Disclaimer: The same as everyone, I don't own McFly, but I own the idea of the story.
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The story starts a little slow, but it'll keep getting better I promise.
Bursting through the door, Danny dropped his guitar case and duffel bag. "Home," he muttered under his breath. Minutes later his mother appeared. Tangling him in a long awaited hug, she welcomed him home. It had been nearly 2 full years since he had been awarded a break long enough to stay home for the holidays. The boys of McFly had had their share fair of fun for the holidays, but there was nothing like his mother's home cooking and his sisters long drawn out stories of nothing.
"Well don't just stand there Dan, your old room was just the way you left it, go put your stuff away," his mother ushered him into his house as if he had never left. He dragged his stuff along the rough carpet. Reaching the wooden door, he turned the gold knob carefully as if he was going to be surprised with what he found behind it. But alas, it was exactly the same the walls a bright white, posters hung every which way, and his simple blue comforter atop his bed. He dropped his luggage and sat on his bed. Soon sitting turned into lying, and lying eventually became dozing. He had no idea how tired he was. The tour was over, the new album creation would begin soon, but first, he was home. After what seemed like 5 minutes, he awoke with the creaking of his door.
"Dan?" he heard whispered.
"Yeah?" he groggily said.
"Dinner," his mother simply said. He questioned the time, but soon rolled over to find the red digital numbers of his alarm clock reading six PM. He had fallen asleep for three hours. "Be right there, Mum," She shut the door. Rolling out of bed, he fixed his brown locks to be slightly less messy then before. Blinking rapidly, he tried waking up his blue eyes, but found his eye lids drooping just as much as before. Shrugging he walked out to the dinner table to find a hot, homemade meal awaiting his mouth. Sweet corn and steak were arranged to perfection on the china before him. He sat, his mouth watering for the home cooking.
"So Dan," his mother began the awkward introductory dinner conversation, "Tell me something about being on the road."
He scanned his mind. He certainly couldn't mention the numerous girls he had been with, his mother hadn't raised him that way. The binge drinking was out of the question as well. Running his hand through his hair, the idea came to him, "I missed home a lot Mum. Have you heard our new song?"
"Which one dear?"
"Home is Where the Heart Is." He looked at her and smirked. Even though the song had been more for their fans, he could use it to make his mum feel like she had a big role in his career. A toothy grin rose on his mother's lips. He nodded accomplishing his goal. "How are the boys doing?" she continued the conversation.
"They are great Mum. The band is really doing well. We work well together."
"That's so wonderful to hear." Sappy mum time was coming, Danny could feel it. "I'm just so happy that you are reaching all your dreams. You are so talented…" She continued; Danny simply smiled and nodded laughing on the inside. He received a similar speech every time he saw one of his parents. He began to ponder, What was he going to do here for a whole month. Sure, Vicky would visit a few times, but he hadn't kept in touch with many of his mates, and the ones he had were off living their lives away from Bolton. He loved his town, but there wasn't an immense amount of things to do. He figured he could get some good songs written, if there was nothing better to do. Music was always an option. He let his thoughts go for a minute and tuned back into his mum. She was finishing up her speech, ending with a question, "Have you had a chance to talk to Mrs. Grafton; she always loves hearing about you. Sometime this week you should stop over and have a chat with her."
He didn't have anything better to do, so he agreed. His old neighbor, Ms. Grafton, often watched him and his sister at a young age. She was strict and hardly ever smiled, but she was caring none the less. He would always get long lectures of the sensible things in life from her. Sometimes he felt as though she lived through him. He often told her vivid stories of what he had done at school or with his mates when he was younger. He always pictured her as somewhat of a sad lass. One of the only times he had seen her smile was when her brother, his wife and their child had come and visited. He mustn't have been more than twelve, but he remembered that week. He hadn't visited, but noticed her happiness from across the lawn. He had wondered why they didn't come back more often. She had never been married, and was in an awfully large house to be living in by her self. He figured she must be quite lonely. That week was the only exception to her lack of visitors other than his sister, his mother and him.
