“A happy ending,” I whispered as the credits appeared, the movie theater lights lifted.

“I’ll pay up in the car,” Danny stood up, brushing pop corn crumbs off himself to the floor.

“5 dollars,” I reminded him. He just laughed and walked down the row to aisle. We traveled in the crowd of people leaving the movie theater and people wanting to enter the movie theater tried pushing us back. The little theater was always crowded, even on a Tuesday like tonight.

Danny pulled me out the front doors of the movie theater and the cold night air washed over me. I loved that part of the movies, almost more than the movie itself. That odd feeling like you need to be somewhere else, do something, but all you can do is adjust to the cool air around you.

“Hurry up, June, or I’m not paying,” Danny left me standing on the sidewalk, heading for his car. I quickly followed.

“You have to pay, even if I take a year to get to the car.” I replied climbing into the passenger seat.

Danny was already in his seat, no seat belt, hands on wheel, tapping his foot. He glanced at me, and his eyes lingered on my face.

“Pay up,” I held my hand out. Danny reached in his back pocket, wiggling so he could get his hand in it, and slapped a crumpled five dollar bill in my hand.

“There ya go,” he turned the key in the ignition and pulled out carelessly and sped out of the parking lot. Now I know your probably thinking, “Oh! It’s a girl and her man on a date”, but me and Danny are only friends. He can’t be held down, and I couldn’t hold him down if I tried. We did everything couples did, besides the holding hands and kissing part. He liked it better this way, and I have to agree with him. He’s more a brother to me than a boyfriend, I’m pretty sure he feels the same way about me, too. Well, I’m a sister to him, not a brother.

“So, we can stop and get drinks at Sonic,” Danny said steering with one wheel, the other rested on the seat behind me.

“M’kay, I’m not buying your though,” I grinned at him.

“I’m not buying yours either,” he grinned back at me like a little kid, then rolled his eyes and pulled into Sonic. He bought mine anyways.

As we drove towards my house, Danny told me about his recent police report.

“Pulled me in from driving drunk,” he muttered.

“Were you?” I asked feeling the tension around us.

“Maybe,” he said, jerking the steering wheel left, almost missing the turn on to my street.

“I thought you said you weren’t drinking anymore,” I heard the disappointment in my voice. Danny stopped the car in front of my house. He dropped his hands from the wheel, and stared straight ahead.

“Let me guess, your probably smoking your junk again, ain’t ya?” I asked getting angrier by the second.

“June, were here,” Danny said it quietly, avoiding my questions.

“Answer me, Danny,” I said in a voice spiked with venom.

“Go inside, June,” Danny’s voice was low, but demanding.

“Fine, Daniel, but don’t plan on seeing me till you fix yourself up,” I pushed open the car door. His face fell.

“June, wait,” he reached out towards me, but I slammed the door and jogged up to my front door. I entered the house quietly, shutting the door softly behind me. My dad was probably asleep. He went to be at like 8:30 now a days since his heart attack. Our house wasn’t big, but we didn’t need a big one. I walked through the kitchen, down the hall, past the big bright blue bathroom my mom had created for us before she died, and into my bedroom. It wasn’t a big room, and the pink and yellow striped walls were girly. My mom had painted them when I was like 10. I had been begging her to let me paint over them, but after she died, I couldn’t bare not having them.


“June,” I heard someone calling my name as I walked down the hall towards my 3rd hour. The voice was oddly familiar.

“Leave me alone, Danny,” I said exasperatedly.

“No, June, please listen,” Danny grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. Her wore a t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. It fit him snuggly, showing off his muscles. His arm muscles bulged under his tan skin and I felt bad for being mean to this handsome devil.

“I made a mistake,” he still had his hands on my shoulders. “I swear I’m trying to get better. It’s hard though, and I can’t do it without you.”

I tried shrugging off his hands, but he held on. He was a foot taller than me and his caramel brown hair was spiked up in the front.

“Fine, Danny, but you better get better,” I said glaring at his now grinning wildly face. He pulled me into a big bear hug that lasted longer than normal. When he let me go, I noticed how empty the halls were.

“Thanks, Danny, make me late to American History.” I grumbled, giving him a half smile. I turned and hurried off towards Mr. Nark’s classroom.



“Hello?” Someone answered the phone, laughing like a drunk maniac and my heart clenched.

“Danny?” I asked slowly. Danny cursed into the phone.

“June,” he started but I hung up.

“Stupid Danny,” I muttered to myself. My phone rang loudly in my hand, but I clicked ignore. I did three times in a row, before he finally got the memo.

I sat down on the couch by myself, my dad already asleep in bed, and watched a long commercial for a new kitchen knife that could cut through nails. Just what I needed. I studied the overly happy actors and when the door bell rang I jumped out of my skin. I got and hurried to answer it so she wouldn’t ring again and wake up my dad. I pulled the door open and came face to face with Danny. I went to shut the door, but he stuck his foot out.

“You called me last night,” he said mumbling to the his feet.

“Yeah, and you were drunk,” I said crossing my arms. I stepped out of the front porch and shut the door quietly behind me.

“I know, but before she go back inside I just want you to know something.” Danny’s sad brown eyes kept my attention. He took a deep breath and went on.

“We have been friends since, like 7th grade when I moved here. I want us to stay friends, I mean I want us to be more than friends.” Danny gained confidence, and I felt my stomach churn uneasily.

“June, for the longest time I’ve known this. I’ve known how much I…” his voice froze. He swallowed and I could see her was really nervous now.

“What,” I asked, wanting to here him say it.

“I have loved you since we went to that water park together and spent all day together.” His voice was low pitched. I remember the day, how could I forget. I remember it so vibrantly, it’s my favorite memory of us together. Danny had seemed a little to friendly that day, and friendlier afterwards.

“Danny, I don’t know what to say,” I said glancing around. It was dark outside now, the street lights made little halos of light all the way down my street.

“Tell me you love me, too,” he said smiling at me.

“Danny, I do love you, but your smoking, your drinking, I don’t love that and the person you become when you do them.” Danny’s face darkened.

“I know, I do and I want to stop, but I’m not strong enough,” he sounded like an innocent child.

“I’ll help you Danny, because like I said I do love you,” I hugged him tightly, feeling warm inside. Danny hugged me back, too, and we stood, arms around each other, for what seemed like forever.