London Times

I awoke, what I believe was early, the next morning to the smell of syrup, bacon, and a throbbing headache. I closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep to make the pain cease. It didn't work. I let out a groan, rolling out of bed and sitting up to cradle my head in my hands.

"Good morning star-shine." Katie, who was sitting at the end of the bed eating her breakfast, smiled in amusement. I looked up at her, my eyes felt heavy and my head felt as though I'd been whacked with a ten ton brick.

"Aren't we chipper." I got up and trudged over to our suitcases. I needed some Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, something. I dumped out the entire medicine bag, looking for the headache pills.

"On the table hon." Katie said through another mouth full of pancakes. Without a word, I walked back over to the beds grabbing a glass of O.J. from the breakfast cart on my way. Just as Katie said, there was a little bottle of Excedrin: Migraine setting on the side table. I grabbed the bottle, downed two, and fell back on the bed.

"Where's mom?" I whispered.

"She went to see the morning changing of the guards." She shrugged. "I told her I'd stay here until you woke up." Going to the club last night was a bad idea, I was now realizing, seeing as how I didn't remember half of it. I don't even know how we got home. Of course, I wouldn't admit my mistake because I wouldn't give Katie the satisfaction of being right, again.

"Last night was wicked huh?" I turned my head to the side and attempted a smile. Katie raised an eyebrow, getting up to place her empty plate on the cart.

"It was definitely interesting." She wiped her hands off on a napkin and turned to face me, crossing her arms. "Why in the world were you wearing a garter belt?"

"How do you know?" Katie smiled.

"Get dressed. We'll go out for some coffee and I'll tell you what happened last night." I rolled my eyes.

"What makes you think I don't remember last night?" Katie rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Where's your phone, Ellie?" I sat up, giving a quick look around the bed area. It was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, fine!" I whined, getting up and heading toward the suitcases to get dressed.

"I what?!" The few people that were in the little coffee shop turned to look at Katie and I. If she hadn't just told me I'd lifted my dress and asked some guy to take off my garter, I probably would've cared.

"Sorry." She took a sip of her drink. "I stopped him though! If that helps." I stared blankly at her cup. I was such a slut when I was drunk.

"I mean...I guess." I took a drink of my coffee. "As long as I didn't make out with him or anything, I'm good." I laughed at the thought. That would be awful, bad enough I was so stupid as to convince Katie into going to a nightclub with me and getting wasted but, if I ended up kissing some stranger. Yikes.

Katie choked on her coffee and I stared wide eyed at her.

"I didn't...right?" I didn't want her to answer.

"Well...It kind of depends on what you mean by...making out." I went lightheaded. I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it instead and took another drink of my coffee.

It was silent for a few minutes until my phone went off.

They told him don't you ever come around here! Don't wanna see your face you better disappear! The fire's in their eyes and their words aren't really clear so beat it! Just beat it.

I mechanically reached into my bag and pulled out my cell, flipping it open and answering.

"Shmello?"

"Hey! Ellie, it's me Danny." My face fell. Who? "I was just seeing if you were alright."

"Yeah..." I didn't want to be rude, and he clearly knew me so what was I suppose to say? "Thanks?" The other end was silent.

"Who is it?" Katie whispered. I shrugged my shoulders, twisting my mouth into a confused frown.

"You have no idea who I am, do ya love?" Love?

"I'm really sorry. Last night I-"

"Don't worry about it. You were pretty wasted." He laughed and I couldn't help but to smile. His voice was deep, and his accent was strong. He sounded like a hottie.

"Right."

"You wanna go out for coffee?" The sentence was rushed out of Danny's mouth, indicating that he was trying to ask me out, but too shy to do so. I smiled, looking down at my coffee cup.

"Actually, I'm already drinking coffee..." I looked up to find a very impatient Katie sitting across from me, trying to figure out who I was talking to. She finally got up and went to sit beside me, shoving her head close to the phone.

