Just One Step

After really having to go to the bathroom for another 30 minutes and Louis almost breaking 15 more things, I begrudgingly agreed to go on tour with One Direction. I called Tay to tell her, but apparently Uncle Mark had already told her as a back up plan and she had called over Devin to help convince me. As soon as she picked up the yelling commenced

“I was just about to call you! But Dani, you better be calling to tell me you are going on tour because if you don’t, I will drag you onto the tour bus myself,”

“Do you know how many bands would kill to go on tour?” Dev asked me. “If you turn this down, I just might have to shoot you,”

“Guys, guys,” I said. “Calm down, the boys already convinced me,”

“Thank god,” said Tay.

“Yeah. So I’m going, but I don’t want to, I’m just going to mess up on stage,”

“How’d they get you to agree,”

“They showed up at work and Louis kept almost breaking things until I said yes,”

“So when do you leave?” Dev asked.

“Umm I don’t know, let me ask the boys,” I pulled the phone away from the ears and yelled over to the boys. “Hey! When does this tour even start?”

“Two days,” said Niall. I was about to relay the message to Dev but apparently Tay had heard, because she started yelling.

“We need to go shopping! Sorry Dani, but you don’t have anything that will work for this. You need to look really hot. Like really hot.”

“I’ll be fine Tay,”

“No, come over to my house now. We have to have a going away party before you leave too” She said.

“I get off in ten minutes,”

“Oh, and bring the boys we’ll need multiple opinions.” Then she hung up.

“Hey guys?” They all looked over at me. “Tay has demanded your presence.”

***

When we reached Tay’s apartment, it appeared as if she had gathered the entirety of our social life. I saw Dav and her sitting together on the couch, and Sean and Liv on the other. Emma, Jenna’s twin, and her friend Scarlett. Uncle Mark and his boyfriend, John. Everyone. I smile spread across my face, but it quickly passed when I saw the two other people who were standing in the back.

“Okay everyone!” Tay shouted above everyone’s conversation. “I have an announcement. Unless Dani wants to tell you herself?” I could tell she wanted to, Tay loved announcing things.

“Go ahead Tay,”

“Okay, so only a few of you know this, but Dani has recently recorded her first single, and it comes out tomorrow!” she squealed. “But I think she should give you the next part of the news,”

The room grew quiet.

Everyone was starring at me.

James was starring at me.

I have to push through this.

Just tell them! There will be way more people when you are actually on stage.

Nope. Can’t.

Yes! I have to. Prove James wrong, you can take risks.

That’s when I felt it.

Niall had walked up and put his arm around me.

I can.

“I’m going on tour!” I said. “I’ll be leaving in two days,” I glanced at Niall. He was smiling back at me. I looked around the room. Everyone was smiling. This was amazing. Then I saw James, and he wasn’t smiling, he was starring at me, with an expression that appeared to me shock.

“Let’s celebrate!” shrieked Tay. She ran over to the stereo and I head the start of a song. The song. She was playing my song. Mark must have given it to her. Soon people realized what was playing and I was blushing. Then I saw him walking over to me, without Jenna. Great.

“Hey, you’re a pretty good singer Danielle,” James was the only one that ever still called by my full name,

“Yeah,” I said, standing with my feet close together and fiddling the edge of my shirt.

“Look, I’m sorry about what I did,” he said. I looked away but his hand went to my cheek and guided my head so I was looking at him.

“What about Jenna,” I said, stepping back from him. He put his hand around my waist and pulled me close.

“We never were,” he paused. His pauses were always what got me. Something about watching him as he thinks out his next few words… “Exclusive,” he finished.

“So, it was like me, but you weren’t lying?” I asked, pushing away from him, He held me close, and I couldn’t move away.

“No, what I did to you was a mistake,” he said. “I miss you Danielle,”

“No you don’t,” I said.

“No really babe,” he said, looking me in the eyes. “I do. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing that you were on tour with all those boys and you didn’t know that I still cared.”

“We’re coming back here for a week before we go to the UK,” I said. “I doubt you would die, in the mean time. Plus how would you fuck Jenna if you were dead,”

“You’re killing me darling,” he said. “Just give me a chance.”

“I don’t know,” I said, resting my gaze on the floor. He took his hand and tilted my head up.

“At least call me when you’re on tour?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll call,”

“Everyday?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said. He put his arms around me and pulled me into a hug.

A hug that I had missed dearly.