Let's Bend the Rules.

My eyes lock with his confused ones. He’s not angry, not yet because he doesn’t understand. Do I tell him now? No.
“H-hey dad” I greet, standing up swiftly. Zaria is at my side in seconds, reaching for my mother as she glances at me fearfully.

“What’s this?” His sharp voice is directed to me but his eyes never leave Danny’s. I don’t even glance back at my boyfriend - no matter how much I despise that word, Danny is not my boyfriend. He is the man I love. Not a boy and definitely more than a friend. He is my partner.

“What’s what?” I ask him, bringing my eyebrows together and forming a confused look upon my face.

“What were you doing with Danny?” He asks me. I give a small laugh. The kind you’d give after a pathetic joke a friend of your father’s would make and you feel obliged to respond in such a manner. It’s light and airy, but clearly false.

“Dad, Danny was just wishing me a happy birthday that’s all” I say, placing a hand on his arm reassuringly. He sweeps his eyes over my face for a minute before nodding slightly.

“You wouldn’t lie to your ol’ Dad would you?” And he gives me a brilliant smile once I shake my head. It really does hurt to lie to him like this. Deceiving him so. That smile he makes when he’s so happy, small wrinkles framing his famously green eyes. They run in the family, the depth of green hidden beneath ones eyes is amazing. They really do lure you in. I inherited them as did Zaria from our father, our mother was always pleased about this, loving his eyes.

“Would you like to eat dad? We’re just about to have breakfast” I tell him. Dad looks around the table, his eyes narrowing as he notices Zaria resumed her seat next to Dougie, then shakes his head.

“No no, we already ate. We’ll let you guys have your breakfast, I’m just going to check your mother and I in” And he excuses himself and leaves. I look at mum who gives me a warm smile.

“Happy birthday honey” She says into my ear, giving me a warm hug. I glance at dad as he crosses the dinning room.

“Thanks mum” I reply and break away from the hug and take my seat next to Danny. Mum takes the empty seat next to Danny and looks at him carefully.

“You two should really be more careful” She sighs, when Danny takes my hand and squeezes it gently. I look towards her without a comment.

“It’s hard” Danny finally says, looking away from me and at her.

“I know it is, but you’re father nearly had a heart attack seeing you reach over and kiss Danny like tha-”

“It was on the cheek mum” I laugh a little. She waves away my interruption with her hand.

“Rhydan where did you get those earrings? They’re gorgeous” She changes the subject so swiftly that I nearly don’t know what she’s talking about. I look up from my menu, my stomach growling dangerously.

“Oh… Zar and Dougie bought them for me” I tell her, giving Zaria and Dougie a smile. They return it. Mum turns her head in their direction then frowns after a minute.

“Oh no… not you two too” She nearly moans. Zaria frowns, looking for an explanation. “Well okay, if you think it’ll work than go ahead, but your sister has had a hard enough time trying to keep it from your father and you know as well as I do that she’s the only one that’s able to keep secrets in our house” She tells her. I think Zaria realizes what mum is talking about.

Zaria ‘oh’s’ then sighs. “Don’t worry, we’re working on it, aren’t we Doug?” She smiles at him and Dougie nods. “If it doesn’t work, then we’re stopping it” And with that the subject is closed.

Breakfast drags on slowly, especially when dad comes back and decides he really is hungry and takes the last remaining seat next to me, making it impossible for Danny to touch me in any way. It’s a heavy breakfast, but knowing that we probably won’t be eating until dinner that night everyone has a big meal.

When we’re all full and fed and Danny’s even more disgruntled we leave the dinning room.
“I need the bathroom” Dougie announces. Harry nods his head in agreement and next thing I know I’m standing in the lobby with Danny, mum and dad, watching as Tom, Harry, Dougie and Zaria escape to the bathroom.

“I’m just going to go back to my room, I forgot something” I tell them.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Danny asks me. I look at my dad, he doesn’t seem to suspect anything.

“Sure, thanks Danny” I give him a smile and then we walk towards to elevators quickly.
“That was such a lame excuse” I mumble, barely moving my lips. Danny grins, while his head is bent. His hands are shoved deeply into his pockets.

