I was a sweaty mess by the time we returned to Tom's apartment that night. The spare tickets were in general admission, which meant I spent most of the set alternating between jumping around like an idiot and struggling to stay alive.
Best night of my life.
"Have you ever really thought about a mosh pit in a literal sense?" I questioned randomly, holding my damp t-shirt away from my body.
Danny looked at me strangely. His hair was wet and hanging limply in his eyes, "no."
"You come out with the most random comments, Amber," Tom added as he unlocked his front door.
"I'm serious," I insisted, "I mean think about it. Five hundred people, all in very close proximity, sweating, and jumping around together." I smirked, "does that not strike you as odd?"
"If they were naked it would," Danny smirked, "can you imagine that?"
"It would be the biggest orgy ever," Tom grinned opening the door and gesturing us inside.
"Five hundred sweaty naked people all jumping around idolizing three guys on stage," I grinned, "I kind of like it."
"Are they all female?" Danny questioned.
I shoved him, "you wish."
"Do you guys want to stay the night?" Tom questioned as he strolled into his house turning on lights as he went. He grinned over his shoulder at us, "You can spoon in the guest bed room."
"A boy and a girl sweaty and spooning." Danny smirked at me, "that's sexual."
"I had an orgy at a Muse concert and then spooned with a sweaty Danny Jones," I mused, "I'm the envy of teenage girls everywhere."
"So is that a yes?" Tom questioned digging through a cupboard and extracting some towels and chucking them in our direction.
I caught the towel, "yeah," I replied answering for both of us, "thanks Tom."
An hour later after several fights for the first shower (which Danny won after tackling Tom to the floor), and distribution of Tom's clothes (where I couldn't stop laughing at his Sponge Bob Square Pants t-shirt), I found myself up in the guest bedroom sliding into bed with Danny Jones.
"You don't snore do you?" I questioned as slipped under the covers clothed in a t-shirt of Tom's.
"No," Danny replied who had borrowed a pair of boxer shorts, "although I had a blocked nose once, and apparently they could hear me snoring at the other end of the house." He flicked off the light, "do you snore?"
"No," I murmured snuggling down into the blankets.
I felt rather then saw Danny slip into bed beside me. Next thing I knew his arm was wrapping around my waist and he was pulling me back against his chest so we were spooned snugly together.
"Good night Amber," he murmured into my hair.
"Night," I whispered. Why in the world was my heart beating faster than usual?
Waking up the next morning was a strange affair. The first thought that drifted into my conscience was how warm it was. The second was that there was something heavy draped across my waist. The third occurred when I opened my eyes and freaked out when I couldn't see. It took me a few seconds to realize that the reason I couldn't see was because I was in such close proximity to Danny. We were practically nose-to-nose.
I rubbed my eyes and put a bit of distance between us. When I could see him properly I trailed my eyes over his face lazily. At moments like this I suppose I should ponder how peaceful he looked. Truth was he didn't look peaceful at all. He was frowning slightly and his cheeks were flushed as though he had a fever.
Without even thinking I reached out and stroked his hair away from his forehead, watching carefully as his face relaxed at my touch. I stroked my cool fingers across his jaw line before sighing and rolling onto my back. It was happening again.
My heart was once again thumping at a pace to fast to be considered normal.
I groaned. I had a bloody crush on Danny Jones. How inconvenient.
"I knew it!"
I winced and shushed Lana, "keep your voice down, these walls are thin you know."
"Relax, he's not even home." Lana grinned, "Amber and Danny, sitting in the tree…" she trailed off and smirked, "Amber I don't think you've had a crush on anyone since you moved to London."
I wrinkled my nose, "I haven't. I swore off boys after I broke up with Bastard."
"And now you've had a year or so to rejuvenate," Lana shrugged, "perfect time to get back onto the field."
I rested my chin on my palm, "playing the field isn't exactly what I had in mind."
Lana waved her hand dismissively, "of course not. You want Danny's babies."
I rolled my eyes, "I wouldn't go that far."
"So what's your plan?"
"I don't have one," I admitted, "that's why I came to you."
"Why don't you just seduce him?" Lana questioned.
"If I had of figured out I liked him four months ago then that may have worked," I mused, "but now we have an awkward 'friendship' label going on."
Lana groaned, "Oh I hate that label."
"Tell me about it," I muttered.
"Has he given you any indications at all?"
I shrugged, "its hard to tell, he flirts with everything on legs."
Lana frowned, "he didn't flirt with me." She paused thoughtfully, "I feel left out."
I stared at her and laughed, "shut up Lana."
She laughed and shrugged, "alright we could be here all night coming up with a game plan. Lets order in pizza."
After several hours of discussion accompanied by several pieces of pizza I was feeling much better about the whole situation. It was around two in the morning when I said goodbye to Lana. By three I was drifting off into a peaceful sleep when suddenly loud jangling outside my front door awoke me.
I sat up and frowned in confusion. It sounded like someone was trying to open my door with a set of keys. I rolled out of bed and stumbled over to the door. Flicking on the lights I flung the door open, and stared in amazement as a soaking wet Danny was revealed on the other side, keys in hand.
He looked up at me and frowned in confusion, "Amber, what are you doing in my apartment?"
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, "this is my apartment you drunken idiot."
Danny looked from me to the number on the door, and a look of comprehension crossed his face, "oh."
I shook my head, "give me those," I ordered snatching his keys out of his hand, "honestly Danny," I grabbed his arm and helped him down the hall to his actual apartment door, "did you indulge in the drinking game part three tonight? And why are you wet?"
Danny slumped against the wall and watched as I unlocked the door for him, "went to the pub with Eric and walked home in the rain."
I pushed the door open and gestured him inside, "with Eric?" I repeated, "how random."
Danny stumbled through the door and fell onto his bed. I winced automatically on the poor bed sheets behalf. God he was drunk.
"I got his number from that work party of yours. Decided I needed a masculine chat." Danny informed me as he threw an arm over his eyes.
"About what?" I questioned curiously as I took off his shoes.
"Girls," Danny murmured.
"Really? Like who?" I questioned.
Danny removed his arm, "you, mainly."
A thousand different thoughts raced through my head, "me?" I murmured, leaning forward and managing to get his soaked jacket off. "What about me?"
"Different things," Danny muttered shivering ever so slightly as he rolled onto his side and curling up, "thoughts, feelings. Is it cold in here?"
"No," I replied with a grin, "your just in wet clothes. You should really get changed Danny."
He nodded, and rolled himself off the bed. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when he began undoing his belt buckle. All sorts of inappropriate thoughts raced through my brain, each more erotic than the last. I was just weighing up whether to turn away or not when Danny brushed past me and grabbed some fresh boxers before he entered the bathroom.
Awwww my inner vixen whined.
He exited the bathroom a few moments later and stumbled back to his bed, "you know what?" he slurred allowing me to pull the covers over him.
"What?" I questioned.
"I really like you Amber."
I froze. Friends I assured myself. He likes me as a friend.
"I like you too Danny, you're a good friend" I replied.
He shook his head and rolled onto his side, "no, not like that… I like you like…"
My heart was racing, "like what?"
No answer. He was fast asleep.
To be continued...
