Boys of Summer

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 10th
11:16 AM
DANI'S POV

I sighed as I sat on my bed the next morning, Harry curled up on the chair in front of his closet, "I can't believe I'm here for another month." "Seriously," Harry nodded, pushing the buttons on his handheld game-thing.

Rolling my eyes, I reached into my purse and pulled out what I thought was my MP3 player, but was actually my cell phone. I was about to replace it when I realized I had a text. My brow furrowing, I flipped it open.

Hey, u still goin back 2 the US 2day

My eyes widened when I realized it was from Crick.

Actually, staying for the summer.
For real?
Yeah.
Then how about that party 2night?
Where is it???
Club Torrent @ 9:30
See u there

I smirked as Harry finally noticed I was doing something. "Hey, Dani, what've you got there?" "My cell phone." "What've you got that for," Harry asked, his brow furrowing. "I'm texting," I giggled at his confusion.

"Who would you be texting?" "Crick." "Who the hell is Crick?" "The guy you hated at the first interview I went with you to?" "Why the hell are you texting him?" "He texted me, I'm responding to be polite." Better not mention the party JUST yet. "Well, stop."

I rolled my eyes as Dillon walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered. "Hey, Dillon, come visit Tom with me." "Why?" "Because I said so," I rolled my eyes as I stood to grab his wrist. "She does that to you, too," Harry questioned, smirking at Dillon.

As nervous as Dillon is, I'll admit that Harry is doing all he can to make Dillon more comfortable. Dillon just has social problems, though, and he's overly paranoid, like I am. I'm hoping that Tom, who has never threatened Dillon before but is semi-shy, will help.

It sounds weird that I'm looking for someone shy, but it's just because Dillon will be terrified if someone comes on too strong, which Danny is likely to do. And Lord knows what will happen if I take him to talk to Dougie.

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 10th
12:31 AM
DANI'S POV

I smiled as I walked into Harry's room, "I have accomplished the impossible." "How so?" I didn't say anything, and his brow furrowed, "Where's Dillon?" "He's made a new friend. He's playing a Star Wars video game with Tom." "Star Wars?" "Star Wars." "Very nice."

I smiled in agreement, "Yeah, Dillon is a nerdy geek. Tom just might be his soul mate." Harry laughed, "So, tonight, I was thinking-" "Uh, actually, I have plans." "Oh," Harry said, trying not to seem annoyed that I hadn't told him before, "With Jess?"

"With Crick," I replied, trying to slip into the bathroom unnoticed. "Hold it," Harry yelled, and I froze halfway through the doorway, flinching in preparation for the blow, "You aren't going on a date with him."

"It isn't a date," I replied craftily, "It's just a party-" "Even worse! No, nope, no way, you're staying home tonight and shopping for a chastity belt online, or something." "Why? Nothing will happen." "Well, if nothing will happen, then you'll let McFly come along."

"What? No!" I protested, "I don't need a chaperone everywhere I go, Harry." "Not everywhere -- just to this party, and every party for the rest of your life." "Harry, no! I just want to go and hang out with some other people for the night!"

"So now we're boring?" 'If I say 'yes,' can I go?" "No," Harry replied, "If you go to that party, McFly is going along." "Har-" "Dani," Harry said, his voice lowering, "You don't know the creeps out there. I know you're very good about handling creeps, but twenty creeps? Thirty?"

Harry shook his head as a shiver went down his spine, "Nope, definitely not. Someone is going with you." "No, someone is not." "Why not just Jess?" "You would trust Jess to go with me," I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry bit his lip, thinking it over in his head, "What about Tom? Tom and you could have some fun at a party, you two could go after you drop Dillon off at the airport." "Why does ANYONE need to go with me?" "Because it's a party, with people you don't know. It's common sense to have someone go with you."

"Someone I know will be there," I pointed out, "Crick." "He doesn't count, you've talked to the bloke what, twice?" "Actually," I said, standing very proudly and tall in the doorway to the bathroom, "He and I have been texting for my ENTIRE vacation here, so I've known him for almost two weeks."

"Doesn't matter." "You'd let me go if Tom went with me, and I've only known him for two weeks." "Yes, but I've known him for years. I can trust him to take care of you." I rolled my eyes, "This is ridiculous! I'm seventeen, I'll be fine on my own for one night."

"We'll never know, because it won't be happening," Harry spat back. "Harry, I can obviously take care of myself, why won't you let me?" "Because men are pigs, and I don't want you talking to them. There will be NO party!"

I groaned in annoyance, stomping into the bathroom to shower and glower at a mental image of Harry.

Tom's Car, London, UK
July 10th
9:52 PM
DANI'S POV

I sighed as I sat in the car, my head pressed against the window. "Hey, Tom, you ever been to Club Torrent?" Tom glanced over at me oddly from the front seat of the car. He and I had just gotten done dropping off Dillon at the airport, and now we were on our merry way home for a boring night of movies and video games.

"I went to its opening. It was alright. Very posh." I made a noise of recognition, and Tom look at me quizzically, "Why do you ask?" "Harry didn't tell you," I questioned. I'd figured Harry had warned Tom NOT to take me to the club, to drive me straight back to the flat and never let me look at a boy again.

"Tell me what?"

