Prologue

There are a lot of people at the party.

They’re all crammed into the house, filling every room to the brim and forcing others to stand either in the hallways or out in the garden- which is freezing in suburban England at this time of year. There are so many people…

But they find each other.

Their eyes meet across the room, and at first it’s just a smile and a small wave that’s exchanged. Then, after a few minutes, they can’t feign nonchalance for any longer and they drift together.

An awkward hug, some warm smiles. They’re putting on a show, pretending like there’s nothing more than friendship between them. Both of them know that’s a lie. They both feel it.

A drink is offered and accepted- the first of many which will draw them closer to one another over the course of the night.

It begins as innocent touches, or at least touches that can be passed off as innocent. A hand on the arm; a brush of a leg against another as they stand next to each other; warm breath on the ear as they lean in to be heard over the din around them.

But the contact and desire swells, and- a couple of hours later- they both find themselves leaning in and their lips meet in a sweet kiss.

They kiss in the middle of the house party, not caring that people are staring.

They adore the contact, oblivious to the whispers of their peers.

They sink into each other, forgetting that one of them has a boyfriend already.

And they’re unaware that the war has just begun.

Harry

I shut my locker to see my boyfriend grinning at me inanely. “Morning,” he chirped.

“Hey.” I pressed a light kiss to his lips. I didn’t mean for it to go further, but he appeared to have other plans. He pressed against me, taking it deeper and holding me up against the locker. People were staring, but I didn’t care. I had long ago learnt that my boyfriend enjoyed these big public displays of affection. People could stare. I was the one being kissed by Danny Jones- the hottest guy in the school. Of course, I might be biased…

“How was your weekend?” I managed breathlessly once he’d pulled back.

He allowed me to fall into step next to him as we headed to Registration, “It was okay. I missed you, though, Harry…”

“I missed you, too.” I sighed, “I can’t believe I was grounded…. Surely I’m too old for it now. And what made it worse that my brother went to this house party, and apparently pulled a really fit guy from our year.”

“Aw, shocker…” he sympathised. “He’s- what?- three years younger?

“Almost two. He’s just turned sixteen.”

“I have to meet him. You know it’s been almost two years, and I’ve only seen your parents from afar.”

I grinned at him, “My family is messed up. You’re probably better off.” Then I rolled my eyes as he pouted, “Okay. Fine. You should come over after school for a while. My brother should be home, then I’ll introduce you to the parentals. Okay?”

He smiled, “Great. See you later.” He gave me one last brief kiss and walked into his Registration class- which was only one door down from mine.

“‘Bye.” I went into my own form class, and took my seat next to Tom Fletcher- who was writing what I assumed was yet more song lyrics. Tom was always writing songs, and I had learned back in first year never to disturb the process.

After a moment of silence he set down his pen and looked at me, “I need to tell you something, Judd.”

I frowned at the serious look on his face, “Sure. What is it?”

He took a breath, looking as if he really didn’t want to tell me this but felt he had to as my best friend. “It’s about Danny.”

Danny

By break, the guilt was killing me. I couldn’t believe what I’d done at the weekend. I’d been drunk at a house party- probably the same one Harry’s brother had been at- and had ended up snogging the face off a younger boy that I’d had a crush on for ages. It was stupid, I knew that. I shouldn’t have even thought about it.

And, oh, was Harry going to kill me when he found out! There was no way that I could ever not tell him. I had to- I loved him and it wasn’t fair on him to keep this a secret. And plus, gossip circulated so fast in this school, so it would be better if he heard it off me rather than some gobby cow who got the story wrong.

I was walking along the corridor musing over how to tell him when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. And I turned round just in time to be slapped in the face. “You fucking bastard.”

I blinked furiously, trying to get focus back into my eyes. Harry was standing in front of me, looking furious. I could see tears in his eyes. Oh, God. Someone had told him. I knew I should have told him this morning! “Harry,” I managed. “No!”

“Are you going to stand there and tell me you didn’t kiss another guy on Saturday?” he spat. Luckily, no-one else was in that particular corridor. “And then you come in here and have the nerve to tell me you missed me?! You could’ve at least told me what happened, Danny. I gave you the perfect opening! Instead, I had to hear it off Tom, then five hundred other people jeering at me in the corridor.”

“Harry-”

He cut across me, “What? Am I not good enough for you? That’s what people have been saying to me all morning. Is it true?”

“No… Harry, it’s not.” I reached out for him but he took a step back, away from me. “It didn’t mean anything. I was drunk, I missed you.”

“So you used a substitute?” he sounded disgusted. It killed me.

“I wasn’t thinking straight.” I caught hold of his wrist, and- although he tried to throw me off- held on tight. “I love you, Harry.”

He froze, “What?”

“I love you,” I repeated clearly. I placed my other hand on his arm just above his elbow and looked him straight in the eye. “There’s no-one else. You have to believe me.”

He let out a pained groan, “Don’t do this to me, Dan. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying to you,” I promised. “Trust me. I love you.” When he still looked doubtful, I moved closer to him and angled my face to his, looking up at him before kissing him softly. This was nothing like the lust-filled battle of the tongues I had dragged him into that morning. This one was slow, and tender. I pulled back, “Don’t leave me…”

He sighed softly, “I couldn’t. I’m in too deep. I love you too, Danny.” My face broke out into a smile, and he looked back at me, before his face turned serious, “But if I ever find out you’ve cheated on me again, I will hunt you down, and chop off your balls with a saw. Not even a quick chainsaw, I mean a slow, rusty, excruciating saw.” He leaned in and I saw a dangerous glint in his eye, “You’ll go mad with the pain before you die.”

What other people would find terrifying, I found totally adorable. “You’ll never have the pleasure,” I vowed, catching his lower lip between my teeth.

“Shame…” he said around the obstruction. He gave me a short, heated kiss. “You still coming over after school today?”

“As long as I’m still invited.”

Dougie

“You snogged a sixth year?” Dave asked in shock as we weaved through the teaming school corridor at the end of the day.

I shrugged nonchalantly, “So?”

“You snogged Danny Jones?” he pressed, accidentally walking into a girl- who smiled at him like it was a big compliment. I rolled my eyes. All the girls in our year were, like, Dave Williams fan girls- not that he minded.

“Yeah. What’s your point?” I asked blankly.

“You are aware he has a boyfriend?”

“You are aware it was just a snog?” I retorted. “And besides, if what I’ve heard about the boyfriend is true, there’s no competition. He sounds like a loser. He’s probably a friend of my brother’s.” My older brother and I didn’t run in the same social circle. In fact, we never told anyone we were related. And since we both took different parental surnames, there was no way anyone would find out. Our parents were married, you see, but Mum had refused to take Dad’s surname on account of business. My brother and I only spoke when it was absolutely necessary. We barely knew each other, and that worked for us.

“But, Doug, he’s way older than you,” Dave’s Welsh-accented voice broke through my thoughts.

“No, he’s not,” I said dismissively. “And besides, I’m cute enough that he can bend the rules.”

“And if he resists the Dougie Poynter charm? What if he stays with the boyfriend?” Dave asked smartly as we left the school building.

“He won’t when he sees what I have to offer…” I grinned at him, but he made no return. I sighed, “And if so, then I’ll just have to convince him.”

Danny

“Well, this is it,” Harry announced, letting me into the house ahead of him. “It’s nothing special, but the four of us live here happily enough.” I saw him raise his eyes to the ceiling- which had the faint sound of some sort of alternative music I thought was blink-182- on the word ‘enough’, and I took that to mean he didn’t exactly get on with his brother.

“It’s bigger than my flat,” I commented. I lived on my own- not because I didn’t get on with my parents, just because I wanted to.

He shut the door with an amused look on his face, “That’s because that’s a flat, Danny. This is a house, they’re meant to be bigger.” He pulled me into him, our mouths melding. His tongue caressed mine softly, while I discarded my school bag next to the door and helped him slide off his own, never once breaking contact.

There was a loud bang upstairs, and I jerked back. “What was that?”

He sighed, “Sounds like Dougie’s home.”

Alarm bells went off in my head. “Dougie?”

“My brother.” He went over to the bottom of the stairs and hollered up them, “What did you break?!”

“You mean apart from your drum kit?!” a voice called back in the same Essex-tinted accent as Harry’s. “Calm it! It’s nothing!”

Harry nodded slowly then glanced at me. “Come here a minute!” he called.

“Why?” A boy younger than us appeared at the top of the stairs, and my jaw dropped. It was him. The boy I’d pulled on Saturday night.

Dougie

I stared down the stairs. No way. Why was Harry with Danny Jones? He seemed to recognise me, and was looking straight at me with wide eyes. I cleared my throat and repeated, “Why?”

Harry didn’t seem to notice any awkwardness, “Danny, this is my brother, Dougie. Dougie, this is Danny- my boyfriend.”

I somehow managed to choke on air. Holy-! My brother and Danny Jones? My loser brother and the guy of my dreams?! Was this why he had refused to tell us who he was going out with for so long? Because he was hiding this?! “Oh,” I managed.

