Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning to the sound of someone singing very loudly and very off-key. I wondered for a minute whether they were get dressed before or after breakfast people. I came to the conclusion it was after, fixed my hair and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Phil was flipping a pancake and singing 'White Christmas' and Dan was getting syrup out of the cupboard.

"Um," I laughed, "What?"

"Phil! I told you you'd wake her!" Dan said, then turned to me, "Sorry. You sleep ok?"

"Yes, thanks. Why is Phil singing 'White Christmas'?"

"Haven't you seen?" He pointed out of the window.

Everything was completely white, and it looked quite thick too, at least five inches, "Wow, it's beautiful."

"Yeah, just don't say something cheesy and horrible like 'It's just like God has draped a white blanket over the Earth.'" Dan mimicked a girl's voice.

I laughed.

"Pancakes anyone?" Phil offered.

"Me!" Dan and I yelled simultaneously.

"Ladies first." Phil laid the pancake on my plate and I sat down and covered it in syrup.

Dan stared at me wide eyed.

"What?" I fake-pouted, "Girls can't eat?"

He smiled a perfect smile, little dimples appearing. His head moved a little, but his eyes stayed focused one mine.

"Sorry to interrupted your intimate moment," Phil smirked, "but pancake, Dan?"

Dan looked away quickly to move his knife and fork away from the plate as Phil gave him the pancake. I felt a little deflated, but as soon as Phil turned around, Dan turned to me and winked. I went scarlet.

After breakfast we all put on our warmest clothes and went out in the snow. We made snow angels in the street, had a snowball fight and made the biggest snowman I had ever made in my life. We ran around and danced in the falling snow, and I completely forgot that these people were like major celebrities to me, they just felt like my best friends.

Eventually it wasn't really fun anymore, it was just cold. We went back to the apartment, switched on Christmas music and danced around the living room. I wasn't embarrassed at all, it was like I'd known them for years. Dan really could not dance for anything, but all our dancing was fairly bad. At about four o'clock we settled down and started watching crappy Christmas TV. My phone started ringing, so I took the call in the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jamie."

"Mum?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Well, hi! Merry Nearly Christmas!"

"Thanks. Where are you?"

"I'm, um, staying with some friends."

"Oh, ok. I've got some bad news, honey."

"What? What's happened."

"Well, it was Charlie. You see, the snow wasn't bad at all in Devon. It was a bit icy, but that was all."

"Yes?" I was starting to panic. I sat down on a stool. Charlie had been my best friend from the age of 3 up until now, even when I was friends with Taylor and other people.

"Charlie went out on his bike. His motor bike, that is. He skidded off the road and…I'm so sorry sweetie. He passed away."

I was in complete shock, "Thank you for telling me." I replied emptily an hung up the phone. Charlie was only my age. Sure, he was a daredevil, but he never got caught, never got hurt. This couldn't be happening. I broke down crying as soon as I realised it was.

Dan came in about five minutes later and asked what had happened. I told him everything. He didn't say anything, he just pulled up a stool next to me, and rested my head on his shoulder, stroking my hair gently. I was vaguely aware that Phil came in at some point, but Dan said it was better to leave. Some time or another we must have moved onto the sofa, because soon I had my legs along the couch, my head resting in Dan's lap, him still stroking my hair. We must have stayed like that for a long time, because I fell half asleep, and when I woke up it was nine thirty.

Dan said I couldn't go home like this and I should just stay one more night. So we all decided to go to bed early.

I lay in bed for about half an hour, but it just made me feel cold and lonely. I longed for his arms around me, I needed him.

"Dan," I whispered, knocking on his door. He opened it a few seconds later, "I can't…I can't -" I collapsed into his chest.

"Do you want to stay with me tonight?" He asked softly.

It seemed so early, but yet it wasn't. Ok, I hadn't known him for very long, but I knew what I felt, and I could sense he felt it too. Anyway, it was strictly no funny business.

I guess he felt me nodding, because he lead me over to his bed, the bed I had seen in his videos, the bed I had longed to be in so many times, and suddenly I was there. We both faced the same way, so he was spooning me from behind, his top arm draped over me. I stayed like that for a little while, then turned around to face him.

"Dan," I said so gently it was barely audible. His deep brown eyes locked with mine. I reached up ever so slowly, and gently placed my fingers on his neck. He didn't even flinch. Every Danosaur everywhere would know he hated being touched on his neck. He smiled gently and I smiled back. It was the most incredible feeling in the word to knowhe didn't mind it, or even liked it, when I did it. I buried my head deep in his chest, and he pulled me closer. I wrapped my top leg around his and fell into the most peaceful sleep I had ever had.