1.
Danny stood in the hallway of his apartment and stared at a picture that he had hung up one month back. He remembered exactly what had happened when it was taken, as if it was the day before.
Stacy was sitting on his lap, holding up a big award that they had won; The cutest couple. He wanted nothing else but to have her in his arms again, smelling her sweet perfume, feeling her soft skin and long brown hair. Look into her clear green eyes which glowed with love every time they were together. But he knew he couldn't. Not until he had done what he was supposed to do. What her brother had ordered him to do.
Danny had not seen Stacy since that night. He had been told she had travelled to Spain to take care of an aunt, but he knew better. He knew her brother and his friends had taken her away. Where to, he didn't know. All he knew was that if he ever wanted to see her again, he had to follow orders.
Tom, Harry and Dougie didn't know what was going on. They had believed Mitch, Stacy's brother. They didn't even question him!
He understood Tom, he had enough on his plate. He and Amy, his fiancé, were expecting a baby. Eight months on the way.
Harry and Dougie on the other hand. They didn't have anything distracting them, no girlfriends, boyfriends, whatever.
"You miss her?" Tom asked and put his hand on Danny's shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"Yeah." Danny sighed and turned around to face his friend. He wanted so bad to tell him what was going on, but if he did so, he would never see his girlfriend ever again.
"Just hang in there. She's coming back eventually; just let her take care of her family." Tom gave him a tight hug and smiled, telling him that everything would be ok.
.&.&.
"I love you"
"I love you too"
Stacy smiled broadly at her boyfriend, placing kisses on his face. He smiled back and ran his hands trough her long brown hair.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Danny said and kissed Stacy back, pressing his lips on hers.
"And I will never let you go." She answered cheerfully, backing away to look into his loving blue eyes. She loved him more than anything in the world. Even more than her family, her brother that she had known all her life.
.&.&.
The memories of Stacy were the only thing occupying Danny's thoughts as he sat by a round table in the cellar of Mitch's house. It was the only thing that helped him through the meetings he regularly had to go to. The others always talked, while he sat there quietly, only nodding once in a while to let them think he was with them. To be honest, the only thing he had managed to really pick up was that they all had to wear black balaclavas, or hoods, so that no one recognized them.
"Danny! Focus!" He was dragged out of his thoughts by a loud bang as someone knocked their fists down on the wood of the table, yelling with a harsh voice.
"You do know that thinking about her won't bring her back. Focusing on things that are important will do you much better. Now, where will you be standing?"
Danny sighed heavy and let his hands drop to his sides. "By the middle cashiers stand."
"Good. What do you do?"
"Make sure the employee doesn't press the hidden alarm-button. If he does press it, point the gun at his face and let you lot know what is going on."
"Good boy." Mitch rose from his chair and walked over to Danny, patting the curly-haired guitarist on the head. Danny felt like a dog where he was sitting, obeying every command they gave him. He was sure that if they told him to jump from a bridge, he would do it automatically.
"Now. It's only five days until the day, and we need those balaclavas. Duncan, have you gotten a hold of them yet?" Mitch looked at Duncan, a short and sturdy looking man with black hair. He was Mitch's right hand. His most trusted companion.
"I have them tomorrow. I sent one of my men after them" The man replied firmly and looked down at some papers that were lying on the table. "And the ammunition is here soon too."
"Good." The leader nodded and continued to the next man, Andy. He was, unlike Duncan, tall and blonde with icy-blue eyes that really were cold as ice. Danny had never seen anyone with a look like he had. It was almost scary. The last, but not the least of the group was Mark. Danny had met him before he had got mixed up in everything. Before all this. Mark had been Stacy's boyfriend for two years before Danny had met her. That meant that she had been with him when she was 17.
Stacy had said she left Mark because she wanted to be with Danny, and that she had stopped loving him. Mark had walked in on her and Danny kissing before she told him. That was maybe the reason why he had gotten mixed up in something like a bank-robbery. Because he was mad at her for cheating. Mad at Danny for being the one she cheated on him with. He wanted to rebel, do something that kept his mind off other things.
Danny somewhat understood what Stacy had seen in him. He was a very kind person and loved kids. And he had looks. Thick brown hair and warm grey eyes. But that was before he broke up with Stacy… Now, he had evolved into a sad and angry person that would fight with someone for nothing at all. And his eyes had gone cold. If you looked into them, the hairs on your neck would rise and chills would flow through your body.
Sound of chairs scraping on the ground rattled the room as everyone stood up, looking at their leader for some last words.
"Alight then. We meet here again, tomorrow at 9PM sharp."