me.
“Darcie, you’re going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise …”
The dream then changed, Danny appeared to help me out of the water but I refused to reach out to him. He called out to me desperately but I stubbornly resisted his attempt to rescue me. I was drowning but I didn’t care.
“Why won’t you let me help you?” He suddenly yelled with a furious look on his face.
I stared into his kind, hazel eyes and sighed. “Because I don’t deserve to be saved.”
I then sank below the surface.
I woke up gasping for air and feeling slightly disorientated. I took a quick glance at my alarm clock – 5.56am. Great, so much for my Sunday lie-in …
I sat up, swung my legs over the side of my bed and rubbed my face wearily. I couldn’t forget the look on Danny’s face in my dream – the determination in his eyes was quite haunting. I sighed heavily and decided to push those thoughts away – I didn’t want to dwell on it any further.
After seeking out some much- needed caffeine, I sprawled across the couch and flicked on the TV. I channel-surfed until I found a cheesy made-for-TV film which I then forced myself to watch – I figured if I got lost in the ridiculous plot-line, I would be able to forget all about my dream.
An hour and a half later and the film had ended (with a sickly sweet happily ever after) and I was now looking at other ways to occupy m y mind from dwelling on things it shouldn’t be. It was then that my mother decided to appear and I found myself surprised – instead of dreading making conversation with her, I welcomed it as a distraction.
“ So, where’d you disappear to yesterday?” My mother enquired, stifling back a yawn.
“Well I got called into work and then I w ent to the cinema with a friend.” I told her truthfully but deciding not to elaborate on who exactly the friend had been.
She s miled at me with a knowing look. “A male friend?”
I shook my head but my face must have betrayed me since my mother threw me the look – the one she used when she knew I was lying. I sighed heavily and gave in.
“Yes, but we’re just friends and nothing more.”
She pursed her lips and didn’t say anything but I could tell that her brain was already concocting up various fantasies about me finally having a friend of the male variety.
I didn’t feel the need to tell her anythin g else so I changed the
“Oh, right … thanks.” I managed to mumble as he brushed my nose with a napkin.
Danny smiled at me but I found myself pulling away – this was b ordering on dangerous territory so I decided to take the easy way out.
“Are you ready to go?” I enquired, praying that he would take the hint that I wanted to go home. I felt bad but it was a necessary evil.
Danny looked a little disappointed but he flashed me a small half smile nonetheless. “Yeah, sure – let’s go.”
We left the café and made our way back to the car in silence. It was an incredibly uncomfortable journey home and I was extremely relieved when Danny pulled up outside my house.
I reluctantly turned to face him. “Well, I guess I’ll see you Monday …” I trailed off, not knowing what else to say to him.
Danny smil ed but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for the company.”
I nodded and got out; waving him off before I made my way up to the front door. The house was in darkness so it was safe to assume that my mother was in bed and for that I was grateful – I didn’t want to be interrogated about where I had been. I sighed heavily as I climbed the stairs to my room – I had a feeling that I wouldn’t get much sleep tonight …
My lungs felt like they were on fire. I could taste the salty water but there was nothing I could do to stop it from rushing into my lungs. I was choking while I screamed out for help and I could feel myself slipping in and out of consciousness. Suddenly, I could feel strong arms around me and hear someone comforting me.
“Darcie, you’re going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise …”
The dream then changed, Danny appeared to help me out of the water but I refused to reach out to him. He called out to me desperately but I stubbornly resisted his attempt to rescue me. I was drowning but I didn’t care.
“Why won’t you let me help you?” He suddenly yelled with a furious look on his face.
I stared into his kind, hazel eyes and sighed. “Because I don’t deserve to be saved.”
I then sank below the surface.
I woke up gasping for air and feeling slightly disorientated. I took a quick glance at my alarm clock – 5.56am. Great, so much for my Sunday lie-in …
I sat up, swung my legs over the side of my bed and rubbed my face wearily. I couldn’t forget the look on Danny’s face in my dream – the determination in his eyes was quite haunting. I sighed heavily and decided to push those thoughts away – I didn’t want to dwell on it any further.
After seeking out some much- needed caffeine, I sprawled across the couch and flicked on the TV. I channel-surfed until I found a cheesy made-for-TV film which I then forced myself to watch – I figured if I got lost in the ridiculous plot-line, I would be able to forget all about my dream.
An hour and a half later and the film had ended (with a sickly sweet happily ever after) and I was now looking at other ways to occupy m y mind from dwelling on things it shouldn’t be. It was then that my mother decided to appear and I found myself surprised – instead of dreading making conversation with her, I welcomed it as a distraction.
“ So, where’d you disappear to yesterday?” My mother enquired, stifling back a yawn.
“Well I got called into work and then I w ent to the cinema with a friend.” I told her truthfully but deciding not to elaborate on who exactly the friend had been.
She s miled at me with a knowing look. “A male friend?”
I shook my head but my face must have betrayed me since my mother threw me the look – the one she used when she knew I was lying. I sighed heavily and gave in.
“Yes, but we’re just friends and nothing more.”
She pursed her lips and didn’t say anything but I could tell that her brain was already concocting up various fantasies about me finally having a friend of the male variety.
I didn’t feel the need to tell her anythin g else so I changed the
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