"Oh, right then. 'Course, I mean if you don't remember me you wouldn't want to go get coffee with me." He let out a hesitant laugh and Katie let out a gasp, jumping up and down in her seat beside me with one hand over her mouth and the other pointing at my cell as though it were a ticking time bomb. I gave her a look, scooting away.

"That's him! The guy you kissed! Danny!" She whispered. I smiled, turning back to my phone.

"No, actually me and my friend Katie are at a little coffee shop called Coffee King." Katie's jaw dropped, "Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah it's right around the corner from where me and the guys live." I smiled, swirling my spoon around in my cup.

"Great. Can't wait to meet you...again." I frowned.

"Hey, tell Katie I'll drag Doug along." Doug? Like the cartoon? Seriously?

"Yeah, sure thing."

"See ya in a bit."

"Bye." I closed my phone and almost instantly, Katie punched my shoulder. "Ow!" I grabbed my arm. "What was that for?!"

"I can not believe you told him where we-"

"He's bringing Doug!" Katie stopped, the anger vanishing from her face. Slowly, a smile began to form.

"Dougie's coming?" I smiled, this Danny was a smart man.

"No, he said Doug." I took another drink of my coffee.

"That's what they call him-Okay," Katie got up, going back to her original seat. "I'll stay." I smiled, wait...she was going to leave?!

I was barely half way through with my coffee, and the guys still weren't here yet. To pass the time, Katie decided to tell me more about what'd happen last night. Luckily, my headache was to a low throb and the talking wasn't getting to me so much anymore.

"Okay, now please tell me I brushed my teeth." Katie sucked in some air through her teeth.

"You rinsed with mouth wash?" Great. Fabulous. I puked my guts up all over the club floor, and I didn't even bother to brush. Of course, I guess that would explain the minty taste in my mouth this morning. I looked at the door as the little bell went off, telling everyone that some one had just walked in. Seeing as I was facing the door, and Katie had her back to it, she couldn't see what had caused my mouth to drop open without making it obvious she was looking at them. Two guys had just walked in, a brunette with the most beautiful blue eyes you'd ever seen and a blond with a cute, baby face and equally amazing blue eyes. The brunette caught my attention though. As soon as he walked in, our eyes locked. He was slightly taller than the blond, and when he smiled at me, I felt the color rise in my cheeks.

"Please tell me that's Danny, please tell me that's Danny." I quietly chanted to myself. Katie let out a sigh and turned around to see why I was so awestruck. She then looked back at me, a smile now spread across her face.

"That's Danny." She replied nonchalantly, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Yes." I pulled my fist into my chest, victoriously. Even when I was drunk I had an excellent taste in guys. The guys walked over to us and I politely stood up. As Danny approached, I reached my hand out to shake his, only he ignored it and pulled me into a hug.

"Hey..." I awkwardly patted his back. Danny froze and I could tell that it was now re-registering in his brain that I didn't remember him. He slowly let go of me, holding me at arms length.

"Right, sorry bout that Ells." Ells? I raised an eyebrow at Katie who shrugged, turning to Dougie.

"Hey stranger." She mumbled, smiling up at him.

"Yeah, long time no see." She scooted over and he slid into her side of the booth. "It's been what? A whole six hours?" Dougie laughed. I wanted to puke at how easily they were getting along, just because she actually remembered last night.

"Seven and a half actually, but who's counting." Katie giggled, giggled I say. I turned back to Danny and smiled, which he returned and motioned for me to scoot into the seat.

"It's just a little strange that you don't remember me seeing as how you were..." Danny stopped as I glared up at him. If he tried to brag about how I'd been all over him last night, I'd kick him so hard in the gonads he'd need them removed. "Well, let's start over then!" I let out a laugh as he reached out his hand. "Hi, I'm Daniel Alan David Jones but my friends call me Danny. I was born and raised in Bolton, England. I love football and Bruce Springsteen and I have a beagle named Brucey." Was he for real? I reached my hand up to shake his, though I felt it a bit harder than he to keep a straight face.

