A/N: I'm so so so sorry for how quiet I've been lately! I haven't updated in months! I'm hoping that updates will get slightly quicker now that the holidays have started but I am going on holiday to Florida in a few weeks so I won't exactly be able to update then, but may be able to write more :)
Thanks to kbeto who always seems to pick out my typing errors and things like that, it really helps as I don't always have the right eye for checking things, especially as it's always the middle of the night :P
Harry and I slept all through the afternoon. It was roughly 5pm when I stirred in my sleep and woke up to our brightly lit bedroom. I peered over at the window, my eyes squinting slightly, to see the sun was still shining brightly, its rays sliding in our direction.
"Dougie." Harry mumbled loudly, making me jump, forgetting he was lying there. I turned to him to see that he was still asleep.
I crept out of bed and out of the room without waking Harry up. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a handful of grapes and crammed them into my mouth. The phone, which was lying untouched on the wall, began ringing loudly, making me tut impatiently before grabbing it off the hook.
"Yeah?"
"That's not a very nice way to answer the phone to your head teacher, is it Mr Poynter?"
"Mr Wickens!" I exclaimed, propping the phone up closer to my ear. "Why are you calling me at home?"
"You weren't at any of your classes today, Poynter."
"Something came up, I'm sorry about that."
"Very well, you know what happens when you miss school."
"Please sir!" I huffed. "It was an honest mistake!"
"You'll be in tomorrow, yes?"
"Oh, yes." I lied, putting the phone back on the hook.
Of course I'm not going back to school until this whole fiasco with Harry is over! I looked back at the phone which was hanging on the wall and carefully picked it up off the hook again. I paused, considering whether I should be ringing him. If I didn't ring him, then I would be left guessing forever about what Harry is lying about. But if I did ring him, then hopefully I'd get some answers. Thinking for several moments, I decided to go with the latter and began to ring James' phone.
"Ah, Judd." He answered in a cold burr. "Ready to talk again?"
I frowned at the phone. "No, I'm not actually, James."
"Oh." His voice lowered. "Poynter."
"I'm not ready to talk right now, but will you meet me later?"
He chuckled. "I suppose Judd lied to you then, Poynter."
I sighed. "I don't know what to believe from him."
"Alright then, come to my place later today. My parents are still away."
I suddenly heard movement from the bedroom, making me panic and almost drop the phone. "I have to go, see you later." I whispered hurriedly before quickly slamming the phone against its receiver, just as Harry walked in the room.
"Who was that?" He eyed the telephone curiously.
"Mr Wickens, asking why I wasn't in school today." I said casually, opening up the fridge.
"Did you tell him it was because you were stalking your boyfriend because you didn't believe where he was today?" He chuckled as I heard him walk up to me and felt his warm arms lace themselves around my waist.
"No, I-" I stopped, feeling foolish as I realised he was joking.
"So, are we going to see Danny?" He asked, placing kisses down my neck, as I felt a chill run down my spine.
I squirmed away, taking a firm hold of the milk carton I had grabbed. "Let me get ready."
"Alright, I'll be in the other room." He said, muttering something to himself.
X-X
We arrived at Danny's house minutes later, seeing a police car on the drive.
Harry, who was holding a firm grip of my hand, walked up to the doorstep and knocked on the door, pulling me along slowly behind him. It wasn't long before the door was wrenched open...by Vicky.
"He's in the kitchen, speaking to a police officer." She mumbled, holding the door open for us before disappearing back into her own bedroom.
We stepped inside, shutting the door behind us and walked to the kitchen."
"...this was found in the cemetery." A female voice said loudly.
We reached the kitchen, peering in to see a police officer holding up a sheet of crumbled, dirty paper. Danny looked over at us, he was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday and his hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in weeks, following the deep, dark circles under his eyes, showing his anxiety.
He quickly turned his eyes back to the policewoman and got up fast, snatching the paper from her.
She looked stunned by his actions and slowly stood up, uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry!" Danny suddenly gasped, standing up too, looking back and forth from the police officer to where Harry and I stood by the door. "It's something I put in the grave, it's personal."
She nodded, knowingly. "I understand. Thank you for speaking, Mr Jones." She said, and with one glance at Harry, began to leave.
We paused, waiting for her to leave before approaching Danny. I sat down opposite him. "How are you, Danny?"
He, too, looked up at Harry instead. "I-I-" He stopped, looking back to me before standing up quickly. "I've missed you so much, Harry. I feel like I've lost my best friend. Nothing's the same anymore, we don't hang out like we used to! We're not... 'Danny and Harry' anymore!"
Harry chuckled, giving him a quick hug. "You're right, nothing is the same anymore. Everything's changed."
I looked up at the pair of them before coughing rather loudly. "No offence, Dan, but I might have to have a word with you if you're seen cuddling up too much to my boyfriend..." I scowled at him, before bursting out laughing.