He gave me a weird look. “Okay. You want a drink?” he asked Danny.

“Erm… Yeah,” he muttered. “Just a glass of water, if you don’t mind. I’ll catch up in a minute.” Harry nodded and went into the kitchen. Danny slumped against the wall in resignation as I came down the stairs.

“You’re dating my brother?” I hissed.

“You’re Harry’s brother?” was his response. He groaned, screwing up his gorgeous face, “Well, we can’t tell him. He’s only just recovered from the fact I pulled a random on Saturday night- throw in the fact it was his younger brother and it’ll wreck us.”

Exactly. But I didn’t want him to know that that was what I wanted. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?”

“Because I was just looking for a meaningless snog. No! I mean… I was off my head. It didn’t mean anything.”

“‘Didn’t mean anything’?” I growled, leaning closer to him. “Okay. Fine. But let me tell you this, I’m not some slut you can just unload your loneliness on. Next time you want a release, go to someone else.” I turned and ran up the stairs and into my bedroom, taking great restraint not to slam the door behind me. I wanted to appear mature. Immaturity would not help my cause right now.

A few seconds later, there was a knock at my door. I smirked to myself. Perfect. Arranging my face into the best blank slate I could, I pulled open the door again and took in his face. He was hanging his head and his eyes were downcast. “Look, I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m an idiot, okay? I snogged you, and…I’m in love with your brother…”

I stared at him, my mouth going dry, “In love? With Harry?” There was a dreamy look in his eyes as he nodded and I clenched my fist where he couldn’t see it. Unbelievable… This was more serious than I had previously thought. I backed off into the room; sat on the bed.

“You okay?” he asked, moving in after me. He paused and looked around, “Wow. Cool room. Take it you’re a Blink fan, then?”

I shrugged, leaning over to turn down the stereo a notch, “Kinda.” After hesitating only a moment, I looked up at him, “I don’t understand. Why did you kiss me if you’re in love with my brother?”

He grinned in a taunting manner, “Maybe you reminded me of him.” He must have predicted my reaction, because when I glared at him, he burst out laughing. I allowed my face to twitch before I smiled at him.

“Danny?!” Harry called, ruining my friendly moment with Danny. “Where are you?!”

“Up here!” he called down. “See you later,” he said to me, moving towards the door. He paused for a second, before shaking his head slightly and leaving the room. He didn’t look back, but I knew that it crossed his mind. I stared after him with narrowed eyes. Harry couldn’t have him. I wouldn’t let him. He could enjoy him for now, but soon enough, Danny Jones was going to be mine.

Harry

“You okay?” I asked Danny as he came back into the kitchen. He nodded slowly.

“I’m…fine. I was just talking to your brother.”

I shrugged in what I hoped was a careless manner, “I figured. You run in the same social circle. Populars always seem to know one another.”

He seemed to consider this, then grinned, “Yeah. I guess so.” He took a sip of his water, “I didn’t know he was your brother.”

“We don’t tell people,” I said simply. He frowned at me in a way that told me that he didn’t understand. “I’m not cool enough, or as hot as he is. I’m…an embarrassment in his eyes.”

He studied me with his cool blue gaze. “If you were an embarrassment,” he began. “I’d be ashamed to be seen kissing you in public. Shallow, I know. But true.” As I raised an eyebrow at him in amusement, his lips curved into a coy smile. “But, as it turns out… I don’t have to be. You’re fit, Harry. And you’ve got that outsider’s cool that everyone covets. If I didn’t have you, someone else would.” He sighed, “People like your brother judge too quickly. It’s pointless.”

I eyed him over my own glass, “So you’re telling me that if Dougie threw himself at you, you’d dodge?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never had to,” he said quickly. He cleared his throat nervously, “It’s hard to say. I don’t know him properly. It’s just a school acquaintance.”

“So you think he’s hot?”

“You said it first, Harry…” he purred. I grinned at him. “Yes, he’s hot,” he admitted. “But it’s too out there. And he knows it. But looks are…only a small part.”

“Not to Dougie,” I muttered. I was a little worried about him. He had a bad habit of stealing my boyfriends from under my nose, then dumping them horrifically when he got bored of them two months later. But, by that point, they were usually no longer speaking to me because Dougie had told them some sob story about how horrible I was to him. Completely untrue. And it wasn’t like Dougie couldn’t defend himself against anything. Coincidentally, this was why I hadn’t introduced them until now.

“Ignore him. He doesn’t even want to tell people you’re brothers.” Danny spoke simply, but I could tell he was feeling uncomfortable.

“Sorry. I’ll shut up.”

He shook his head, “No. I’m glad you can talk to me.” He set down his empty glass and put his arms round me. “Relax,” he said, his breath tickling my ear. “I don’t want your brother. I want you.” His mouth met mine in a soft, undemanding kiss, then I pressed against him and the kiss changed tone- became eager, more heated as his tongue slid gracefully over mine.

I pulled back, grabbed his hand, and dragged him out the kitchen and up the stairs, “C’mon.”

“What?” he asked with a laugh as I tugged him along.

We entered my bedroom and I shut the door behind us, “I don’t want you so urgently I’m going to do you on the kitchen floor.”

“Oh, you do have a way with words,” he said in mock admiration, grinning at me before he pounced.

Danny

When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was a hand. It took me a moment to register that it wasn’t my own and- instead- that there was an arm was slung over my torso. It was Tuesday morning, I recollected through a yawn. Then I realised why I’d woken up. There was an alarm clock on the bedside table, and it was going off loudly in a shrill and grating tone. The hand lifted off me and stretched over to slap it off. “We have school,” Harry said into my ear.

I moaned, turning round and burrowing into his chest, “Can’t we skip it?”

He laughed, “Come on. Up. I’ll lend you a shirt and some underwear.” He slid out of the single bed, and I sprawled over it, watching in appreciation as he walked over to his chest of drawers.

“Has anyone ever told you you have an excellent arse?”

He pulled on a pair of boxers, much to my disappointment, “No, but I’ll remember that you did.” He threw another pair of boxers at me, grinning as they landed over my head, covering one of my eyes, “Get up, lazy.” He pulled on a shirt; watched as I willed my limbs to move.

“Help me.”

“No way. I don’t have time to get pulled back into by you, fun though it would be. We need to get moving.” He pulled the covers away, and- despite my frantic snatching at mid-air- I didn’t get it back. “Dress.”

“Geek.”

He grinned again as he threw the covers aside, “Don’t care.”

“Fine.” I hauled myself out of bed and pulled on the boxers. His lower half now clothed, he brought over one of his shirts. He slung it round my shoulders, commanded me to stick my arms in and did it up for me. Then he trailed his lips over mine with a smile.

“Good boy. Now get dressed. I’ll go get our bags,” He left the room. I sighed and pulled on my trousers. I really couldn’t be arsed with school, but Harry was the studious type. Normally it was cute, but I hadn’t prepared myself for dealing with it this early in the morning. He came back in as I was straightening my tie, a faint frown on his face, “Your bag’s really light. You got your books?”

“No homework. They’re in my locker.” I took the bag off him, “Thanks.” I slung the rucksack onto one shoulder and gave him a kiss to show my gratitude. He responded easily, moving into me as his lips caressed mine.

Someone cleared their throat in the doorway, “Good morning, boys!”

We jerked apart and stared in the direction of the voice. A woman was standing there. She looked about thirty, with long wavy blond hair, light blue eyes, and a round, pretty face. Her hair was clipped at the base of her skull and the rest flowed over her shoulders and she was wearing a fitted dark grey suit- work attire, I assumed. “Mum!” Harry exclaimed. “This is why knocking was developed!”

I gaped. I knew it was rude, but I felt the moment called for it. “You’re his mother?! You- You don’t look old enough…”

“It’s all cosmetic,” Harry said dismissively, waving a hand in her direction with a sly grin. She grabbed it from behind and twisted it behind his back.

“Behave yourself,” she warned.

“Little late for that talk… We had the sex last night,” he managed. She laughed and released his arm.

“Don’t be rude, Harry. Introduce me.”

“Oh, yeah… Danny, this is my mum, Shona Poynter. Mum, this is my boyfriend, Danny Jones.”

“Nice to meet the latest of my eldest son’s romantic interests,” she said politely, with a completely neutral face. I laughed at Harry groan. “Your dad’s cooking,” she told him. “Report for breakfast in ten.”

Dougie

“Okay, okay, okay, you can go now!” I exited my room to see Harry shoving Mum out of his. “Stop it,” he hissed. “It’s actually going well. Don’t wreck it for me.”

She laughed at his desperation, “You’ll be fine. He seems like a nice boy.” She ruffled his hair, laughed and he swatted her away and shot him one last taunting grin as she moved down the stairs. I’d frozen on my way to the bathroom. What? Had Danny stayed over? Harry glanced at me momentarily then went back into his room. Shaking my head slightly, I decided I must have misheard and I completed my journey into the bathroom.

