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A day hadn't passed since The Turners and The Chasers had returned, and Nosey Mary called to remind Daisy of the double date she had promised to go on. Though she was tired, Daisy always kept her promises and agreed to meet up with her coworker. 

Plus it was better for her to go out and have fun, rather than staying at home and lying to Moon about what happened in Dawn Hill.  

With the date happening at Nosey Mary's favorite bar; Rusko's, Daisy felt no need in wearing-to-impress. She found the most basic thing she owned; a plain white, low collar t-shirt, black yoga pants and matching sneakers, and put them on. She then fasten her hair into a ponytail and wore a green baseball hat with a green jacket tied around her waist.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Nosey Mary, shocked, asked. She stood outside the bar, staring at her friend as though she was naked. Matter of fact, the woman would have rather preferred Daisy to be naked than what she had on at that moment. "You look like you're running a marathon."

"Mary, I am exhausted. I had a long weekend. I am here as a courtesy to you, not because I want to meet anyone." 

Daisy and the others had to stay an extra day in Dawn Hill after the Sheriff found them before they left. Apparently, the locals had urged him to check on the four after seeing them talking to the middle-schoolers. And because the sheriff needed to clear things with Tyler and his friends, and also investigate the murder at school, it took a full day before he allowed them to leave.

"You know," Mary looked at her again, "It might work. If guys can describe a girl who is covered from head to toe as sexually appealing, I'm sure they won't mind one that is dressed like she's practicing for the Olympics." He intertwined her arms with Daisy, and added, "At least you were caring enough to put on makeup."

"Anything for you, Mary." Daisy smiled. 

They went inside Rusko's. It was packed with men. A sausage fest, Mary called it. But it was expected because it was "Ladies Free Night", meaning women didn't have to pay to enter. There were four bartenders and more than ten waiters and waitresses working extra hard to please everyone.  

"Where are the men you said we were meeting?" Daisy looked around the room. A couple of guys smiled at her. She rolled her eyes. There was one who wanted to shoot his shot. He was ready to approach her, but she showed him the middle finger and he stopped in his tracks. 

"I thought you weren't excited to be here?" asked Nosey Mary.

"I am not. I just want to know if the people we are meeting are serial killers or not."

"Oh, hunny, do you think serial killers can handle me?"

Daisy looked at her, then chuckled. "You're right." 

They squeezed past the crowd and got to the end of the room. There were tables lined up against the wooden wall, with each table able to accommodate more than six people. 

"Rusko has never done this setting before. He must be trying something new," Nosey Mary said.

Daisy gazed quietly. The sitting area was separated from the dance floor by multiple crome stenchions (a bouncer stood after every two of them). Is Rusko slowly changing his bar into a club? 

"There they are." Nosey Mary pointed towards a creamy skinned man with braided hair who was waving back at them. "That's Marco," she added, before pulling Daisy with her. 

Once they arrived, Daisy saw a jacket opposite where Marco sat. Nosey Mary noticed too and asked, "Where's Del Toro?"

"He went to the loo," replied Marco. "Please, sit."

Nosey Mary pulled a chair beside the man and sat down, while Daisy sat opposite them. "I see Del Toro wants to get us drunk quickly," Nosey Mary said.

"No, it's not like-"

"I'm joking. I don't care if you get me drunk. I'm going to ride you like a horny bull tonight." She licked her lips, and Marco bit his lower lip in return. 

The sexual tension was strong between the two and Daisy felt uncomfortable staring at them making out. It kept going for the next thirty seconds before Marco stopped and shouted with his hands up, "Toro!"

Daisy couldn't see him as he was behind her, and she didn't want to turn. She waited until he sat on his seat and glanced at him. 

"Hi," he said with a smile.

Up and close, he had a beautiful smile. What was supposed to be a quick glance turned into a stare. Wow, Daisy admired. His brown skin was as smooth as that of a woman - part of her was jealous. His hair was tied into a messy bun. And just like her, he had chosen to wear simple clothes; a blue v-neck t-shirt with white shorts and sandals. Who wears sandals at a bar?

