When Nightmares Become Reality

When we got home and all of the groceries were put away my phone vibrated next to Liz’s arm. She picked it up and read it out to me.
‘Dear Jazz, I’m really sorry about earlier today but I told you I’d get you and Danielle to meet. Can you meet up now. I got your number of Niall eventually. –Liam’
‘Who’s Liam?’ she asked staring down at the phone. She was clearly assuming something.
‘He’s just a guy’ I said reaching for my phone but she moved it out of the way.
‘Ooh, a guy’ she said winking at me.
‘No nothing like that. He has a girlfriend. That’s who Danielle is. Dah’ I snapped back.
‘So he’s cheating on her with you, and you’re getting close with her so she doesn’t suspect anything. Hmm, smart; didn’t think you were that type of girl.’ She said and shrugged her shoulders. ‘Oh well. Get what you can right’
I felt my face turn red. ‘No, He’s a friend and he promised I could meet his girlfriend because she’s a dancer. Like me’
Her faced turned from happy to scared. ‘Okay, gosh. I’m sorry.’ She held out my phone to me. I took it and grabbed the car keys from the table and replied to Liam’s text. ‘Hey Liam, where are we meeting?’ As I hit send I slammed the front door in Liz’s shocked face. She needed to know to stay out of my business.
When I got to the address of the coffee shop that Liam sent me, I walked in and saw that there was only one person in the shop beside the waiter. Must be her. I walked towards the booth and stopped just in front of the person.
‘Danielle?’ I asked and she nodded. I took a seat and ordered a coffee.
We spent at least 4 hours talking about dance styles and what type of dance styles I was teaching and finally about the boys. She and Liam seemed perfect for each other. I wish that I had someone like that.
‘Alright, well I think I’ve left my roommate to feel guilty long enough now, so I guess I’ll be going, it was wonderful talking to you Danielle and I hope we can do it again sometime’ I stood up and Danielle did too. I started to walk out when I got pulled into a hug.
‘No problem Jazz, it was great talking to you. When we got to the door I said one last good-bye and watched Danielle walk up the street. ‘Wait Danielle, would you like a ride anywhere? I can’t let you walk the streets this late.’ I said looking towards the dark sky.
‘No, it’s fine. I’m used to walking. She stopped and smiled back.
No really, I insist. I said walking to her and linked my arm around hers. I pulled her towards my car and she giggled.
‘It is a bit chilly out here, isn’t it.’ She said pulling her jacket closer to her fragile body. When we reached the car and we both got in. I turned the heater on, she directed me through the streets and we stopped at a beautiful secluded house.
‘Okay, this is me.’ She said as she opened the door. ‘Thanks for the ride home, maybe you could come over and we could spend some more time together? The boys will be here so you can get to know them all a little more as well.’
I really wanted too, but in two days I was starting at my new dance studio and I needed to rest my back. ‘I’m sorry Danielle, I’d really love to but … raincheck’ I smiled at her.
‘Of course.’ She replied with the same happy expression.
I woke up the next day without a word from Liz when I walked in.
When I eventually got out of bed and walked towards the kitchen to make breakfast I smelt the coffee and seen Liz. ‘Want one?’ she said looking up at me.
‘Yeah sure.’ I said and she got my cup out of the cupboard and placed it on the bench. She poured the coffee in and I seen the steam form. She added the sugar and milk. Mmm. ‘Why ar-?’
‘I’m sorry for yesterday’ we both spoke at the same time. ‘I didn’t mean to make you mad, I didn’t know you were the private type of girl.’
‘I’m not private’ I said grabbing my cup. ‘I just don’t like people butting into my stuff’ I said raising my voice.
‘Well maybe if you opened up every once in a while, instead of staying in your room, I might have known that!’
‘Maybe I don’t want you to know about my stuff’ I didn’t want anyone to know.
‘What stuff’ she said putting her coffee down.
I could feel my anger again. I just need to count to 10 like they taught me back in Australia. ‘Nothing’ I said as calm as I could. I started to count down 10, 9, 8 but I could feel that it wasn’t working. I dropped my coffee cup and heard it break as I reached the door. I pulled the door open and through myself down the stairs as fast as I could. I reached the bottom of the second flight of stairs and stopped. I backed against the wall and felt the tears fall down my face.
‘I wanted to get away from all of this, away from all of the yelling’ I said to the sky. ‘Why can’t you be here with me, I need your help. You always knew what to say and do.’ I stayed there and cried for 30 minutes before calming down and drying my face. My throat felt horrible and my skin felt hot and clammy, I needed fresh air. I walked down the last flight of stairs out the door and towards my car. I opened my door and thanked god that I left the keys in there and that nobody had taken it.
I drove with all of the windows down and let the cool air wash over me. It calmed me down a little bit. I stopped the car and realized that I had driven to Danielle’s place. I looked at the windows and seen that there were lights on, that had to mean that she was awake. I got out of my car grabbing my keys this time and walked towards the door. I could feel the knots in my hair. Great.
I knocked on the door and the door opened, except it wasn’t Danielle, it was Niall.
‘Oh shit’ I mumbled putting my hands up to my fluffy knotted hair.

Notes