| First Knight- March 2000 �How many of these do we have to make?� Michael asked, gluing on a gold ribbon hanger with difficulty. �Well, our committee wanted to have at least a hundred to sell by Sunday,� Danielle replied, twisting little pearl strings into bows. �Mostly ornaments, since the pins keep falling off.� He smiled and smothered one of the little paper angels in glue. �Do they mind that the workers are artistically impaired?� She watched as he liberally sprinkled glitter on the angel. �It�s not that bad. Just remember, less is more.� He glanced woefully at her stack of neat little angel ornaments, each with identical ribbon or pearl-string bows, rosettes in the center, and gold wire halos. She never used glitter, except sometimes a light dusting on the wings. �How do you keep it from clumping?� Danielle glanced up from her current angel, spray-painted silver. �Oh, you�re using the hot glue gun?� She tried to control a smile, and failed. �It�s better to use the Elmer�s stuff- get a paintbrush, like this,� she said, demonstrating. Michael paid more attention to her tapered fingers than what they were actually doing. �Right. I get it.� She nodded encouragingly, and went back to her work. �Thanks for helping me out tonight. I know you had that project.� �It�s not due �til Friday. Besides, I didn�t want you here, all alone.� She grinned. �Oh, yes, all alone in a church. How dangerous.� �That�s not what I meant, Dani. And you�ve been so busy lately, I wanted a chance to talk to you.� She frowned, tying a ribbon bow tight. �I�m sorry. The yearbook�s eating up a lot of my time.� �And Drew.� �Yeah, Drew too. The two come together most of the time, since he and I are both working on it.� �But you never call me when you�re not busy. I feel like I don�t know what�s going on,� Michael complained, feeling rather whiney. Danielle smiled briefly. �There�s not much to tell. I eat, sleep, do homework, and work on my articles. Things�ll get easier after the deadline.� She looked at him. �It�s kinda funny, thinking this may be our last time to do this.� �Nah, I�ll help you make angels next week, too, if you want.� �No, I mean just sit and talk. This is our last Christmas together. Next fall we�ll be heading off to different colleges, and everything...� She looked down again, and sighed. �It�s hard to think about.� �Then don�t. Let it come when it comes.� Her eyes lit. �That�s usually my line.� �Yeah, well, I�m borrowing it.� He smiled. �How�s Drew doing?� She blushed slightly. �He�s fine... how come people ask me that all the time?� �Because you�re glowing, Dani. It�s obvious. They just want to hear you say it.� She giggled. �It�s sorta embarrassing.� �Why? You�re the self-proclaimed romantic, remember? You always wanted to fall in love.� �I�m not in love,� she objected. �We�ve been together almost two months. That�s not in love. It�ll take some time to decide how this is going to be.� Michael kept silent, trying to tie a bow like hers. It wound up lopsided. �It�s still a little new,� she confessed quietly. �I was on my own for so long, I thought it was impossible for any guy to like me.� �You know that�s not true.� Continue |