"Del Toro, senora." He gave out his hand. "Maryanne told us so much about you, Daisy."

Of course, she would. "Really?" Daisy looked at Nosey Mary and asked, "What did she say?"

"That you're smart."

"And?"

"Funny."

Daisy quirked her brow. "And?"

"That you have bad taste in fashion." He smiled.

There's that smile again. It was hypnotizing. It had been a while since a guy had such an impression on her. For once, she was glad she listened to Nosey Mary and went out. "I can say the same thing about you."

"What?" Del Toro grabbed his t-shirt and inspected it. "Esta es una camiseta personalizada."

"If that's custom made, then you should ask for a refund," Daisy said, causing Del Toro's eyes to expand. 

"Did I forget to tell you two, Daisy can speak six languages," Nosey Mary said. "Look at that; both of you have horrible fashion sense and can speak more than one language. Match made in heaven right here." She pointed at the two.

"What did I tell you, he," Marco pointed at Del Toro, "will be perfect for her."

Nosey Mary turned to him. "You were so right, baby." She kissed him.

"Yes, I was." 

They started making out.

"Do you want to go out and... talk?" asked Del Toro.

Daisy glanced again at Nosey Mary and Marco who were passionately kissing each other, not caring if other people were watching or not. She wanted to decline Del Toro's offer, but once Nosey Mary knocked the table and Marco's drink nearly spilled on her, she accepted.

When the two stood up, Marco asked, "Hey, where are you two going?"

"Outside for a breather," replied Del Toro.

"Breather, right," Nosey Mary said, before winking at Daisy. Then she mouthed, "Use a condom," which Del Toro saw too, causing Daisy's cheeks to turn red in embarrassment. 

"I am not that kind of girl," Daisy wanted to say, but her coworker had gone back to kissing her date. "Let's just go," she told Del Toro, who led the way out. 

They got far from the bar. There was a park ahead with multiple benches. Del Toro pointed at the one under the park's central tree and they took a seat. It was silent for a while, the two of choosing to stare at squirrels chasing each other.

"So," Del Toro broke the silence, "what do you do for a living?"

"Why ask? You're afraid I make more money than you?" Daisy quivered her brow.

"No... I-"

"I'm joking, relax." Daisy laughed. 

Del Toro exhaled through his mouth, then pretended to rub off fake sweat. 

"I thought Mary would have told you guys how we know each other."

"She just told us you two are best friends and that you will be perfect for me."

Best friends? I wouldn't call us that. "Really? Perfect for you?"

Del Toro shrugged, while showing off his incredible smile. "That's what she said."

He must get a lot of girls with that charmy grin of his. But not me. "I work as an editor at a publishing company." She muttered the last words, falling deep into her thoughts. She had heard what had happened to Junipa's son the moment she returned to Ramere. It was a tragic event. When she went to work that morning, the office was as silent as a grave. No one said anything. Everyone did their job and went back home. It was odd for Daisy not to hear the usual gossipers commute among each other.  

"... be fun," said Del Toro.

"What?" Daisy got out of her trance.

"I said it must be fun to work there." 

"Very much." This isn't going very well.

There was another awkward silence. It seemed like Del Toro wanted to ask more questions, but he hesitated. And Daisy strove in quiet situations. It made her think. Think of Slenderman; think of curing Sly; think of Junipa's son; think of who killed Emily Vanswaggle; think of what happened in Dawn Hill. 

There were too many cases to solve and too may secrets to keep. It was causing her a headache. She was just one person. One woman who had goals and dreams of her own. But lately, she had to put her own interests aside and help others. It became too much the more she thought about it. 

How could one brain handle everything?

What if she failed to help those depending on her?

What if people lost their lives because she was too busy trying to better her own life?

What if people were dying right now while she was out having fun?