A few minutes later there was a knock one the door. “Come in,” I called. The door opened and Danny peered in. Damn it. So he had stayed over…

“Hey, Dougs.” I got a buzz out of seeing his gaze linger on my bare chest before he looked up into my eyes. “Do you mind if I quickly clean my teeth?”

“Before breakfast?” I asked in amusement.

“I have to.” He said simply. I stepped back from the sink and grabbed a towel to dry my face. He moved over. “Which one’s Harry’s?” he asked. “He gave me permission.”

“This one.” I moved back over and pointed it out. Then I picked it up and held it out to him.

“Thanks,” he muttered, accepting it. I nodded in response. But, as he turned on the tap, the water shot off at a weird angle, hitting me in the face and soaking me.

I spluttered through the liquid, “Oh, my God!”

“Oh, man, I’m so sorry!” He twisted the tap back, and turned to me. He snorted in what sounded like laughter and blushed as I glared at him accusingly. “Sorry,” he said weakly. “You’re a bit wet…”

“You think this is funny?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips and narrowing my eyes.

He nodded slowly, but he couldn’t hide his smile, “I’m sorry. You just look so…” He grabbed the towel off me, “Here, let me help.” He dried along my collarbone and down my chest, still grinning at me.

“Look, you don’t-” I broke off as he ruffled my hair with it expertly and wiped it over my cheek. “-have to.”

“It was my fault.” His voice had turned into a breathy whisper as he stared at me. I shifted slightly, subtly moving closer to him and I saw his eyes flick down. Then he blinked and seemed to come to his senses. He flushed bright red and cleared his throat. “I need to do…this,” he said lamely, turning back to the sink.

“Yeah…” I barely refrained from swearing out loud. “See you downstairs.” And I left him there, making sure to keep my pace casual even as my head buzzed.

Danny

I leant against the sink heavily. What the hell was wrong with me?! For a second there, I’d actually been tempted to kiss my boyfriend’s brother. His brother! I couldn’t be attracted to Dougie! That just complicated things even further, and I didn’t need further complications when I knew that I was still on potentially shaky ground with Harry. No. I was over that crush… Or I better be.

I wrung the towel in my hands. God, why could nothing ever be simple?! With a heavy sigh, I threw it over my shoulder moodily. There was a wet smack as it hit Harry in the leg. “Abuse!” he said with a laugh, stooping to pick it up. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m not good with mornings,” I lied.

“Well, breakfast is ready. Maybe that’ll help you get it together. Did you brush your teeth?”

“Nah. I’ll wait until after.”

He smiled, slinging the towel over the radiator to dry out, “Okay. D’you wanna head down?” I nodded. My heart rate increased as he left the bathroom and immediately moved towards Dougie’s door, but he simply banged on it and yelled through the wood: “Breakfast!”

“Be right there!”

Harry took my hand and led me downstairs, “Come on.” He snickered and reached over to smooth my hair, “Wow. You’re really quite crap with mornings, are you? You look half asleep…”

“Well, aren’t you two the happy couple?” a male voice taunted as we entered the kitchen. I looked over by the stove and saw a man standing by it. This had to be Harry’s father. He was tall- taller than Shona was- and good-looking, with short light brown hair, brown eyes and well-defined cheekbones. Harry’s facial structure, I noted.

“Danny, my father- the comedian,” Harry said dryly.

“Ryan Judd,” he corrected lazily. “I’m a teacher, not a comedian. Though, we’re often considered one and the same.”

“Definitely, my Maths teacher could easily win a Perrier for his comedy,” I responded. At his easy laugh, I relaxed. “I’m Danny.”

“Take a seat, Danny. Breakfast is served. Where’s Dougie?”

“I’m here.”

Tom

When Harry flopped into the seat next to me, I knew straight away, “Harry…!”

“What?”

“You know how few people would discover their boyfriend was cheating on them, then would proceed to sleep with them?” was my wry explanation.

“How d’you do that?” he asked in amazement.

“Best friend reflexes” I didn’t say anything for a while; just studied him. I was worried about this relationship with Danny Jones, especially now this had happened. Harry meant too much to me for me to sit back and watch him get screwed over. And, from the start, my personal experience had been telling me that populars were all the same. “Did he meet Dougie?”

“Yes.”

“And…?”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, knowing what I was asking, “He seemed a little awkward for a while, but he was fine. I did kind of put him on the spot though.” He filled me in on the conversation they’d had in the kitchen. “He was honest about it, though. He didn’t do the whole ‘you’re the only one I could ever find hot’ thing, like most people would. I respect that.”

“But you don’t respect Dougie,” I said knowledgably.

“Not in the slightest.” He let out a long breath in the form of a sigh, “I don’t want him to take Danny. All the others I could handle because it hadn’t become this serious. But, with Danny… He told me he loved me.”

The pen I had been fiddling with slipped from my grasp and whacked the boy sitting in front of me in the back of the head. “Sorry, James,” I said sheepishly as he turned and glared at me. I caught it easily as it was hurled back at me, much to his annoyance, but I wasn’t really paying attention to the pen. I was staring at Harry. “He told you that?”

He nodded, “I was just about to break up with him yesterday, and he said it.”

“And do you…?” Unable to say it, I motioned frantically. He nodded with a happy smile. I groaned, “You’re doomed, Judd. This sort of thing wrecks your life.”

“You’re just jealous,” Harry teased. I raised my eyebrow at him. “You want someone as devoted as him for you, only in female form.”

Dougie

“Hey, Dougs!” I heard the call as I walked along the corridor and I allowed myself a grin before turning around slowly. I recognised the voice, the accent. And plus, he was the only person who had ever called me ‘Dougs’.

“Hey. What’s up?”

Danny skidded to a halt in front of me, “I need to talk to you. About this morning. Look, I’m sorry if I made you think…” He broke off and cleared his throat.

“It’s fine,” I told him, tightening my grip on the strap of my bag and casting my gaze down. “I’m just looking for what’s not there… It’s stupid. But…” I dared a glance at him through my lashes, then averted my gaze again. “I can’t believe Harry got to you first… But don’t worry. I would never do anything to mess up your relationship.” Not right now, at least. Then I looked up at him and smirked, “And- besides- I was topless and wet; I don’t blame you for getting flustered.”

He mimed whacking me over the head, “You must get the comedy from your dad.” He grinned and brushed a strand of hair gently out my eyes, before stepping back. “Anyway, I just wanted to clear that up.”

“Hey, Dougie…” a girl from my year purred, pausing on her way past just as I was about to respond. I’d been so sure he was going to change his mind for a moment there and now the presence of someone else meant that he was never going to say anything. So a new tactic was required…

“Hey, Jeannie.”

She slid her arm into mine casually, leaning in to talk softly into my ear: “My parents are out the house for the weekend… I’m having a party on Friday night, but why don’t we have our own private party on the Saturday…?” Then she cupped my face in her hands and gave me a soft, taunting kiss. “Think about it.” She smiled at Danny as she released me, “Hi, Danny… See you later, Dougie.”

I turned to watch her walk off. With no planning, the tactic had unfolded itself. Didn’t you love when stuff just…worked? I turned back to see Danny staring at me. “What?”

“I thought you were…” He made circular shapes in the air with his hands in his fight to ask the blunt question

Danny

“I’ve gotta go,” he told me with a grin, hitching his bag up on his shoulders. “Talk to you later.”

“Right. Later,” I muttered. I sounded bitter, but in a way I was. Dougie deserved better than that whore. She was wearing more make-up than she was clothes, for Christ’s sake! And then there was the fact her skin was orange!

“Okay.” He gave me one last stunning smile, then strolled over to where she was standing. I watched as he looped an arm easily over her shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear. I had to admit, the kid knew how to play it. Her face lit up, and she turned, framing his face in her hands and kissing him in a manner that made my stomach roll.

Turning away in disgust, I found myself face-to-face with Harry. My heart jolted in my chest, “Holy crap! Can’t you wear a bell?”

“Aw, sorry, Dan…” He cocked his head to the side; looking far hotter than he was permitted to after he’d almost caught me fuming over his brother. “Did I scare you…?”

I pouted, “Yes. I should punish you…”

He moved his face in, “Then why don’t you?” He captured my lips with his own, and kissed me slowly, making me feel heavy and lazy. “I love you,” he whispered as we broke away.

“I love you, too.” I put my arms round his neck and hugged him tightly. The bell signifying the end of break went off.

“Dan,” he said into my ear. “You’re going to have to let me go.” He stared into my eyes as I released him, “You feeling okay?”

I shook my head lightly, “I’m fine. Sleep deprived, y’know.”

He smirked, “You complaining about that?”

“What can I say? I love you dearly, but you’re beginning to bore me.” My eyes widened in shock as hands pressed into my bum, moving me closer to him. I took in the lustful look in his eyes and swallowed, “Harry!”

“Give me chance. Tonight. And I promise you won’t be bored…” he murmured, nibbling along my jaw. I nodded speechlessly. He stepped away. “Great. Talk to you later. I’ve gotta get to class.” He disappeared off round the corner. I glanced down.