"Don't worry, Doug. I don't have eyes for anyone other than my lovely Thomas."
I smiled sadly at him. "What's that note about then?" I asked, eyeing it in his hand.
He scrunched his face up slightly. "Just something stupid I wrote, I decided to put it in his grave. It must have been... dug up with the rest of him." He wailed, before quickly apologising and running to get a tissue.
I stood up, following him out of the room. "Do you want to hang out tonight, Dan? We didn't want you to be alone."
He shook his head. "Forget about me, I'm fine. Mum's going to take me and Vicky out for dinner, so I'm sure I'll be okay."
I smiled. "Alright, well you have a good time, won't you?"
He nodded, hugging us both as he walked us out.
"That was a very short visit." I said to Harry as we walked to the car.
"Hmm."
"What's up?" I asked, following Harry's eyes' direction into the dark depths of the street opposite, being lit by a single lamppost.
Harry blinked and quickly looked away, muttering "nothing", before climbing into the car.
Giving one last glance back across the road, I got back in the car too.
"Listen, I'm going over to see Jazzie right now, seeing as my mum's out with friends. Can you drop me?" I said deceivably.
Harry nodded. "Alright, fine."
We arrived outside my old house; a few streets away from Danny's, as I jumped out, shouting a "thanks!" to Harry.
I carefully watched out of the corner of my eye until he was safely up the road and out of sight before discreetly pulling out my phone and scrolling through my contacts until I reached my desired number.
"James." I spoke into the phone. "I need you to pick me up."
X-X
"Where the hell have you been? You took ages!" I complained, pointing to my watch as I collapsed into the front of James' car.
"Just been trailing Harry."
"What?" I gasped. "You've been doing what?"
He was grinning to himself. "Been watching him for a while, followed you all the way to Jones' house, then followed him back. It's tough work really, but y'know, there's a really good spot by the side of your house to listen in on the people inside...
"I can't believe you!" I frowned, rolling my eyes.
He shrugged. "I'm just helping your ass. I suppose you do need my help, yes?"
"Dougie!" I heard a muffled call as I glimpsed through the window to see my sister standing outside the house, walking over.
"Shit" I muttered, unrolling down the window.
"Hi Dougs." She said, smiling down at me.
"Hey, you alright?" I asked.
She nodded. "I don't suppose you're here to see me are you?"
"Er yeah, we are!" I said nervously, James whacking my arm suddenly, making me shudder in pain and clutch it.
"Great, I figured you might come as this is the day mum goes out!" She smiled, strolling back over to the house.
James glared at me as I turned back to him. "Great...now what?"
"Look, we'll just be a few minutes. Just sit down, have a drink, chat for a little bit and then we can make up some story about having to go somewhere."
"Fine!" He groaned, getting out of the car and slamming the door as I followed. "Spending my evening with a twelve year old," He muttered to himself as we entered the house.
"She's not twelve." I muttered to him. "She's 15..."
"Same thing!" He said, clenching his teeth.
"So," Jazzie beckoned us into the living room, "coffee, James?" She asked timidly.
"Black." He muttered, curtly.
She disappeared into the kitchen as James strolled around the living room, glancing at some framed photos.
"Cute." He teased, picking up a photo of me in my early years of junior school.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't even laugh at that photo, my mum literally made my hair all perfect that day, which made me look like a girl. I'm never going to forgive her for making me grow it out..." I said, shaking my head.
He chuckled, putting it back on the mantelpiece. "Still cute."
"Shush, Bourne!"
"Bourne? Come on Doug, we're friends. It's James."
"James." I repeated.
X-X
James and Jazzie were in the middle of an intense game of chess, which they had been playing for over an hour now. I suppose I didn't really mean "a few minutes"...
"Perhaps you should move there..." I muttered to James, pointing to a black knight on the board.
James shook his head. "Don't talk about things you don't understand, Dougie."
I frowned, "I know how to play a simple game of chess, Ja-"
"Ah huh!" He exclaimed, knocking over a white piece of Jazzie's. "I win!"
"I don't believe it!" Jazzie cried, scanning the board carefully.
"Loser!" James shouted childishly, laughing evilly to himself.
"I've never lost chess before to anyone..." Jazzie said dramatically.
"You must've only ever played with Dougie then!" James taunted.
"Hey, I'm right here!" I laughed.
After waiting for them both to calm down, I finally brought the question up. "James, shouldn't we get going?"
He nodded, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "Yeah, I suppose so, but I will be back another day to thrash you at another game of this!" He said to Jazzie.
She rolled her eyes. "Anything, Bourne."
James got up, walking into the hall to get his jacket as I began to follow.
"Wait – Dougie!" Jazzie called back from the living room.
"Since when are you friendly with James Bourne?" She asked, lowering her voice.
"Look," I said firmly. "It's complicated."
She frowned. "Alright, well, same time next week? Bring James, he's good fun."
I nodded, giving her a quick hug before exiting the house to escape back into James' car.
