Falling For You

by Lily Haycraft

  "Are you feeling any better?" She asks.

  "A little bit baby, not much" she smiles.

  "Thank you Dani" Harmony turns to me.

  "For what?" I furrow my brows.

  "For making my mama feel better duh" Harmony states like it's obvious.

  I chuckle and shake my head not giving Harmony an answer, which doesn't seem to bother her as she has already moved onto the next topic of conversation. "Mama can I stay at Diana's tonight?" Harmony asks. "Have you asked her?" Chloe asks as the tall girl enters the room, throwing a small wave in my direction, which I return.

  "It was her idea, she said I should stay with her so I don't get sick" Harmony grins.

  "I guess that is a good idea" Chloe nods.

  "So I can stay?" Harmony grins.

  "Yeah okay honey, let's go and pack you some clothes" Chloe says starting to stand up.

  "No that's okay, Dj can help me" Harmony runs over grabbing Diana's hand and pulling her back out of the room.

  "Guess I'm all on my own tonight" Chloe pouts. "I could stay with you if you want me to?" I ask, not sure if I'm being too forward or not.

  "But you have work tomorrow" Chloe furrows her brows.

  "I can go from here, I can just run back to my apartment now and grab some clothes for tomorrow" I smile.

  "You'd do that?"

  "Of course" I nod.

  "Okay if you don't mind" She smiles.

  "Of course not gorgeous"

  "Could I come with you for the walk? I think fresh air will do me some good"

  "Yeah of course you can, you don't have to ask" I smile.

  Chloe plants a kiss on my cheek before disappearing out of the living room, I'm assuming it's to put on other clothes, not that I would have cared about walking down the street with her in what she is wearing.

  I turn my head as Harmony walks into the room, my eyes following her as she walks straight over to me and climbs into my lap, she stares at me curiously for a few seconds before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around my neck cuddling up to me, I'm shocked at her affection that it takes me a few seconds before I wrap my own arms around her, pulling her further into the embrace.

  "You okay?" I ask her quietly, trailing my fingers up her back.

  "A boy called me a bad word today" She says quietly. "What bad word cutie?" I ask.

  "I'm not allowed to say it" She says with her lips close to my ear.

  "It's okay, you can tell me" I encourage.

  "He called me a bastard" She says so softly in my ear, I almost thought I had misheard her.

  I can feel the blood ringing in my ears already, but I know I have to keep my cool.

  "Why would he call you that?" I ask.

  "He said that I am one because I don't have a daddy, and that he left because I'm ugly and stupid and that he didn't want me" I can tell by Harmony's voice that her lip is quivering and that she has begun crying. "That's not true baby" I shake my head.

  "Then.. Why. Would. He. Say. That" Harmony says between sobs.

  I sigh not knowing how much I can say to her, for her to fully be able to register it, but not say anything to provoke the little boy.

  "Because some people are just bullies, they like to bring other people down just so they can make themselves feel better"

  "But why?" Harmony pulls away and looks at me, with tears still streaming down her face.

  I use the pads of my thumbs to wipe away her tears, keeping my hands on either side of her face. "I don't know princess, I wish I did, some people just like to hurt others" I shrug.

  "But it's not nice"

  "I know" I tell her sadly.

  "Jamie stuck up for me, when it happened" Harmony says looking down.

  "You and him have gotten quite close haven't you" I smile softly and she nods her head.

  "Always keep him around okay, no one can hurt the two of you as long as you have each other" I say and wipe away the remaining tears.

  "Are you going to tell my mummy?" Harmony asks. "Are you going to tell her?" I ask back.

  "I don't want her to get angry" Harmony shrugs. "She wouldn't be getting angry at you baby, it would be at the little boy who said those things to you" I explain.

  "I know but, I don't know" Harmony shrugs. "I think you should tell her" I say softly.

  "Can I tell her tomorrow?" Harmony asks.

  "Do you promise you'll tell her?" I ask and watch as Harmony holds up her pinky.

  I smile and connect it with my own, both of us leaning forward and kissing our hands to seal the promise. "Don't break it" I point at her.

