Chapter 7 – Forgotten
"Waaaah"
"It's okay Emma, it's okay baby...shhhhhhhh shhhhhhhh"...Urgh...oh jeeez my head...Danny grunts into his pillow hearing his niece's cries in what he assumes is the morning. Oh my gosh...why are you up so early?! He sits up in bed very slowly and braces himself before opening his eyes. Instead of the light billowing through his blinds, he notices that it's actually quite dark. What time is it? Shuffling around in bed, he manages to make it out of the covers, and notices that he's pretty much fully dressed, except for his sneakers – which are neatly stored under his chair. Thinking that it's weird they've been stashed away nicely, when the rest of his room is a tip, Danny shrugs it off and goes to the bathroom.
Looking in the mirror Danny lets out a big sigh. I look like crap...jeeez. He runs the cold water tap and flicker his finger tips under the stream for a moment, before collecting a handful and throwing it on his face. Taking the time to rub the water around his face, he tries to recall something, anything from last night...nope blank. oh well, it's probably better that I forgot what happened, the way that I feel. Turning on the shower he knows he needs to get himself ready for whatever is left of his day, and he can't remember the last time he got so ridiculously drunk. Must've been before Emma...before he'd assumed the role of super uncle and made that little girl his first priority..well second if you counted Riley. Riley...gosh...how did things get so complicated?
For what was probably the millionth, no billionth time in his life he thinks about his pint sized best friend. Not many people would look at them and have placed them together, with him being a goliath and clumsy and not the most academically gifted, and her so petite and put together and so smart boy was she smart. He'd watch her study for hours under the guise of actually doing some form of homework, but funnily enough no matter how hard he'd tried to focus – she always seemed to be the answer for each and every question.
He sighs frustratingly into the mirror as he remembers her leaving him for Ben once again yesterday, and while he can't help but feel heartbroken he knows that he needs to get over this weird obsession he has with his best friend. Sure, he knows that he's the only guy that knows all of her secrets and yeah he can read every emotion in those beautiful eyes – but she'd already picked the Wheeler brother she wanted, and it wasn't him. Clambering in the shower he resolves himself to be completely normal in front on her and not let her know that she'd broken his heart. It's not like it's the first time...
Riley
Riley is staring in the mirror wondering how she looks so different this morning. Nothing major really, not that anyone would notice to look at her, but she feels different. She feels great, no strike that, she feels wonderful! Sure the night hadn't ended the way she wanted it too, what with Danny falling into a stupor after they'd moved things to the old tree house, but it certainly hadn't started that way either.
Resting her palm on her neck, she thinks about the way his kisses were travelling up her neck last night, and the way he was pulling her to him like he needed her. She'd always known Danny was attractive, more so after they'd met up in that coffee shop after all these years, but woah –she had no idea just how sexy he could be. They way he'd kissed her last night, and the way his arms held on to her, she really had no memory of any man ever wanting her that much. She smiles at herself absently in the mirror when she realises that she's holding onto herself – believing that it's still him. Gosh, get it together girl. Running a comb through her short pixie crop one more time, she grins at herself in the mirror – before grabbing her bag and leaving her apartment.
It's only a short walk to the boys apartment, but it feels like forever to Riley. She can feels herself practically jogging in her heels at one point, and has to chuckle to herself before slowing down. He's probably not even up yet. As she reaches their building she can see that the elevator is already in use, and decides to climb the stairs.
By about her 6th flight of stairs Riley is regretting not waiting for the lift. I know I said I needed to get back into the gym again, but this is ridiculous! Trudging on she reaches the floor the boys apartment is on, and takes a moment to fix her hair and the slight beading of perspiration on her forehead. Rather than knock the door, she enters the front room and settles down on the couch as she can hear the shower running and assumes that Danny is getting ready. As she's sitting there she notices that there's a bag on the table, a very nice bag. That's too nice for Mrs Wheeler...and it's certainly too nice for anyone who'd be dating Tucker...who's bag is this? As she screws up her face trying to work out who the bag belongs to, she suddenly hears a voice that she knows too well from Danny's room.
"Hey Danny, do you think I can borrow this? Oh hey Riley"
"Georgie..."
