"Doug, how much longer? My legs are going to pop outta their sockets," I whined. We had been in the car for 2 hours, driving to someplace unknown, for all I know, he could drive into the Chunnel and I wouldn't know until it's too late. Since we were so crammed into my car, the only way I could move, was to take my jacket off.
"Just have another beer." I reached to the back seats and opened the cooler, that was filled with beer and Cola. "Grab me another Coke, will ya?"
"Sure thing, Babe." I handed him the open plastic bottle and opened my glass bottle of Shandy, and took a big swig. Dougie turned the car onto a ramp and I looked at the sign, "Lee, why are we heading to London?"
"That's for you to find out, Amy." He pulled a sharp left on the intersection and drove up a hill.
"Jesus Christ, Doug. Why don't you get us killed?" I yelled sarcastically as he pulled into a driveway. "Dude, where are we?" I looked around. We were in a place that had at least a thousand schools and a bunch of hills.
"Where I'll be living." He pulled the keys out of the car and held up one a set from his pocket that had a white top to it. "C'mon grab the booze and your bag. I'll grab mine." He opened the doors and popped the trunk. I grabbed the cooler and stepped out of the car. I headed to the back and grabbed my bag, with Dougie next to me. I turned to ask him something, but I was stopped, by his arms!!
Why was he hugging me? I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him. He pulled away from me and moved my bangs out of my face. I opened my eyes slowly, with my mouth open. "What was that for?" I asked, still in shock and bliss.
"I just," He paused, "You're always there for me, no matter what was going on. I mean, I remember you dumped Jack Withers because he dissed me."
"Hey, it's bros before hoes." Doug, Jane and I made it up when we were watching 'Grease' when Kenickie kicks the 'T-Birds' outta the car when he and Rizzo 'set out'.
Dougie laughed, "Anyways, I just wanted to show my appreciation, and my affection." He put his hand in mine. "Shall we?"
I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder, "Let's." We headed to the front door, he opened it and showed me the house. "Oh me God, Doug, it's fantastic." I put down the duffel and the cooler. "Tell me you're not living here all by yourself?"
"Oh, he's not." A voice came from behind us. It was a thick accent, thicker than my mum's and that's saying something. I turned around and saw a guy standing behind us. He had bright, ice blue eyes and straightened brown hair, which was the exact color of mine. "I'm Danny, Danny Jones." Danny looked at Dougie and smiled, "So, this is the bird you've been talkin' about, Doug?"
I looked at Dougie and raised an eyebrow, "Lee, tell me what the hell is this all about."
Dougie looked at me, then at Danny, "Give us a minute?" Danny went up the stairs in silence. "You know when you and Jane dragged me to that audition last month?" I nodded, "Well, Danny called me last night and told me," He paused and smiled.
"No, no way!" I yelled, "Dougie, you got in!" He nodded and I began to jump and scream. "Oh, I'm so proud of you!" I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him while jumping up and down. I pulled myself back and kissed him quickly and pulled away before he got any ideas. He looked at me in shock, probably like I did outside. "A kiss of my affection and excitement." I looked around the rest of the foyer. "Can you show me the rest of the house?" I asked and Dougie indicated to look at up at the stairs.
I turned to see Danny leaning on the railing, he was smiling. "Amelia, is it?" He asked me as he came down the stairs.
"You can call me 'Amy' or 'Ams', Danny. Dougie does it so much it's what I go by."
"Ams, huh interesting. Well, anyways, I'm from -"
"Lemme guess," I cut him off, "Bolton?" Dougie beamed at me, and Danny's mouth dropped. "No, Dougie did not tell me. Nor did I ever meet you until today."
"Wow, are you psychic or something?" Danny asked as he gestured us to follow him down the hall from the foyer. We began to follow him.
"No, just a good guesser." I smiled, and squeezed Doug's hand. Danny led us to a room that had mics, guitars and drums. I stepped closer to the drum kit, "Hey, I know whose those are." I looked at Dougie, who had the 'don't look at me' face on and I rolled my eyes, and glanced at Danny, "Harry Judd's kit, if I'm not mistaken."
"Damn, you are good." Another voice came from the door frame. Harry stepped next to Dougie and I ran to hug him. "Nice to see you too, Amy."
"You got in! That's great, you were always the best in band." I looked at the posters and smiled, "Now, who's totally awesome posters are these?" I asked and glared between the three boys, well, just Danny.
"Mine, you like 'The Boss'?" Danny asked and sat on the swivel chair in front of the computer.
"Like, try 'adore to the ends of the Earth', man. My mom gave me the CDs that my dad had, he was a huge fan, guess it runs through my veins."
"Cool." He glimpsed out the window, then back at me, "Can I ask what, 'band' was?"
"Sure, Dougie, Harry and I took in school rec. That was the best summer ever!" I looked at the guitars and saw an electric that caught my eye. I pointed to it and asked Danny, "Ya' mind if I play a bit?"
"Go ahead." Danny said and turned on the computer. "I'll record it, just give me your vocals, incase we need to sound proof the windows."
