Love's Wishes

She wouldn't tell me a damn thing.
"You need help, and I'm here for you. But you have to tell me."
"W-What if I don't want your help!" She cried.
My eyes widened.
"You need my help, Lonni!" I shouted as I got up.
But then I sat back down, trying to be calm about the situation.
I called my boss and let him know that I was taking a sick day.
"Why did you do that?" Alonni asked.
"We're going out to eat." I smiled.

•••

We arrived at this breakfast place she once hated but grew to love because of the waffles and breakfast sandwiches.
"Dan..This is-"
"-You're favorite breakfast place..I know.." I smiled.
"H-How'd you remember? Y-You don't have to do this for me.." She looked away and began to walk away.
"Lonni, please." I whispered.
She blew her breath and turned back around.
We sat down and she looked at the menu.
I'll be surprised if she orders the same meal she did when she was a kid.
"Anything to drink?" The man asked.
"Orange...juice.." Lonni replied as her head was in the big menu.
"And you, sir?"
"I'll just have a some coffee." I smiled.
He nodded and walked away.
"D-Dan! They have the triple chocolate chip waffles!" she slammed the menu down and her face was the brightest I've seen all morning.
She soon saw that I was smiling at her gleefully and she put the menu back up to cover her face.

Soon, we ordered and got our food then I started the conversation.
"Where did you go after college?" I asked.
"I..dropped out of college." She whispered.
"Why?! As smart as you are?! Why?!" I said angrily.
"Look, everything wasn't perfect perfect like you. I..had a problem. And it was getting me into trouble." She cut her waffles like she did as a kid but this time she wasn't struggling.
"What problem?"
"Gambling problem.." She sighed.
"What happened..?"
"Look! Dr. Phill! Stop asking me questions.. I-I don't want to get into it." She yelled and then went back to a whisper.
"Sorry, I just want to figure this out.."
"Don't." she opened her mouth and put a stack of waffles in.
She sure did have an appetite of a kid still.
"Well, listen. My sister has these nice apartments close to where I live. You can stay there and I'll pay the rent."
"You don't have to help me!"
"You need my help, Alonni! Just let me help you."
"You only want to help me because you feel sorry for me. That's the only reason. You're just doing the Christian thing to do.." she rolled her eyes.
"Just take the offer. I still consider you as my bestfriend, ya know.." I say.
She reluctantly looked at me with that side eye.
"R-Really, Danny? You mean it?" her face brightened again.
I nodded and drank my coffee.
"W-Well..I guess I can take the offer.. But only because I don't want to hear you begging me to take your offer!" She fiddled with her fingers and finished her food.

As we left and I took her back to my house, I called my sister, Eve, and she agreed to let her stay at one of the apartments she owned.
Eve knew her from our childhood as well.
We got back into the house and Alonni searched around the house.
She climbed up the stairs and walked around.
"Dannnnnnnny!" She screamed.
I jumped up and hurried upstairs.
"W-What? What's wrong?" I yelled.
Then I noticed she had the Twister mat in her hands.
"We should play.." She smiled with her perfect teeth showing.
"I...I don't know.." I rubbed my head.
"Why not? It's fun.."
"Where did you even get that?" I walked toward her.
"In the closet..Why can't we play? We played all the time in highschool.." she said.
"I guess we can play..but no cheating! You always cheat somehow.." I laughed.
"You can't really cheat in Twister.." she giggled.
Ah! I remember that laugh. She always had such a childish and wonderful laugh.