I'm in Hate With You

Daniel and I walked in together. I wasn't sure who's party this was... but I didn't care. It was just really nice to be out for a change.

The ceilings were so high, it was like a huge warehouse, almost. Liquor was being handed out, and I was so jealous. I couldn't have any.

Daniel put his hand on the small of my back.

"What are you doing ?" I asked him, shrugging away from his touch.

"Well, you are here with me, so..." he trailed off.

I stepped away from him. "Just don't touch me," I commanded.

"Why not ? You are my wife," he reminded me.

"What's your point ?" I questioned.

"Aren't wives supposed to be submissive to their husbands ?"

"Not this wife." I walked away from him and saw Kami.

"Kami !" I exclaimed, hugging her. I hadn't seen her in a while.

Kami was glowing as always, her curly blonde hair up in a high ponytail and wearing a strapless black dress that had a large bow around her waist.

"Love the dress !" we said together.

We both laughed nervously. "Don't ever do that again," she told me jokingly.

I laughed and rolled her eyes. Kami and I the sort of twisted friendship where we would make fun of each other constantly and laugh at out own stupidity. We disagreed, sure, but we still were able to get along. Sometimes.

"How are you ?" I asked her.

"I'm good ! How about you and your little situation ?" she replied.

I held up my hand and showed her the plain white gold band layered on top of the diamond engagement ring positioned on my ring finger.

"That's gorgeous !" she said.

"It is," I answered fondly. The rings were beautiful.

"Lacy, I never fully apologized for what happened that night," she said.

"Don't worry about it !" I told her. "Really. I shouldn't have drank so much."

"But I should have been watching you-"

"Really it's okay. There's nothing we can do about the past, right ?"

She nodded. "How far along are you now ?"

I rubbed my still flat stomach. "Two and a half months."

Suddenly, Daniel materialized beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I glared daggers at him. To this fact, he seemed to remain unaware.

"This is Daniel," I told Kami begrudgingly.

Kami chuckled. "I knew that. Hi, Daniel. I'm Kami. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand.

He shook her hand with his right, (the one that wasn't around my waist) and grinned. "It's a pleasure," he replied. I felt his lips at my ear. "Riley and Abby are coming this way," he whispered.

I sighed. "Oh no."

"Lacy !" Abby screeched, wrapping her arms around me. "That dress is so cute !"

I rolled my eyes. Typical Abby. "Thanks Abs. Your's is too," I told her. She was wearing a shiny dark red knee length dress with black polka dots. A big black bow held it together at the waist.

"Kami !" Abby exclaimed, hugging the petite blonde. "Your dress is amazing too !"

"Thanks Abby !" Kami replied. "I like yours too ! We're both into bows tonight."

Abby nodded. "Kami, this is Riley," she introduced.

Riley nodded his curly head at Kami. "Nice to meet you," he said.

Kami smiled. "You too."

Abby grinned. "Let's get this party started !"

"Summer, would you like to dance ?" Daniel asked.

"Summer ?" Kami questioned.

I shook my head. "Don't even ask," I told her.

She shrugged her shoulders and walked off to find someone to dance with.

I sighed. "Sure," I told Daniel. "Why not ?"

Daniel took me by the waist and led me to the center of the dance floor, where a slow song was playing. I could see almost every girl staring at Daniel (ew !) and I got a few looks from some guys (oh ya babe).

"Summer, I'm having a very good time tonight," Daniel told me.

I laughed at his formal tone. "Well yes, Daniel, splendid. I am as well having the time of my life," I said in a terrible faux British accent.

Daniel laughed. "I am so pleased of you to say so, mademoiselle," Daniel countered in a French accent. It was surprisingly very believable.

"Yes. Yes. I like to stay out late," I replied in a choppy Chinese accent.

"Girl, you din't," Daniel answered in a ghetto tone. It also sounded very gay.

I erupted with laughter. "I think that just got racist," I admitted jokingly.

He laughed. "We should probably actually dance now," he said.

"Yes. Probably," I replied. I put my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his tighter around my waist.

We were close, too close for my liking. Our swaying bodies were pressed firmly together, and I didn't like it a bit. People were watching. It was like a total invasion of privacy. Not really... but it felt like it.

"One day Summer, you will dance with me and like it," Daniel announced, almost as if he read my uncomfortable thoughts.

"Keep dreaming," I replied snidely.

"You will. You'll fall in love with me eventually," he said simply.

"Whatever. Like I ever could. You just wish."

"No I don't. You aren't my type at all."

"What is your type then ?"

"Blonde. Pretty. Loyal. Trusting. Submissive. Caring. NOT stubborn."

Ha. Pretty much everything I'm not. "Figures. You're just another shallow guy."

"And you're just another shallow girl. I've never been good enough for you."

"Three... Two... ONE !" the entire population of the party (except for us) shouted at midnight. It was the new year, and I hadn't even noticed. I was too busy glaring at Daniel.

We stood there like that for a long time. Our bodies were still pressed together, and our arms were still wrapped around each other. But we just stared at one another. How dare he call me shallow.

I wanted to hit him; I won't deny it. But something stopped me. I couldn't hit him, no matter how much I wanted to.

"I want to go home," he told me finally, his flat tone stinging.

I let go of him. "Then go," I said.

And with that, he turned and walked towards the elevator. I watched as he pressed the button and waited for the elevator to come up.

I couldn't let him go. So I ran up behind him, my high-heeled shoes killing me all the while, and just as the elevator doors opened, I took his hand.

Daniel looked down at where our clasped hands but said nothing. I looked at them as well, admiring how mismatched they looked together. Something didn't look right. The way my hand was holding his was perfect, our skin tones matched together perfectly, and our hands were the perfect size for each other. But I denied all of this, and told myself we were too different, and that our hands didn't fit right.

Even though, somewhere deep down inside me, it sure felt like they did.