Chapter Two: The Confusion

On Monday I walked into school, hoping I wouldn't run into Danny. I ran into someone much worse.

"What the hell happened Saturday night? I tried calling you." My girlfriend Lucy questioned. "Nothing, I was tired and I had a couple of drinks." I shrugged my shoulders and opened my locker, a note fell out.

"What's that?" Lucy pointed to the folded piece of paper on the floor. I bent down to get the paper, It had Dougie written on the front in Danny's hand writing. "Well are you going to open it?" A voice said from behind me. I turned around to come face to face with Rose.

"Oh Rose, I am really sorry about Saturday night I didn't mean it!" I sighed. I didn't mean it, even though she's the girlfriend of the man I am in love with she's still one of my best mates.

Rose gave a small smile, I knew I was forgiven. "It's alright Dougs, Danny came over to mine that night and we made up." She winked.

"Ew." I scrunched up my face and laughed, deep down inside I wanted to cry. Lucy smiled and jumped up and down then hugged Rose.

"I'm so happy, you too are perfect together." I rolled my eyes, I hate girls.

"Have you seen Danny this morning?" I blurted out. Rose shook her head no and continued to gossip with Lucy, I really hate girls. Whilst they talked I took this moment to open the note.

Room 005 Art. -Danny

I knew what this meant. I closed my locker and began my death walk to the art room. I heard Lucy and Rose calling my name behind me who were now joined by our other mate Nancy.

I got to the room and stood in front of the door, I looked down at the handle wondering if I should go inside. That decision was made for me when the door swung open and I was pulled inside by an angry Danny. He closed the door and faced me.

"I don't want to do this." He said looking back at the door.

"Danny-"

"You don't get it! I am not interested, you are wasting your time!" He walked closer to me and backed away again. "Okay first of all you invited me here! So don't snap at me." I flung my arms around like a crazy person. "Yeah to tell you that!" He yelled back.

"I understand that you're angry." I said calmly. "Oh gee thanks." He said sarcastically. This hit me the wrong way.

"Don't you think I'm angry at myself for what I said!" I yelled so loud the whole school probably heard. "I don't care how you feel, you don't go around saying things like that!" He yelled back in a loud whisper.

I sighed "Yeah..." I sat down on a chair closest to me. "I know what I said was wrong, but I felt -" I took a deep breath not knowing what to say "- We're friends aren't we?" I asked desperately.

"No-" He stammered and put his hands in his pockets "-You're not." I wasn't sure what he meant, but I knew I took it the wrong way.

"Yeah, okay if that's your decision I accept it." I was very close to crying but held back. He just stood there with his hands in is jacket pockets and a clenched jaw. "Cos I know I've ruined us as mates," I began to cry, I stood up and walked over to Danny. "Danny have you any idea of how I feel about myself right now? Huh?" He continued to stand there not looking at me, no expression. "I mean I hate myself for what I've done!" I began my drama queen routine again. "I'm disgusted" I whispered, I knew he heard me because he looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"But that's it alright? From now on I'll stay out of your life." I pushed pasted him and walked towards the door. "What?" He said from behind me. I growled with anger and walked back to him, "Yeah. I'll stay away from you, I'll stay away from everyone. I'm leavin'!" I yelled in his face.

I walked to the door and placed my hand on the door knob. He stepped in front of me and placed his hand on the door to prevent me from leaving. "So you're just going to take the cowards way out then?" He spit in my face. "Get your hand off the door Danny." I said through my teeth.

"What am I going to tell people when they ask why we're not talking." He refused to move. "They won't even care cos I won't be here!" I yelled in his face. I opened to door only to be slammed shut again by Danny. "Get away from the door."

"I don't want you to go!" He yelled and banged his fist against the door, "I don't want you to go!" He yelled a second time and walked away. He took a few deep breaths.

"I still want you as a mate." He said quietly. "Are you serious?" I asked as a rhetorical question but he just shook his head. "You're the best mate I've ever had, I don't want that to change." He sounded conflicted and hurt.

"Well, I'm glad we can stay mates then." I gave him a small smile. "Alright." His voice was scratchy, he cleared his throat. "And as long as I can keep you as a mate, I can just forget about the feelings I had for you." He frowned his eyebrows and sat down on the chair were I sat earlier. He shook his head and played with his fingers.

"It's okay Dan, I can do it." I let out a small yet reassuring laugh. "So you can just switch off like that?" He looked up at me, I looked away and shrugged. "Yeah! I mean they weren't they to begin with where they?" I tried to sound upbeat and cheery but completely failed. "So we'll just go back to how things were." I looked back down at him and this time he looked away.

"I'll even stick with Lucy." He stood up. "What? So your going to carry on with that?" His angry rising a little. "Yeah." He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck whilst I continued to talk, "She's great and - and I really like her. Plus she's a blond." I laughed hoping he'd join in. He didn't.

"Look are you sure about this?" He sighed. "Yeah I can do it." Those were my famous last words.