“Great,” I muttered. “Another reason for Mr. Rushton to pick on me…”

Dave

Dougie fell into the chair next to me, “Did you know it was my brother Danny Jones was dating?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, “No…” One look at his face had me rethinking the honesty of my answer, “Okay, yes, I knew. How’d you find out?”

“He stayed over last night.”

“Yeah, that would be a clue.”

“That’s what I thought…” Dougie hid his face in his hands, “I mean… God, my brother? What does he see in him?” Running hand through his hair, he met my gaze. “What the hell does Danny Jones see in my loser brother?”

I felt uncomfortable again. “I’m not sure how to break this to you,” I said slowly. “But- despite the fact that he isn’t overly popular- people don’t think of him as a ‘loser’.”

“Excuse me?”

One look at his raised eyebrow had me groaning, “Don’t make me explain it, Doug…”

“How do they-? How-? How?”

I drummed my fingers off the desk thoughtfully for a moment. I was relieved the teacher for this period was always late. “I’ve got it. Observe:” I leaned forward and tapped one of the girls in front of us on the shoulder.

“Hey, Dave… Dougie…” Mhairi greeted, turning to face us. Danielle gave us a smile as she did likewise. “How can we help you?”

I leaned even further forward so they could hear me clearly over the chatter of the class, “Y’know Harry Judd?”

They shared a glance. “Yeah…” Danielle ventured finally.

“What d’you think of him?” I pressed. “D’you think he’s hot?” At their blank stares, I smiled- easily and charmingly, “Humour us.”

Mhairi nodded, “He’s gorgeous. If he wasn’t gay, he wouldn’t be single either- let me put it that way.”

“We admire from afar,” Danielle admitted. “And it’s good that he’s not as popular as he could be. He’s genuine…honest…enigmatic. It’s sexy.”

“The fact that he’s gay’s quite sexy, too,” Mhairi added.

Dougie’s lips curled into a frown, “Really?”

“Really,” she confirmed. She leaned across to grip his hand, which he made no move to prevent. “Guys like you who aren’t afraid to come clean about your sexuality are very appealing.”

Dougie was just about to open his mouth and respond when our charming teacher breezed in. “Sorry I’m late. I was coming from the other side of the school. Dougie, let Mhairi go. You can hold hands later.”

Harry

“I’m having a party,” Tom announced, appearing next to me.

“Oh?” I feigned interest for all of two seconds. “Why?”

He shrugged, “I feel like it. It’s gonna be good. I’m sick of hanging around hoping for the invites you receive and ignore on a daily basis. This way, I’ll definitely be there.”

I patted him on the shoulder lightly, “Oh, well. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Though, I had hoped you’d have a few more years left in you yet.”

He frowned. “Know what was going to happen? What are you on about?”

I did my best to portray a look of concern, “Well, you’ve clearly gone totally insane. But, don’t worry; I’m going to hire the best doctors money can buy.” I stopped, pivoted sharply and seized both of his arms in a firm grip, “I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

He snorted- torn between disgust and amusement, “And I’m the mad one?” He pulled his arms free in one swift movement, “Shut up. It’s a good idea. And you’re going to act like a proper best friend and help me.”

“Am I now? And, tell me, in which alternate universe would this event occur?” We began to walk again. School was finished, and we were heading for the exit. “Or was it just another thing knocked into your head when you fell over?”

“Judd!”

I allowed myself to sneer as we left the building. “Well, what did you expect? That I would jump at the chance to help organize an event where the main activity is shoving your tongue down someone’s throat in clear view of everyone?”

Tom shrugged, and gave me a cheeky grin, “What’s the big deal? You and Danny do it all the time…”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“It just is.” Aware of how pitiful that sounded, I considered. “We’re a couple. It’s not just two strangers deciding to exchange saliva. Which reminds me, do you-?”

I broke off as I walked bang into a girl of about Dougie’s age who had decided to stop right in front of us. “I just want to say….” she smoothly, moving in further to whisper in my ear. “If you ever go straight, I’ll be the first in line.” She brushed her lips over my cheek and jogged off. I simply stood there for a moment.

“Did you find that unspeakably random?” I asked Tom. I glanced at him, saw the look on his face, “Oh, God. What now?”

“Why does that always happen to you?!” he complained. “You’re gay! You don’t need it! You don’t want it! What can’t I have that?!”

“Maybe you come off too desperate,” I stated, moving off again. I sensed him bristle, but he hurried to catch up all the same.

“Okay. Okay. Fair point. What were you saying before?”

Tom

“Do you know who it is that Danny pulled on Saturday night?” he asked. “Oh, wait. You weren’t there, were you? Hence the birth of your most ridiculous plan to date.”

“Funny,” I commented darkly. “No. I heard about it off Matt. You want me to ask him if he saw who it was?”

“Could you? I just want to know.”

“Sure.”

Harry jumped as someone grabbed him from behind. “Did I see Mhairi Johnson kiss you?”

I rolled my eyes as Harry grinned. “Only on the cheek,” he defended as Danny fell into step next to us.

“What’d she say?”

“That if I ever went straight, she’d date me.” He looked at me for confirmation.

“Along those lines.” I glanced at my watch, “Is this when I have to go so you two can skip off into the sunset and be a sexually active couple?”

“The day I skip anywhere will be the day the Earth was swallowed by the sun,” Harry remarked. “But, by all means, skip off yourself and begin your planning.”

“What planning?” Danny wanted to know.

“English report.”

“Oh.”

I nodded at him, partly in thanks for not telling Danny. “Fine. There’s Matt, anyway. I have to talk to him. See you later.” I went the opposite way from them and ran to catch up to Matt Willis: “Hey.”

He pulled his headphones out his ears, “Oh, hey. What’s up?”

“Did you see who kissed Danny Jones on Saturday night?” I asked. Matt was one of those people who observed from a distance. He seemed to know who everyone was.

“Erm… Yeah. It was a fourth year. Blond. One of the populars.” He thought for a moment, “I know his name. Give me a moment.”

“Sure. Thanks. I just need to know. I think Harry needs to convince himself it’s no big deal.”

“Well, he’s considered pretty big within his year. He’s hot, and he’s bi, is the opinion. People like it. First name starts with ‘D’, though. Daniel? David?”

I nodded, then my heart sped up as I realised something, “Dougie?”

He snapped his fingers, “Yeah! Dougie Poynter. That’s it!”

Dougie

The house phone was going off as I entered the door. I threw my bag to the side and answered: “Hello?”

“Hi, can I talk to Dougie, please?”

With a roll of my eyes, I adjusted my grip on the phone, “This is Dougie.”

“Oh, hey. It’s Jeanie.”

“Oh, right. What’s up?”

“What d’you think about Saturday night?”

“Saturday night?” I turned round to see Danny watching me from the living room doorway. I grinned at him, then spun away. “I think I might be able to make it…”

“Don’t hold me in suspense, Dougie…”

“I’m not. I just have to verify some things. Family related. I can’t make any promises. I guess you’ll find out on Saturday…”

“You won’t regret it.”

“I’m sure I won’t…” I squatted down and opened my bag, pulling out my homework diary. I ran my finger down this month’s column, and was quietly annoyed when nothing popped out at me.

“Just think about it.”

“I am. Gotta go. ‘Bye.” I hung up, and put my homework diary away again.

“Are you seriously considering this?”

“Why not? Jeanie’s hot.”

“Whatever,” he said tonelessly, turning to go back into the living room.

“It’s just a matter of personal taste, y’know.”

“Yeah… And I happen to think that yours sucks.” He lay back on the sofa. Harry must’ve been upstairs or in the toilet.

I wandered round to look down at him. “Come on. I’m fifteen. I can’t ignore the urges.” I saw the corners of his lips tug upwards; I shoved his legs to the side and sat down next to him. “I’m not going to kill my social life when you snap your fingers.”

“You could do better than her! She looks like she seriously over-worships the fake tan, and she probably looks totally different under all that make-up. It’s, like, an inch thick!”

“You’re pouting.”

“I’ll pout if I want to.”

I leaned over and kissed him firmly on the mouth- much to his surprise. “Don’t pout,” I warned him. There was movement on the stairs. I stood up and left the living room, just as Harry came into the hall with an overnight back.

“Tell Mum and Dad I won’t be home tonight.”

“Should I detail why?”

“Not if you want to keep your hair,” he said simply. He moved past me into the living room, and he and Danny exited a few minutes later.

“Have fun,” I told them sweetly. Harry shot me a dark look, Danny didn’t look at me at all.

Danny

I did my best to avoid Harry the next day in school. He hadn’t done anything, but I’d spent a lot of last night thinking about his brother. Why had Dougie had to kiss me? I’d already been attracted, but yesterday I’d been a second away from responding. “I’ve gotta go. I’m meeting Leann for lunch,” Chris Leonard told me.

“Right.” After he’d gone, I continued my walk to my locker and opened it. After a moment, I sensed someone else was there. I looked up. “Oh, hey, Tom.”

