"You work here?" I asked

"I do yeah. Been here for years. How have you been?" She asked smiling

"I've been okay.."

"You asked to talk to a waiter from a night shift?"

"Yeah... um" I breathed in "A fight happened here I don’t know when but what I know is that tables were broken and it was a huge fight."

"Xander and Dane?" She asked

"You know them? Yes yes that’s it"

"I see them around.."

"Oh.."

"They fought like crazy. Dane recently signed for a job here."

"Is he here? Can I talk to him?"

"No he's not but I could give you his address as a favour..?"

"Yes please.."

She stood up and disappeared for minutes and came back giving me a piece of paper with the address on it.

"Thank you. Please come to visit.." I smiled, she nodded so I started moving but she grabbed my hand

"I'm sorry i didn't visit after you were released from the hospital, i'll call you later and explain" she said and walked away
__________________________________________

Thinking about this... I can't really tell Xander. He'll get pissed like he did when I mentioned Dane the first time.

I rang the bell and waited in front of the door

"Who's there?" A girl answered

"Is Dane here?"

"DANEEEEEEY! Someone wants you at the door!" She yelled

The door opened to show an extremely handsome guy in his 20s... Late 20s maybe?
At first glance, he has Viking-gold hair, hazel eyes, defined Jawline and cheekbones and well-shaped shoulders and arms.

"Chanel?" He said snapping me out of my thoughts "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You're Dane?" I asked surprised

"Oh really? What the fuck? Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?" He said with a harsh tone

"No.. I just-"

"No no. You need to fucking leave right now" he said through gnashing teeth with slits for eyes.

"B-but.."

I didn’t get to say anything due to the door slamming into my face..
__________________________________________

I walked inside my house and closed the door. I heard sobbing and crying in the living room

"Mom?" I said walking into the living room "Aunt Lorain? What happened? What's wrong?"

Aunt Lorain was sitting on the couch crying into mom's arms.

"It's Irene.." Mom started "She hasn't come back home for weeks.."

"S-she doesn’t even... answer her phone.." Aunt Lorain said between breaths

"She just texted me back days ago.." I said taking a seat beside her and rubbing her back "She's fine.."

"But she hates texting... She always prefers phone calls.." She cried "I feel it in my heart, Chanel. She's my daughter."

"Aunt Lorain, What could possibly happen to her? She's probably fine... She told me her friend is going through some tough time and she's staying with her... She's gonna be back soon" I kept trying to soothe her until she stopped crying

"You're right.. I just don’t know why I felt worried.." she breathed out "Thank you, Chanel" she smiled

I smiled back and stood up "I'm gonna go up to my room I need some rest"

I started to think that my bed is the only comfortable thing in my life. The only place that doesn't have problems aside from the books of course. I missed going to the library. I guess life got too much that I forgot what actually made me happy.

Leo...

Me:
Hey Leo

Leo:
Princess
To what do I owe the pleasure

Me:
I missed you

Leo:
I did too, Chanel
How are you doing?

Me:
I'm not really good
I'm tired

Leo:
What happened?

Me:
A lot...

Leo:
Are you free now?

Me:
Yes
Why?

Leo:
May I have the pleasure of taking you out on a hunt for an ice cream truck?

Me:
Haha.
Naah I’m so tired today

Leo:
Come on Princessa
Live a little...

I sighed and thought of my day...
I deserve some time out. I deserve some fun after all the shit that's been happening to me... I need a person I could trust other than my therapist.
I feel something for this guy... I feel like he's someone I could trust. I feel happy with him like he lifts weights off my shoulder.

Me:
Well... I guess I could reschedule my sleep to a different hour of the day

Leo:
Okay ma'am
Be there in 5 ;)
_______________________________________

I walked out of the house see Leo leaning on his car with arms crossed

"How cool do I look?" He said wiggling his eyebrows

"With the wiggle or without it?" I smiled

"Both" he smiled back

"Without it, it's a 10/10. With it, you go down to 2"

"Ouch. That horrible?" He hissed

"Yep"

"Forget about that then" he stood up straight and kissed my cheek "Hello beautiful"

"Hello" I blushed "Where to?"

"Ice cream truck hunt"

"You were serious?"

"You really thought I would joke in a matter as serious as this?"

"Now I don’t.."

He opened the car door for me and bowed "M-Lady"

"So sweet" I smiled and got inside the passenger seat and watched him get into the car and drive away.

"Okay so.. I'm not sure what to play on the radio but I wanted something to make you smile-cringey in a good way" he said

"Oh-oh?"

"Oh yeah" he pressed a button on the radio and 'A thousand miles' started playing and he.. started singing?

"Oh my.. god" I started laughing

"Terararararara and I need you terarararara and I miss you terarararara and now I wooooonddderrrr" he screamed at the top of his lungs

After awhile the hunt for the truck was over. We sat on the beach without ice creams in our hands and heard the crashes of the waves into the rocks with the sun starting to set.

"This sight is beautiful.." I said and sighed

"Not as beautiful as the sight sitting beside me for sure"

"Oh stop it" I laughed

"Fine" He smiled

"I found my ex-boyfriend.."

"Interesting.. what happened?"

"Slammed the door in my face.."

"Damn.." he cringed "Must've been one hell of a boyfriend" he started laughing

"Hey! Don't laugh!" I smiled

"Imagining it is honestly funny, I’m sorry" he smiled back

"I don’t know why anyone would do that honestly.."

"One of you fucked up badly.."

"Xander told me that this guy ruined my life"

"Well, there you have it.."

"I'm honestly tired. It's so stressing trying to understand things when you have no clue what you're doing"

"That sentence was absolutely weird but okay" he smiled

"I noticed after I said it" I shook my head and smiled

"Okay what about this.." he started and turned to face me "What if I propose a trip? Just us... A relaxing trip/road trip. How does that sound to you?"

"Um... I don’t know" I shrugged

"You have until I get you home to think. The time starts now"

We watched the sunset and we were on the way back to my house.
A trip... Like an escape from stress... Just me and him...
Sound pretty appealing but can I trust him with myself? Or can I risk it?
I didn’t see anything bad from him since the day I knew him.. but what if he's lying.
God this overthinking shit is horrible!

"We're here," Leo said snapping me out of my thoughts

I sighed and smiled "Thank you for this... I really needed it"

"You're very welcome... So, what’s the verdict?"

"I don’t really know, Leo"

"Come on, Chanel. You need to stay away from all of this for a while.."

Trust him! Risk it! My heart said
No! Doubt to trust, Chanel! Remember the dude from the dreams? My mind said

I took a deep breath and nodded "I'm coming with you.."

Yehhhhsss! My heart jumped
For fuck's sake! My mind brain-palmed