  "I won't"

  "Harmony get your little butt in here and help me" Diana shouts from the other room.

  Harmony makes an oops face causing me to chuckle before scrambling off of my lap and back to her bedroom.

  "What was that all about?" Chloe asks, still in the same clothes but her hair was neater, and she had a jacket on now along with shoes.

  "She'll tell you tomorrow" I smile softly.

  "Okay" Chloe shrugs.

  "I just want to wait until those two have left and then we can go okay?" Chloe asks.

  "Yeah sure babe"

  "Thank you" Chloe bends taking my chin between her thumb and finger and kissing me softly, before disappearing back out of the living room before I even have a chance to open my eyes.

  I smile and shake my head softly, I really love my life right now.

  Chapter Twenty Four.

  Chloe.

  I enter Dani's apartment right behind her and walk straight over to her sofa, laying down on the comfy cushions and curling up into a ball, using my feet to pull up one of the scatter cushions and pulling it towards my chest hugging it.

  Dani glances over at me with a worried expression on her face, slowly walking over and sitting on the edge of the sofa near my stomach, her fingers brushing a few strands of hair away from my face, tucking them behind my ear.

  "Are you okay?" She asks with her brows furrowed, looking completely adorable, I don't think I've seen her with a worried expression.

  I shake my head and pull the cushion further into my stomach as a shiver racks through my body. "You cold?" She asks and I nod my head.

  I watch her as she stands and leaves the living room, returning a few seconds later with a white duvet, I'm assuming from her bedroom, she walks straight over and throws it over me completely, I let out a small giggle before she pulls back the top of the quilt to reveal my head and begins tucking me in.

  She smiles and sits back in the same spot as before when she is finished, her right arm resting on the back of the sofa as she leans over me.

  "Is that better?" She asks.

  "I could think of something that would be even better" I smile.

  "What's that?"

  "Cuddles" I say shyly.

  "That can be arranged beautiful, let me change out of these clothes though" Dani says to which I just nod.

  "Dani" I say just as she was about to walk out of the living room.

  "Yeah?" She says turning around.

  "Can we stay here for tonight?"

  "Of course, if you want to, I'll leave my spare set of house keys on the kitchen side, so you can leave whenever you feel like tomorrow" Dani says. "Ooh keys already, so serious" I smile up at her to which she rolls her eyes but walks back over, bending over me and placing her hands on either side of my body.

  "Can I help you?" I ask.

  "Chloe"

  "Yes?"

  "Will you go steady with me?" Danielle says completely serious, her eyes searching my own. I bite my lip to stop a giggle from escaping but fail miserably, Dani's eyes glint and she cracks a smile. "Where's my lettermen jacket or class ring?" I ask cheekily.

  "I'll grab it for you, one second" Dani grins and heads towards her bedroom like she was supposed to in the first place.

  I stare at the living room door in confusion waiting for her to come back, she hasn't actually got either of those things has she?

  D
ani returns a few minutes later, now dressed the same as myself, with a jacket hung over her arm, she stops in front of me and holds up the jacket, a shy smile on her face.

  "Chloe, will you go steady with me?" She asks once more.

  "Only if I get to keep the jacket" I beam up at her. "Deal" She smiles.

  I jump up off of the sofa and take the jacket from her and slipping it on, it's a little big for me but it's cosy, I grin and wrap my arms around myself smiling softly, lifting the collar of the jacket up and breathing in the scent that is Dani.

  "How do you even have a lettermen jacket?" I grin sitting back down on the sofa and pulling the quilt over my lap.

  "I used to play baseball, was actually the best in my class, so naturally I had to get the jacket" Dani smiles and sits down next to me.

  "How comes you don't play anymore?" I ask turning to face her.

  "I messed up my arm senior year, so I stopped playing" She shrugs.

  "Did you not work with your arm to try and get it back to how it was?" I furrow my brows.

  "Nah I love the game don't get me wrong, but I knew I was never going to actually do anything with it you know, it was just a hobby of mine, something to pass the time, but something I enjoyed"

  "Don't you miss it?"