“Don’t,” he said icily.

I frowned and shut my locker, “I’m sorry. Is there something wrong between us?”

He glanced round to check the corridor was clear, then hissed: “You know, I may not have been happy that Harry chose to give you another chance after Saturday. But, I figured I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Were you going to tell Harry it was Dougie you kissed?” he asked bluntly.

I forgot to breathe. He stood there while I desperately sucked in air, waiting for me to calm myself. Tom couldn’t know! He’d be sure to tell Harry! I couldn’t lose Harry! “Tom, you can’t-”

“Oh, calm down. I have no intention of being the evil one who breaks his best friend’s heart in this sad, sad scenario.” His voice was low and even. “You’re going to do that.”

I took in his seemingly neutral face, and saw the deep fury in his eyes. “Oh, God. Do I have to?”

“If he finds out off someone else, you can kiss goodbye to your loving relationship,” he said harshly. “And, trust me, he will catch the name eventually. You tell him, it’ll lessen the blow. It’ll let him know that Dougie hasn’t pulled you in like all the other morons.”

“What d’you mean?”

Tom shrugged, leaning against the row of lockers. “Nothing major. Dougie just has this unfortunate habit of stealing every single boyfriend Harry’s ever had. And sure, he didn’t know you were dating him when you kissed on Saturday. But, now he knows, he’s going to destroy you two. If you let him, he will.”

I stared at him in shock. What was he saying? Surely Dougie would never do that?! Sure, they clearly didn’t get along, but that was just downright cruel. “What [i]are[/i] you talking about?”

He let out a short laugh, “Come on, Danny! Are you really this thick? Dougie’s a user. He takes Harry’s boyfriends, and dumps them the second he gets bored. He doesn’t care. To him, everyone else is simply a stepping stone on his path.”

“Don’t be stupid! No-one actually acts like that,” I scoffed.

He studied me closely, “Oh, I get it. The warning’s come too late. You’re already under.” He turned to walk off, “I’ll have to tell him for you, then.”

“No!” I caught his arm. “I’ll tell him.”

“You’d better.” He inclined his head thoughtfully, “Here’s a warning: Dougie may seem sweet and caring. But he’ll crush you before he really cares.” With that, he shook his arm free and walked off.

Dave

“You’re heading for a fall, Doug…”

He rolled his eyes in my direction, flicking his fringe out his eyes, “How? I’m taking it slow. I’m biding my time. I’m lulling him into a false sense of security concerning me. He knows I’m interested, but he thinks I don’t want to wreck his precious relationship with Harry.”

I stared at him. How could someone who looked so normal think like that? “The true extent of your twisted mind worries me…”

Dougie grinned wickedly, “And this isn’t even my best work. This is what all the other guys have been leading up to. This is the one.”

“You sound like a cheesy romance movie.”

He laughed, and shoved me on the shoulder lightly. Even then I stumbled back one pace. Dougie was far stronger than he appeared. “Shut up. At least I have an interesting movie. You’re so plain- so typical- moving from girl to girl with no interesting in-betweens.”

Hands slid over Dougie’s shoulders silkily and I watched as a soft kiss was pressed to his neck. “You don’t do that, then?” a breathy voice whispered in his ear, but loud enough that I could hear without particularly trying. His wide eyes met mine. God! Was this girl stalking him or something?”

He leaned back against her, “Of course…” He was telling the truth- that was one- if the only- line Dougie would never cross. He turned his head to look into her eyes, “If I was dating you, you could be certain I wasn’t cheating on you.” He thumbed her nose affectionately. Like putty in his hands.

“Then say you’ll date me,” she insisted. Dougie visibly tensed in her embrace. She sighed, “Look, I know you’re shy…” He stamped on my foot discretely and I managed to mask my laugh as a cough in time. Jeanie didn’t notice. “…but you can’t let that hold you back,” she continued.

He turned to face her, “It’s nothing personal. I’ve just had some bad experiences in the past…” I yelped in surprise as he stamped on my foot again. I swear, he’s physic sometimes…

“Cramp,” I lied.

She nodded at me, then turned back to Dougie. “Look, sweetie. Just think about it. I’m not going to pressure you…” She kissed him slowly, then walked off.

As soon as he was certain she was gone, Dougie groaned, “I swear, if she tells me to ‘think about it’ one more time, I’m taking an electric razor to her head- Jackass style.”

“That would be a good look for her,” I murmured. He laughed softly.

“Dougie?”

We both spun round sharply at the sound of a voice directly behind us. “Danny!”

Harry

“Hey, there you are,” I called to Tom as he walked across the park to me. “And there was me thinking you were holed up in a cupboard stressing over party details.”

His smile came easily, “No… That comes later.”

“As long as I’m not forced to sit in the cupboard with you, I don’t care.” We started across the park. “Did you see Danny in there, by any chance?”

He looked more uncomfortable now, but I knew he still wasn’t convinced about Danny. “No, I didn’t. Why?”

“It’s probably just me being paranoid, but I haven’t seen him since this morning. I think he’s avoiding me.”

“Why would be do that?” Tom asked blankly. I shrugged.

“He’s been weird lately. I’m scared he’s going to break up with me.” I sat on a bench, “So, you chosen a venue for your beloved party, yet? Honestly, I’m not convinced your house is gonna be big enough.”

He sat next to me, a serious look in his eyes, “You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t give a damn about my party. Why do you think he’s going to break up with you?”

“Can we just leave it?” I muttered, pulling my sandwich out my bag.

“No. We can’t, actually,” he snapped. “It’s a fairly big problem, if your sensors are accurate, which they so often are. Why, though?”

“He’s just being awkward, okay? Ever since he snogged that random. I want to know who it was. You spoke to Matt, right? Did he know?”

He shook his head, “He didn’t see. Sorry. It would appear it happened in a corner, no-one seems to know who it actually was.” He stared across the park, “Oh. There’s Danny. Hall,” he added as an afterthought. “I want to talk to him about using his dad’s club. Party venue,” he said with a grin. “Do you mind?”

“No. Go negotiate.”

“We’re going to continue this when I get back,” he said firmly, before running off across the park at an admirable speed.

“That’s Tom Fletcher,” a female voice behind me said. I didn’t turn around. That would’ve been obvious.

“Is it? So you think that’s who Danny Jones was kissing on Friday?”

“Look, I heard the guy was blond. And I saw them in the corridor only ten minutes ago, having a lovers tiff if you ask me. Talking about telling Judd what was going on. I didn’t hear the whole thing, but I got the gist.”

I felt eyes on the back of my head. “I feel so sorry for him. I bet he doesn’t even know it was Fletcher.” They moved away. I kept my eyes fixed on Tom. Matt didn’t see? I bet he didn’t even ask him- he already knew who it was. Why? Because it was him.

Dougie

Dave shifted on his feet nervously, “I’ll leave you two to talk, shall I? I’ll meet you downstairs, Dougie.” He ran off before I could grab him and haul him back. I didn’t like the look on Danny’s face.

“What’s up?” I tried to look innocent, hoping he hadn’t heard what I’d said about Jeanie.

“Tom just came to see me,” he said. He was speaking slower than usual, like he was thinking about each word before speaking it. “Do you take all of Harry’s boyfriends?”

“Oh, God…” I put a hand to my head, trying to work out how to twist this my way. Tom Fletcher was an idiot! He was going to ruin everything! “He’s heard Harry’s opinion,” I said softly, keeping my eyes downcast. “I didn’t take them.”

“Then what did happen?”

“Well, some of them just left him, and he felt the need to blame me, just because he saw them talking to me later on.” I sighed softly, and dragged my gaze hesitantly up to meet his, “And some of them hit on me. Apparently I was flirting, so they just came onto me. And Harry walked in on them doing so. Every single time it happened, he saw it.”

“Didn’t you shove them off?”

I fell heavily back against the lockers, “I tried. They were a lot stronger than me. And then Harry was convinced I was doing it on purpose.” I turned my back to him so he couldn’t see my face. “That’s why we don’t get along. He doesn’t think he can trust me.”

“Dougs,” he whispered. Priding myself on my ability to cry on cue, I felt him place a hand on my shoulder and turn me round. I burrowed into his chest, breaking out into fresh sobs. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, putting his arms round me.

“It’s not your fault,” I mumbled. I brought my head back to look at him, “I don’t do it on purpose, Danny. I never do it on purpose.”

“I know you don’t…” He stared right at me. “I know…” he repeated, and lowered his head towards mine slowly. My heart sped up. This was it…

“Dougie? Are you going to take much longer? Lunch is almost over…” Dave’s voice sounded on the stairs next to us. Danny stepped away from me as he came into view. “Oh,” he said simply. He cleared his throat, “You ready?”

“We’re done,” Danny told him, his cheeks a deep pink. “I’ll talk to you later, Dougs.” He walked off in the other direction. Dave cried out as I whacked him round the head.

“What? What’d I do?” he squawked, his hands flying protectively to his hair.

