Chapter Ten (Blake's POV)

"Me? You love me?" Danny asked, as if the word sounded foreign on his tongue. I sighed and just shook my head.

"I don't want to talk about it... Look, I didn't mean to ruin your life. I just hated not seeing enough of you, so yea, I sort of set up the whole blackmail thing just so I could get closer, but it just made things worse and I'm sorry. Yea, yea," I snorted, watching his eyes widen in disbelief, "I know, I know. I'm a huge douche bag that everyone hates and I should go die. I've heard it all before, but right now, the main priority is getting you to the hospital. That needs to be treated."

To my relief, Danny said nothing and just nodded very slowly. I knew he didn't want to be seen with me, especially here, so I waited until the bell rang for the final class and I helped Danny to his feet. He limped a little and I went to help him, but thought better of it and hung back to let him take the lead. We left the locker rooms, peeking around to make sure everyone was in class before we headed to the office.

The office staff made a huge fuss over Danny, who couldn't even muster a smile at them like he normally did and just stared at everyone as if he were expecting to be smacked or something. I winced inwardly before I led him out to my car. I helped him into the passenger seat and buckled him in before we headed down the road.

"Man, this sucks." Danny sighed after a while. I didn't say anything and that made him grunt in irritation. I could tell, even without looking, that he was making that face again. Damn it. You'd think he'd know better.

"So, all this crap because you have a schoolgirl crush on me?"

"It's not a crush, Danny."

"... So, it's the hardcore crush?"

"It's the hardcore I love you now shut up feeling."

"So what now?" Danny asked. I rolled my eyes as I pulled into the hospital parking lot in town. I got out and helped him out of the passenger seat.

"Nothing," I told him as I steadied his wrist, watching him wince and grit his teeth in an attempt not to bite his busted lip, "I take you in there, make sure you're okay, drive you home, then go home myself."

"You're just gonna leave me?" Danny asked. A prick of hope flared inside me, but I wasn't about to let myself fall into it again. It hurt. I didn't want anymore than I'd have to deal with. I shrugged.

"We're taking a break... If you want, we can just take a break period. I won't blackmail you anymore and you don't have to be tied down to me. Just go home and try to make things right." I said quietly as I used my jacket as a makeshift sling, tying it at Danny's neck. He stared at me as I stared back without saying anything before I started to lead him inside.

Again, he was silent. Part of me was uneasy about that. He was so talkative. Had I completely crushed him? Did I seriously just ruin his life? It made me ache as I walked into the emergency waiting room, watching as a nurse leapt up, rushing over to help along with a doctor. Danny gave me a quick, worried look before they escorted him down the hallway. I watched him go and highly considered taking off and just letting him call his parents, but I wanted to stay.

I couldn't leave him here alone. He obviously didn't like hospitals and he'd freak if he came to the waiting room where he'd be alone until his parents showed up. So, I turned and sat down in a seat, sinking low and folding my hands in my lap.

And I waited.

And waited and waited and waited, until I swore I almost exploded. Seriously, if anyone wanted to commit the most heinous torture of all, make them sit in a waiting room. It was Hell, not knowing how long it was going to take until Danny was at least somewhat okay, no recent magazines to read, no Internet... The only thing that was really driving me nuts was no Danny.

And just when I thought I was gonna blow, Danny came through the double doors, making me shoot to my feet immediately. His wrist was all bandaged up and he wore a proper sling now with my coat over his other arm. He had what seemed to be stitches in a wound on his forehead that I never noticed, his bruise now dark and angry on his cheek with a Band-Aid pasted on the corner of his mouth. He was wearing different clothing. A black and white baseball shirt and jeans that looked a tad too snug on him, but I wasn't complaining.

"Feelin' better?" I asked. Danny shrugged, grimacing a little as he nudged his wrist before he held my jacket out to me and I took it.

"They gave me some pain meds and told me I'd be out of commission for a while. Sucks ass that it's my writing hand." He added with a pout. I felt my heart skip a beat and mentally slapped myself silly as I nodded slowly.

"Sucks. Well, might as well take you home now. You're probably tired."