"I'm Elizabeth Jean Hill but my friends call me Ellie. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.. I love baseball, action movies, Michael Jackson, and I have a boxer named Edgar." Danny smiled. "Oh, and that's my best friend." He looked over at Katie. "The good one." Katie looked up now, "The one who doesn't drink." Now Dougie looked over at me. "The one who remembers everything."

"Well! It's nice to meet you again Ellie." Danny quickly added, cutting me off. I let out a casual laugh, taking a sip of my coffee.

"You sure didn't wait long to call her did ya?" Katie interrogatively asked Danny as she took another sip from her drink, keeping her eyes on him the entire time.

"Yeah well...like I said." He flashed me a smile. I felt myself blushing again, he was too cute! I was hopeless. "I was just checking on her. She was pretty bad last night and I wanted to make sure you guys got back safe and sound."

"Right. I was born yesterday and fell off the turnip truck." I gagged on my coffee. "Please, tell me more. Danny-if that is your real name." Now it was a tad obvious that Katie didn't particularly like Danny. Poor Danny frowned, looking at me for support. Okay, so I didn't technically know him, but from what I'd seen he was sweet.

"Katie, leave Danny alone." Katie scoffed, returning to her coffee.

"Right, defend the pervert." Whoa-whoa what?!

"Pervert?!" I gave Danny a skeptical look and scooted away from him. Dougie laughed, raising a finger to point. Oh, real mature. Katie sure could pick 'em.

"I'm not a pervert!" He looked worriedly from Katie and then to me, holding his hands up as if to stop me from running away. I mean, as if I could, I was on the inside of the booth...hello? "Ellie." Danny gently placed his hand on top of mine. My eyes fell down to where our hands were laying on the pleather booth seat. "I am not a pervert, honest." I bit my bottom lip, looking back up at him. Why was this man trying so hard to impress me? I wasn't anything special. I was just some eighteen year old from Indiana, whoopee. I heard Katie let out a cough and I turned to find the two sitting across from us, now staring at Danny and I. I felt my self blush yet again only this time from embarrassment and I pulled my hand away from his, placing them in my lap and sitting straight.

"So." I swirled my spoon around in my cup. "How did we um...meet." I changed the subject.

"Well, I saw you dancing and thought I'd go introduce myself-" He was cut off by Dougie.

"Yeah right! Let me tell her." Danny rolled his eyes, he was getting embarrassed. "Danny saw you dancing on the floor and wanted to go talk to you but was too chicken which is weird because Danny isn't ever afraid to chat up birds, but anyways, we-me and our other mates-were trying to get him to go talk to you." I laughed and looked over at Danny who was pretending to examine the coffee shop. "By the time we finally talked him into going to dance with you, you disappeared. When we finally found you, nearly an hour later, you were trashed and sitting at a table alone."

"Uh huh..." I crossed my arms. Danny really was beginning to sound like a pervert.

"No, the only reason we stayed was because we thought you were alone. I mean, you kept talking about Katie, and how she was your best friend and all but you were saying a lot of crazy stuff last night so we didn't know whether to believe you or not." I suppose he had a point.

"Well aren't you just a gentleman." I giggled, nudging Danny.

"Sorry about the wait." We looked up to see a little blond waitress clutching a tablet, standing at the end of the booth. "Can I get you guys any..." She looked up and stopped, just as she saw Danny. Her eyes darted towards Dougie and before we knew it her head was doing this crazy twitchy thing, from Danny to Dougie to Danny to Dougie, it was getting me dizzy. "Oh. My. God."

"Alright love," Danny said, getting up and pulling me out of the booth. "Time to go."

"Yeah, are you hungry? I know a place that makes the best cheeseburgers." Dougie said as he grabbed hold of Katie's arm and pulled her from her seat. I looked up at the waitress, puzzled by the way she was acting. I mean, yeah the guys were hot but I wouldn't go that far. She was now pointing with her jaw dropped.

"What was that about?" Katie took the words right out of my mouth as soon as we were on the street. She pulled her arm loose from Dougie, though I kind of liked Danny holding my hand and crossed her arms, awaiting an explanation. "Ellie!" I jumped as she shot a look towards mine and Danny's entwined hands. Just because she was all, I don't wanna touch you till I get some answers, didn't mean I had to be. I frowned, letting go of Danny's hand and walking over to stand beside Katie.

