as he grinned at me while I shone the flashlight at his beautiful face. “So I am getting to see you today after all.”
“If you call this seeing me,” I joked and was happy it was dark now because I felt like I was blushing.
Daniel chuckled and said, “How are you guys holding up? It’s really amazing how dark it is when there’s a blackout in the country.”
“ I know! I thought the same thing.”
He followed me into the living room . The room looked cozy with all the candles and didn’t seem sinister anymore.
I introduced him to the girls. At first, it was awkward, but Daniel started asking them questions about school. He was adept at getting people to talk, but said very little himself.
However, when Lily asked about Australia, Daniel got quite talkative.
“Did you go there alone?” asked Noelle.
“I did. I met a friend for a little while, but then I went to the Great Barrier Reef alone.”
The talk turned back to school. Since all of us would be seniors in the fall, college was always on our minds.
“Paige said you’re taking time off and not going to college yet. Why?” Lily asked. I didn’t need to ask Daniel anything since Lily and Noelle were asking all the questions for me.
“ I want to travel around for awhile.”
“Are you working?” asked Lily.
“Yeah, part-time.”
“But how can you do that?” nosy Noelle asked.
Daniel asked, “You mean financially?”
Noelle nodded and said, “Yeah. How can you afford it and only work part-time?”
“ My parents died and when I turned eighteen, I was able to access the trust fund they set up.”
Noelle’s face crumpled and I could tell that she felt terrible . I had forgotten to tell her about his parents. “I’m so sorry. What happened?” asked Noelle.
“They were in a car accident in Utah. It was January of my freshman year. I had gone back to school after the winter holiday.” Lily and I looked at each other because we went skiing in Utah last February on break. “They hit a patch of ice and their car went down a mountain cliff.”
The mood was somber for a while. Daniel got very quiet and I felt so bad for him. It must be horrible to constantly tell everyone his parents died.
Lily glanced over at me and raised her eyebrows. She asked Daniel if he grew up in Manhattan in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
“No, I was raised in Washington DC , went to school there till eighth grade. Then, for high school, I went to a boarding school in London.”
“ There are tons of boarding schools here. Why so far way?” asked Noelle.
“ My dad went there and I wanted to go.”
“Well, I guess if you hadn’t gone, you might’ve been with your parents on that ski trip,” Noelle said, insinuating the unthinkable.
I was so floored by what she said and asked, “Noelle, are you for real?”
“What? It’s true. Don’t tell me you hadn’t thought that,” Noelle accused.
I shook my head at her like she was insane. Before I could comment, Lily jumped in while Noelle remained oblivious to her inappropriate comment. “If you live in DC, why are you in Manhattan?”
“ I was going to work in DC this summer, but my uncle got called to New York last minute.” That was quite a coincidence since my plans had also abruptly changed. We could’ve been in different parts of the world and never met.
When the lights came on, the brightness was jarring. Lily and Noelle finally saw Daniel in his full glory. He really was striking.
Noelle kept asking Daniel about his trust fund and I prayed that she didn’t ask him how much money he had. I’d die. Before Noelle had a chance, we heard the front door open.
Lily jumped up and nervo usly called out, “Hey, we’re in the living room.”
Aunt Cecile walked in, saw Daniel and said, “Hello, I’m Cecile Hamilton, Lily’s mom.”
“Daniel Haydin, nice to meet yo u.” He stood up and shook hands with Aunt Cecile as Uncle Ian walked in.
“We were wondering whose car was in
“If you call this seeing me,” I joked and was happy it was dark now because I felt like I was blushing.
Daniel chuckled and said, “How are you guys holding up? It’s really amazing how dark it is when there’s a blackout in the country.”
“ I know! I thought the same thing.”
He followed me into the living room . The room looked cozy with all the candles and didn’t seem sinister anymore.
I introduced him to the girls. At first, it was awkward, but Daniel started asking them questions about school. He was adept at getting people to talk, but said very little himself.
However, when Lily asked about Australia, Daniel got quite talkative.
“Did you go there alone?” asked Noelle.
“I did. I met a friend for a little while, but then I went to the Great Barrier Reef alone.”
The talk turned back to school. Since all of us would be seniors in the fall, college was always on our minds.
“Paige said you’re taking time off and not going to college yet. Why?” Lily asked. I didn’t need to ask Daniel anything since Lily and Noelle were asking all the questions for me.
“ I want to travel around for awhile.”
“Are you working?” asked Lily.
“Yeah, part-time.”
“But how can you do that?” nosy Noelle asked.
Daniel asked, “You mean financially?”
Noelle nodded and said, “Yeah. How can you afford it and only work part-time?”
“ My parents died and when I turned eighteen, I was able to access the trust fund they set up.”
Noelle’s face crumpled and I could tell that she felt terrible . I had forgotten to tell her about his parents. “I’m so sorry. What happened?” asked Noelle.
“They were in a car accident in Utah. It was January of my freshman year. I had gone back to school after the winter holiday.” Lily and I looked at each other because we went skiing in Utah last February on break. “They hit a patch of ice and their car went down a mountain cliff.”
The mood was somber for a while. Daniel got very quiet and I felt so bad for him. It must be horrible to constantly tell everyone his parents died.
Lily glanced over at me and raised her eyebrows. She asked Daniel if he grew up in Manhattan in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
“No, I was raised in Washington DC , went to school there till eighth grade. Then, for high school, I went to a boarding school in London.”
“ There are tons of boarding schools here. Why so far way?” asked Noelle.
“ My dad went there and I wanted to go.”
“Well, I guess if you hadn’t gone, you might’ve been with your parents on that ski trip,” Noelle said, insinuating the unthinkable.
I was so floored by what she said and asked, “Noelle, are you for real?”
“What? It’s true. Don’t tell me you hadn’t thought that,” Noelle accused.
I shook my head at her like she was insane. Before I could comment, Lily jumped in while Noelle remained oblivious to her inappropriate comment. “If you live in DC, why are you in Manhattan?”
“ I was going to work in DC this summer, but my uncle got called to New York last minute.” That was quite a coincidence since my plans had also abruptly changed. We could’ve been in different parts of the world and never met.
When the lights came on, the brightness was jarring. Lily and Noelle finally saw Daniel in his full glory. He really was striking.
Noelle kept asking Daniel about his trust fund and I prayed that she didn’t ask him how much money he had. I’d die. Before Noelle had a chance, we heard the front door open.
Lily jumped up and nervo usly called out, “Hey, we’re in the living room.”
Aunt Cecile walked in, saw Daniel and said, “Hello, I’m Cecile Hamilton, Lily’s mom.”
“Daniel Haydin, nice to meet yo u.” He stood up and shook hands with Aunt Cecile as Uncle Ian walked in.
“We were wondering whose car was in
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