Hi again.

Just quick. I reached 9K! Thanks so much for your everlasting support guys!

Oh and I'm sick again. My parents say it is because I am constantly stressed and it is actually bad for my immune system, which causes these bad colds I have been getting.

Well isn't that just dandy?

I'm updating early for you guys. Sorry I don't really usually have time to upload more than once a week. Due to school and sometimes having no motivation. Writing a decent-ish chapter for you guys is important and takes time :)

Hope you enjoy. Sorry if spacing is weird again.

-Lx

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Hazel POV

It's now our third day in London, we went to the London eye the first day and just yesterday we did the educational part of the trip and took a tour bus over to The Globe Theatre, where we were shown around by a tour guide who spoke in a dull tone, but Mr Gore helped to make it more interesting and then we sat and watched a live performance of Romeo and Juliet.

But you know the weirdest part of yesterday?

Matt and Dan were acting like the very best of friends.

Matt and Dan. BEING CIVIL?!

My hands grasp the white china of my coffee cup, I shake my head and chuckle a little. I glance down at the tea that was served to me in it, I pick up a recently-shined spoon and I watch the colour turn as I add milk.

Dan asked me to come and meet him for coffee in this little shop next door, I slightly feel like I am betraying Gavin a little....but I feel a bit like a spy, about to leak him so information on secret ideas and recipes.

I have no idea why he wants to meet me...in fact I am a little nervous.

But what could've happened between the 8 or so hours that I saw Matt and Dan on the first day, where they avoided eye contact and stood away from each other. To yesterday, when Matt actually was laughing, talking, high-fiving and at one point actually hugging him?

I spoke to Josh and Ollie, who are also accepting Matt as if he were an old friend and they've known each other for years. And then said they have no idea what happened between Dan and Matt.

Kirsty and Emma said I shouldn't stress about it, and just be happy that whatever happened righted wrongs and formed some weird bond between the two of them.

I relax back into the plush material on my side of the booth I picked out, I continue to stir my tea until I'm happy with it.

I mean, Matt spoke to me a lot yesterday, but he was the opposite of what he was before when forced into Dan's presence. He spent the same amount of time talking to me as usual, having a usual conversation. But...I just can't get my head around it.

My elbows slide along the wood and I huff, resting my head in my hands. I glance up to my right at the blue sky outside; I let my eyes drift after the clouds for a brief time, then I go back to starring at my lap. I tap at my exposed knees, due to my white denim shorts, with my fingertips. And yes I am wearing shorts in May, call me crazy, but it's really lovely and fairly hot outside. And if it gets cold, I will know for next time.

I raise my hands to scrape through the top of my hair and fiddle with the French plait embodied at the back of my head, a little black hair tie holding it into place. It feels tight and slightly uncomfortable as I press my fingers to each little segment of hair, pulled almost against my skull, I pull the tie out and then run my fingers through it as it frees itself into hair that is curlier than usual.

"Hey Hazel"

I glance up from my coffee cup as Dan smiles down at me, I smile a tight-lipped smile back and he slips into the booth opposite me.

"Can I get you something sir?" a young blonde woman with a notebook and a pencil behind her ear asks. Looking incredibly uninterested.

"Yeah, I'll have a mint tea please" he leans forward on the table and smiles at the blonde girl, he smiles. She scribbles it down on her notebook with a sigh.

"I'll bring it right over then sir" she drones, huffing to herself, she then shoves her notebook into her apron pocket and walks away to another table.

"Wow, happy then" he says rather loudly, I shhh him and he laughs, which ends up in me laughing along with him.

"Sorry I was late by the way, Ollie and Emma and Kirsty and Josh went out on a 'couples lunch' so Matt and I were left, so we ended up going swimming, did you know that there's a pool in the basement?!"

