Boys of Summer

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 9th
7:16 PM
OMNISCIENT POV

Harry giggled into the camera as he ducked behind the counter, "This is so exciting." "Harry," Dougie scolded as the camera turned on him, "It's a birthday party for your cousin. There's only going to seven people." "I haven't been able to be at her birthday party since she was thirteen!"

"Oh, three birthdays gone by without you," Dougie mocked, his hands waving above his head and his eyes rolling, "Scary." "Shut up," Harry responded, slapping Dougie on the head. "So, Harry," Dougie spoke into the camera, which was being held by the drummer, "You sure that Jess hasn't let on to anything?"

"She's not an idiot," Harry scolded, turning off the camera and letting it hang by his side as he continued to crouch, as if Dani was going to walk into the apartment any second. "Yes, but girls classically can't keep secrets." "Neither can Danny, but he didn't tell, did he," Harry hissed.

With wide eyes, the two band members exchanged terrified looks. "Where is Danny," Harry questioned. "He's... getting the cake?" "Is the cake-place anywhere near where Jess could possibly be taking Dans?" Dougie stumbled over himself to answer, "If the cake place is... in London. Jess was going to take Dans all over."

Quickly, Harry flipped out his cell phone, dropping the camera to the ground. He didn't have to look as he pushed a button, presumably speed dial, and then the green call button. "Dans?" "Hey, Harry," Dougie could clearly hear Dans respond.

"Uh, Dans, what time did you plan on getting home?" "Uh, Jess is walking me over right now. We were just- Hey, is that Danny? I thought the boys were- " Harry snapped the phone shut, a terrified look in his eyes.

Within moments, the two boys thought of the last time Danny had attempted to lie, realized how screwed they were if Dans caught Danny with the cake, and ran for the door. Harry wasn't sure where he was going, so he had to hang back, but there was a mutual sense of urgency felt by the pair.

Dougie seemed to be, and was, leading the charge down the four blocks to the bakery where he and Danny had ordered the cake from. Upon sighting the guitarist standing dumbfounded outside the bakery, Dougie managed to stretch his relatively short legs a little longer. He had no plan but, if anyone knew him, they'd know that he rarely does.

Dougie grabbed the cake out of Danny's hands, scaring the poor boy half to death. Careful not to drop it, Dougie continued to turn into a dodgy alley, hoping that Danny was too confused to run after him, or that Harry had caught up to Danny and was yelling at him to let it go and keep his mouth shut.

Taking a deep breath, Dougie started back for the apartment, carefully keeping an eye out for Dans, Jess, or the other two McFly members. Breathlessly, Dougie reached the elevator at the same time as Tom did, who was talking to an unfamiliar boy Dougie knew to be Dillon.

"No, Tom, no time to wait for the elevator," Dougie said, grabbing the blonde boy's arm and dragging him towards the stairs. "What," Tom questioned, following Dougie. Dillon was left to trail behind.

"Dans is on her way, the elevator is slow, come on," Dougie nearly cried. Oh, how I hate stairs, Dougie thought, his legs pumping as he tried to carry the cake steadily.

The three boys heard the door open from below, "Dans! Don't walk so fast. You bought, like eighty pairs of shoes. I can't go up stairs that fast." "Oh, you lazy bums." The sound of her voice gave Dougie renewed stamina, and he opened the door and ushered Tom and Dillon inside.

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 9th
7:30 PM
DANI'S POV

I sighed as I sat in the stairwell; Harry was being weird. He slammed the door on me and yelled something about bugs in the apartment. I tried to remind him that I'm not scared of bugs, but when someone slams the door in your face it's kind of hard for them to here you.

Jess then insisted that the stairwell was cooler than the hall, that the hall was stuffy, and that she was overheating. I didn't know what to say to that, except that there was water in the apartment, if my cousin wasn't an overprotective freak.

Suddenly, Jess' cell phone buzzed. She flipped it open, "Right, come on." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the hallway, which wasn't all that much hotter than the stairwell, and opened the door.

"Jess, what-" "SURPRISE!" I screamed at the loud sound, all but jumping into Jess' arms. My eyes grew wide as I observed what I guess was supposed to be a party for me. "Guys, my birthday isn't for, like, three days!" "And you're leaving tomorrow," Harry said, smiling as he wrapped an arm around me.

