Chapter Three
Instead of going straight to bed, Danny opted for the lounge sofa. He couldn't believe that Stacie had kissed him, no matter how soft or quick it may have been. He laid there staring at the ceiling for what seemed like an hour just replaying the night over in his head. He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of tiredness on his eyelids. Not much after he had done this, he heard some movement behind him. Danny lifted his head to see who it was. It was Stacie.
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked Danny as she made her way to the sofa.
"No." he said "Just thinking about a few things."
"I couldn't sleep either." She replied. "Must have been that champagne we had. It always does funny things to me champagne."
Danny looked at her and smiled. "All I got going through my head right now is George Michael."
Stacie placed her hand on his knee. "I knew there was something you weren't telling us!" she said sarcastically.
"Hey! Not like that!" Danny defended. "I meant Careless Whisper. I knew there was a reason why I hated that song. Once it's in my head I can't get rid of it."
Stacie just laughed. "Well, let's do something to take your mind away from it. How about a game of Strip Poker?" she suggested.
"Oh no. I'm not playing with you again." Danny answered. "Whenever we play, it's always me that ends up naked."
"Ok, fine. How about 'I've Never'?"
"What's that?" Danny asked.
"It's a drinking game. We each take turns in saying something that we've never done and if the other one has done it they have to have a drink."
Danny thought about it for a while, thinking about things he could tell her. "Ok."
Stacie smiled and made her way to the kitchen. She returned with two shot glasses and a bottle of vodka. She poured a small vodka into each glass and handed one to Danny. "You start." She said.
"Ok. I've never seen Die Hard."
Stacie drank her shot. "I've never been to France."
Danny took a shot. "I've never been to a wedding."
Stacie sighed and took her shot. "I've never seen a Hugh Grant movie."
The game had been going on for over an hour and the confessions had started to become gradually more serious.
"Ok." Danny paused whilst he thought of something to say. "Ok, I've never kissed someone of the same sex."
Stacie raised her eyebrow at Danny's remark and proceeded to down her shot.
"Really?" Danny said with a smirk spread across his face.
"What? It was just a friendly kiss. No tongues."
Danny just sat there, the smirk remaining on his face.
"I've never" Stacie started "cheated on a partner."
Danny looked down at his glass and straight back at Stacie. "Me neither." He said.
She lent forward and nudged Danny. "Your go."
"Um…I've never had a serious relationship."
Stacie slammed back her shot with sullenness, making Danny glance in her direction, afraid that he'd touched a nerve. Stacie quickly said her next I've never.
"I've never been in love with someone who didn't love me back."
Danny slowly drank his shot. Stacie looked at Danny, who seemed sadden by her last remark.
"You ok Danny?" she said, concern lining her voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just had one to many shots, I think."
Stacie knew that that's not what was troubling him. She moved closer to him and placed her hand softly on his. "Are you sure, Danny?"
"Yeah, it just…" Danny paused unsure whether to open himself up so much.
"Come on, you can tell me anything." She said, trying to gain eye contact with Danny.
Danny looked up, connecting with her gaze. "Well, there's this girl. She is so amazing. She's so smart and funny and beautiful but she's unattainable. I think she's in love with someone else."
Stacie knew who he was talking about her but pretended to be oblivious.
"Maybe she is. Or maybe she's been hurt before."
"She has. Badly hurt. But I would never do that to her."
Stacie took her hand away from Danny and leant towards the vodka bottle. She poured herself a large shot and threw it back.
Danny continued. "If she only gave me one chance maybe she'd see that I'm in it for all of her. Not just the obvious."
Stacie stared at the floor. She didn't want to have that conversation with Danny again, but she also knew she couldn't not.
"Look Danny….." but before she could finish he cut her off.
"I love being with her, you know. But if friendship is all she has to offer, I can deal with that. It's better to be near or then…… not near her."
Stacie smiled. "I think I should go to bed. Mickey's probably got the day planned tomorrow. I don't he'd be too happy knowing that we stayed up till 4.30 drinking vodka."
She stood up and made her way towards her room. She turned back towards Danny who was now following her. "See you tomorrow then."
"Yeah. Night Stace."
When Danny entered his room, he flopped onto his bed. 'Idiot!'
