Chapter 3

Danny hasn't spoken to me in a week, since that football match. I'm really confused. I thought he liked me. I've made friends with a girl called Nicole, she's really nice. I decide to ask about Danny,

"Nic," I start, after a moment's silence from our previous conversation, "You know Danny Jones?"

"Yeah" She says

"He was being all friendly to me last week, but now he doesn't speak to me"

"Oh, um, he's a strange one"

"How?" I ask

"Well, he always does that, acts all interested in a girl and then never speaks to her again" She shrugs

I look at her confused

"He's never got with any girl in this school, don't take it personally" She smiles

"Oh, okay," As I say this, Danny walks into the room, looking as sexy as ever, "I think I might go speak to him" I inform Nicole

"Alright, good luck"

I approach Danny and he looks away, nervously.

"Hey" I smile

"Hello" He replies

"So, how are you?" I ask

"I'm good, you?"

"Yeah, great"

Then, Dougie walks in the room, looking a state. Danny notices this,

"Dougs?" He questions, concerned for his friend, "What's the matter?"

Dougie just sniffles in reply and walks over to us, Danny hugs him,

"What's wrong?" He asks

"Jess is dead" He chokes

Danny gasps, "Aww, Dougie, don't cry, I'm here, don't worry" He continues to say soothing things to Dougie until the teacher walks in,

"Poynter, get to your seat now" The teacher says sternly

Dougie goes to pull out of Danny's grasp but Danny won't let him

"Poynter, now!" The teacher shouts

"He's upset, sir" Danny says

"About what?" The teacher questions

"Someone close to him died"

"Then he shouldn't have come to school, now, get to your seat"

"I'm fine, Danny" Dougie says, softly

"No, sit here, Shannon, you don't mind moving, do you?" Danny asks me

Inside I'm fuming but agree nonetheless.

At the end of the day, I walk up to Danny at the gate,

"Hey, Dan" I smile at him

"Hey" He doesn't return the smile

"Is Dougie alright?" I ask

"Erm, no" He says, sadly

"Oh"

"He's devastated, she was like his sister"

"What happened to her?"

"She had cancer; he knew she didn't have long but..." He trailed off

"That's terrible, how old was she?"

"2 years older than us, 18"

"It's an awful disease" As I say this, Dougie walks up to us

"Can I stay at yours tonight, Dan?" He asks Danny

"Of course" Danny says and hugs him again

"Anyway, I best be off" I say

They both nod, not breaking from the hug. I can't believe I'm jealous of someone who's just lost a loved one, Am I that horrible a person?

I walk off home, feeling sad for Dougie but slightly green that he gets to hug the guy that I'm starting to have feelings for.