Unsaid Things

Dougie didn't look as pleased by my news as most everyone else did. People were generally happy for me, but Dougie.. He looked crushed. And that hurt me like hell.

"Dougie, you alright?" I asked, looking up at him. Where Dougie was sort of on the short side, he was still taller then me.

"F-fine." He stammered. Then one of the guys he had come with walked over to him. I think his name was Danny, if I remembered correctly.

"Doug, what's wrong?" He asked.

"I knew something was wrong. Spill." I said. If this guy could tell something was wrong with Dougie, then there must be something wrong. Dougie was generally good at hiding things, and nobody knew him as well as I did, and this dude knew, so, something was wrong.

"It's nothing." He said quickly, working to straighten out his features. "Danny, this is Jeanette, the-" He started.

"Oh! So your Jeanette. I was starting to think that he made you up, since we never met you, but in his eyes everything is about you." Danny said, smiling. "Nice to meet you." He said, laughing when he noticed that Dougie had turned a bright red color.

"Likewise." I said, shaking his outstretched hand. Then I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I smiled, but only out of habit. For some reason I wasn't entirely happy to have Billy's arm around me at the moment. "Dougie, Danny, this is my fiance, Billy." I said. "Billy, this is my friend Dougie, and his friend Danny."

"Nice to meet you." Dougie said. I got the feeling he didn't think it was nice, however.

"It's nice to finally put the name with a face." Billy said simply. I noticed that Danny and Dougie both exchange a look at Billy's sharp tone. I frowned a bit.

"Billy, be nice." I said as if I were talking to my niece, who had gone back to running around the playground.

"What did I say? " He asked, looking down at me with a raised eyebrow. I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing, I guess. I'm just going to catch up with Dougie, okay?" I said, wanting to be away from him rather badly. He hesitated, but then nodded and kissed me- with a bit more... spunk then was necessary- and went to play with Annie.

"Well, I'll let you guys alone then." Danny said before running off to play football with another guy.

"So.. Er.. Getting married." Dougie said awkwardly. I nodded. "Thats... Great, Nette.. I'm glad your happy." He said, only seeming to be telling the truth with the last sentence. Without having to say a word to each other, we both started to walk away from th playground.

"What about you?" I asked as we walked.

"What about me?"

"You don't seem very happy." I told him. He merely shrugged. "Got a girlfriend?" He just shook his head. "Okay, Dougie, what's the matter? Your giving me the silent treatment, and I couldn't have done anything horrid already, seeing as we just saw each other."

"Sorry. I just... Don't know what to say." He said quietly.

This wasn't the Dougie I grew to know and love. The Dougie I knew was loud and obnoxious and..... Forward. This Dougie was quiet and reluctant.

I wanted my Dougie back.