“I almost had him!” I hissed venomously. “I know you don’t like my plan, but do you have to mess it up for me?!”

“I don’t agree with how you treat your brother as a whole, and while I’m not going to help you reduce him to a crying wreck once more, I also have no immediate urge to get on your bad side by messing this up for you.”

“So you’re just going to stand by?”

He nodded, “I am the Switzerland in this equation. Although I may have opinions on the matter, they shall not be voiced and I’m not getting involved. I’m just waiting for this whole thing to blow over before someone gets hurt.”

Tom

I ran after Harry. “Hey! Wait up!” I shouted. He kept walking. What was wrong with him? He’d been weird for most of the afternoon, and he normally heard everything. Had I done something wrong? I managed to grab his arm, “Harry? What’s wrong?”

He gave me a stony glare, “If you could, for once, respect one thing concerning me, I’d rather not discuss this here. Come back to mine.”

Okay, so I’d done something. Had I disrespected him somehow? “Did you catch up with Danny?” I asked.

“You ought to know that, Tom,” he said monotonously as we reached his house. I was glad he lived close to the school. I couldn’t stand this confusion for much longer.

“What’s going on?” I asked the second we were inside. His hand connected sharply with my cheek, causing my head to snap back. “Holy crap, Judd!”

“You deserve it,” he spat. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“For God’s sake, tell you what?!”

“That was you.” He looked more furious than I’d ever seen him. “But instead, you lead me on. Saying no-one’s sure who Danny kissed, and Matt didn’t know. Were you laughing at me stupidity? You were the one who told me about it! It was perfect! Why would I suspect you?”

The penny dropped with a loud thunk in my brain. “No! Harry, it wasn’t me that kissed Danny on Saturday.”

“People are saying it was you, and someone saw you fighting earlier. Arguing over who was going to tell me. Well, you don’t have to, anymore.”

“Harry, I swear, it wasn’t me. Yes, I was fighting with Danny earlier, but I would never kiss him! For one thing, what kind of a friend do you think I am?!”

He threw one of the sofa cushions at me violently, then another. “Don’t lie to me! All this time I thought you just didn’t like him, but it was guilt that made you uncomfortable. You took him from me! I’m not going to let you do this!”

“It wasn’t me! It was Dougie!” I screamed, throwing up my arms to protect me. “It was Dougie who kissed him, and it’s Dougie who’s reeling him in slowly, just like all the others.” I felt a tug as his eyes widened and he stumbled back, but now I’d started I couldn’t stop. “I wanted him to tell you it was Dougie. I wanted him to be honest with you! An honest relationship! I was trying to help! Even though I hate Danny Jones’ guts. And you don’t even trust me!” I straightened up, kicking a cushion aside. “I’ll let myself out.”

He caught me in the corridor, “Tom! I’m sorry! I just- They said- Oh, God.” He collapsed onto me weakly, his back heaving as he sobbed. My arms went round him protectively and he clung to me helplessly, hanging off my neck. It shook me to see the cool, composed Harry Judd in this state.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to figure this out. I promise.”

Harry

“Why didn’t I see it?” I moaned, slamming my head back into the reconstructed sofa. “Dougie said he pulled someone. And Danny’s been weird since they met. It’s happening again. I know it.”

“No, you don’t,” Tom corrected, taking a sip of his coke. “It might not be. It’s gone as far as love. Maybe Danny had more staying power than I thought.”

“It will be happening. Dougie has his ways.” I stared moodily into my glass, “Do you think I should break up with him first?”

“Why are you so convinced he’s going to dump you?”

“I’m up against Dougie, Tom. The guy who plays the part of sweet, caring, slightly abused brother to a T. He won’t see it coming.”

“Even though I’ve warned him?”

“Did you?”

“It came up in our argument,” he admitted. He took hold of my chin and made me look at him, “Calm down. It’ll be okay.” The door opened and closed, and we both turned to look as Dougie appeared in the doorway.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked, amusement evident in his voice. Tom let go of my chin, but laid his hand bracingly on my arm where Dougie couldn’t see it.

“Yeah, but not what you think you are,” he said curtly. Dougie gave a snort of disbelief, rolled his eyes and vanished from sight.

“Thanks,” I muttered.

“Don’t thank me. Anyone would’ve done it. He’s a brat. He deserves to be knocked down a peg or two.” He lifted his glass, “I’m out. Want a refill?”

“No. I’m fine.” I watched as he walked into the kitchen via the adjoining door. Tom was a great friend; he seemed to have totally forgotten earlier.

“What’s your problem, Fletcher?”

I looked up and towards the kitchen door as Dougie’s voice sounded. Tom’s response sounded distinctly under whelmed: “Hi to you, too, Dougie.”

I got up and moved towards the kitchen, wanting to hear better. “So, I’m a brat?” Dougie asked coldly. I suspected Tom gave him a look at that point, as there was no reply. “I’m a brat, and you decided to tell Danny about me? You really have it in for me today, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you know? I devote my whole life to tormenting you.” I heard movement, then a thud as someone slammed their hand down on the counter.

“You’re a regular Bill Bailey,” Dougie said coldly. “Don’t walk away from me. You had no right to tell Danny.”

“Actually, I figured he had a right to know.”

“Know what?” I could hear the irritation in his voice and it made me grin. Tom had always known just what to say to annoy Dougie.

“That his boyfriend’s brother is a two-faced, boyfriend-stealing, life-sucking, bratty bastard,” Tom said matter-of-factly. I could almost picture them getting right up in each other’s faces. “And if he has any sense in his skull, he’ll listen to me.”

Dougie laughed softly, “Why would he listen to you? You’re nothing. The only reason people know who you are is because of Harry. What would you be if you didn’t have him? If he dumped you to move onto greener pastures? What would happen to you?”

“You’ll never get the chance to find out,” he said smartly. “‘Cause I’m sticking around, Dougie.” There was movement, and I stepped back from the door to avoid being hit in the face by it.

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Dougie muttered venomously. The door opened and Tom appeared.

“I hate your brother.”

Danny

I looked up as the doorbell rang in my flat. I got up off the sofa to go answer it. Harry bit his lip nervously as he saw me, hands in pockets, “Hey. Is everything all right? You sounded a little stressed on the phone.”

“I have to tell you something.” I took hold of his arm and pulled him in.

“Okay.” He shut the door behind him firmly, then turned to look at me expectantly, “What’s up?”

“Wait,” I said softly. “I just have to:” I brushed my lips over his. He responded, pressing against me, his lips doing a slow caress over mine. As it got deeper, it also got more sensual. I finally broke the kiss and rested my forehead against his.

“Danny? What’s going on?” He sounded worried now.

“I…erm…” I moved away from him, wringing my hands. “You know how I kissed someone on Saturday night?”

“I believe I heard about it.”

“It… It was… It was…” His hand came to rest on my shoulder and I swivelled to face him. Like pulling off a plaster, I told myself, staring into his eyes. You had to do it fast. “It was Dougie.”

He nodded, “I know.”

I stared at him in shock, “You knew?! And you still made me go through that stammering confession?”

“I wanted to hear it from your mouth.” His hand fell away from my shoulder awkwardly and he turned away.

“Who told you? How did you find out?”

“Tom.”

I leaned against the wall, “Why? He said he wasn’t going to. He insisted that I be the one to tell you.”

He turned back to me with a smirk, “Well, it kind of fell out his mouth while I was hurling cushions at his head. Don’t ask,” he warned as I opened my mouth.

“So you’re not mad at me?”

He shrugged, “Dougie could talk Tom- who’s one of the straightest guys I know- into kissing him. As long as you don’t let him pull you in, we’re fine.”

“Tom mentioned that. What d’you mean?”

He sighed, “Come here.” He took my hand and led me into the living room, where he sat on the sofa, pulling me down with him. “Dougie’s a lot smarter, and a lot more twisted than people peg him to be. He’s also freakishly strong, but hopefully that fact won’t come into this.”

“Tom said he takes all your boyfriends, but Dougie-”

“-claimed they came onto him,” Harry finished grimly. “That’s not true. I’ve seen him do it. If they came onto it, it was because he insinuated that he wanted them to.” He was silent for a moment. “He acts so caring, acts like I’m so horrible to him but he loved me anyway. He can cry on cue.”

I remembered his tears as I had spoken to him about it. Anger flared up. Those tears had been the main reason for me almost kissing him. “So he just takes them off you? Why don’t you stop him?”

“That’s where the strength comes in,” he muttered. “And he knows how to blackmail. I can’t stop him.” His gaze moved up from his lap and met mine, “If he can, he’ll take you.”

“How?”

“He’ll work it out.”

I pulled him into a hug, and kissed his forehead, “Then I’m just going to have to make the equation tougher.”

Dave

“You’re going on with the plan?” I asked in exasperation. “Doug! Tom told Danny what you do. Harry’s probably confirmed it. No offence, but Danny probably trusts him more than you.”

“I’m just going to have to change tactics,” he said confidently, leaning back in his chair. We were in Registration.