It wasn't fair to them, she told herself. But it wasn't fair to her also. All these expectations were put on her. She never asked for any of it. She never wanted to. But she had to do it. Because it was the right thing for everyone else... except her. 

Daisy could see her life flashing before her very eyes. She saw herself as an old woman living alone in the woods in a world where people knew of monsters' existence. But she was shunned from society because she had not told them the truth all those years.  

"I didn't mean to lie to you," she whispered. But she wasn't referring to her current dilemmas. No, her mind had gone deep into her memory's archives and dug up Him. Him who she didn't want to name. Him who sexually abused her as a young girl. Him who made her feel like a princess one day, and a worthless slut the next. Him who would beat her up because she wasn't pretty enough like the others. Him who said the world would burn first before he let anything harm her. 

But where was he? 

No, where was Him? 

Him didn't fulfill his promise.

Him was nowhere.

Him was dead.   

"Daisy, are you OK?" Del Toro shook her by the shoulders.

Daisy sniffled and rubbed off the tears that were flowing down her face. "I'm fine. I'm just stressed."

Del Toro looked worried. Whether he could tell she was lying or not, he said nothing. Instead, he put his hands at the back of his head, leaned back and said, "I know the feeling."

Daisy gazed at him. "How?" 

Looking at the bright moon, Del Toro spoke, "I go to a school that my parents excelled in during their time there. You might say they are the best students the school has ever had. So everyday I step in class, I feel their shadow looming over me. Whether it's a teacher giving an example of how book-smart my mother was, or how my father was a perfectionist when it came to the physical studies." He chuckled. "I am nowhere near their level of smartness, but I try. It's not enough though. Not for my parents, the teachers, principal, or school. The only reason I'm still there is because of my family name, nothing else. I want to get better, I do. But whenever I try, something always goes wrong. 

"I am now being compared to my uncle who was cast out of the family. Though he was insane, he tried living by his own rules. He always questionioned things. He doesn't accept them just because. You know?" He glanced at Daisy and she was staring at him, listening intently. 

"He must be a fun guy," she said.

"The coolest guy you'll meet. One time we were out fishing, and this two men in a canoe tipped over and were drowning. Though people said he couldn't do it, he used his magi... he used his core strength to dive in and save both of them. It was amazing."

"I can't wait to meet him."

Del Toro smiled. 

They both leaned in for a kiss when a couple of groundnuts hit them on the face. They turned to see who threw at them and saw Marco and Nosey Mary holding some in their hands.

"What's up, bitches? We have been looking for you two everywhere," said Nosey Mary, walking sideways after having too many to drink.

"Yeah, we looked for you in the bathroom, behind the bar counter, in the bar's kitchen, in the bathroom again-"

"Don't forget in your car," Nosey Mary reminded Marco, before she fell to the ground, taking Marco with her. They started laughing uncontrollably. 

Del Toro sighed. "If only," he said. Nodding towards his friend, he added, "I have to take him home before the two have sex up the tree and get bitten by the squirrels." 

"Yeah, I'll take her home too."

The two stared at each other. Daisy could feel the cold air changing. It become hot as Del Toro moved closer to her. He's so sexy, she thought as she stared at his full lips. One more inch and he's mine.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!" Nosey Mary chanted.

Daisy turned to see what the woman was cheering for and saw Marco peeing on one of the benches. 

"Oh, no," said Del Toro with sadness. "I really have to take him home now. Bye." He waved off and rushed to his friend, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him away. 

Daisy grunted, before she lay on the bench. It had been a while since she felt connected to a guy. In a way, her and Del Toro were similar. They were both battling expectations too big to be carried out in a short period of time. 

It was the first time that a guy had really opened up to her. It was always her answering questions, making it seem more of an interrogation than a date. But this time it was different and fun and amazing and sweet. 

With a smile in her face, she stared at the stars. I can't wait to get to know you better, Del Toro.