"Yea... Uh, hey, this is gonna sound sorta weird, but yea. Since we both skipped lunch, wanna eat over at my place? My mom is the goddess of food." He said, shifting a little as I watched his cheeks burn a light pink. I stared at him for the longest time.

God, Danny. Stop giving me this hope that you like me. You either do or you don't. Stop confusing me... It hurts.

"Danny, you hate me." I deadpanned, mentally wincing at how it sounded. Danny winced too, then looked in the other direction. He looked tired, but thoughtful. A strange expression crossed his face for a moment and he shook his head before looking up at me.

"Maan, I don't hate you. I say shit like that all the time. My poor mother has to deal with it too. Come on, I'm starving and I wanna see if these pills make me trippy."

"Danny."

"I said move it! I can't drive, so let's go chauffer man. Take us to my place." Danny insisted, even taking to stomping his foot like a little kid and scowling at me. I wanted to say no. I wanted to just tell him to shove off, call his parents to come get him.

But... I didn't.

"Fine." I agreed stupidly and led the way back to the car. Danny plopped in on his own, refusing my offer to help him in and I just shrugged it off as I drove him to his place. I could feel my gut churning, though.

I was about to step foot into the devil's home.

I had never really been to someone's house for a good reason before. No one invited me over anywhere. It was so foreign and unnerving. His mom was probably going to stockpile me with accusations and shit about Danny. Oh god, the office probably called and told her everything.

"Yes, Mrs. Carter? Your son was rushed to the ER with a broken wrist. Why? Well, he was beat up for being gay, of course. Or so the rumors say. Is this true, Mrs. Carter? Does your son like it up the ass?"

Oh, that's bound to go over well with strict Catholic mama. She was probably the reason Danny was so opposed to me, and anyone else like me. I really wanted to just drop him off and speed away, but I couldn't do it. Instead, I found myself parking in front of Danny's house where his mother's minivan sat... As well as ol' papa's sweet ass Hummer.

Aw yea. I was gonna die. Farewell, world. I hardly knew ye. And thank god for that.

"Dude, will you quit looking around like a freaking Chihuahua? My mom's the size of a Pomeranian and my dad's the chew toy."

"And Devin?"

"He's the monkey in my closet." Danny grinned. I rolled my eyes at his Family Guy reference, resisting the urge to smirk as he led me up the front steps to his house. He walked right in, which for some reason felt awkward to me, as I followed close behind and stepped foot into one of the coziest houses I've ever been in.

The atmosphere was warm and it was like walking into a house that had just finished its Thanksgiving dinner. The main room was hardwood flooring with a long hallway up ahead and an oak staircase that led straight upstairs to more rooms. The rest of the house seemed to be carpeted and was warmly lit. The heavy scent of something cooking filled the air as well as a woman's voice singing to Baby, It's Cold.

"Ma!" Danny called. There was a bit of a clatter as Danny led me straight down the hallway and into a tiled kitchen designed with an unnecessary amount of roosters on almost everything. The woman standing at the sink was gorgeous. I literally saw where Danny got his good looks. Her hair was the same color caramel, only thick and wavy down her back with a pale blue headband to match her polo shirt and faded jeans while a pair of flowery flats covered her feet.

As soon as she saw Danny, her pretty blue eyes went wide in shock.

"Danny! What happened?!" She rushed over immediately and I let her have her room to fuss over his wrist. Danny was turning bright red as she repeatedly kissed his cheeks and studied his hand as well as the pills the doctor offered him.

"It was nothing, ma," He tried to explain as she kissed him on the lips, then on the nose, then the forehead- damn, she was lucky, "Just some asshole at school-"

"Daniel Ace Carter, you watch your language... What asshole?! Who would hurt my baby?"

"Larry Gilbert, ma'am." I blurted. Danny's mother seemed to notice me for the first time now and straightened up to stare at me.

"Uh, yea, ma. This is Blake Patterson, he's the dude who took me to the hospital and-"

A smile broke across her face immediately and those blue eyes of hers twinkled brightly. Whoa, she was wayyy too much like Danny. Scary actually.

"Oh, thank you so much for helping him get out of trouble! He's always trying to be an ass-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ma! What the heck?!" Danny cried in exasperation. Oh well, this was pay back for the whole thing with Vic. I just smiled warmly at her.