  "I do yeah, but can't exactly play without a team, and I haven't played in years anyway, so I'd probably be terrible at it" Dani chuckles.

  "I'm sure you could get back into the swing of things" I wink "Get it, swing, because you swing the bat to hit the ball" I smirk.

  Dani shakes her head and let's out a small laugh, but I don't think it's because she finds me funny, I think she feels sorry for my lame attempt at a joke. "You are such a dork"

  "Says the girl with the lettermen jacket" I roll my eyes.

  "Guess that's still you then, because it's now yours" Dani beams.

  "You're serious?" I beam back.

  "Of course, I asked you to go steady with me, it's your right to own it, unless you break my heart then I'm going to need it back" Dani says seriously. "I won't break your heart, as long as you don't break my daughters"

  Danielle reaches towards me and pulls me closer to her, kissing my forehead softly.

  "I promise I will never break that little girls heart, and I'll try my very best to never break yours either" She tells me sincerely.

  "Don't die or cheat on me and we should be good" I smile at her.

  "I'll try not to die, as for the cheating thing, I'm not sure I can make any promises, I mean have you seen Diana? Damn if I had known she was gay I so would've gone to her first" Dani jokes with a smirk, I push her away from me causing her to laugh and pull me back.

  "You're a jerk, go be with Diana" I say pushing her away again.

  "Diana could never compare to you baby girl" Dani smiles resting her forehead against my own. "You definitely live up to the douche jock reputation" I sulk.

  "I'm sorry baby, I was kidding.. I never would have even batted an eyelid in her direction, once I set my eyes on you, I was sold" She says cupping my cheek softly.

  "Is that so?" I ask.

  "Yes it is, my heart still races whenever I see you, my face instantly breaking out into a smile to which I have no control over, I don't think anyone has ever and could ever make me feel the way that you do" "Dani" I drag out feeling a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

  "It's true" She smiles giving me an eskimo kiss. I love you, I think inside my head and immediately have to stop myself from saying those words out loud, there is no possible way that I love this woman, not already, it's too soon, we hardly know each other, this is insane, it's only been a few weeks since we met, and literally ten days since Dani asked me to be her girlfriend.

  I can't believe it has only been that since I found out about Sofi, it honestly feels like it was forever ago, I've been to the park every day since that so that I could sit by the same tree and read one of my letters to Sofi, today is the only day that I haven't been, but I'm sure even Sofi can understand that I have my sick days.

  "Earth to Chlo" Dani says.

  I shake my head snapping out of my thoughts, my eyes connecting with her own.

  "Sorry I totally zoned out"

  "I noticed" Dani chuckles lightly.

  "Sorry" I apologise once more.

  "You're okay" She smiles and kisses my forehead. "So my mum called me earlier" Dani starts. "What did she say?" I ask.

  "She actually asked me if you wanted to be involved in our yearly family holiday"

  My eyes go wide as she says this, is she serious? "What?" I ask shocked.

  "Every year we always fly out to a different location, we only go for a week, because I think that's more than enough time" Dani chuckles "But this year we're going to Gibraltar and mum wanted to know if you and Harmony wanted to join us"

  "But it's a family holiday" I say.

  "They see you as family now" She shrugs shyly. "As much as I would love to, I don't have the money, and taking time off work wouldn't be the greatest thing to do, and also medical school, I don't know if I could swing it" I shake my head.

  "All the expenses would be paid for, my dad always pays for everyone, he always has, so that you wouldn't have to worry about, but I can understand school and work, it's okay if you can't come, I was just kind of hoping that you would, it's not for another four weeks, it hasn't been booked yet, they're waiting to see if you wanted to come" "I couldn't accept that kind of generosity" I shake my head.

  "Why?"

  "Because it's not fair of your dad to pay for me and my daughter as well" I shake my head.

  "Technically it won't be much more, because you and Harmony would be sharing the room with me, which I would have on my own otherwise, it really is just the flights" Dani shrugs.

  "I'd still have to try get the time off of work, and then talk to my teachers, and I haven't even got a passport" I say starting to feel myself getting stressed out over this.