"Now wasn't that fun? Wasn't it you who said you didn't want to spend your evening with a twelve year old?"
He rolled his eyes. "It's not that late yet, we can still go back to my house?"
I nodded. "Quickly, I don't want Harry to suspect anything..."
X-X
Harry's POV
I peered at my phone as it rang loudly in my hand. 'Jazzie Poynter,' It read.
"Hello?" I answered quietly.
"Harry." She said. "Dougie did turn up...with James Bourne. I don't know what this means, but they seemed pretty close."
I swallowed hard. "Thank you for letting me know, Jaz."
"You don't think he's cheating, do you?"
"No. Look, I have to go."
X-X
Dougie's POV
My eyes widened as I got out of James' car; I'd forgotten how beautiful his house was. I loved it every time I got to visit his house. He has a massive mansion with gorgeous front and back gardens, along with a swimming pool in the back and he even has his own lift! He pretty much owns the whole place as his parents are always abroad!
"Wow." I gasped.
He grinned. "Always reminds me of our sleepover."
I smiled. "Yeah, that was funny. Although, I never actually got to stay for the night, if you remember."
"Yeah..." He muttered awkwardly, before striding over to the front door, waving to his maid on the way, who was carrying a mop and bucket back into her car.
I automatically followed him, desperate to see the inside of the mansion again.
"Nobody home?" I asked him as we stepped inside.
"Shouldn't think so." He answered, pressing the lift to go up.
"You hungry?" He asked as we stepped into the lift.
"I suppose a bit." I muttered.
He grinned. "Great, shall we order a pizza to share?"
"Sounds good."
X-X
Harry's POV
"Izzy, I think we have a problem."
"Problem, with what? Does Dougie know?"
"No." I answered. "Well, not yet anyway. He's been hanging around with James because James was here earlier; asking about you. I lied, of course, but now they're both suspicious because Dougie followed me to that pub yesterday!"
"Oh my god..." She whispered. "They can't find out about this! What are we going to do?"
"I don't know about you, but I think I have to tell Dougie this."
"Are you sure? He might hate you forever!"
"I know." I whispered, sadly. "But I'll have to one way or another."
"You're right. Does this mean I have to tell James too?..."
"Probably, he won't stop asking until he finds out. Where do you think they are?"
"Possibly gone to James' house. I have keys, I'll be at your house in 10."
X-X
Dougie's POV
After a whole pizza and about a dozen beers, we were both stretched out on the living room floor, in fits of laughter from drunkenly falling over countless times, playing 'Twister'.
"I said right fucking foot there! You can't use your hand – that's cheating!" James shouted, pointing at my leg.
I giggled, reaching out to put my right foot on the red spot and failing, falling on top of James again, bringing us back into hysterics.
"Perhaps we should give up and do something else instead." James laughed again, pulling himself out from underneath me. "We should talk about what we actually planned to meet up for."
I nodded, sitting beside him, away from the Twister mat.
"So what mad story did he make up this time?"
"Apparently he's helping you get closer to this girl that I saw him with. He denied that he was seeing her, he just said he was helping you."
"What the hell? That's bullshit – he hasn't done anyt- wait what?" He suddenly stopped. "You saw him with a girl?"
"Yeah, I followed him to this pub yesterday where they met up."
"Bloody hell, Doug. I bet he's cheating on you with this chick."
"But...but...he doesn't like girls...he would never do that!"
"He once went out with Izzy, didn't he?!"
"Wait!" I quickly held a hand up to silence him, before slowly standing up.
"What?" He asked curiously, standing up also.
"I hear something...can you hear that?"
He shrugged. "I can hear a ringing in my ear, listen!" He pushed his ear closer to mine.
"You idiot." I muttered, pushing him away.
I slowly walked over to the elevator. "I can hear footsteps downstairs..."
James laughed. "And you said I'm an idiot?"
I ignored him, pushing the button, pulling James into the lift with me as we went down to the ground floor.
He rolled his eyes. "You're just imagining things...no voices, my parents are away, remember?"
The doors slid open, as two – no, three, pairs of eyes met ours.
Harry's POV
The sight of Dougie standing in front of me made me panic and almost drop baby Jason.
"Dougie!" I stuttered, who was looking slightly confused and was staring from me, to Izzy, to Jason.
"Wha...what?" He looked as if he was about to cry as his eyes landed on Jason once again. I couldn't tell him, I couldn't crush my boyfriend's heart like that...
"Are you going to tell us what's going on then?!" James broke the silence, his eyes fixed on Jason's.
"James." Izzy said quietly. "I've been avoiding you because I didn't want you to know..." James' eyes shot up to hers. "About...Jason. My son." She barely whispered.
Dougie's eyes shot up to hers too, and then to mine. "He's...he's... yours." He stuttered, pointing a finger at me, before pushing past us and running down the corridor, bursting back through the front door.