As he finished his dinner, he helped clean up and then escorted himself to his room, for a nice relaxing night by himself. He pressed the power on the remote, flicking through the channels he settled on Big Brother. Not fully interested in the outcome of the episode, he began to unpack his belongings. As he unzipped his first suitcase, a few stray fan letters fell out. Most were filled with the same rubbish, "I love you" and "You're so fit" etc. These ones were similar, but they were from America. McFly had barely made an impact on the American music scene. They thought the movie, Just My Luck, would break them into the big time, but the movie was a flop and the only press they received was the "relationship" between Harry and Lindsay and even that was very extensive in the states. Danny dreamed of playing a large crowd in Madison Square Garden, or touring all fifty states. Embracing American culture was always a past-time of his. From the music to the cars, he loved the idea of the US.
Reading over the letters once more, he set them on his dresser to finish his unpacking. He soon became exhausted and called it an early night. He planned to sleep as late as possible. Unfortunately his plans were ruined by the sun creeping through his window. Trying to fight daylight he squeezed his eyes tighter and pulled the covers over his head. He groaned, unable to fall back asleep. Carelessly rolling out of bed, he entangled himself in his sheets. He tripped and stumbled until he was free from the cotton mess. Getting ready took a fair amount of time, but he started to hurry when he got a whiff of the cinnamon buns baking in the kitchen. Danny swiped a fresh pastry.
"Danny, will you bring a few of these over to Ms. Grafton? She has a relative staying with her and I'm sure they would appreciate some," his mum asked.
He agreed and took a tray over to the Grafton household. Standing before the great wooden door, he rang the doorbell. Footsteps shuffled on the hard-wood floors after the clanging bell. Soon a bright-eyed Ms. Grafton answered the door. Without saying a word, she enclosed Danny into a massive hugs. Swinging his arm with the tray around her, he attempted to hug back. "Danny Jones, I've heard so much about you recently. How is everything going dear? It is so good to see you back, my cats have missed you."
Giving a slight laugh he just shrugged off her comments, and awkwardly presented the tray of pastries. "My mum wanted me to bring these over for you and," he paused and bit his lip, "someone who is staying with you?"
"Ah, yes I almost forgot." Her aged hands grabbed the tray of goodies from Danny and yelled out, "Ryder. We have a guest I would like you to meet."
First he saw a young boy, baggy jeans, black sweatshirt, hood pulled over his head covering the eyes of the guest.
"Oh take that silly hood down dear," Ms. Grafton told her guest, reaching to pull the hood down her self. Before she could get to it, tanned hands rose up and took the hood down. Dark auburn tendrils fell from behind the material. Grey eyes starred at Danny. This was no young boy, it was a young women. She licked her lips and left them in an unemotional line across her face. Her eyes didn't look long at Danny before they found a permanent place at her feet.
"Ryder is my niece she will be staying with me for awhile," she introduced, "Ryder, this is Danny, he has lived next door to me since he was born. He is also in a band that's pretty famous in England."
She silently nodded raising her slate eyes too look at him once more as if to memorize his face. "Nice to meet you." Her voice was soft with no emotion.
She's awfully rude, Danny thought to himself. Awkward silence filled the room.
"Well Danny do you have any plans for your short trip home?" Ms. Grafton filled the void of silence.
"Not yet."
"Maybe you could take Ryder around, she doesn't know anyone and is awfully shy, she could sure use a friend." Ryder's face scrunched. The last thing she wanted was companionship. Danny noticed the expression on her face and rolled his eyes. The truth was he didn't have anything better to do, but this girl did not want him around and he certainly was not about to be a burden in someone's life.
"I could." He tried to give an answer that made him seem like a good guy, but get out of the deed.
"Ah, that would be wonderful," Ms. Grafton placed her arm around the brooding young women, "Wouldn't it Ryder?"
Her voice was shaky and cold, "Yes Aunt Mildred." She locked her eyes with Danny's once more and shrugged as best as she could while her aunt's arm was firmly placed around her shoulders.
This began the weirdest trip home Danny had ever been on. The mystery of the girl next door was forced upon him and he would never be able to turn back. He could feel her eyes when no one was around. She had seemed so inconsiderate and rude, yet he couldn't get her face, tanned and angelic with a touch of anger and disappointment, out of his head. He closed his eyes and there she was, he looked out his window, he would see her in her window, pen in hand slumped over a desk. Who was she? Why was she here? Questions that would be easy, if she didn't keep so many secrets.