he chuckles. “Don’t get your panties in a twist.” He smirks at me then his face turns serious. “But Soph, just to say, you have to know that you want a man like Saul? Then you have to be prepared to be claimed.”
“So, is that what you will do?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” he replies.
“You know, when you find the one ,” I explain making air quotes.
He stands up and rubs the back of his neck. “I already found her Soph…just never claimed her.”
“What? Why not?” Now I’m confused.
“Because I was a stupid young punk shit, who thought he was doing the right thing, but ended up losing what was important.”
“You’re not making sense.” I sit up straighter now. Dane doesn’t talk about his past. Ever. This is important.
“You know how they say you don’t realise what you’ve got till it’s gone?”
I nod.
“Yeah, well, I get that statement through to my bones,” he whispers.
“What happened to her?” I whisper back.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know,” then he gets up and walks out of the room. I follow him. He needs to release this. I know because I keep things inside and it terrifies me that one day my issues may swallow me whole. I don’t want that for him.
He walks into the lounge. My legs take me into the dark room after him. All the curtains are closed and without the lights on, it’s like a different room from when I’ve been in there before. My eyes adjust as they focus on Dane. He's standing in the corner with his back to me. He hangs his head and is leaning forward supporting himself on the window ledge. He holds a photo frame in one hand. I can’t make out who’s in it, but I can guess it’s her. Whoever she is.
"I left her…I just walked away. I knew she needed me. I left her anyway." He doesn't say anything more and neither do I. For a minute, we both just stand there in the quiet room, our breathing the only thing creating atmosphere.
"What happened?" I finally ask.
He sighs and places the frame face down on the window ledge. "I was a selfish arsehole. That's what happened."
"Dane," I say letting it hang in the air. Making my way over to him I place my hand on his shoulder. He flinches at the touch.
"Come…come and sit with me. Let's talk."
He doesn't reply, but he does turn around and walk toward the door. Following him silently, I hope he will tell me his secrets, and let some of the pain out. Believing that maybe I can help my friend somehow.
He leads us through the house to a beautiful conservatory. My eyes widen as I look around the space, all light, comfort and warmth. I’ve had a few surprises with his house, thinking it would be modern, edgy, and maybe even cold. I guess basically, I just expected it to be a bachelor pad.
Instead, everything I’ve seen so far has been soft, warm and beautiful. It’s a home.
"Surprised?" he asks while sinking into the cream corner sofa and patting the spot next to him.
I sit down replying, "Why do you say that?"
"Your face, you look shocked."
"Oh," I reply slightly embarrassed. "It's just that I expected it to be a bachelor pad, but this…" My words dry in my throat.
"Yeah, it’s nice, huh?" His lips tip up just a touch at the ends and I nod.
"I wanted to create a space that was comforting so that women wouldn't want to run out of here screaming." He now smirks at me. "Somewhere that was inviting and homely, not that I bring any women here…not really." Gazing out of the window he murmurs, "I’ve just never had a home before."
My heart breaks for him, and in that second I see a vulnerable child. Someone who just wants to be loved and cared for. Just like all the other kids.
“What happened to her?” I ask before the mood changes and Dane decides not to share.
“Last night, when you were up on that stage strutting your stuff…” he pauses as I roll my eyes at him. “When you spotted Saul and watched him leave with that women,” he stops as my breath catches in my throat remembering
“So, is that what you will do?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” he replies.
“You know, when you find the one ,” I explain making air quotes.
He stands up and rubs the back of his neck. “I already found her Soph…just never claimed her.”
“What? Why not?” Now I’m confused.
“Because I was a stupid young punk shit, who thought he was doing the right thing, but ended up losing what was important.”
“You’re not making sense.” I sit up straighter now. Dane doesn’t talk about his past. Ever. This is important.
“You know how they say you don’t realise what you’ve got till it’s gone?”
I nod.
“Yeah, well, I get that statement through to my bones,” he whispers.
“What happened to her?” I whisper back.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know,” then he gets up and walks out of the room. I follow him. He needs to release this. I know because I keep things inside and it terrifies me that one day my issues may swallow me whole. I don’t want that for him.
He walks into the lounge. My legs take me into the dark room after him. All the curtains are closed and without the lights on, it’s like a different room from when I’ve been in there before. My eyes adjust as they focus on Dane. He's standing in the corner with his back to me. He hangs his head and is leaning forward supporting himself on the window ledge. He holds a photo frame in one hand. I can’t make out who’s in it, but I can guess it’s her. Whoever she is.
"I left her…I just walked away. I knew she needed me. I left her anyway." He doesn't say anything more and neither do I. For a minute, we both just stand there in the quiet room, our breathing the only thing creating atmosphere.
"What happened?" I finally ask.
He sighs and places the frame face down on the window ledge. "I was a selfish arsehole. That's what happened."
"Dane," I say letting it hang in the air. Making my way over to him I place my hand on his shoulder. He flinches at the touch.
"Come…come and sit with me. Let's talk."
He doesn't reply, but he does turn around and walk toward the door. Following him silently, I hope he will tell me his secrets, and let some of the pain out. Believing that maybe I can help my friend somehow.
He leads us through the house to a beautiful conservatory. My eyes widen as I look around the space, all light, comfort and warmth. I’ve had a few surprises with his house, thinking it would be modern, edgy, and maybe even cold. I guess basically, I just expected it to be a bachelor pad.
Instead, everything I’ve seen so far has been soft, warm and beautiful. It’s a home.
"Surprised?" he asks while sinking into the cream corner sofa and patting the spot next to him.
I sit down replying, "Why do you say that?"
"Your face, you look shocked."
"Oh," I reply slightly embarrassed. "It's just that I expected it to be a bachelor pad, but this…" My words dry in my throat.
"Yeah, it’s nice, huh?" His lips tip up just a touch at the ends and I nod.
"I wanted to create a space that was comforting so that women wouldn't want to run out of here screaming." He now smirks at me. "Somewhere that was inviting and homely, not that I bring any women here…not really." Gazing out of the window he murmurs, "I’ve just never had a home before."
My heart breaks for him, and in that second I see a vulnerable child. Someone who just wants to be loved and cared for. Just like all the other kids.
“What happened to her?” I ask before the mood changes and Dane decides not to share.
“Last night, when you were up on that stage strutting your stuff…” he pauses as I roll my eyes at him. “When you spotted Saul and watched him leave with that women,” he stops as my breath catches in my throat remembering
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