Another filler, more drama to come after the exams :)------------------------

Songs:Photograph- Ed Sheeran --------------------------------------

Daniel POV

00:00 am

I slowly take a seat at my wooden desk, I sink into the cushion of my office chair. My toes brush against the floor as I pull myself in closer to the desk.

My room is pitch black. You can't see the photos stuck to my white walls. You can't see the stack of DVD's in the corner of my room next to my stack of CD's. You can't see the newly bought book set of Harry Potter on my bookshelf. You can't see the Top Gear calendar hanging on a gold hook on my wall. You can't see me, sitting here in my grey and black sweatshirt; my ear phones in, listening to photograph by Ed Sheeran, my fingertips drumming against the desk to the slow beat. You can't see my eyes closing as I bend my upper torso and rest my forehead against my forearm on the desk.

Why am I still hurting? I feel so much happier.

As photograph continues to play, I raise my head and grab the small light blue box on the desk, ledged between a pencil pot and my iPod dock. My pale hands grasp it and I pull it over so it is in front of me on the desk.

I lift the lid as delicately as I can and I place it where the box was originally, I turn on my dark blue desk light and a warm glow suddenly illuminates this corner of my room. My slightly shaking hands pull out one of stacks of photos, taken over the years by me or someone I know.

I hurriedly flick through them, ignoring most of them until I find the one that I want, I urgently shift the others into the box until I stop abruptly, my fingers smooth over the glossy paper, as if I am trying to absorb the happiness I felt in this picture to have her by my side throughout such a good summer, as well as the slight grief of her leaving. For what I thought would be forever.

Hazel and I stand on the cobblestone of the shop, sitting on a brick wall, my arm round her as she leans into me, a bright and stunning smile on her face, the sun making all of her best features glow. I too beam at the camera, I look immensely happy to have her besides me.

I let out a harsh breath that I didn't know I was holding, it's almost as if my former self from the summer is mocking me, I stare intently at the image version of myself who, obviously, continues to beam at me. It's as if he is saying "Look what I've got Foster, everything that you had, you let her slip through you fingers didn't you? Are you jealous of me? Are you?!"

My fingers grip the edges of the image, I think for a slight moment of tearing it into pieces and throwing them out of my open window. But I stop myself.

As I look at the picture again, I'm reminded of the memories. Even if she does loathe me now, she didn't back then.

I grab a small amount of blue-tac, I roll it between my fingers carefully and then I stick a wad of it onto each four corners. I pull down a picture of Josh, Ollie and I and I stick the picture of 'the happy couple' onto the space it has left. Then I place the picture of Josh, Ollie and I back over half of it, so you can just see me grinning, with someone's arm over my shoulder.

The photo flaps out slightly, as I haven't stuck the bottom right corner over the photo, it's so I can pull it back to get a glimpse of the only picture of her on my wall. Because I took the others down.

I wonder what she did with her copy of this picture.

Burnt it probably, into ashes, and kicked them about with Matt, laughing.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and I sit back at my desk, switching off the light and plunging the room into darkness once more.

The action I did with photo means a lot more though, it sort of metaphorically represents my feelings for Hazel. By having it on my wall, it reminds me of how I love her and by having the picture over it represents my friends support, but how it is there, and how it always will be. And I know she told me to forget about her, but at least it looks like I have, because I feel like I'm over her, but every now and then again, like tonight, it will come flooding back.

And I just don't want it to. I want it to end and for any remains of pain to be gone.

Why did it affect me so much in the first place?

***

Hazel POV

The blow up bed that I sit on sinks slightly and then bounces back as Kirsty sits on it besides me, Emma sits on her bed and then scoots to the floor, showing Kirsty some sort of scrap book that she had from her time at school.

My phone buzzes, my eyes glance at the white screen and Matt's name appears, I smile to myself and look back at the pair, giggling over a funny party shot.