  "Okay first let's take a breath" Dani says clearly seeing that I'm getting worked up.

  I nod and take a deep breath with her, trying to get myself to relax.

  "We can get you a passport, that is not an issue, we could go down to the office next week and do it, as for work, you're allowed time off, he can't say no, unless there is someone else off that week, and you could bring your books with you on holiday and you can study before bed, that way you're not missing so much"

  "You really want me to come don't you?" I ask. "Yeah" Dani nods sheepishly.

  "I get it if you can't and I'll accept it completely, but I really don't want to have to go a whole week without seeing you or Harmony, you have both become such a huge part of my life so quickly, and in a months time I'll be even more attached to you, so saying goodbye for an entire week would probably kill me"

  "You really should be an actress, because you've got the dramatist down to a tee" I smile.

  Danielle just rolls her eyes and nudges my shoulder with her own.

  "Will you come?" She asks, with hope evident in her eyes.

  "Your dad really doesn't mind paying?" I ask feeling myself starting to agree, I don't exactly want to go a week without seeing her either.

  "No he doesn't"

  "I'll talk to my boss and teachers to see what they say, but I'm not saying yes" I tell her.

  "But if they say yes, it's a yes?" Dani grins. "It's a maybe" I say fighting back a smile.

  "It's a yes" She says cockily.

  "Shut up" I roll my eyes, my smile breaking loose. Dani beams and leans in crashing her lips to my own, I smile into the kiss and rake my fingers through her hair pulling her closer to me, She can't seem to contain her excitement, because the smile that breaks across her face completely interrupts our kiss.

  "What will the dates be so that I can clear them?" I ask.

  "May 26th to June 2nd" She answers.

  "Okay I'll try and remember that"

  "Great" Dani beams.

  "I have a question"

  "Shoot" Dani smil
es.

  "When is your birthday?" I ask, it was only just now that I realised I have never actually asked her before. "June 27th, why?"

  "Just realised I never asked you before" I shrug. "Wait when is yours?" Dani asks.

  "March 3rd"

  "That was two days before we met" Dani calculates. "You remember the date we met?" I swoon. "Uh" Dani blushes. "Maybe"

  "You're so cute" I gush and peck her cheek causing her blush to deepen.

  "What would you like for your birthday?" I ask. "You wrapped up in a pretty pink bow" She grins. "So birthday sex then?" I smirk and watch her eyes blow wide.

  "Chloe" She practically shouts and I let out a high pitched giggle.

  "What? It's going to happen eventually, why not your birthday?" I smirk and move so I am now straddling Dani's lap.

  "Uhm I uh" She stutters feeling flustered.

  "Do you not have an answer?" I arch my brow. Dani takes a moment to compose herself before locking her eyes onto my own, her face taking on a serious look.

  "Because I don't want you to feel like there is any pressure for it to happen, I feel like when the time is right we will know, obviously if something

  progresses in that area, then I am not going to stop unless you want me to that is, but I don't want to put a date on it and saying we're doing it then, that's when it's happening, I just want it to be natural" I wrap my arms around Dani's neck and play with the tiny hairs there, a smile playing on my lips, those three words rolling around in my head again, but there is no way I am going to be uttering them yet, it doesn't feel right.

  "You're incredible" I decide on instead.

  "I just want this to work you know, I don't want to mess anything up with you" Dani's arms wrap around my waist, her fingers sliding under the hem of my shirt, scratching my back softly.

  "I feel the same, I like the pace where we're at now, I don't want this to end, I don't want it to be ruined" I mumble placing my forehead against hers. "I don't want it to end either" She let's out a content sigh.

  "Let's just get married now so we don't have to worry about that because you'll be stuck with me forever" I beam.

  "Okay sure, let's go now, we can buy someone plastic rings on the way" Dani grins.

  "Fantastic, I'll make a veil out of a pillow case and we'll be good to go, pick up a homeless man on the street to be our witness" I continue to grin. "Sounds excellent, and then we'll go to McDonalds for our reception and get a Mcnugget share box" "Girl you know the key to my heart" I giggle as does Dani.