Chapter 10

"Doug, you up?" I knocked on Dougie's door as I walked down the hall. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What? Yeah...I'm awake," he mumbled tiredly.

"Get dressed, mate," I told him walking in,"You and me are going out."

"Where are we going?" he asked crawling out of bed and looking through his drawers.

"I dunno." I shrugged, "But I finally got my license and Tom's letting me borrow his car today since he and Harry are visiting their families today so I figured you and me could go to the mall, get something to eat or something." It had been almost a week since we found Dougie in his yard that night and I thought he deserved to get out and get his mind off his parents. He just hasn't been himself lately."

"Okay," Dougie mumbled pulling out an orange Blink shirt and dark blue three-quarter length pants and crew socks.

"Mate," I laughed, "Come on..."

"What?" he asked pulling his shirt on over his head.

"Your style is ridiculous." I told him, "That's it, you and me are going to the mall and updating your wardrobe my friend."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" he asked me looking in the mirror. I just shook my head, "Come on."

We hopped into Tom's car and blasted Blink 182's "What's my Age Again?" and sang at the top of our lungs with our windows down. We got some strange looks but we didn't care much.

We walked through the mall, "So where do you wanna go?" I asked him. He had his hands shoved deep in his pockets, "Uhh...there," he pointed to PacSun and the two of us headed inside.

"Mate,' he said looking at the price tags on the shirts, "How do you suppose we afford this?"

"You're forgetting we get paid at our gigs," I grinned. We spent nearly 200 pounds there but it was worth seeing Dougie happy again. This past week I was afraid he was going to be depressed forever.

We headed to the food court and ordered two ice cream cones then sat down, "Hey, there's Colleen and Stephanie," I pointed across the food court.

"Oh no..." Dougie said.

"What?" I asked, "You like her don't you?"

"No," he grinned.

"Mate, she's so fit. Ask her out!" I told him.

"No, no, no, no, no." he shook his head, "No way she's so out of my league. There's no way she'll say yes."

"Yes she will. She totally likes you, look." I said. The two of them came over and sat down. Dougie turned bright red when Stephanie took the seat next to him. "Do it!" I mouthed.

"Noooo!" he laughed.

"Do what?" Colleen asked. I put my hands around my mouth and whispered in her ear, "Dougie likes Stephanie. I'm trying to get him to ask her on a date."

Colleen smiled and whispered, "She likes him too."

"Dude!" Dougie laughed.

"I feel extremely left out," Stephanie said clueless. "Fill me in please?"

"You don't want to know," Dougie told her. I pulled out my phone, laughing and texted Dougie.

Ask her out!!

I hit send and watched as he reached into his pocket, "Hang on." he said. His eyes moved back and forth as he read the text then he looked up at me and flicked me off, "Right here, pal!" he laughed.

"I'm confused," Stephanie laughed grabbing Dougie's cell phone.

"No!" Dougie shot up and Stephanie ran. He chased her around the food court regardless of the looks people were giving the two of them. Finally he caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, "Gimme my phone!" he laughed.

"Never!" she giggled.

Colleen gave me a look and I smiled then coughed loudly. Dougie looked back. "Go on!" I whispered. He gave me a lopsided grin then whispered in Stephanie's ear. She kissed him on the cheek. Colleen got up, "Well we should go. Talk to you later."

"Yeah, I'll call you." I said as the two of them walked off. Dougie sat down with a red face and a huge grin. "So?" I asked like a small child.

"I pretty much love you for dragging me out of bed this morning." he told me.

"All in a day's work, my friend." I said.

We got home around 3 and a few hours later Dougie ran into my room. "Mate you gotta come with me on this date tonight!" he told me.

"Why, what's wrong?" I asked putting down the magazine I was reading.

"I'm not good with girls and I don't know what to do or say and I'd feel better if you and Colleen came with us. Just this once." he begged.

"Alright," I sighed, "Let me call Colleen." I dug my phone out of my back pocket and dialed her number.

"Colleen?"

"Hey Danny. What's up?"

"Nothing. How would you like to let me take you out tonight?" I asked.

"Sure," she smiled through the phone, "That would be fun. What's the occasion, my friend?"

"No occasion." I said. "It's a double date. You, me and Dougie and Stephanie. Is that cool?"

"Yeah. Sounds good." she said.

"I'll pick you up at 8?"

"Okay. See you then."

"Bye Colleen." I hung up, "There you go."

"Thanks mate, you're the best." he said.

"Yeah," I sighed picking up my magazine, "I know."

That night we got into Tom's car then headed to pick Stephanie up. I parked outside her house but Dougie didn't move.

"Go on," I said, "Go get her."

He gave me a nervous look then hopped out of the car and knocked on her door. She opened it and smiled and the two of them came back to the car and sat in the back seat.

"Oh, so you're just going to leave me up her by myself?" I asked looking back at them, "I see how it is."

"Calm down and drive," Dougie laughed and put his arm around Stephanie.

"Okay, but you two behave back there," I said heading towards Colleen's house.

"Ha ha," Dougie fake-laughed. I picked up Colleen then the four of us headed to the movie theater. When we got there I paid for Colleen and I. Dougie reached into his pocket, "Two tickets, please." The guy handed them the tickets and we headed inside the theater.

"You didn't have to pay for me," Stephanie told him.

"I know," he said, "But I wanted to."

After the movie the four of us headed back to our house since Tom and Harry were still gone. "You guys hungry?" I asked heading into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Dougie and Stephanie said still laughing about something that happened earlier. Dougie got over his nerves and the two of them really hit it off. I could tell he liked her a lot.

"You want help?" Colleen asked following me into the kitchen.

"Well I'm only making popcorn," I told her, "So I think I'm good."

"I have to ask," she said leaning up against the counter, "Did you take me out tonight because Dougie asked you to, or because you wanted to take me out?"

"A little of both," I grinned.

"So it's finally happened," she sighed, "I've fallen for my best friend."

"I think I've fallen for mine too," I said, "And I'm gonna need some help getting back to my feet."

I put my hands on her waist and she put her soft lips against mine. Her hands wrapped around my neck and her body felt warm against mine as we stood on the kitchen tiles. I looked up and smiled.

"What was that for?" she asked smiling, "Just another urge?"

"No," I said, "I don't know. You just looked so beautiful."

She smiled and I grabbed her hand and the two of us headed back into the living room to see Dougie and Stephanie making out on the couch. "Woah there Turbo," He shot up, "Get a room," I laughed. He sat up and scratched his head and Stephanie turned red. "Sorry." he smiled.

I set the popcorn on the table and sat down on our other couch. Colleen sat next to me and laid her head in my lap. I listened to her steady breathing. No one said anything, but no one had to. It was a perfect ending to a truly perfect night.

Like it? Reviews are nice :D I'll have a few more chapter up today I hope. -Erin