"Nothing, she was just weird." Dougie smoothly answered. "And...I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out sometime?" The question caught everyone off guard. I didn't have to look over to Danny to know that he was staring at Dougie, dumbstruck. "I didn't wanna do it in front of everyone but I guess it's a little late for that now..." He sheepishly tucked his hands into his pockets and rolled up onto the balls of his feet.

"Uh..." Katie crossed her arms in confusion. She then, squinted her eyes, scratched her head, and held up her finger to her now, pinched lips. "Come again?" She finally breathed. Dougie looked confused as well for a moment, before leaning over to whisper,

"If you're going to make me ask you again, can we step away so that they won't be listening in?" As if that would stop me. Oh, please. Katie nodded, clearly still confused, and followed Dougie across the street...down the block...and around the corner.

"I planned on eavesdropping but I don't have freakin' super sonic hearing for crying out loud." I grumbled, crossing my arms and plopping down on the curb.

"If she hates me so much, why would she trust Dougie enough to wander away with him?" Danny sighed, taking a seat beside me. I tucked my bag between my chest and my knees and shrugged.

"I guess...well, I don't know." I laughed, turning to see what Danny was doing. To be honest, I just liked to look at him. Not in a creepy way, but...I guess I found it hard to believe that he, in all his appealing self, found me in any way attractive.

"And you know what?" He turned and caught me starring, which I really didn't care about though he seemed to smile at it. "That little shit stole that line from me." I raised an eyebrow. Was he about to ask me out?

"Are you about to ask me out?" I suppose I probably shouldn't have been so blunt about it.

"Unless you asking me if I was about to ask you out is code for, he better not ask me out. In which case no, but if it isn't than most definitely, yes." I couldn't help smiling. Danny was cute in an awkward way. How was I to say no to that? And what about Aaron? He hadn't called me since I'd been in London, even though I called him right when the plane landed, leaving a message. It was just a date anyway right? It didn't mean anything, I lived in the U.S. and Danny lived in England. Besides, Katie was most likely going to say no to Dougie, so she could cover for me.

"I'd love to go on a date with you." His smile widened, revealing a mouthful of pretty white teeth. It was...intoxicating. Danny Jones had an intoxicating smile, and I could now say that because I'd now seen one. His smile made me want to smile, it was like...flipping on a little switch inside you labeled, 'joy'.

"Alright then. I'll pick you up at nine, Friday." I nodded. It was strange, feeling so comfortable around a guy you'd barely known for an hour. Danny was different though, and I hadn't even noticed Katie and Dougie return until Danny looked up at them.

"Ellie, can I speak with you for a sec." Katie asked, a smile spread gleefully across her face. I turned to give Danny an apologetic frown before being drug away by Katie.

"Well..." I dusted off my shorts, seeing as I had just been sitting on the curb.

"I'm going out with Dougie this Friday." She looked worried, as though she'd just made a huge mistake that she was forced into making.

"And that's a bad thing?" Maybe for me, because that now meant that we'd have to sneak out again. Katie nodded.

"I don't really know Dougie but..." She bit her lip, looking back at the guys who were talking about something, while she thought. "He's so sweet." She reluctantly admitted. "It's hard not to trust him. I mean, it's like he's got some kind of hold on me and I can't tell him 'no'." I knew what she meant, only all too well. It suddenly grew silent as Danny's smile crept back into my mind.

"Ellie?!" She snapped her fingers at me. "Hello?!" I jumped, shaking my head.

"Right. Sorry." I cleared my throat. "Well, what time are you going on your date?"

"He's coming to pick me up at around 11:30 am, why?" I noticed her glance back over at the guys and heard Danny yell something along the lines of:

"Friday?! You git! You could've chosen a different day of the week at least!" I smiled, shaking their voices out of my head.

"Danny's taking me out at nine thirty Friday, so here's what we'll do..."