My phone tells me it's past midnight, the text from Matt comes up when I type in my password.

Matt- HAZEL I'M BORED SAVE ME!

I chuckle to myself and quickly type my reply:

To Matt- I can't, go to a party or something, don't deny that you weren't invited to Polly's one, I'm sleeping over at Emma's with Kirsty.

Matt- Sounds like my sort of PARTAY! THAT WAS SARCASTIC BTW having fun?

To Matt- Yeah actually, it's nice to be with just them.

"Haze, who are you texting?" Emma asks and Kirsty looks up.

"Oh um...just my mum" I say smiling, they nod and I inwardly sigh with relief.

...I've got to go I've been spotted.

Matt- BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I shuffle over to the girls, and join them in looking at the album, I too laugh at a funny one of the three of us taken late last year when we went to the shopping centre, it was taken in a photo booth and I might ask her to photocopy me a copy.

"Hey Hazel, what's your favourite colour?!" Kirsty aske a little box in her hand which she is currently rummaging through.

"Uh...yellow...why?" I ask confused.

"I was thinking we could do each other's nails!"

I smile at her enthusiasm and nod, beaming at her wide grin.

"Oh oh! I have the perfect pastel shade of yellow! And I could do little while flowers on them with my new nail art pens!" Emma squeals with just as much excitement.

I smile at her, then lean back against her wardrobe as Kirsty sets to work with her nail file; each one of Emma's bedroom walls are a lilac colour, each contains one or two of her paintings in antique frames, but with a modern edge as they are spray painted black and white. In the far corner of her room she has a wide selection of paints and a selection of scented candles, next to her wardrobe she has a vast variety of posters, a couple containing her favourite musical groups and artists. A couple of checked flannel shirts hang from her white wardrobe and on a hook on her wall she has a few pendant necklaces and beads.

This room obviously belongs to an artist.

"I love having an artist friend" I say and Emma smiles at me, averting her concentration from my nails which Kirsty has all her attention on.

"Thanks Hazel, that means a lot"

I close my eyes, I listen to the Arianna Grande song that plays from her iPod dock, and I smile to some of the lyrics. I feel blissful, relaxed and calm, without a care or a worry in the world.

My eyelids open to the feel of gentle finger tips on my wrist, I look down from where my head was tilted to see that Emma has her hand wrapped around my wrist, her eyes focused on my charm bracelet, the smile disappears from her face and I frown at her.

"This is um...lovely...wherever did you get it?" she says, her voice sounds small, timid, nervous. Her eyes look...guilty?

Does she know who sent me this?

"Christmas. Although there was no tag, my parents said it was a secret Santa, although they were acting funny about it. Why?"

"Oh nothing. It's just pretty, I'm... jealous" she says, plastering on a fake smile, I close my eyes again and I hear her sigh. There is definitely something up, and I think she isn't telling me something.

***

It's nearing to 1 am, but there is really no rush for us to sleep, because we don't have classes until 10 today, because some classes still don't have heating, and Mr Erson claims it's taking a while for it to start up in the mornings, and also Em's parents are visiting her Aunt and Uncle in the mainland for a few days. Emma's older brother Steve is looking after her, but he's out for tonight. Currently we all sit watching Divergent, I'm not really paying attention as I've seen it several times before.

"Um Em?"

"Yeah Hazel" she answers, not tearing her eyes away from the screen, her blue eyes reflecting the bright light of the screen.

"Can I get a glass of water?"

"Sure"

"Thanks"

The bed creaks as I stand up, I stretch my legs and then I open the door, it squeaks unpleasantly as my feet pad onto the dark crimson carpet. I wiggle my toes in it and then I make my way to the stairs.

Her house is so beautiful, Victorian actually, but they've given it a modern twist and it looks amazing. Like her bedroom, there are paintings dotted around the walls, one or two are Emma's as they have a small E.M written at the bottom in cursive, white painted, font. There are a few pictures of Emma and her family around the house, I even find one of Emma and Ollie in the hallway, identical to the one in Emma's room, but I'm told that Emma's family adores Ollie. I don't blame them, he is such a good guy, and he would never hurt her.