Okay, Dans, you have two choices: ignore Harry's dull advice, go to the party, get in huge trouble and possibly embarrassed in front of everyone at the party because Harry shows up and drags you out, or go back like a good girl and spend the next four weeks with Harry, Tom, Danny, and Dougie, 24/7, with intermittent periods of Jess.

The choice seemed clear, "Oh, Harry wanted you to drop me off there, for a party. He seriously didn't tell you?" "No, guess he forgot to mention it. A party, eh? Without the McFly boys?" I laughed nervously, "Yeah, I'm branching out."

"Alcohol at the party?" "Probably." "You have any money for a cab home?" "No, but I can get a ride." "Harry didn't give you money?" "I can get a ride," I assured Tom, smiling. I was going to get away with going to the party!

"Well, here, take some money, in case you can't find a ride," Tom offered, pulling out his wallet and throwing it at me. Now, that's trust, I thought as I rifled through Tom's credit cars to pull out a bill with a twenty on it.

"Take some change, too, in case your cell phone dies." "I can borrow a cell phone," I laughed. "Just take it," Tom insisted, laughing a little too. "God," I said sarcastically "You're turning into Harry."

"No," Tom pointed out, "If I was turning into Harry, I probably wouldn't let you go to this party at all!" My face fell as Tom said that, but the blonde boy continued, "It's actually pretty strange, that he's letting you go." "Yeah, strange."

Harry/Danny's Apartment, London, UK
July 10th
10:09 PM
HARRY'S POV

My brow furrowed as I watched Tom walk into my apartment confidently, sans Dani. "Hey, Tom," I started carefully, "Dans is still in the car, then?" "Nope." "Stopped to pick something up at the store?" "No," Tom said, looking at me oddly.

My face fell as I remembered our earlier argument, "Tom, where is my cousin?" "She went to the party. She said you'd given her permission." My eyes went wide, "She went to the party?" "Didn't you give her permission?"

My jaw set in place, it took a lot of self-control to not choke the guitarist, It's Dani's doing. She tricked him. Not his fault. "Is Dans in trouble," Dougie questioned from in front of the TV, almost gleeful at the prospect.

Annoyed, I threw a pillow at him, "Shut up!" "She's in trouble," Dougie declared, his eyes lighting up. "Not now, but she's going to be." "Who invited her to the party? She only knows us and Jess." "That wanker who chatted her up at Paul O'Grady's." "What was his name? Crack?"

"Crick," I corrected. "Oh, damn, I can't believe she went, after I specifically told her not to go," I muttered, standing up and wandering what to do. "I know where I dropped her off – it can't have been far from where the party is," Tom offered.

"Yeah," Danny agreed, speaking for the first time, "She was in those monster heels of hers. And she's got no money for a cab." "We can just go and get her," Tom offered, looking uncomfortable as he finished Danny's thought.

"No, no," I decided quickly, "She thinks she can go out by herself, she'll go out by herself. Some real-life experience with boys her own age will do her good." "So you're just going to… let her go," Dougie questioned, his face showing his confusion.

"Oh, no, she'll get into trouble by herself." "So we're going to go after her?" "No," I responded, "She needs to see what it's like." "So what do you want to do," Danny questioned, desperately confused at my logic. "I want one of us to go and watch her to make sure we can get her out of trouble."

"So she can learn, but still not be hurt," Tom finished, "Brilliant. One problem – whose going to go?" I bit my lip as I thought over the question – she'd be looking for Tom or I, but Danny and Dougie have no common sense. Jess might just get herself into trouble, since she isn't much bigger than Dani. In fact, Jess might hinder Dani's attempts to get away, since I'm not sure of Jess' self-defense skills.

If she sees whoever I send, it's all over. So either Danny or Dougie. Well, who's least likely? "Dougie," I decided. "What," Dougie questioned, whining. "She'll suspect you the least." "But I can't fight," Dougie pointed out.

"Yes, but you can provide a terrifying presence," I replied, unsure of my decision though I continued to fight it's opposition, "Scare them away." "Oh, right," Danny laughed, "Cause Dougie's terrifying." "A right Peter Andre, he is," Tom commented, also laughing.

"Look, Dani can do the fighting if you just distract them and glare at them," I insisted. "If she can do the fighting, then why does she need me at all?" "Because most guys won't bother trying if they see another guy coming to her rescue."

"But I'm not scary," Dougie insisted. "Dougie," I said, rather exasperated with the nineteen year old, "It doesn't matter. You're a man, you have testosterone, and other guys are scared of any sort of competition."

Dougie rolled his eyes, and was about to respond when I cut him off, "Look, I know you don't like Dans very much, but she's like a sister to me, and I promised her mum I'd take care of her. You know I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her, so please, help her? For me?"

If I was a girl, I'd have pouted at the end, but instead I just tried to look pitiful without risking manliness. Dougie sighed, who can fight the 'for me' card? "Alright, alright, I'll go. Where'd you drop her off?"

"In front of that new-age club, Club Torrent." Dougie groaned, "I hate that place! You remember when we went to it's opening? It was horrid!" "Dougie-" I warned. "I'm going, I'm going, just let me change."

On the way out, though, I could hear Dougie's angry mutterings, "Better not be at that bloody club, rip that girl's bloody head open if I-" The door slammed shut and Dougie went to change and leave.

Tom sighed as he sat on the loveseat, "Sorry about that, man. She said that you told her it was okay. I figured Jess was meeting her in there." "It's alright," I replied through gritted teeth.