3. Behind Closed Doors

After the 15 minute car ride to campus and one of Wilson’s long drawn out break up with that idiot lectures, Bianca was back at her dorm with the intention of taking a long hot shower.
Wilson was right to be angry over what Danny did but the father-like talks were un-needed. She had enough of that coming from Claudio each time Danny ran back to him with their relationship dramas and each time Bianca ended their relationship.  As predictable as the change in time every autumn and spring, Claudio would call Bianca and express his concerns while persuading her to give it another chance. There were at least 3 another chances within that year, all of them given because of Claudio and his deeply disappointed tone and Danny’s promise to change. 

“And where have you been?” Santino greeted Bianca at the door just as she placed her hand on the handle. “Walk of shame?” She wiggled her brows with a huge smile,” Your loser was here asking me 21 questions so I know you weren’t with him! Details!” She placed her hand on her hip allowing Bianca entry into their room. She followed Bianca over to her bed, plopping down on it like a child preparing for a good story. Danny wasn’t Santino’s favorite person. Unlike Bianca, she saw no good in him and wanted nothing more than for her best friend to drop him like a pair of outdated stilettos. On occasion she’d approach Danny and threaten to end his chances of ever becoming a father if Bianca ended up with a broken heart but remained out of their spats at Bianca’s request. Bianca looked over at Santino as she made herself comfortable with an even wider smile and a pillow propped underneath her. “There’s nothing to tell, Tino! Danny took me to a sports bar and ignored me.  A nice guy gave me a ride to my brother’s house. The end.” She burst into laughter at her friend’s pouting lips. 

“A nice guy gave you a ride to your brother’s? A stranger?” Santino threw her hands up with her brows lowered in confusion. “Was he cute?” Her smile returned with a devious flare in her eyes.

“I don’t know!” Bianca huffed through her laughter. Santino’s one trace mind never failed to amuse her. “I was so pissed that I wasn’t looking at him in that way.”

“Yeah but I’m sure you noticed how tall he was, what his hair looked like, if he had a nice ass and-”

“Ok Tino, I get it!” Bianca replied but hadn’t made an attempt to move forward with the details. His looks really were the last thing she was concerned about as she sat on the freezing cold bus stop while the wind blew freezing beads of rain onto her skin and into her hair. If the situation had taken a turn for the worse, she at least knew his name and the address that was on the ID card he showed her. To her, that was enough security.

“So…” Santino motioned.

“What does is matter? He dropped me off and that was it.”

“Bianca…” She gave her a stern look, shifting into a more comfortable position on the bed.

A defeated sigh escaped through Bianca’s nose with a quick roll of her eyes, “He said his name was Rodney. He was tall, maybe the same height as Wilson. He looked neat.” She shrugged referring to his crisp white button down shirt and fitting jeans but unsure if that detail was important.

“He had a nice voice. A really nice voice!”

“Ok…and his face?” Santino waved her hand in a circular motion for Bianca to jump to the good part.

“It was almost mid-night! The only time I could see his face clear enough was the split second the light came on as he was getting into the car and even then I wasn’t focused on what he looked like. Danny had just ruined my night, my phone was dead, my hair was wet, and I’m pretty sure my headlights,” She pointed to her nipples, “were on because of the sudden drop in the temperature!”

“Did you at least give him your number?” She exhaled sharply and waved her hand again.

“No! Regardless of how the night went, I’m still with Danny.” Bianca threw over her shoulder with irritation as she pulled through her dresser draws for something to wear.

“So what! You never know, he might turn out to be that good thing that sweeps you off your feet when you wise up and lose the loser.”

“Who says things won’t work out?”

“Who says it will?” Santino countered with a quick response that threw Bianca off. 

“I’m just saying, Daniel is your weakness. One that can be corrected before it get’s too bad. I’m only concerned about what’s best for you Bianca and I don’t see that in him!” She made her way toward Bianca and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. “No pressure but really give it some thought! I have some studying to do.”  

The second the door closed behind Santino it reopened and Danny appeared in the doorway with a sly smile. 

“What do you want Danny?” She blocked his kiss then quick attempt to hug her. After a year he still thought he could win her over with small gestures of affection, something she led him to believe each time she accepted it with one of his bullshit apologies. Danny pulled his hand from behind his back, a tall glass vase filled with bright red roses reflected in his widened eyes and puppy down pout. “I know I messed up Bianca.” Was all he said as he pushed the flowers toward her. That’s all it took before. A simple ass I know I was wrong and he’d be off the hook. Realizing her previous errors, Bianca held her hands up as she backed away. She made slow steps toward the round mirror where she gazed at herself with displeasure. 