I stare at him blankly and shake my head. He frowns and folds his arms over each other on the wooden table and looks at me sternly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing...well, it's just...one minute you and Matt are refusing to talk and now he's a part of the group and acting like your best friend! I just don't understand"

"Oh right...that" he sighs, rubbing at the back of his neck and avoiding my eyes when I look up at him, demanding an explanation. The waitress arrives with his tea, which makes the air around us smell of fresh mint and slightly makes me want to devour a bar of mint chocolate.

He sips from it, then presses his lips together as he swallows and then returns his eyes back to mine.

"Okay Hazel. So if you hadn't figured it out already, it was Matt being the stubborn one here, not me, I never had a problem with Matt...except I was quite jealous of how he spent so much time with you and that you trusted him so much"

"Right"

"The day when you were pushed over in the park, Matt seemed to come to his senses and realise that we both care about you a lot. So he woke me up, in the middle of the night and took me to a park. We talked everything through and realised that we do actually have things in common, which is a reason why we have been getting on so well. Yesterday, it was almost like I had known him all my life, I suddenly felt so comfortable around him and he seemed be the same around me. Josh and Ollie both think he is great so...everything seems to have worked out"

I smile at him, sipping from my tea quietly as he waits patiently for my reaction. I pat my lips dry with the napkin and pat his arm for reassurance when he looks slightly panicked.

"That is so good to hear. Oh thank god, I thought I was going to go insane over the fact that two boys that mean so much to me, couldn't stand each other"

He laughs and shrugs his shoulders, then rests the side of his head in one hand.

"So, why did you want to meet me?"

His shoulders slump, I raise my eyebrows as he looks up at me through his minty eyes and he shakes his head and presses his face into his hands.

"Dan?" I place a hand on his head and unsurely tap it.

Damn. His hair is still so soft. I forgot about the fact that he actually cares for his hair.

I go against my urge of stroking it and I rest my palms firmly on the table. He looks up at the sound of his name and I tap my finger pads against the table. He smiles almost nervously.

"I wanted to um...ask you something?"

My stomach immediately drops, I begin to fidget in my lap with my hands, twisting my fingers together out of apprehension. I gulp and look at him, he studies me carefully, my actions clearly not helping the situation.

Ask me what?

Wait....he's not going to ask....not now, please not now in this tiny little coffee shop in London, when I am having a good time. Please.

"I wanted to ask if you would like me to escort you to the dance next week" he fiddles with the rolex watch on his wrist.

Dan has a Rolex? One of those super, mega expensive watches that all those famous people love to wear and rub in our faces?

Wait. What did Dan just say?!

Clueless as ever Hazel. Congrats.

"I'm sorry?" I question, looking up at him again and away from the hundreds of pounds that he wears on his wrist.

"Would you like me to escort you to the dance next week?" he asks timidly, I stare at him blankly and I blink slowly.

"Escort?"

"Yeah. Like, not going together. But just me...taking you there and then maybe driving you home?"

"So you're not asking me to the dance?"

"No I'm asking to escort you"

Pretty sure that meant the exact same thing in the 1950's.

"I'll have to think about it" I say, with no emotion in my voice. He nods, rather disappointedly.

THINK ABOUT IT? Hazel, for fucks sake how long have you been ranting to Matt about how much you love this green eyed, dark haired, hilarious and not to mention very interesting and good looking boy sitting in front of you? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Well, dearest conscience, I shall tell you. I think I'm scared of everything happening too quickly and that it could all crash and burn.

Oh sure sure. If you were perhaps in Kirsty's shoes. She's going with JOSH FLIPPING EVANS. And if anyone should be scared of 'everything happening too quickly' or 'everything crashing and burning' it will be her no? Because is this kind, soft, thoughtful Daniel fucking Foster. You know, the one that all the girls swooned over that one time because of how sensitive, sweet and gentlemanly he is?

Yeah...but he's not perfect. He has his flaws. I can't predict the future!

Nobody is perfect Hazel, not even that guy on telly that you were practically drooling over the other day!

I wasn't actually, I simply was craving Nandos. And besides, you seem to be acting like I'm in love with the damn boy.

Your point?

