Do You Remember How We Started?

“Because she’s not you.”

Mariana couldn’t believe those words that left Dougie’s mouth that night. All she did was stand there in shock, as Tom rounded up the guys and told them it was show time. Still, the morning after it happened, she couldn’t believe that he utter those four little words to her -even if he knew her feelings towards him or not. Honestly, if Tom hadn’t came and said anything, she didn’t know what she would have done, she didn’t know if she would have done anything.

“What are you thinking about?” Nicole asked before rolling her eyes with a scoff. “Oh, never mind, stupid question.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because I’m supposed to be comforting you, and here I am, daydreaming about
Dougie.” Mariana mumbled, taking another bit out of the ice cream box she had pulled out of her freezer when her friend came knocking on her door less than two hours ago sporting a light frown and slight red eyes. “Now, tell me what happened.”

Nicole sniffed, “I don’t know how it happened exactly… I don’t understand why he got so upset really…”

“Just explain it the best way you can, yeah?”

“I can’t believe she would do that!” Nicole leaned against the bathroom door, watching as her boyfriend paced back and forth in front of his bed; she had spent the night at his place. “God, she can be such a child!”

“Baby, who are you talking about?”

“Mariana.”

“What about her?” Nicole asked softly, running her hand through her wet locks; she had never seen him this fluttered before and it was starting to slightly bother her a bit.

“That she pulled that shit last night!” Danny snapped at her as he took a seat on the edge of his bed putting his head in his hands. Nicole frowned at the site; she needed him to relax and tell her what’s going on in his head. The auburn haired girl pushed herself off of the frame and made her way over towards him, kneeling down she locked her hands around his wrists before pulling them away from his face.

“Baby,” she whispered, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “What did she do to get you like this?”

“I just got off the phone with Dougie…”

Nicole had no idea where he was going with this. “And?”

“He’s really torn up about last night.” Danny stated. “He was hurt that she brought some guy to our show, kissed him in front of him when she knew of his feelings towards her, and still left with the douche bag.”

“But Carla-”

“Carla’s a front.” Danny uttered. “She means nothing to him but a quick lay.”

“Wait, let me get this straight,” Nicole released her grip on his hands. “Dougie likes-”

“Loves.” he corrected her.

“-Loves Mariana, but gets himself a girlfriend anyways, breaks JD’s heart because of said girlfriend, calls JD out defending said girlfriend, only to have said girlfriend a front?” Danny nodded, correcting with some more information that Nicole had gotten confused or missed out on. “But yet, Mariana is the bad guy.” Danny nodded his head once more. “Are you completely insane, Daniel?”

“I don’t-”

Nicole stood up, ignoring the cracking of her knees for being in that position for too long, and looked down at him. “That logic of yours is complete shit!”

Danny stood up, “Well maybe if JD wasn’t some kind of-”

“Don’t you dare say it.”

“- whore, and took Dougie’s feelings into consideration, then my best friend wouldn’t be so broken right now!”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Daniel, she hasn’t done shit to him!” Nicole crossed her arms over her chest. “He has hurt her in more ways, and when he sees something he doesn’t like, he flips his shit. He‘s the douche bag in this situation.”

“Don’t talk about my best friend like that.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “Then don’t talk about my best friend like that.”

“You wouldn’t have even met her if it wasn’t for me!” Danny yelled at her; he had never yelled at her before, than again, they have never had an argument blow up this rapidly. He was defending his best friend Dougie, as Nicole felt as if she should defend her best friend JD. In truth, Danny and Nicole should’ve let their best friends handle the situation since it had nothing to do with either of them, but once Danny had lit the fuse, it was all downhill. “You wouldn’t even have loyal friends like you do now if it weren’t for me!”

“So now you’re playing that card?” Nicole asked, placing her hands on her hips, slightly hurt. Danny knew about the hard times she went through with her past best friends. “I don’t… I can’t even look at you right now.”

“Baby,” Danny sighed. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Don’t care.”

“Baby, Nicki, please.” Danny went to pulled her in his arms, but she shrugged away from his touch. “I’m sorry.”

“Damage already caused.” she whispered before turning and walking out of his bedroom.

Even with the retelling of what happened, JD had caught only one thing out of it; Dougie loved her, he had strong feelings towards her, but thought it wouldn’t go any farther. She was partly happy that Dylan had got to him, but she didn’t like the fact that she had hurt him in the process.

But he had hurt her.

“I’m sorry,” JD mumbled as she observed the sulking girl sitting on her couch. “I don’t know how to fix it or what to do now.”

Nicole smile softly, “I know.”

“What?”

“I’m going to help you get Dougie back, I‘m going to help you fix this.”