“It got you away didn’t it?” He whispers back. The doors open and we both slide into the empty small compartment. I press the button for our floor and watch as the iron grills shut. I immediately turn to face Danny, whose leaning against the wall and already looking at me.

“This is going to be so awkward” I tell him, taking that extra step towards him. He pulls me close to him, wrapping his arms around me protectively.

“We’ll get through it” He mumbles into my ear, kissing just under my ear. I melt slightly.

“Awe Danny don’t do that, I need to stay focused” I whimper, clutching him violently. I feel him smirking as he kisses down my neck and just along under my jaw, to the middle of my chin and then onto my lips. I kiss him for a minute until I hear the elevator indicating that we’re on the right floor. I draw back from him and walk out of the elevator, leaving him - puzzled - behind.

He catches up with me in a minute as I open our hotel door and nearly dance into the room. I hear the door shut behind me and next thing I know I’m being pinned against the wall, Danny’s ragged breath pumping in my ear.

“How long do you think we have” He whispers. I breath deeply, closing my eyes as I smell his intoxicating scent.

“No, we can’t do it now Danny” I tell him, it was suppose to sound sharp but with my lack of strength in my voice it comes out as a pant. His hands hold me against the hip-bone, his lips ghosting over mine.

“Why not?” He questions, asking the question I was asking myself. Half of me wants to pin Danny to the bed right now, but the other, responsible, half tells me that my father is waiting for me downstairs and I need to collect my family from the airport.

“No” I say sharply and push him away from me. He doesn’t refuse, he backs off quickly. I know I’ve hurt him but I don’t turn around to look at him to check. I take my car keys from my bag - my father drove my car up for me - and walk out of the room.

I take the elevator alone and arrive down stairs first. Mum and Dad seem to be in a deep discussion which breaks off on my arrival.
“Where’s Danny?” Dad asks me. I glance around me, looking like for the first time I don’t notice his lack of presence.

“Oh, he went to his room, I didn’t wait for him to come back with me” I tell him shrugging it off, but I catch my mum’s hard look which I ignore. Tom, Harry and Dougie all arrive, Zaria trailing behind.

“Where’s Danny?” Tom repeats the question.

“I think he’s in his room” I reply in a distant voice. The four give me a frowning look which I refuse to look at.

“Should I ring him?” Harry asks. I sigh frustrated.

“Jeez guys relax. The guy’s a full grown man, I think he can make it from his room to the lobby on his own. He doesn’t have to escort us to the airport either if he doesn’t want to” I snap at them. The four are silent and from a short while off I hear the elevator ping. I glance behind Zaria to see Danny walking across the lobby. “See that’s him, can we go now?” I ask snappily and walk from the hotel without waiting for anyone.

My car is parked in the parking lot next to Dad’s car. Tom’s car is also there and Harry’s.
“Okay guys, Zaria, Dougie, you travel with Harry. Tom you can follow me with Danny if you want, Rhydan you going on your own?” He says more like a question at the end.

“Actually, I’d rather someone come with me in case I get lost” I tell him.

“Alright, Dougie you go with Rhyd-”

“Dougie wouldn’t be the best with directions sir” Tom interjects with a smirk. Dougie glares at him.

“Fine, Danny go with Rhydan. Tom if you get lost, ring someone. Everyone I’ll see you at the airport” He orders. I get into my car without so much as a glance towards Danny. I shut the door and start up the engine, I wait until Danny decides he wants to actually get into the car. After waiting five minutes he finally opens the car door and buckles up without a word.

I follow the black Saab of my father’s down the motorway, the already fifteen minute journey lasted in silence. I tap my finger against the steering wheel impatiently, not wanting to argue with Danny on my birthday. He’s being childish as well. I can’t believe he’s not talking to me over not having sex with him, I mean c’mon, my father was waiting for us!
I want to put on the radio but I know filling the car with music won’t help. If anything some stupid love song will come on and it’ll make the tense situation worse. I breathe in deeply, keeping all of my focus on the road ahead of me, watching as a young driver races down the road.

“You’re being stupid” I tell him, after twenty minutes of silence. I see him turn and look at me from the corner of my eye. His eyebrows raised.

“How am I being stupid?” He asks, throwing his hands in the air.

“Because you’re the one being childish and not talking to me” I point out, slowing my pace behind Dad as Harry pulls into my lane in front of me.

