Danna

 “What are you saying, Danna?”

“I’m saying..I wish..I I…” Danna’s eyes welled up with tears. “I should have told Dirk.”

“Told Dirk what?” Heather cared about her friend, but Danna and Dirk had been hot and cold for years now. She thought Danna should accept Dirk and his divergent beliefs on religion or let the idea of romance drop completely.

Danna was crying softly. “I should have told him I wasn’t dating anyone. You should have seen his face.”

“Listen. If you want to stay true to yourself and your dating rules….let him go. Maybe, it wasn’t to be…”

Danna was angry.

“What do you understand about dating? You haven’t had a steady in years.” Danna regretted her bitter words as they rolled out. “I’m sorry Heather.”

“Do want you want Danna. I don’t care anymore. Maybe, you love the guy and you’re using different beliefs as an excuse. See you later. I got homework for Advanced Physics.”

Danna left the eatery and drove home. She spent the evening crying into her pillow and listening to Amy Grant Albums. The next day, she called in sick to work. She spent the day working on a paper for her elementary teaching class. Danna was going to be a teacher. She had prayed about the right career. Please God guide me. And now, she needed him again. If Dirk and me are meant to be a couple give me a sign.

*

“Hey, Danna, there you are…I haven’t seen you in awhile.” Kevin Crosby flagged her as she crossed the quad.

“How is everything? What did you get on the science exam?”

“I got four out of ten. I expected less.” Kevin smiled unabashed at his low marks.

“Yah. It was the hardest exam so far ..”

“Did you hear about Dirk?”

“Dirk?” Danna tried to seem non-chalant.

“You know that guy who’s been chasing you for two years now?”

“Ok. So tell me funny guy, what about Dirk?”

“He got accepted to Stanford. Starts next semester. In a rush, to get set-up before classes start. "

“I didn’t know be has applied.”

“He was inspired by you. How could you not know. What a doff. Gotta go. Watch out. Dirk out of the picture. All the guys are going to ask you out Danna.”

“Sure. Sure, Dirk. Everyone need inspiration these days?”

“Maybe.”

Danna laughed. Kevin was a real goof.

**

Heather looked at Danna. “I forgive you. Let’s forget it.”

The two girls hugged and Danna felt relieved. Heather was her friend. She shouldn’t have snapped at her. “Guess what?’

“Tell me. This sounds juicy.”

“I ran into Kevin. He said to tell you ‘hi’ from him.”

“Kevin?” Heather half-frowned.

“The other news is… Dirk is going to University in California next year!”

“You are kidding! Wow. What a surprise.”

“He wasn’t going to tell me!”

“You mean he wanted to take you out on a date…you wouldn’t say yes or no…then he ask if you are dating anyone…”

“And I wouldn’t admit I was single and hadn’t found the right guy…”

Both girls looked at each other. “And now he is leaving to University in another state for next three years!” Heather and her were in sync. “Now, I get why you were so upset Danna. I’m sorry too. I really didn’t think about your feelings.”

“God has given me the sign, Heather. Dirk. His disbelief in God. It wasn’t meant to happen.”

“You said that Danna, not me. But, now is a good time to enjoy college life and keep your grades up. Don’t worry. You will definitely find the right one.”

***

“Danna. Can I talk to you for a sec.”

“I’m studying for my next lit test.” Danna demeanor was like ice.

“Danna. I have to talk to you. We might not have another chance.”

Now that Danna wasn’t caught up in Dirk’s ‘I can’t be with you drama’, she felt more confident. If Danna wanted to spend her life with someone who shared her values and beliefs - why feel bad or indebted to someone with different standards.

“Good luck at University. You are going to be successful.”

“Just like that. We are over. I expected more from you Danna.”

“You wanted tears, Dirk. Are you really going out of state?”

“Man. You are an egoist. You think I would plan all this…so what…you would realize your true feelings are more important than any religion. And not give up a relationship you are destined to …you are so arrogant Danna. Frankly, if I had set it all up…maybe after listening to you now. My mind would be made up. I am going to University. You, Danna…will have to wait until I finish my studies. If you can’t wait, I’ll send you my address. But I can’t promise anything. You had your chance and it might be your last. Say hello to spinsterhood.”

“Spinsterhood?” Danna laughed. “You mean I should join a nunnery because only God loves me?”

Dirk couldn’t help but laugh at himself. “Well, Danna. Seriously, I am going to miss you. Keep studying. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t. I hope your too busy too date. Three years will go by fast. "

“Glad to see maturity has finally struck.” She shook Dirk’s hand once before turning to leave towards her car.

“If you change your mind - it is a nice place to visit "

“I believe you.”

“You know Danna. There really isn’t anyone else for me.”

Danna was silent. Her car door opened. She turned back towards the shadow of Dirk, the ice melting. Melting too quickly. She felt uncomfortable. A wave of emotion hit her. “Study hard. Bye.”

“That all. Just like that. Your going to throw us away…”

Danna started her engine. She had never told Dirk about the poverty she grew up in or the savings of ten years it took to buy this car. Danna wasn’t sure of everything. She wasn’t a know-it-all. Dirk when denied treated her like a goody-two-shoes. Her emotions settled. Danna wanted the whole enchilada. Dirk couldn’t change who he was at heart and Danna didn’t want to either.

Danna by Navsky Copyright 2022 (Based on the short story Danna and Dirk) Find out more about Navsky at https://navskys.wixsite.com/navskysdesk