CHAPTER THREE

Plans

The bright sunlight woke Danny up; in all the drama of last night he'd forgotten to close his curtains.

He opened his eyes and turned to his alarm clock "1:00" this was late even for Danny. He was surprised that Harry and the guys hadn't set up amps, guitars and a drum kit and played to wake him up, Danny still remembered that morning after the premiere of "Spiderman 2."

He still remembered when he could wake up and not feel so empty, when he didn't feel so in love.

He sat up, the day was half over.

Danny was tired of wasting time, and he was tired of wasting his life away keeping secrets.

He wanted to let it all go and live his life.

Danny wanted to be in love and he wanted Dougie to be in love too.

Why could Dougie not feel what Jane felt for him?

Maybe Dougie was just as scared as Danny was about being gay.

He had never thought of that, it wasn't exactly obvious that Danny was in love with Dougie as he'd tried so hard not to be, and to keep it a secret from everyone, especially Dougie himself.

He heard a knock on his door, "Danny, you awake in there?" it was Tom again.

"I'm coming in, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

He was hoping Tom would come back he needed his help.

He needed to figure out how he was going to tell Dougie, and Harry, he really needed to figure out how he was going to tell everyone.

"I'd say good morning but, good afternoon is more appropriate I suppose." Tom said jokingly.

"I guess it is." Danny laughed.

Tom came and sat down.

"I'm going to tell him today, and Harry too. I can't not tell him anymore, I love him."

The tears were back, but Danny didn't feel sad anymore, more scared than he'd ever been.

Tom hugged Danny again, and he hugged him back, he wanted Tom to know how much Danny cared about him, how much their friendship meant to him.

"Thanks Tom, I was really scared you guys would tear the mickey out of me if I told you but I shoud've known you'd understand you always do."

Danny wiped the last of his tears away and replaced them with a smile.

"Well, I should get on with the day, what's left of it anyways, gotta take a shower." He said as he jumped up from the bed.

"Okay, if you need me, I'm always here for you." Tom left.

Danny almost didn't want to leave his room, he was safe in here, alone, he could hide within these walls from everything, from Dougie.

Danny lifted his arm and smelled his armpit... ew he needed a shower.

Danny tiptoed down the hallway, past Harry door and then Dougie's; he'd made it that far.

He quietly went down the stairs, past the kitchen, dining room, down the short hall to the bathroom.

He closed the door behind him.

What was he doing?

He couldn't avoid his best friends forever, especially not when he was in love with one of them.

He wasn't avoiding them, he just wasn't telling them yet, he was saving that for tonight, after dinner, when they all would hang out in the rec room and watch tv or play pool, and have a couple of beers.

The thought of telling them sent Danny's stomach into a frenzy of twists and spins.

He tried to think of something else but all he could think about was Dougie.

Danny undressed and stepped into the shower, the hot water felt nice but it did little to calm his unsettled stomach.

He stepped out of the shower into the misty, humid air, the mirror was all fogged up and Danny couldn't see himself but he didn't want to, hew hated himself, he was disgusting.

You're not supposed to fall in love with your best friend.

You're not supposed to be gay.

Danny looked away he couldn't even look at his blurred and distorted reflection.

He dried himself off, picked up his boxers, and wrapped the towel loosely around his waist.

He opened the door and to his surprise there stood Dougie.

"Thought you'd never be done! Dan, you shower like a girl." Dougie said chuckling.

Danny froze, Dougie looked gorgeous this morning, in only his boxers, his body was perfect, muscular but not overly so.

His sandy blond hair, his blue eyes, that innocent little smirk he always had on his perfectly featured face.

Danny didn't answer he just walked briskly down the hall leaving Dougie standing there surprised.

"Dan?... uh, sorry... I was just kidding." Dougie called down the hall.

As soon as he was out of Dougie's sight he ran the rest of the way to his room and slammed the door behind him.

What was happening to him?

His love for Dougie was jeopardizing their friendship and making it awkward, he couldn't even joke around with him anymore.

Not when he was keeping this secret, not for long, he really was going to tell Dougie and Harry tonight.