36 days later by Katerina Rose (books for 7th graders .txt) 📖

at the front doors, I couldn't even see it from where I stood... people were packed in there. I spotted Hailey though, sitting at the bar flirting it up. She saw me and by the look on her face she knew I was mad. But It occurred to me she knew I would be.

I started for the door next to Daniel, I felt Alyx grab my arm... I turned around and pulled back I knocked over a waitress standing behind me with beers in her hand. It caused a ruckus and Daniel's eyes shifted to where I stood.

He defiantly saw me. I know because I looked at him at the same moment.

I apologized to the waitress and took off for the back door.

I made it outside and realized Hailey drove so I was trapped. This was a very underhanded plan.

I sat down on the curb and waited for her to come outside and find me. I wasn't going back in.

I felt all my feelings for Daniel come flooding back. My heart was still broken, I could feel it. I had always wondered what would of happened if I had chased after him that day 8 months ago. Would I be with him now? Would things of ended worse than they did? ..but whats worse than not speaking?

10 mins passed and it was clear Hailey wasn't in a hurry to come out here. I debated calling Tyler but didn't want to disrupt his date night with Elizabeth.

I was stuck...

I began walking around the parking lot to entertain myself. Listening to the sound of the heels click, like I was sophisticated. Heels always made me feel like more of a girl than I usually felt.

"Cassie" I heard someone say.

I turned around. The back door had opened and Daniel stood there. Hands in his pockets.

I couldn't speak. 8 months and I was still in love with him. Would this feeling ever die?

"You look---really pretty" He finally spoke after a few moments of silence.

I walked back towards the door slowly..I hadn't made it very far into the parking lot clicking my heels.

"I'm sorry I didn't know this was your gig--my friend dragged me here"

"Hailey" He spoke.

"How do you--"

"She called me"

"What?"

"Well,... I called you" He said. "About 2 days ago, I called your apartment, but Hailey picked up"

"What? where was I?"

"Shower I think she said." He looked down at the ground... "She apparently knew all about me"

He looked up at me again

I nodded.

"I told her I was in town and playing this show, and practically begged her to get you here" He stepped forward.

"You said I had to chase you---"

"I was stupid"

"You left --"

"I wish I hadn't"

"Daniel its been 8 months--no calls, no texts, no sign of you"

"I had a carrier pigeon but poor thing must of got lost" He half smiled.

"Don't make jokes"

"I just wanted to tell you I was sorry..."

"So why not just show up ..to my house, or call me"

"Hailey suggested I did something a little bigger"

"So you both trick me?"

He shrugged. "I'm not asking for you back, I know I've blown that, I just don't want you to hate me... I know I screwed everything up"

"No you didn't... you didn't help when you left but I sabotaged everything" --"I over thought it- You were right" I sighed.

"Did you throw the ring away?" He asked.

"No, its in a box at my apartment... why, do you want it back" I rolled my eyes.

"No, I don't... I want you to keep it, I just hope you don't remember the bad things when you look at it"

"I don't remember many good things" I sighed.

"I'm really sorry.... Cassie, I'm just so sorry"

I looked at the ground and sighed. I felt tears welling up. "I'm sorry too... "

"I don't know if we can ever make this work" He spoke softly. Almost somber.

I looked at him. "Maybe we just start over"

"You'd start over with me?"

"I can't seem to let go of you,..." I felt tears roll down my cheek.

He reached out for me. I moved in closer and he hugged me. "I want to start over" he sighed when he embraced me "I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too"....

I wasn't sure If I had just ruined everything or made my life better... Old habits die hard.
Chapter 12

I sat on my kitchen bar stool, leaned over the bar staring at the engagement ring in its box less than a foot from my face.

I started playing with the box wondering what it would of been like to wear every day. Would it have been the same if we had just eloped? Would things be better?

I sat up and began pushing it between both hands like a hockey puck. I sighed to myself. Staring at it wasn't helping anything. I hadn't even bothered to open the box since the day I shut it in my room.

I started to pop it open and my front door opened. I snapped it closed and turned around hiding the box in the pocket of my cardigan as I spun around to see Tyler standing in my house.