“Oh, my God. He has a Plan B. I can’t believe it. This is too sad.”

“Shut up!” He nudged me lightly with his elbow, “I’m going to take the jealousy route. Jeanie’s party on Friday. Danny’s obviously invited. He’ll be going with his friends, right? So I’m going to do a bit of harmless flirting and pulling with some of the girls.”

“What about the host? Is she included?”

He pulled a face, “Do I have to? I’ll be covered in all that crap afterwards.”

“You’re a bastard, you really are.”

“No, no, hey! I liked her to start with. But then she started getting all clingy, and she totally lost everything she had going for her.”

I nodded. I could see where he was coming from with that. The bell went off and we left our desks to head off to our first class. “So your plan B is to make him jealous, and want to get the guy who’s getting everyone. In this case, you.”

“You make it sound more idiotic than it is.”

“It is idiotic, Doug,” I told him. “What if Harry’s there?”

“He doesn’t go to parties,” he dismissed. “Not if he can avoid it, which he usually can.” Dougie hissed out a curse as he saw Jeanie along the corridor. He tugged on my sleeve sharply and we backtracked a few paces and cut down a different set of stairs.

“Are you avoiding her?”

“I’m reserving myself for her.”

I snorted in amusement, “Do people seriously fall for this?”

“Regularly, yes.” We came out on the floor lower down, and headed to Maths.

“So, imagine Danny, and possibly Tom, manage to talk Harry into going to the party? He gets an invite off Jeanie, and accepts for a change? What do you do?”

I pretended to consider as we stopped outside Dave’s Maths class. He was in a lower set than I was. “Well, I move onto Plan C.”

“Save me.”

Harry

Thursday break time, I was hunted down by a fourth year. “Harry!” She was a natural brunette, though she’d had bleach blond threaded through it. Her skin was the shade of orange that hinted at fake-tan overdose, and she probably would’ve been a lot prettier had she not tried to enhance every single one of her features with make-up.

I offered her a polite smile, “Hey…”

“Jeanie,” she supplied. “I just wanted to ask: Are you free tomorrow night?”

I leaned against the lockers. “I’m not sure. Whether I decide to cancel my facial or not all depends on what you’re actually about to ask me,” I said fluidly. She giggled.

“What’s going on?” Tom asked, nudging me backwards to get into his locker, which I had been leaning on previously. Jeanie composed herself.

“I’m having a party tomorrow night,” she finally came out with it. “I hope you can make it.” She smiled at Tom as he rolled his eyes playfully. “You can come, too. It’ll be well worth missing your facial for, Harry.”

I sighed, “I don’t know. My pores feel blocked. What d’you think, Tom?”

He took hold of my chin and looked at me critically, “Oh, yeah. The size of craters, as well. Have you been neglecting? This is obscene.”

“So you think I need it?”

“Totally. Danny’ll never snog you again if you don’t.”

I grinned at Jeanie, who was giggling again. Tom turned back to his locker. “We’ll think about it,” I promised her. “Thanks for the personal invitation.”

She managed to control her laughing fit and gave off another stunning smile, “You two are so funny, I never realised it before. And no problem. I want everyone to be there.” She looked embarrassed, “It’s my first party.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great.”

“Thanks…” she said shyly. Her face lit up and her hand shot out, closing over the wrist of someone passing, “Dougie!”

“Oh, crap,” I heard him mutter as she pulled him closer. I had to stifle a laugh at the tone of his voice. “Hey, Jeanie…”

“Have you been avoiding me…?” she purred, putting her arms round his neck.

Fully aware that he had been, I cleared my throat purposefully as Tom shut his locker. “We’ll leave you two to it. I need to call my facialist. Do you think he’ll be able to reschedule it to tonight?”

“Hopefully. The sooner, the better,” Tom remarked, peering at my face again. Jeanie laughed once more. I smiled at her and nodded at Dougie. His glare of hatred was quick, but I caught it.

“You’re gong to pay for that later,” Tom warned me as we walked away.

“I know.”

“We’re going to that party.”

“I know that, too.” I groaned softly, “Can’t you go on your own?”

“No!” Tom’s face was a mask of horror. “Going alone to a house party reeks of weird, desperate and alone!”

“But you are weird, desperate and alone,” I pointed out.

“Yes, but I don’t want anyone else to know that.”

Danny

“Why are looking at me like that?”

“We’re going to a house party.”

I frowned, “What? Now? I don’t think the Rector’ll be too impressed…” I laughed as he pouted at me, “You don’t even like house parties.”

He shrugged, “Yeah. But I may have to abandon the plans I had of sitting on the sofa with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s watching Notting Hill. Tom wants to go and claims I have to go with him. However, you have to come with me so I don’t get abandoned if he gets a better offer.” He let go of my hand to examine a notice attached to the Music bulletin board. “Of course, you don’t have to. I could go alone, and hope I don’t run into one of your brothers.”

“That’s not funny,” I defended as he grinned at me cheekily. He had been sleeping with one of my brothers before we met. “I’ll go. Provided you won’t get uptight about PDA.”

He looked mildly insulted, “I’m not uptight about PDA. We kiss in school.”

“This won’t be school,” I reminded him. “I know you’re a little awkward about public displays of affection when we’re out.”

“People glare at us like we’re doing something wrong,” he muttered, folding his arms across his chest in an instantly defensive gesture. “It’s like the Bible names it as wrong, so we’re going to hell even though we didn’t choose our sexuality. We simply chose to embrace it.”

“I know…”

He looked upwards. “‘In the same way, men abandoned natural intercourse with women and were inflamed with passion for each other. Men perpetrated shameless things with men, and brought on themselves the inevitable consequences which such misguided conduct was bound to bring.’,” he quoted. He met my gaze again, “Paul’s letter to the Romans. Chapter One, verse twenty seven.”

“Discriminating against us because of our sexuality is as bad as sexism and racism. Its outwith our realm of choice. We just have to put up with what we’re given. We’re not doing anything wrong.” I kissed him gently. “We’re not.”

“I know that,” he said uncomfortably. “It would just help if more other people did. We’re lucky; this school’s laid back about it mostly.”

“Screw everyone else. We’re going to go to that party, and we’re going to act like a couple, no matter what people say.

He winced, “I knew you’d say that.”

Dougie

“So,” Mum said conversationally over dinner that night. “What plans do you have for tomorrow night?” She smiled in good-natured amusement as Harry made an obvious noise of disgust into his water glass. “Harry?”

“House party,” he muttered. I looked up at him. Damn it! He was going!

“You sound ecstatic,” Dad commented, spearing a carrot with his fork.

“Tom forced me into it.” I fisted my hand under the table. Dave was physic. I was going to kill him! Harry jerked his head at me, “He knows the girl who’s hosting it. She’s in his year.”

“Are you going too, Dougie?” Mum asked hopefully.

“Yes…” I said slowly. I caught the suggestive look shared between my parents. “Holy-! Can’t you at least wait until we’re gone before you plan what you’re going to do?!”

“What we’re going to do, Dougie,” she said softly, leaning across the table to grip my hand holding my fork. “-is do it like dogs in every room in the house.”

“Mum!” I pulled my hand away, dropped my fork right into my vegetable stir-fry, and shook the limb as if it were diseased. “Please!”

“Can I get a lock on my room?” Harry requested, chewing on a bit of lamb.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“If it had been full, you wouldn’t have been able to comprehend what I was saying.”

Dad laughed, “I have to congratulate him on that comeback, Shona.” He regarded Harry, “You can have a lock, but you have to pay for it and put it in yourself.”

“Can I employ a friend to do it?”

“Is that your way of telling me my eldest son has no idea how to install a lock?”

Harry shrugged, “Pretty much.” He took another sip of his water, “I’ll pay to have a workman come in, though, if it keeps you out my room.”

“We promise we’ll stay out your room,” Mum vowed. Harry eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then extended his hand towards her. She shook it.

“What about my room?” I asked.

“You don’t have the money to get a locksmith in,” Mum replied, a glint in her eye.

“Don’t you dare!” I threatened. She and Dad both burst out laughing. Even Harry smirked.

“We better not, Ryan,” Mum decided. “He’ll never sleep in that bed again if we do.”

“We can do it on the floor…”

“Dad!”

He winked at me, “You’d never have known if I hadn’t have said.”

“Still going to the party?” Harry asked in interest.

Dave

“He’s going,” Dougie said tonelessly as he fell into the seat next to me on Friday.

I leaned on my hand casually, “I know.” He lifted his head to look at me. “It’s big news. They’re potentially the school’s hottest couple. Jeanie’s party’s getting talked about more at more. Sixth years are going- that’s a massive thing.”

“Shut up while you still have a mouth to close.”

I slapped a hand over my lips obediently. After about thirty seconds, I let it fall away. “Do I get to know what your plan C is now?”

He slanted me a look, but the violence was gone from his eyes now. “Plan C’s basically a revised version of Plan B.” At my blank look, he explained: “I talk to him whenever I can, play up the ‘just friends’ angle.”

