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The fading light of the early summer sun glowed warmly on the Mid Western town of Tequila Heights. An apartment window
opened as a sandy-haired young man let in the cool evening breeze; Daniel sighed as he looked outside to the street below.
This town seemed silent compared to the bustle of London. Somehow he hadn't pictured his first weekend back in Tequila Heights
like this. He had pictured himself with Sally, spending as much time as they could together to make up for all of the time
they had been apart; a lot of joking, a lot of smiling, perhaps some kissing. But somehow, he'd been a jerk, thinking the
worst of her friendship with some guy.
He sat down on his bed and pulled out another newspaper-wrapped object from a cardboard box. Removing the wrapping, he
held the frame in his hands and sighed at his girlfriend's would-be birthday present. He turned and stuffed it into one of
his dresser drawers, closing it a little harder than he had intended to, causing the drawers to bang loudly against the wall.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hey, Daniel," called Tonya as he stepped into the kitchen of MacMickle Mansion for a break from mowing the lawn.
"'Morning," he replied to the two girls wearily as he walked over to the sink and readied himself a glass of cool water.
"You look tired," Jessica added.
"I didn't sleep well last night." He took a deep gulp of the cool water and closed his eyes as the coolness swept over
his body. "I think my sleeping habits are still tuned into London time."
"Yeah, I guess it would be almost..." Tonya furrowed her brow trying to determine the time.
"Early evening," Daniel offered. "But I'm not about to give in and fall asleep around four in the afternoon. I'm going
to stick it out."
Jessica wished him luck.
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask: who trimmed the lawn while I was gone?" he asked curiously.
Tonya's smirk turned into a wicked grin as she cocked an eyebrow. "Oh," she said seductively. "I bet you'd love to know
who had their mower on the grass while you were gone."
Jed gasped, then reprimanded her roommate, "Tonya!" Tonya's eyes became wide.
"Oh, sorry..." She watched as Daniel's smile faded. "I didn't mean..."
Daniel nodded and grinned half-heartedly. "See you later, ladies. I've still got the back to do."
Tonya tried to avoid Jessicas glare.
- - - - - - - - -
"Watch this!" Dee shouted as she began to bounce on the high dive.
Sally glanced up in time to see her friend extend her body into the air and twist professionally before hitting the water.
The blonde's head tilted back in a laugh as the water splashed into the air. Dee reemerged and slicked her hair back as she
swam toward her roommate.
"I've been practicing that one all month," Dee admitted.
"It was perfect!" Sally commented. Suddenly her eyes flicked toward the back yard. Dee sighed as she recognized the sound
of the mower.
"Why don't you just go talk to him?"
Sally ran a wet hand over her face. "It was his accusation," she stated seriously. "It'll be his decision." Dee rolled
her eyes.
"It's been a whole week! If there's one thing I know about men, it's that they won't apologize without some sort of incentive,
and it's usually sex." She immediately flinched as water hit her in the face.
- - - - - - - - - - -
As the morning sun drifted in through the window, it found its way onto the closed eyelids of the sleeping young man.
Daniel squinted as he awoke. Instinctively his hand rubbed his sleepy face then traveled through his sandy brown hair. Stretching,
his eyes fluttered open and came to focus on the picture on the bedside table: a beautiful girl smiling back at him with loving
blue eyes. At least he was done with the yard work at MacMickle Mansion for this week. He didn't want to see her today. It
had been a little over a week since their fight and they had been avoiding each other. He thought for sure she would have
apologized by now but she was so stubborn. He sighed as he reached over and stuffed the photo in a drawer. There was a lot
he still had to think through.
- - - - - - -
Although he was trying hard not to, Daniel could not keep himself from thinking of Sally. Despite how busy he tried to
keep himself, her image found its way into his mind and distracted him. He sighed.
"Why don't you just go talk to her?" Peter suggested.
"Huh?" He looked up from his book.
"You've been staring at the same page for half an hour, and you've sighed once every five minutes". His roommate shook
his head. "Just go talk to her already, before you drive yourself looney from grief and me from pity."
"Shut up," Daniel replied quietly. They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Daniel let out a final sigh.
"Want me to drive you?" asked Peter.
"Fine." Daniel stood, dropping his book on the couch. "Just to prove a point."
Peter smirked and egged his roommate on as he exited: "Go get her, mate."
- - - - - - - - -
"Has anyone seen Sally?" Daniel asked as he entered the den.
Dee looked up from her magazine and smirked. "You've finally come to beg for mercy?" Daniel ignored the comment.
"She's running an errand for me," T replied.
"When will she return?"
"Not sure. I sent her to Liberal this morning."
"Oh," Daniel blinked. He stood in silence for a moment then turned to go.
"Is there a message?" T asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," he said slowly, but stood in the doorway for a moment. "Well... maybe," he continued unsurely. "No... no message.
I'll just catch her sometime."
- - - - - - - - - -
A couple more days passed. Daniel had hardly seen Sally at the mansion; there was no doubt they were avoiding each other.
But one afternoon, Daniel finally gathered up his courage one more time to finally tell her what was on his mind.
"Hey," Peter called from the kitchen as he caught a glimpse of Daniel headed out. "I've just about got lunch fixed. Where're
you headed off to?"
"Over to the Mansion."
Peter examined his roommate for a moment. "You don't look optimistic; you look.... defeated."
"Well, I've definitely lost."
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hey, Daniel," Sally stated as the gardener sat down across from her in the MacMickle Mansion library as she read a magazine.
She heard him audibly sigh and so she continued with, "What's on your mind?" her eyes darted up to his preoccupied expression
as she closed her reading material.
"He ran his fingers through his hair as he collected his thoughts. "These weeks we've been apart, I've been doing some
serious thinking." His eyes met hers for a brief moment and she felt her heart pause. "The first time I saw you, you were
standing over me, a pillar of bravery and strength: I looked up at you and saw an angel. But I've come to realize that you
are up on a pedestal that I can't reach. The man you're looking for isn't who I am. You need someone with more..."
"Daniel," she interrupted his hurried speech, "We've been over this before. You don't have to be a tough guy or muscular,
you're my hero just the way you are."
"Sally," he looked at her sternly. "This isn't about the song; this is about you and me." She watched him silently as
he ran his fingers through his sandy hair again. "We've been friends ever since we met, you know me better than anyone else..."
"Even Jeff?" she asked.
"Yes. And don't change the subject," he scolded. "I'd like to think I know you that well also." Sally bit her lip. "Yes,
there are times I can feel how close we are. I know you love me as much as I love you. But there are also times when we are
so distant. And ever since Spring Break there have been an increasing number of them. It's like there's something you think
you're missing out on by being with me. And... and I don't want to stand in the way of you finding it."
He was looking at her intently, trying to judge her reaction, but her face was calm and her eyes were unfocused on the
marble floor. Her hands held the magazine limply. He waited a moment for her response. Suddenly she bit her lip as her eyes
flickered up to his then averted to the floor again. Then she sighed.
"You know, when you walked into this room, this wasn't what I was expecting." She paused. "But you're right," her voice
was submissive. "It's not fair to either of us." She slowly began to nod her head. "You're my best friend, Daniel, and I don't
want to hurt you unnecessarily."
He smirked slightly as he reached out and put a hand on hers. "I'll always be your friend." Suddenly Sally's face filled
with an amused smile.
"We're about to become one of the biggest clichés."
Daniel cocked his head slightly.
"Let's just be friends."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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