He hadn’t been in the room a whole two minutes and all she could think about was his arms around her. She was just as weak as Santino said and she couldn’t deny it. From the corner of her eye she saw him sit the vase down on the edge of her desk and move toward her scratching his head as if he were at a loss for words. He wasn’t used to her rejection, this sudden ability to hold a grudge against him. “We can’t keep doing this Danny.” She mumbled through another deep sigh.

“Things aren’t what they used to be and honestly, I rather be alone than to be ignored.”

“Babe,” He took small steps toward her to test the waters before pulling her into a tight hug, “I know you don’t mean that! We can work this out. We always do.”

“That’s the problem!” Bianca pulled away from him, turning back toward the mirror. This time she refused to look into it fearing his reflection would weaken her further. The need to uphold the perfect image had been embedded in her brain and darkened her heart. Love wasn’t keeping her there, but something close to it. Strange feelings that didn't go very far but somehow managed to keep her within his grasp. Daniel was the key to her easy life, the reason why her father allowed her to move to this island despite the fact that she’d be close to Wilson. “You know just like I do, this wasn’t meant. We came into this for the wrong reasons. No matter how hard we try to force it, there is no love between us. I feel something Danny but we both know you don't.” She faced him with her eyes trailing from the dresser to the floor just to avoid the mirror. The look on his face was telling. The expression he carried spoke loud and clear. Before she could try to determine exactly what his features depicted, Daniel knelt before her.

This action was foreign, something she’d never seen him do. Mr. High and Mighty never bowed before anyone and yet there he was, on his knees with her fingers clasped in his hand. Behind closed doors he was as much of a jerk as he was in public but right then and there, that simple move made her think differently. “You’re right.” He began with his head hung low and slowly dragged his eyes up to hers, “We came into this for the wrong reasons but I assure you Bianca, I do love you. I’ve had a year of you to myself and I hate to admit it this way but it wasn’t until now that I realize how much I really want another year with you. I really fucked up last night but if you give me the chance, I promise I’ll make it up to you.” His pale blue eyes were pleading with her with each word. She felt them tug at her heart with each second passed in their silence. “You love me?” She repeated softly, latching onto that part of his quick confession. “I do Bianca. I mean it.” He stood, pulling her into a hug before stealing a quick kiss. 

 If breaking things off with him was her plan, she was failing miserably. Although she still felt empty and like she was making a mistake, he held onto her and lovingly trailed him hand up and down her back, inducing a smile. If he could try, so could she.

******

What was supposed to be a quick apology turned into hours of cuddling with Bianca, providing her with good reason to believe they should continue moving forward. Entering his private dorm room he froze at the sight of black satin and lace. His eyes slowly traveled up the length of her legs, moving steadily over her hips until they reached her eyes. “What took you so long?” Her child like voice cut through the silence and broke his trace.

Danny shook his head furiously, “The question is, what are you doing in here? What if I had Bianca with me?” He belted, yanking her from the bed by her arm.

“Then she’d know!” Ashley retorted planting her feet on the floor to stop him from pushing her out the door. A month into his relationship with Bianca, Daniel awakened for a night of heavy drinking completely naked and next to one of her best friends. That mistake that shouldn’t have occurred once became an ongoing thing; frequent sexual encounters that meant nothing to Danny but everything to Ashley.  “I’m tried of hiding this anyway! I want to be the one by your side Daniel! When will it be me?” Daniel shushed her as she began to wail, holding her arms down with his hands as he heard feet moving outside his door. “You know what this is Ashley! You knew from the start! If you’re even thinking about speaking one word of this to Bianca, then you can get the hell out now and never speak to me again!” Ashley dropped her arms to her side with surprise. He wouldn’t let her go that easy. She was sure of it. The fact that he’d even said it was appalling and placed more anger within her. Bianca always had everything she wanted and this little slice of heaven she managed to steal away from her wasn’t going anywhere.

“I’m sorry Danny!” She caressed his chest with her right hand bringing herself closer to him. “I can’t help it. I just want you all to myself.” She pouted throwing kissing on his chin through each word. Daniel embraced her back by accepting her lips against him, “I can’t give you that Ashley and I need you to stop being so reckless. Don’t show up here like this.” He kissed her again, “I'm trying to work things out with Bianca. If you want us to keep going on like this you have to stop trying to get us caught.” Ashley agreed with a quick nod as she helped Daniel remove his jeans and no real intention of keeping her word.