"Knocking is over rated huh? Yeah I always thought so too" I rolled my eyes with a smirk.

"Sorry, Elizabeth and I just got into it I had to get out of my apartment and she has the keys to my car.." He plopped on the couch and exhaled.

"Fight about what?" I went to the couch and sat on the other side.

"She's taking a job in Chicago, and she didn't even ask me about it, its like she doesn't care" ---"All this time, I thought she was it, and things were getting better and now she's just going to up and leave"

"Why don't you go with her?"

He looked at me with narrow eyes.

"I'm serious! Whats tying you here anyway?"

"My job?...My family? ...The band?"

"Your job is a waste of time, your family will understand and the band may never overcome this.."

"I didn't take you as a quitter"

"I didn't think you gave up so easily..." I smiled.

"I'm not quitting she is.."

"You should just go with her--"

"And do what? Be her house husband?, that's so stupid, I had things to accomplish with my life... I don't want to follow her around like a lost puppy" He leaned his head back on the couch. "Your terrible at advice"

"I'm not giving you advice, I'm telling you what to do.." I laughed. "Your just too stubborn to realize a good thing when its right in front of you"

"No, thats you---" He snapped.

I realized he was talking about me again.

He sighed "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"

"Its fine---lets not talk about it" I held my hand up.

We had done so well not talking about the past, its the only way our friendship stayed intact but sadly it was always the elephant in the room. Another reason I often left him and Elizabeth alone, I knew she could feel the awkward tension between Tyler and I. I didn't want her to get the impression I was after him or we weren't over, ..well, we never really started.

He looked at me "Would you want me to chase you?"

I paused.

"Hypothetical this isn't about all that..."

I thought a moment...

"If you really love her, she deserves to be chased" I half smiled.

He nodded... and sympathetically smiled. "Hailey told me what happened the other night..about Daniel"

I froze.

"Its OK, we're friends remember"

I nodded and looked at the floor... noticing how badly I needed to vacuum my carpet

"I think he should of chased you, but if I can give you some unsolicited advice?"

I nodded and looked at him.

"It won't work out if you just sit around waiting for him to get the clue"

"It won't work out if I chase him either,... I'm always chasing him"

He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm defending him but no, your not... there's been a lot of times he chased you and you couldn't find it in your heart to accept it."

"He always chased me after he did something stupid.."

"Guys are stupid" He laughed "We often realize how good we have it after we screw it all up"

I looked at him "So chase Elizabeth, and you won't have to look back and wonder why you didn't"

He laughed "Yeah I walked right into that one"

"Yes..."

"Why don't you call Daniel, whats it been like 2 days?"

I nodded "But shouldn't he---"

"Who cares anymore, we're all too old to be playing the back and forth game. I want you to be happy, you cant keep sitting here playing with the ring you know you want to wear" He smiled

"how did you--"

"I'm a ninja..." He smiled and got up

He headed for the door "I'm going to go salvage my relationship, and you should talk to him..."

"I can't believe your defending him" I laughed.

"I know, I'll have to wash my mouth out with peroxide when I get home... "

"Jeesh"

"I know, that will teach me.." he laughed again and walked out.


I sighed and pulled the ring out of my pocket. Maybe he's right we had been playing this game for too long. I couldn't just be friends with Daniel anyway. I didn't want to be, I wanted to marry him. Even after all the bullshit we had been through. I coudln't even think about the band again until I was happy, and I knew he was the only thing that was going to make me happy.

I picked up the phone and started dialing.

Chapter 13

I called Daniel's phone and my heart beat with anticipation. I was finally ready to give this a chance. I felt like it was the right time. I held the ring in my hands and listened to his phone ring...

"Hello?" A woman's voice answered.

"Uhh..Hello?, who's this?" I asked

"Tori who's this?"

"Why are you answering Daniel's phone?"

"He's in the shower I heard it ring? seriously who is this?"

"What are you doing at his place?"

"I came home with him last night?....who the hell is this?"

"Don't worry about it sweetheart,..."

"Do you want to leave a message for Daniel? I think he's almost done?"

"Nope,... Just don't even tell him I called"

"And who--"

I hung up and shoved the ring into my hoodie pocket....

Wow. Not even 2 days later and he's got