He would believe her too.

I shake my head as I walk into the kitchen, the stone tile floor feels cold, I wince but manage to dash over to the sink. I reach for a glass on my tippy toes and I put it under the tap, pressing down the metal handle to get to it.

The water comes out quicker than expected as I fill it up, my bracelet slides down my arm. My eyes look down at it and I frown, what was up with Emma?

I jump at a sudden, quite hurried, knock at her front door. My heart begins to pound as I stare at the dark silhouette of someone standing behind it. I take a deep breath and rest the small of my back against the wood counter, sipping the ice cold water carefully.

"HAZEL CAN YOU GET THAT?!" Emma yells, I groan and put the glass down. "I THINK STEVE MIGHT BE BACK!" She continues.

"OKAY!"

I sigh in relief, walking to the door with more confidence than I would've had before.

I grab the keys from the coat closet, I slip the right one into the lock and I turn the handle, the draft begins to slip in as I pull it open.

"Hey Ste-" I cut off as I look up, my breath caught in my throat, the words lost as my eyes widen. My hand clutches the handle, I'm pretty sure my knuckles are turning white but I don't look.

Daniel.

My heart skips a beat as our eyes meet, his as green as ever, a casual look on his face. A hand tugging at his hair like he does when he is stressed out, but about what? His hand drops as we stare at each other, he doesn't seem to look at me though, it's like he is looking...through me.

He blinks and his eyes glance down to the bracelet on my wrist, I pull at it consciously and I push some hair behind my ear.

"Daniel" I greet, not smiling or glaring at him, but saying it with as decency as I can muster.

He doesn't reply, but then again I did tell him to keep his distance from me.

I hate him on one hand, I think what he did was out of order. But at the same time I do love him. Whether I am in love with him however...probably...maybe...okay fine yes. But I can't keep playing around with him, if he's to let me I have to let him go. I think I have done to be honest, but I think a part of me will always love him, it's that part that makes my heart hurt when I look at him, knowing that he has done what is best and followed through with what I said in the store room.

"I'm here to see Emma" he answers bluntly, as if I am some random girl off of the street, his eyes don't meet mine again, I meet his eyes quickly, blank, no emotion. I turn my head as Emma appears at the top of the stairs, our eyes connect and then they meet Dan's. She looks between the two of us and sighs, rubbing a hand through her dark high ponytail.

"I had a feeling this might happen at some point" she says, walking quickly down the stairs whilst adjusting her dressing gowns and then she stands next to me. She pats my shoulder and then looks back at Dan, who stares at her intently, an unknown message that I don't understand.

"I'll just be a minute Hazel"

She grabs Dan's wrist and pulls him into the house, shutting the door with her free hand, she pulls him away from me.

I watch them disappear down the dark corridor, to which I turned the lights out to on my way to the door, I watch the outlines of them as then they walk into the dining room and she shuts the door behind her.

I stand on the spot, rooted here with complete and utter confusion. Staring at the spot they stood in moments ago.

"What is Foster doing here?"

I look up at Kirsty, she leans on the banister with her arms folded, but instead of a look of loathing, she looks empathetic.

I'm not crying, I don't feel the burning of unshed tears, I just feel unhappy.

I walk up the stairs to join her, she puts her hands on my forearms and gives me the same knowing look she gave me in the kitchen. Then smiles and pulls me into a warm hug. She smells of jasmine, which although sweet, is not too strong and is calming, I relax and hug her back.

Well Matt. I think you were right.

She knows.

And he's also right about Dan. Sometimes he will have those days or nights where he just sits and let's his pain out every once and a while. Bit by bit until it is all gone.

And I fear. That tonight is one of those nights.