"No problem at all. I'm happy to help." I answered. That made her smile even more as she reached out to shake my hand with a firm, slender hand.

"Hi, Blake. I'm Danny's mom. You can call me Cherri. Danny's father, Ace, should be down here soon. I take it you're going to join us for dinner?" She asked. Danny was watching me, as if daring me to refuse. I wanted to, I really did. But for some reason, my brain wasn't connected to my mouth.

"Yes, ma'am." I answered. Cherri beamed and Danny gave a smirk of satisfaction as if he had won some kind of war that I had no idea existed.

"Wonderful! Well, I'll let Danny show you around the house. Everything's going to be ready as soon as Devin gets home." She explained, then cast a quick worried glance at Danny before something hissed on the oven and she gasped, rushing over to tend to it. Danny then gestured with his head for me to follow and I did.

"Wow," I breathed after we had left the kitchen, "No wonder where you get it from."

"What? My great looks and personality?" Danny asked with a smirk.

"Actually yes." This time it was my turn to smirk as a blush flew across Danny's face and he huffed a little.

"Damn straight." He said, surprising me a little. I was expecting him to lash out to be honest. I followed him upstairs and I could hear a shower running somewhere, taking it to be Danny's father. The second floor was just as cozy as the first. In all honesty, I was jealous. I could feel it seep out of every pore. I wanted to live in a home like this.

Sure, it was small compared to my uncle's house, but it felt like a real home with a real family. Something ached inside me, but I ignored it as Danny led me into his room.

It was a tad smaller than my own with a double bed, a small television set with a few video game consoles near it along with a laptop sitting on a bookshelf that didn't exactly hold books, so much as holding several billion cards and knick-knacks. Oh, and there was no missing the piles of laundry that lay everywhere.

"Jeez. I feel sorry for your mom." I muttered, eyeing a pair of blue boxers at the toe of my boots. Danny's face flushed some more and he snatched them up, throwing them across the room so they fell behind his bookcase. He started kicking clothes and garbage aside to make a path to the bed where he plopped down in a huff.

"Oi, feel sorry for me. I'm the one that has to clean this when she finds out it's been this dirty. She's as OCD as Monk."

"Wow, you actually watch something that's remotely intellectual. I applaud you."

"Oh, shut up. What about you? What the hell do you do in your free time?" Danny asked.

Think about you.

"Nothing." I answered aloud in a flat tone. Danny snorted, then fell on his back as he groped the sheets before pulling a remote out from the folds and snapping the television on so Spongebob Squarepants was playing. He sat up immediately and turned to face the screen.

"Seriously?" I demanded. Danny rolled his eyes.

"What? This show is hilarious."

"It's a talking sponge and starfish that are complete nimrods. Oh, on second thought, sounds like your kinda show." I replied. Danny scowled and muted the TV to face me, pouting now. I'd punch him if that face weren't so adorable.

"You know, for a guy who's in love, you sure treat me like crap, you know that?"

"Because I so didn't tell rescue you during fourth period, threaten Stone, and drive you to the hospital." I blurted. I didn't really want to say that. I was more thinking it and it sort of came out like a breath that I wanted to release. Danny stared at me for a while and he got that tired look on his face again.

"Thanks for that, by the way. Everything, I mean... Damn it, I hate how nice you are. It's making it difficult."

"Making what difficult?" I asked. He didn't answer and instead turned the sound back on so the characters on the screen were talking loudly. I stood there, ignoring the screen to study the posters, calenders, jerseys, and trophies lining the walls. Basketball, football, even track and soccer. The kid was like the posterchild of the ultimate American teenager.

Creepy, but hell. If all that exercise gave him the body he has now, I don't care.

Ah crap. No, Blake, think about something else. Think about....

The way he's lying down.

Danny was leaning on his good arm with his wounded one tucked against his chest with one of his legs up and bent while the other was stretched out. Those jeans were so damn snug on him that I could make out the perfect dip of the back of his knee to the curve of his firm ass. His shirt was slightly askew, revealing a smooth abdomen that was just begging to be touched.

Shit, shit, shit.