“Who said I wasn’t talking to you? You weren’t talking to me” I turn and look at him for a minute.

“What? No!” I scream.

“You walked out” He reasons. “Without an explanation. I just wanted to have some fun” His broad shoulders heave and drop heavily.

“All you do is want to have fucking fun. It’s time we grew up” I mumble under my breath but I know Danny can hear every word of it. It’s harsh, yes, but Danny sometimes does act childish.

“You’re twenty one Rhydan! You’re not ancient, these are your partying years” He tells me, his voice raising. “Stop acting like you’re thirty years old would you?” He snaps. My foot itches at the break pedal but I’d rather Tom not drive into the back of me. I indicate into the hard shoulder lane and slow to a stop.

This conversation went down a path I really didn’t want to have today, but seeing as we’re here, what’s the harm in having it? Unless of course it ends up badly - and on my birthday.

“I’m sick of just messing around Danny” I tell him, turning around in me seat to face him. I unbuckle my belt so I can move a bit more comfortably. “We’ve been together for five years, is there actually any point in this relationship at all?” I ask him. I know it’s cold and harsh and cruel but I need to ask the questions. I love Danny of course, but if he doesn’t see us going somewhere in the next couple of years then I have no idea what I’m still doing here.

He looks at me for a few minutes. “You’re not seriously having this conversation with me are you?” He asks, squinting his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about this today Rhydan. Can’t we just pick up your relatives and have a good day? It’s your day after all” He tells me. I roll my eyes.

“I want to know your answer Danny” I tell him.

“Look, I love you. What more do you need to know than that?” He asks me, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

“A lot more! You love me but do you want to be with me? When you look into the future who is it you see yourself with?” I ask him. He stares at me, nearly gawping.

“You of course! What a bloody stupid question to ask!” He’s shouting now. “I don’t want to talk about this now Rhydan. Let’s just pick up these bloody people and get this day over with, can we?” He asks sharply. I don’t move.

“If you don’t want to be here then leave” I reply quietly. My voice as even as I can possibly make it. Danny doesn’t even look at me.

“Do you want me to leave?” He asks me, avoiding my eye. I frown.

“What?”

“Do you want me to leave? If you want me to leave then I’ll go” He says, his hand on the door handle.

“It’s your choice” I say coldly and turn my back towards him. I hear the door open, shuffling and then the door shutting. I turn around in my seat quickly to see Danny no longer in the seat next to me. My stomach plummets and I feel like I want to cry. I didn’t want Danny to leave me. Not today of all days. This is such a stupid fight. My eyes follow him through the glass as he walks around the back of the car.
I jump slightly as my phone rings but I ignore the incoming call and jump out of the car, letting the door slam behind me. Danny doesn’t turn back.

“Danny!” I call, he’s about twenty feet away from me now. He doesn’t react to the sound of his voice. “Danny! Where are you going?” I ask him loudly. He’s walking away quickly. I begin to follow him, walking quickly. “We’re on a motorway! You’re not seriously going to walk all the way back to the hotel are you?!” I scream… no response.

“Daniel Jones turn around when I’m talking to you!” I scream. He stops and I take this as my opportunity to run up to him. I catch up to him easily and step in front of him to face him. “Where in the bloody hell do you think your going?” I ask him.

“We had a fight and I walked out. Isn’t that what normal people do when they fight?” He asks me. I shake my head and take his hand.

“You’re not normal Danny. I’m not normal and this relationship is certainly not normal. Don’t ever walk out on me again okay? That hurt me, right here” I say and place his hand over my heart. “We don’t fight” I whisper to him and step closer to his frame. “lets keep it at that” I tell him and nod slightly. Danny nods with a smile and kisses my nose.

“I’m sorry, love. This whole acting in front of your dad thing is getting really annoying” He moans. I sigh.

“I know, but we’ll just have to live with it for another day. He’ll be gone by the morning” I reassure him. The two of us walk back to the car slowly, hand-in-hand.

“I guess”

I decide to change the topic of conversation, knowing this one isn’t such a big hit.
“So, if you really did get me a present, want to tell me what it is?” I ask cheekily. Danny looks at me with a beam across his lips.

“Of course not!” He laughs and helps me into the car as we finally reach it.