"Ha ha, Jones." I said, but I gave him a vocal scale and a guitar tuning. "That good enough for ya?" I asked as I put the headphones on my ears.
He nodded, "What song you gonna play?"
"I'll play it, but I need Harry's and Doug's help." Both boys stood motionless, "Come on, guys," I gave them my big green puppy eyes and whimpered. "Please?"
"Fine." Both said in unison and took their places, Harry asked, "What do you want to play?"
"How 'bout," I looked up at the ceiling. "Silence is a Scary Sound?" I looked at both of them, Dougie looked uncomfortable, "I'll sing it, Leah, if you want me to."
"Please, do." He said, and tuned his bass, and Harry checked his kit. "We all ready?"
"Yeppers." I said, I looked back at Harry, who nodded. I glanced at Danny, "What?"
"I've never heard about that song before. Do an intro to it, I'll record it." He hit a button on the sound board and held his thumb up.
"Hey ya, I'm Amy Wilcox, and I'm with Harry and Dougie. Today, we will be singing a song Dougie wrote, with a bit of help from me, and it's called 'Silence is a Scary Sound'. Harry, do us the honor of counting us off, please."
"1,2,1 2 3 4"
I look into the skyAnd I have to ask whyShe'd go and leave meOh why do feelings have to die?Was it all just a sign?Of what its meant to beWell I'm just too excitedThe end of this can be sightedShe's over due for a break out I better go she blows my brains out Silence is a scary soundFunny feeling happened todaySomewhere buried in the past Didn't mean much. that much anywayI know that love will never lastI'm torn up insideThere's a hole in my mindWhen you're not next to meSo I hope you choke and dieOn every single lie look what you've done to meWell I'm just too excitedThe end of this can be sightedShe's over due for a break outI better go before she blows my brains out Silence is a scary soundFunny feeling happened todaySo we'll bury it in the past Didn't mean much that much anywayI know that love will never lastWell I'm just too excitedThe end of this can be sightedShe's over due for a break outI better go she blows my brain out. Silence is a scary soundFunny feeling happened todaySomewhere buried in the past Didn't mean much that much anywayI knew that love will never lastFunny feeling happened todaySomewhere buried in the past Didn't mean much that much anywayI knew the love would never last
I finished the chord and looked up at Danny, and someone else who stepped in the room, "So… What'd ya think?"
"I think that was awesome!" Danny said and looked at the computer, "I'm keeping this track." I smiled and felt my face heat up. "I loved it, maybe I'll learn how to play it; it'll never measure up to this though." I knew I was blushin' now! He pointed to me and held out his hand. I grabbed it and shook it.
"That was really good… I'm sorry, I don't know your name." Said the other boy, with blonde hair, that stepped in while we played.
"I'm Amy Wilcox, Dougie's friend from school." Harry snickered and I shot him a 'your dead if I hear that smirk again' look. I turned my attention to the blonde boy, "And you are…"
"Tom Fletcher, nice to meet the girl Dougie can't shut up about." He held out his hand like Danny did, and I shook it. "See, you like the Les Paul."
"Are you kidding me, I have one at home that I never leave without." I said as I stood up and put the guitar on its stand and began to stretch. "Well, except for now, I think my mom has both my guitars and bass." My face dropped, "Shit!" I yelled in anger.
"What?" Dougie asked, he cam up to me and put his hands on my shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"My mom said that she was dropping stuff off back in Essex, at your house." I looked at him, "I think we need to cut the road trip short, mate." I looked around the studio and Dougie's band mates. "Sorry guys, I would love to stay the entire week, but my mom would most likely flip if she knew. I promise to come 2 days before I leave."
"Huh? Leave where?" Harry asked, confused, like everyone else, except Dougie.
"A week from Monday, I'm leaving for New York. And I might stay there for a year or so. But I'll come during the holidays."
"You in New York?" Harry asked in disbelief. He started to laugh and I turned to him with agitation in my eyes.
"Can I ask what's so funny, Judd?" I stepped towards him and tilted my head, "'Cause if you think I'm joking, you're barking up the wrong tree."
"I just think it'll be interesting to see how you survive." He said as we headed to the foyer, where Dougie and I left our stuff.
"Dude, New York is full of nuts and fruits. It's time the see if the strong survive there." I said as I picked up the cooler and my duffel bag. "Hold on," I said, I reached into my overstuffed duffel and handed the wrapped package to Tom, "a housewarming gift." I smiled. "But unwrap it later, best time is when I'm not here, but Doug is?" Tom nodded and set it down on the table. "Well, it was nice to meet you, and see you again Harry." I hugged all of them and looked at Doug, "Are we set?"
"Yep," He looked at the guys, "We'll be back in a week. Cheers." He opened the door and we waved.
"Cheers, man." Tom said as we stepped out and shut the door.
I rested my head on Dougie's shoulder, "I don't know if I should leave now, but I think I can trust them."
"What, you don't?" He asked as we reached the car and opened the trunk.
"Of course I do, it's just. You and Harry living together, it's a sure recipe for chaos and disaster." I shut the trunk and snatched the keys from Doug's hands, "And this time, I'm driving my car." I got my seat behind the steering wheel and started the car.