Ego's Trap | ✔

16 | The Daniel Fever

☆☆☆ Chapter 16 ☆☆☆

The Daniel Fever

If Daniel solely passed out from his body taking in the Deep Feelings then he should be up by now, right, and... somewhat better than sickly? Teresa looked pretty normal (just emotional) so Daniel shouldn't be any more different. Walking back into Daniel's room was nerve-wracking, especially when I noticed that Daniel was no longer lying on his bed. It was quiet, too quiet. Is Daniel even in the room anymore? The bed was neatly fixed as if nobody had ever touched it. I sat on his bed and slid my hand under its soft sheets. Daniel's warmth still radiated out of them, and it welcomed my hand.

"Hey there, Ane." It was Daniel's, but there was something soft 'bout it, not just his tone (was it a little more meek, more soft, maybe more feminine?). I've only heard his voice like that when we were in his car on our first date, when I got that feeling of getting too hot (I now pronounce it the Daniel Fever). I like that voice, but exactly 'cuz of that I didn't dare to look in his direction.

"So, can you tell me why you're blushing?" I could feel his presence right behind me, as he threw himself onto the bed from its other side. "Well?" The pressure on the bed shifted to my right. As soon as I noticed a single strand of his hair I snapped my head the other way. "It's cute, by the way, how you're avoiding me. It kind of reminds me of the old times when you used to get annoyed with me and pressed me to talk to your hand."

"If you're talkin' 'bout us as kids, I told you many times that I never met you before working here."

He giggled to himself. "Sure, okay, sure. I'll remind you someday of the little old Daniel." It almost felt as if his voice was floating along with the clouds outside, it was just so light. "So, why are you blushing? Am I doing anything to you?"

Why! Why and how does he know I'm blushing?! I don't frickin' understand I'm a whole dark-skinned Black woman!

"No," I said, hoping he wouldn't notice my slight voice crack. "Not really."

"Ah, I get it." He placed one of his hands on my shoulder and swiftly brought his face close to my ear. I felt a wave of air come out of his nose and it almost made me jump, but nothing prepared me for what he whispered into my ear: "You like my voice right now, don't you? Are you feeling the heat of a million degrees? If you are, I know how to fix it, if you want me to."

"And what if I don't want you to?"

"Meh, nothing I can do about that," he said, as I felt a shrug. "I respect you, not just because I love being with you, but because you're a person." Oh man and there he goes with his smooth talk, still making it worse for me even though my eyes were far from his face. "Ane, you do know I care for you, right? I know things didn't start out the way a regular relationship works, but trust me when I say that you mean a lot to me."

"I know. It's obvious, Daniel. You hardly even breathe when you touch me."

Daniel almost squeaked from the bomb I dropped. "Oh my macaroni," Daniel coughed out. "Holy macaroni."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "It's cute, but please take care of yourself."

"Then, can I say the same to you?"

"Huh?" Right then and there Daniel began to point out several things 'bout me that I never thought I actually did, and I felt so exposed. I was confused on whether I was blushing from embarrassment or from the much attention that Daniel had dedicated to me. Would he have otherwise dared to say those things? I almost think so, but not as boldly as how he's saying it now, right? By the end of it I felt my heart skip several beats. "Fine, Daniel, I'm worse than you when it comes to stuff like that, alright?"