"So are you gonna just stand there or sit down?" Danny asked, his eyes not once leaving the screen as the characters screamed and blew bubbles like a bunch of idiots. I frowned and approached the bed before sitting on it behind Danny.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this situation was wrong. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be this close to him. I should've gone home, gone to bed, wallowed in a little self-pity and fallen asleep. Wake up, eat, school, bed. Same as every day before I started to hang out with Danny.

Now it was wake up, think about Danny, go to school, watch Danny practice, take Danny to my house, tease Danny, watch Danny, listen to Danny. Danny, Danny, Danny.

"Ugh." I grunted in disgust at myself.

"What?" Danny asked, still not looking away . I averted my eyes toward the bookshelf.

"Nothing... What the hell is all that?" I asked, gesturing to the shelves. Danny finally pulled his eyes off the screen to look at where I was looking at. He rolled onto his stomach so he was almost touching me and my body was on fire at the nearness. Oh, this was just torture. Why are you doing this to me, Danny? Do you think it's funny to hurt me? After everything I did for you?

You prick.

"Just shit I collect. Baseball cards, basketball, football. There's some cheesy old comics in there too. And a bunch of crap my mom bought for my birthdays or shoved in my stockings for Christmas, and sometimes just things I pick up from somewhere random."

"An empty beer bottle?" I asked, gesturing to the top shelf. Danny grinned wickedly.

"My very first beer. Best damn thing ever... Except I got drunk after." He added with an annoyed snort.

"Yea, I noticed you don't hold your alcohol well."

"Says the..." Danny didn't finish. I knew what he was thinking about. The night he stumbled and we ended up kissing and I knew for a fact at that moment that I liked this boy way more than I should. His lips had been so smooth, so soft, so damn kissable. And last night when I finally had him in my arms, where I was almost certain he belonged. His back arched and his body pressed-

Shit, shit.

"Uh," Danny ducked his head down a little to look at the bed before he rolled over to look right at me, our faces not that far apart, "I was gonna say something, but I forgot... Damn it." He scrunched his nose up, pouted just a little and I lost it.

Thanks a lot, self-control. I love waving goodbye to you as my life falls out the window and into the path of an on coming fright train.

I reached out and cupped his cheek in my hand, pressing my lips to his gently at first. To my complete surprise, he didn't push me back. Instead, he leaned into it further and his lips parted against mine. Was this really happening or was he going to do what he did last night?

That look... God, how I hated the look of regret on his face. It pierced me hard enough to make me pull back, our lips breaking apart as we sucked in air. Danny's cheeks were flushed and his expression dazed for a second before he whipped over, rolling off the bed and groaning.

"It happened again! You know what, I seriously do think I hate you. Why do you keep doing that?"

"I told you to stop making that damn face."

"What face?!"

"I don't know how to explain it!" Sure I did, but I wasn't about to tell him that.

"Well, jeez, that's not helpful... And I wasn't talking about the kiss either." Danny added under his breath, making me sit up and frown at him. Danny was pacing like a caged tiger now, nibbling on the end of his thumb.

"What are you talking about, Danny?" I sighed in exasperation. He was so confusing. Maybe he did like me and was just in denial? Or that could just be my ego trying to breaking the o-zone.

"That thing you do. It's like you're wedging yourself into my head all the damn time. I can't stop..." He didn't have to finish his sentence. I knew what he was going to say and my heart soared.

I can't stop thinking about you.

"Are you serious?" I asked for confirmation. Danny stopped pacing to lean against the wall near his dresser, looking at the floor miserably.

"It's not supposed to be like this. I'm supposed to be at Joss' next part, trying to get Emily to take her top off so I can see her tits. Getting drunk and playing stupid spin the bottle games and looking up porn. Then I go and meet you and it all goes to Hell, but... I don't know. I can't explain it. It's so stupid." He grumbled. I couldn't stop staring at him.

So he did like me. He had to or else he wouldn't be saying this. He was just scared. He didn't want things to change and he was trying to force them to stay the same, but it was like he was partially accepting it all in some super stupid weird Danny kinda way.

"Uh, so yea," Danny pushed off the wall, heading for the door, "I think it's some weird drug they gave me, like Vicodin or morphine-" I got up quickly and pushed the door shut harshly, making him jump and whip around to face me as I stared down at him.

"You're not old enough to take Vicodin without parental