"Aw, ya'll are sweet," I said, trying not to be all girly-gushy. "And we got a surprise," Tom said, smiling. He pointed toward the counter, and I screamed as a shaggy brown head peaked over the bar. "DILLON!"

I ran for the boy, wrapping my arms around his neck and nearly strangling him. "Happy Birthday, Dani," he said, laughing at me. I pulled away, my jaw slightly dropping, "How the hell did you get here?"

"Your cousin called and asked if I'd come up. He paid for the plane ticket and everything." I turned to face Harry in amazement, feeling like I could cry. Wordlessly, I embraced my cousin. "I love you." "Love you," he responded. He pulled away, sharing a small smile with me.

"Alright, if that whole emotional part is done and over, we can have some beer," Dougie suggested. He stood by the refrigerator, and my brow furrowed. "Dougie, did you steal something from Danny on the street?"

Dougie face fell, and he looked at either side of him, "What would give you that impression?" "Because I saw somebody take something from Danny and run away with it. Somebody in that shirt." "I may have retrieved something in a quick manner from Danny's left and right arms," he said, trying to be mysterious.

Danny laughed, "Dougie, why would you do that? I almost had a poo in my pants!"

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 9th
9:42 PM
DANI'S POV

I groaned, "Why did you guys get me presents?" "Because you're turning seventeen," Harry laughed, "Everybody gets presents on their birthday, love." "I hate getting presents." "I know," Harry rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arm around my waist, "Just bear accepting our gracious offerings, your majesty."

"Shut up," I scowled as I sat in the middle of the couch. I don't know what it is about presents, I just don't like getting them. I think it's because my parents never got me good gifts, so presents usually meant faking happiness. Damn presents, you ruin my birthday!

"Dans, Dans," Danny urged, shoving a bag at me, "Open mine first." Tom promptly sat on Danny, "No, Dans, you know mine rocks the hardest." Jess rolled her eyes on my far left, Dillon sat awkwardly to my right, and Harry to my immediate left. Dougie sat calmly on one of the barstools as Danny and Tom fought on the loveseat.

Ignoring both the boys, I grabbed a present that sat immediately in front of Harry's half-eaten piece of cake. "This one looks pretty," I commented, drawing the attention of the two combatants on the loveseat. "Hey," they both protested, but again I ignored them as I observed the gift.

"Dude, who did the crazy wrapping job?" Most of the other presents were just in bags, save for Jess' who was in a tastefully wrapped box. This box, however, is decked out with ribbons, bows, festive paper, and it is all color coordinated. I heard Dougie laugh nervously, "Uh, the store offered to wrap it for me because I said something about a birthday."

My eyes rose to meet Dougie's embarrassed ones in amazement, "You got me a present?" My voice broke with emotion; not that it's important if Dougie likes me or not, but it would make things so much easier if he did. "Yeah, well..."

Dougie trailed off as I ripped into the present. I smirked to find surprisingly cute fedora. "You don't have any good ones," Dougie defended, scratching the back of his head. I rolled my eyes, Just take it. "Thank you Dougie. I'll hug you later." "Please don't."

Harry scuffed as he reached forward to grab Jess' box, "This one is the next prettiest, open it." "Hey," Danny protested, "Mine is gorgeous." "Yours is in a bag meant for Christmas," Harry pointed out, and Jess giggled. "Still pretty," Danny muttered as I continued to maul Jess' present open.

My jaw dropped, "Jess, this is gorgeous." I pulled the necklace out of the box from on top of the dress, both of which were absolutely, and I hate to sound cliché here, fabulous. The necklace was a long gold chain, and the pendant was a locket embroidered with a rose. The dress was a short black dress with a simple golden and cream design along the top.

I leaned over Harry to hug my friend, "Thank you!" Jess laughed, "No big." "And now for mine," Tom said, shoving the gift in front of me. "Hey," Danny protested, and I grabbed both boy's presents as fast as I could.

"How about this," I proposed, "I open both of yours right now, and then open Harry's and Dillon's last." Danny's nose wrinkled and he grabbed his present from my hand, "I wanna be last." I rolled my eyes, and Tom shrugged, "I'll go now."

At that moment, the phone rang, and Harry ran to grab it. "Hey, Aunt Mon. Yeah-" I tuned out as Harry started talking to my mother, opening the box and smiling. "Ah," I said, not actually screaming it but wishing I could. How come these guys that have known me for two weeks are getting me cooler presents than my parents do?