I love him sure. I'm not in love with him!

Whatever you say...Hazelnut.

***

I sit opposite Emma and Kirsty in the little restaurant downstairs where they are serving afternoon tea.

"I thought you guys went on a couples lunch or something?" I sip my second cup of tea of the day and I take a bite from a minuscule smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich.

"We were, but this isn't exactly filling is it? And we wanted to catch up with you" says Emma, she glances at Kirsty who grins at her and they both giggle.

"What?" I say, making a grab for a fancy looking chocolate cake and peeling off the little black and gold striped wrapper.

"How's it going with you and Dan?!" Kirsty suddenly seems to burst as if she couldn't hold it in anymore. Emma glares at slightly and rolls his eyes.

"You could've phrased it slightly better than that Kirst" she sighs and shakes her head, they both look back at me in full interest.

"News spreads fast huh?" I mutter, biting into the cake as they both look excited.

"Oh we're going to have to go dress shopping! I know how much you hate it, but we could find you the perfect little number to..."

"Okay hold up a minute! He did not ask me to go with him, he asked to 'escort' me there and then we can go our separate ways. And besides, I haven't exactly given him an answer yet"

"WHAT!" they both yell, causing people to turn and shhh and stare.

"Look, I'm worried okay? Lay off my back"

"You didn't say yes?! Hazel, last summer you said yes when he asked you to be his girlfriend" says Emma.

"In that little alley way" Kirsty smirks, then sips her pink lemonade, surveying me over the rim of her glass.

"That was last summer nearly a whole year ago! I was younger, more naïve, I had no idea what was coming"

"And? You're still in love the guy. You should be jumping at the chance to spend some alone time with him before our end of first year at college dance"

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm in love with him? Face it girls, times were different back then, things have changed. Now if you would excuse me"

I get up from the cream floral settee that I was sat on, and I stroll out of the room, I get into the elevator and press the right floor button. I glance at my reflection in the mirror and blow a strand of my side fringe from my face.

The doors chime and I gasp as I see Matt standing there, obviously waiting to lecture me.

I'm about to press another button, until he looks up and says my name. I groan and reluctantly step out of the elevator.

"What's this about not going with Dan to the dance?" he asks as I stop in front of him, not really feeling like having the same conversation I had about two minutes ago.

"Oh my god seriously?! Not you too, Matt, you should know better than this, you know how worried I get. The past can repeat itself, everything could go wrong!"

He places his hands on my shoulder and forces me to look at him.

"You can get the chance to go in Dan's new car, in a pretty dress, sat beside him with his gelled hair that you love, that little gleam of his eyes that you used to talk about all the time and not to mention he will be in a suit, which, oh look another thing you love him in. You can have a nice, quiet talk while you travel with him, you can figure things out, laugh with him, talk with him. Whatever Danzel does, just like you used to. Because the past doesn't matter Hazel, I mean look at me. I'm not sat in a dark room, crying over my past am I?"

I nod, beginning to bow my head, but he puts a hand gently on my chin and then moves it to my cheek, he smiles at me as if I mean a lot to him.

"But, I need you to go with what you know. What you feel. Not what Dan feels, and not following the persuasion of Kirsty, Emma or even me. Alright?"

"Alright"

He removes his hand and puts it into his jean pocket. He smiles at me and gives me a little hug before going into the elevator himself.

"I'm going to find Ollie and Josh, they're in some arcade with sounds amazing. My phone is on me so text me if you need me"

The doors close and for a while I simply stare at the silver metal. I sigh and shake my head, I walk over to my shared room and get my key out to open the door.

I hear another door open from further down the corridor where I just walked from. Dan walks out of the door and begins to lock it behind him, I watch his face carefully. The concentration of his green eyes, the tight lipped frown as he doesn't look it right, the agitated hand run through his hair.

He begins to walk away from the door, with his phone out. Not noticing my presence at all. I quickly go over what I just observed and everything that Matt said.

"Dan! Wait up!" I yell, speed walking over to him.