The rest of the school day went on uneventful, I said I'd meet Danny after school and we'd go back to his flat. We walked to The Dog and stop to say hello to my sister who worked at the bar. We walked, no ran up the stairs from the pub and into Danny's flat.

"Hello? Mum? Tom?" Danny called out the names of his family members, I was praying Tom Danny's stepbrother wouldn't be there. He's evil. He turned to me "Looks like we are alone."

"Oh hello boys!" I heard Danny's stepfather Jack from behind us, guess we aren't alone. Danny looked disappointed. "How was school?" I couldn't help but laugh at Jack he was like a little grey haired leprechaun, Irish accent and all. "Good, finales are coming up so Dougie and I have to study." Danny answered taking his and my bag and place them on the floor by the couch.

"Oh I can take a hint then, I'll be downstairs if anyone needs me." Jack smiled and walked out the door. I walked over to Danny in silence and sat on the couch, he sat next to me.

"I'm glad we can still be mates ya know." I said out of nowhere. Danny smiled, "Me too." There was silence, I knew there was something on Danny's mind and I knew he was to afraid to say it.

"What's on your mind?" I thought I'd help. "Well, if I ask you something will you answer it honestly?" I nervously shook my head. He moved himself so his knee was bent on the couch so he could face me.

"Are you - I mean do you, ya know." I just stared at him. "Do you fancy guys?" He asked nervously. I chuckled, "You mean am I gay?" I raised my eyebrows and he shook his head almost shameful. "No Danny, I am positive I am not gay." Okay so these were my famous last words. I seemed to have a lot. "Oh.." Danny said and gave a small smile never reaching his eyes.

Not another word was said besides us asking each other questions for are exams coming up. Danny's mum Poppy walked in with two bags that held suits in them. "Boys! Look what I have!" We laughed as she danced in the kitchen holding our suits. "There your suits for the dance!" She sung, "I take it your taking Rose and Lucy." We both said yes at the same time, Poppy walked around the couch to stand in front of us. She held out the suits and smiled.

"Come on, try them on then." We both sighed in frustration. "Mum, do we really have to?" Danny whined. "Yes." He said simply and threw the suits at us. We got up and as I walked by Poppy she purred at me. My eyes grew wide, and she laughed. What a weird woman.

We walked into Danny's room without a word and stood in separate corners facing the wall, backs to each other. We both began to undress, awkward as this was I turned to look at Danny to catch him already looking at me. We both turned back to our corners as fast we could. I was down to my knickers when I looked back at Danny again, he was just starting to pull his trousers. I turned back and spoke.

"You always this slow?"

"Yes." He answered fast. I could tell he was looking at me, I could feel his eyes scanning my body. We finished changed and walked into the living room. "Oh don't you boys look dapper!" Poppy squealed. Then I noticed the camera in her hands, great.

"C'mon stand close together and let me take a picture." We both rolled our eyes and stood shoulder to shoulder. "Now put your arms around each other, don't be shy!" We did as we were told and Poppy snapped a couple of pictures. "Genius!" She smiled and just walked out the door, very weird woman. We quickly removed our selfs from our poses.

I cleared my throat "Well I should be going, I'm sure Jazzies off her shift by now." I said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I'll uh see you tomorrow then yeah?" I shook my head and walked for the door. Danny followed me down to the pub and waved as I left.

Danny sat at the bar still in his suit. "What's with the suit?" Tom said to Danny from behind the bar. "There's a dance off for the school tomorrow." Danny replied. "I remember my school ball I snogged about twenty different girls that night." Tom said leaning onto the bar, he looked over at Danny who just looked annoyed. "Not something you wanted to hear I'm sure."

"How'd you guess?" Danny said sarcastically. "So why do I get the impression you're not looking forward to tomorrow?" Tom asked in his thick Irish accent. "I am." Danny replied flatly.

"But?"

"But nothing." Danny rolled his eyes. Even though Tom was a complete asshole, he could be helpful and this was on of those times.

"Okay Danny I may be a complete wanker to you but I know when something is wrong. You're not going to dump Rose are yea?" Danny shook his head. "No! Of course not, it's just-"

"Ah it's just that there's someone else." Tom smirked. "We haven't done anything" Danny sighed. "Somebody has told me they loved me." Danny blurted out.

"Oh, do you like them?" Tom picked up a glass and began cleaning it with a rag. "No, there mate! Aren't they?" Danny said talking more to himself then Tom. "Well have you told them that?" Both Danny and Tom realising they haven't been using she or her, but them and they.

"Yes I have."

"And?"

"And- They said it was a mistake." Danny rubbed his hands over his eyes. "Oh, that old chestnut" Danny looked up at Tom desperately. "What am I suppose to do?"

"Dunno, but in my experience once the "L" word is out of the bag, there's not a way of going back."

Am I the only one annoyed with all the 'Girls from America meet Mcfly and fall in love' storys?