"It's so you won't steal mine," Tom explained as I held up the guitar-pick necklace for everyone to see. "It's gorgeous," I replied as I slipped it on, leaning over and hugging Tom as I kissed him on the cheek.

"I guess mine would be next," Dillon said, shoving a bag at me. I smiled at him, putting my arm around him as the other casually reached into the bag. Dillon... wasn't fitting in exactly among McFly. See, among our friends at school, Dillon was semi-godly because he rocks at pool - and is already known by our friends, so it was fine if he said stupid-shit, but around people he didn't know he was very shy.

So far, he's loved Jess, ticked off Dougie, and avoided Harry because of Harry's death threats from when we were dating. Therefore, minus the fact that he was avoiding Harry and doesn't like Danny, he's like I started out. It's just a shame he won't have two weeks to get to know these guys.

"It isn't much," Dillon admitted, "And I kind of got it while we were still dating. Jenna mentioned it once-" I gasped, "Dillon, how did you find this?" "I-" "HARRY," I cried. I jumped over the table, tears almost in my eyes. Everyone looked at me oddly, including Harry, "Dans, I'm on the-"

"Look," I insisted, shoving the ring at him. Harry's jaw dropped when he caught sight of it, "Is that-" I nodded.

Maybe I should explain: growing up, I had a favorite uncle. And I mean, he was EVERYONE'S favorite uncle. Every family has one of them. And one day, I asked him why he wasn't married, and he told me that he was going to propose, once upon a time. But she died in a car crash. He then showed me the prospective engagement ring - three hearts made of rubies on a gold band with diamonds.

I asked why rubies and my uncle told me that his love had been born in July, like I had. I fell in love with the ring immediately, and when I turned ten, he gave it to me as my Christmas present. He died three months later, as favorite uncles tend to do.

For four years, I took such great care of that ring until, during my swimming classes, it was stolen. I was so torn up I had to leave school for the day. The principal assured me that the thief would be caught, but they never were. They made off with thirteen Ipods, ten expensive pieces of jewelry, and, according to my friend, an entire pack of her tampons.

But here I stood, with an exact replica of the ring in my hands. Well, Harry took it to examine it, so it isn't exactly in my hands, but still! "What is it," Dougie questioned. Harry gently laid the ring in my open palm, as if it might break. I slipped it on my hand, observing it for a few minutes in shocked awe.

Dillon sat awkwardly on the couch, Danny gawking at him. Slowly, I walked over, trying to stay composed. I grabbed Dillon around the shoulders as I sat next to him, my eyes closed as I tried to stop the beating of my heart.

"What is it," Dougie asked again lamely. I smiled as I pulled away from Dillon, "It's a ring." "Damn," Dougie rolled his eyes, "Someone got emotional over a stupid piece of jewelry." I shot a glare as I quickly retold the story of my Uncle Simon.

Danny's eyes grew wide, "Damn, how does someone follow that gift up..." He smirked, "Well, Harry's gift's next." Harry smiled as he hung up from the phone with my mother. "Harry's gift is Dillon," I said, confused.

"No, mine's in the blue bag," "What? No, you pay for my best friend's plane ticket, you need to buy nothing else." "Yeah, but open that gift, then I have a bit of news." I rolled my eyes, pulling a rather beautiful choker out of the bag. "It's lovely, Harry," I said, looking at him like 'What-the-fuck-are-you-doing-stop-wasting-money.'

"Okay, fine, but listen to this - that was your mother on the phone." "Really," Tom asked, smirking as he sipped his beer. "Shut up, that isn't the news. She said that currently your father and her are still fighting over custody of you, that it’s getting nasty, and she doesn't think that you should come back to the States yet."

My brow furrowed, "So, what? I'm homeless for the summer?" "No, she was hoping you could stay in England for the rest of your holiday!"
...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Danny's eyes grew wide as I ran towards Harry, jumping the table yet again to embrace my cousin. "Bloody hell, show my gift up, all of you." "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" "Yeah! Someone's going all around with us for the rest of the summer!"

Tom joined in the hug, also squealing, but he was doing it to make fun of me. Jess was next, leaving Dougie to sit appalled on the barstool as he sipped his drink, Dillon still sitting awkwardly on the couch, and Danny with his head in his hands, shaking his head because 'bloody gits keep showing up my gift.'