“Eh?”

“I know he’s attracted, so I’m going to throw in some casual flirting and touching. Y’know, pretend to get nudged into him, lean over him to speak to someone else. However, I’m still taking the jealousy route. Pausing mid-conversation to eye up someone, or excusing myself to talk to them, leaving him on his own.”

“Won’t Harry be there?”

“Yes, but they won’t be together the whole night. Fletcher doesn’t get on with Danny. Harry’ll have to move between both of them.” He gave me a bright smile, “That’s when I move in.”

“Don’t hurt me for saying this,” I ventured carefully. “But wouldn’t Plan C have been more effective than Plan B if the circumstances for Plan B still stood?”

Dougie considered this. “Probably. The circumstances don’t still stand, though.” He drummed his fingers off the desktop, “The sooner I split them up, the better. I’m getting sick of this.”

Harry

I was thankful that Fridays were only half days as I headed to my locker after the last bell had rung. I didn’t hate school, but there were times when you just got a combination of the worst subjects in one morning. My drumsticks fell out with a clatter as I opened my locker. I sighed and went to pick them up, but someone bet me to it. “Here,” Dave said, holding them out to me.

“Thanks.”  I slid them into my bag. “Where’s Doug-?” I turned round as he jerked his chin to something behind me. “Oh.” Dougie was a little further down the corridor, talking to Jeanie. She looked uncomfortable, and he was holding onto her arms, speaking directly into her face. I knew what he was doing. “Bastard.”

“Would it be better to lead her on?” Dave asked curiously.

I turned to look at him, “No. But, you have to concur, Dougie doesn’t do gentle letdowns. He crushes people.”

“It’s his way.” As I turned to glare at him, Dave gave me a bright smile and moved off to meet Dougie, who’d left Jeanie in the middle of the corridor. I shut my locker and went over to her.

“Jeanie?” I asked carefully. She turned to look at me. She looked distraught, her lower lip was shaking. “Are you okay?” I questioned softly, even though it was blatantly obvious she wasn’t. With a sob, she buried her face in my chest. I hugged her tightly, fully aware of the methods Dougie used to break up with people. “What did he say to you?”

“He said I looked like a slut,” she choked. “And that no-one was going to come near me until I realised how to make myself look normal. He said I was clingy, and needy, and-” She broke off as she dissolved into sobs again.

I played with the back of her hair, “You have to prove him wrong.”

She looked up at me, “What?”

“Tonight, at your party. You’re going to look stunning, you’re going to ignore him all night and flirt with every other guy there.” I paused, “Except Danny- flirt with him and you may be on the receiving end of a bitch-slap.”

She laughed, then her face took on a worried expression. “How am I going to look stunning? He said I was a slut! You have to help me get ready!!”

“What?”

She stepped back and took me by the shoulders, “I can’t do it on my own. I need a guy there to tell me if I look good. Please… Help me out…”

I sighed- not believing I was about to help a girl get my brother. “Fine.”

Dougie

I stepped into the kitchen to find myself face to face with Harry. He looked like he was already ready to go the party. It was meant to start at seven, meaning people would arrive about eight. It was four. A little early by my definition. “Where are you going?”

His eyes narrowed, “I’m fixing what you destroyed, you bastard.” He made to move past me, but I blocked his path.

“What does that mean?”

“If you don’t know, I’m sure as hell not about to tell you.” He seized me by the arms, actually picked me up off the ground, and moved me round so he could get out. He stalked to the door and pulled it open to Dave, who was standing with his finger less than a centimetre off the bell.

“Erm… Hi. Dougie?”

“Kitchen,” Harry said simply, going past him and leaving the door open. Dave watched him walk out the gate, then turned to see me standing in the kitchen doorway.

“Hey,” he greeted, coming in and closing the door behind him. “Where’s he off to?”

“Damned if I know. Probably off to see if there’s anyone he can help out in their moment of crisis.”

“Dressed like that? He’s off to seduce Danny before you get your claws in.”

“They’re already in, I just have to tighten them,” I assured him.

“And when you do, Danny Jones is going to be doomed.”

Harry

“Harry!” Jeanie squealed as she opened her front door. “You made it!” She pulled me in, and led me upstairs, into a pretty, neat blue room which I guessed was hers. “Right. So what’s the first step?” she asked eagerly.

“Shower,” I said bluntly. She frowned. “Seriously. Shower and wash your hair, then come back here. Don’t put on anything after the shower. No fake tan, no make up. Just a towel. Got it?”

“You’re strict…” But she grinned as she said it. “I’ll be quick.” She ran from the room.

“No need to rush!” I called after her. I wandered over to her CD rack, and took a look. Dance music mostly, I noted with distaste, with a bit of R ‘n’ B thrown in. Turning back, I noticed a box protruding from under the bed- like it had been shoved there in haste and not quite concealed.

I walked over, and pulled it out. This was better… With a smile, I pulled out a Green Day album. I’d known there was something about her. She didn’t speak like all the other chavettes. Happy I’d found a box of decent CDs, I spent about ten minutes looking through the extensive selection, before putting on Linkin Park- ‘Hybrid Theory’.

Why does it feel like night today?

Something in here’s not right today.

Why am I so uptight today?

Paranoia’s all I got le-

No.

I cannot take this anymore

Saying everything I’ve said before

All these words- they make no sense

I’ve found bliss in ignorance

Less I hear, the less you say

You’ll find that out anyway.

I settled for all of a minute, then flicked again. I couldn’t help it. I forgot to bring a book.

I woke up in a dream today

To the cold of the static

And put my cold feet on the floor

Forgot all about yesterday

Remembering I’m pretend-

Nah.

Forfeit the game

Before someone else takes you out the frame

And puts your name to shame

Cover up your face

You can’t run the race

The pace is too fast

You just won’t last.

“Leave this one on, will you?” came the request from the doorway. “I’ve always liked ‘Points of Authority’.” I looked up from the CD sleeve to see Jeanie standing there, in nothing but a towel, as I’d requested. Her hair was damp, and it surprised me slightly to see her actual skin.

“Oh, my God. You actually are quite gorgeous…” I pushed myself up off the bed and moved to examine her. Her complexion- now clean of fake tan- was fair, and totally devoid of imperfections that wracked most girls her age. Her lips were full, and pink. Her eyes were a stunning green. “This won’t take long.” I moved over to her bed, where I’d laid out some clothes I’d found in her wardrobe. “Put on this. I thought I’d let you pick out the underwear.”

She giggled, “That was wise of you.” I turned away while she got dressed. Then examined her. She was wearing a dark denim skirt, a plain baby pink top with a white, slogan vest top over it and black soft leather boots.

“Perfect. Okay. Make-up.” She nodded, telling me to continue. “In your case, less is definitely more. You don’t need any concealer, foundation or blush. We shouldn’t put any colour around the eyes, because that would retract from the overall stunning quality of them.” I thought for a moment, “Smoky eyes, red lips.”

“You’re having fun, aren’t you?” she asked in amusement.

“It’s like having a life-sized doll. Now let me play.”

Tom

I walked up the path to Harry’s house. We were meant to be walking to Jeanie’s together. Danny was coming with us as well. Harry claimed it was his safeguard just in case I deserted him. I rang the doorbell and waited. A bored-looking Dougie swung it open. “Harry here?” I asked.

“Nope.”

I frowned, “What? Where is he?”

Dougie shrugged, “Don’t know, don’t care. He left about four, looking ready to head straight to Jeanie’s. Maybe he did.”

“We agreed to meet up and walk down together at half seven.”

“Oh, then I must be lying then, mustn’t I?” his voice dripped with faux sarcasm. “Look, I’m not his personal secretary, Fletcher. All I know is he left at about four, and hasn’t been back since.”

“What’s going on?” Danny had arrived. I turned to him:

“Harry isn’t here.”

Danny looked confused, “Where is he?”

“If I knew that, I would’ve said ‘Harry’s wherever’ instead of ‘Harry isn’t here’.” Well aware Dougie was still watching in obvious amusement, I dug out my mobile and called Harry. “Where are you?” I demanded the second he answered.

“I’m at Jeanie’s.”

“Why?” I asked shortly. Danny was watching me carefully.

“‘Cause I felt like it.” I didn’t answer, and heard a sigh on the other end of the phone. “You’ll understand when you get here. Can you two just walk down together?”

“Have you left us any choice?” I muttered bitterly.

“Don’t be so moody. I’ll explain it all when I see you.”

“You’d better.” I hung up. “He’s already there. Let’s go. Later, Poynter.”

“‘Bye, Dougs,” Danny called, hurrying after me as I strode off. Oh, God. He’s given him a nickname. “Walk faster, why don’t you?” Danny muttered as he finally managed to fall into step next to me.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“I told him! What’s your problem with me now?!”

I turned my head to look at him, “Until you prove you’re not going to get sucked in by the attractive, male equivalent of a Hoover, I’m reserving judgement on you, and am treating you with suspicion.”

“Do you always do this?”

“Regularly.”