Chapter Twenty-Five- Harry’s News

“Bad news,” Harry announced as he sat next to me in Maths a couple of weeks later. “I can’t make it to the party until at least eight. You’re gonna have to set up without me.”

I nodded, having been half expecting it, “Have you told the birthday boy?”

“Yeah. He’s sulking, but I know he understands. Hey, Danny,” he greeted.

“Morning,” he responded, stifling a yawn. He fell into his seat with a groan, before shifting his chair so that he could lean back to talk to us, “Why does school have to be so early?!”

I giggled, and put hand to his head, playing with his hair, “Because teachers are evil. Did you know that some colleges don’t open until twelve now because apparently someone proved that teenager’s brains don’t properly wake up until noon?”

Danny turned his head, so I could see one bright blue eye surveying me through the strands of hair that had fallen in it, “Are you excluded from that statistic?”

“Of course.” I offered him a cheeky wink that he could comprehend even in his sleepy state, “I’m not your average teenager.”

“You’re one of a kind,” Harry agreed dryly, making me laugh. “So, are you okay to set up with Dougie alone?”

“What? Oh, yeah. No problem.” Though I turned to look at Harry, I felt Danny shifting under my touch. “Tell your dad good luck from me, and I’ll see you at the perfectly organised party.”

“Perfectly organised?” he asked incredulously. “You and Dougie?” He shook his head, before remarking: “You’ll get distracted and do it in a rush half an hour before it starts!” But I was distracted from retorting as Danny started coughing violently.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah.” His voice was hoarse, and he gave another weak cough, “Fine.”

“And it’s not our fault we get distracted,” I said, turning back to Harry. “There are far more interesting things to do than set up.” And that seemed to send my boyfriend into another fit.

I twisted my head round to look at him in alarm, “Danny? What’s wrong?”

“I just have a…” He motioned to his throat, sitting up slightly. “…scratchy throat.”

I frowned at him. He’d sounded fine a moment ago. I was just about to question him when the teacher strode in. “Sorry I’m late. If you’ll turn to page thirty, then we’ll just get started right away…”

*****

“Danny! What’s the hurry?” I asked as he pulled me along the road to his house. After school, he had asked me round, and- as soon as I had said yes- he had started acting like this.

“You’ll see.” He loosened his grip on me to open his front door, then he pulled me up the stairs to his room.

“What’s wrong with you?” I demanded as we entered, shaking him off me. “You’re scaring me, Dan.”

He shut the door and leant against it, motioning me over. “I’m sorry,” he told me softly as I stepped up to him, looping his arms around my neck. “I just didn’t want the whole school to see me do this…”

Then his mouth was on mine, hard fast and needy. I stumbled back in surprise and he spun me so that my back was up against the wood of the door. He moved his body into mine, making his kisses deeper. My hands found the top button of his casual shirt, and I eased it open slowly. He broke the kiss in order to rid me of my t-shirt, and when he returned, his attention was on my neck.

The door behind me jerked as someone knocked on it, “Danny?” Then it shifted as the person on the other side pushed against it, “Are you in there?”

His eyes widened. “Get your top,” he whispered. “Hang on, Mum!” I snorted in amusement as I ducked under his arm, leaving him holding the door shut. The second I had it on, he released his grip.

The door swung open to reveal a woman, and I would recognise her as Danny’s mum anywhere. Different hair, different eyes, but that face! She looked at me, our flushed faces, Danny’s open collar, and understanding appeared, “Oh.”

“Mum,” Danny said weakly. “This is Tom.”

Deeper understanding. “Ooh…”

“Nice to meet you,” I managed, with a small giggle at the absurdity of the notion. “Shame it wasn’t more civilised.”

Her lips quirked in amusement, “You seem to be managing. Danny’s told me a lot about you.”

Danny cleared his throat, “Okay, Mum. It’s me that’s feeling awkward here…”

She grinned, and ruffled his hair, “Well, you embarrass too easily.”

“Get off!”