GUYS, a slightly early update! I just wanted to say thanks for all your support! This chapter kinda sucks and I think I could've done a lot better, but I wanted to get it out there! PLEASE don't hate me for the ending! It's 19 past 11 at night and I need to sleep. So I'm posting! Oh and I'll be posting an edit for it on my Instagram @campervangirl2000 :)
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Chapter 9

*A few days later*

Daniel POV

Mum has made me toast but I left it on the side, taking only a bite out of one of them, I still look rather awful but there's no use in just moping around, I need to get back to reality.

Which is why I'm going back to my classes today, followed by going down to the pool to work a shift.

And I really don't want to go in, or walk around half naked in my swimming trunks for 1-3 hours

A hand on my shoulder makes me sigh and I turn to face my Mum, looking extremely distressed, her lips tremble slightly as she looks me up and down with her deep blue eyes.

"I don't like seeing you like this Daniel" she whispers, her eyes glazed over as she brushes her hands over my shoulders a few times.

I try to give her a reassuring smile, but I fail, because it's just so hard.

"Are you sure you want to go in?" she asks, hand playing with the collar on my shirt and frowning at me.

No.

"Yes Mum, I'll be alright" I answer, my voice still sounds scratchy and unlike my usual tone.

"Says the boy wearing a dark grey t-shirt, with black jeans and back converse with a black jacket"

"Mum" I groan, she chuckles and pulls me in for a hug, pulling me tight like she is scared of letting go. I reminisce over the times she used to do this after everything with Bella, if I ever fell out with anyone at school or for example, when I cut my finger on one of Dad's fishing hooks.

The doorbell rings and there's a rapid knock on the door, she pulls away reluctantly, folding her grey cardigan-covered arms after rubbing her fingers under her eyes.

"Your 'moral support' is here" she says, quoting what he said to my Mum the other day when he popped over.

She smiles at me quickly, then runs out of the room, I take this opportunity to groan loudly and roll my eyes.

Josh walks into the kitchen, wearing a plain white shirt and blue jeans with a green sweatshirt. His smile falters slightly at my appearance like the other times he has seen me over the last fortnight or so, but then he smiles again.

I kiss Mum on the cheek as we pass her and leave out of the door, off to catch the bus. The air hits me hard and my eyes sting from how they are swollen, my trainers scuff along the pavement.

"Dan, are you alright?"

I turn to Josh and give him a deadpanned expression, he sulks his shoulders and turns his head away.

"Sorry, stupid question"

"No kidding" I say, and he stops right in his tracks, making me stop and turn around with a confused look. His sandy hair blows in the wind and he has his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"What?"

"Did you just say something sarcastic?!"

"I...I uh...I guess?"

"The old Dan's resurfacing! Oh my god this is great!"

I roll my eyes, a smile threatening to appear, it still won't, but it nearly does.

And we begin a normal conversation, as if it was about a month ago, but without either of us smiling.

***

When we reach the gates, I stop for a moment, letting it all sink in that I am really going back. I step onto campus and Josh and I make our way across the grassy land. My trainers squelch unpleasantly through the mud.

Emma, Kirsty and Ollie stand a couple of yards away, the sight of Kirsty makes Josh clear his throat and grab my arm, yanking me back to stand still besides him.

His blue eyes are transfixed on her, his hands tight on my arm, a blunt and emotionless look on his face, although it looks sort of...sorrowful?

I get the impression that maybe he isn't getting over her quite as quickly as he thought.

But then I find myself in the same position as she appears, dark hair in a low ponytail, wearing a purple sweatshirt and dark blue jeans. A wide smile on her face and waving frantically at the trio to signal that she has returned.

Hazel.

And she seems fine.

She approaches them, Ollie says something and she laughs, Kirsty takes hold of her shoulder and whispers something in her ear.

My blood almost seems to run cold as she turns to look at me, our eyes meet. Dark brown to empty green. and I want to turn away, run home and cry again. But I can't I'm here now and I am practically rooted to the spot.

She looks away quickly, looking rather guilty and her happy posture sinks. Emma sighs and nods at Ollie and the pair of them begin to walk over.

Emma wraps her scarf around her more, shivering slightly, Ollie smiles at us which neither of us returns. Ollie and Emma both sigh and begin to push us away from the scene to the bench, where the four of us sit down.

"Do yourselves a favour and don't stare at them like that" says Emma, as she hands me a white plastic bag, I frown at her and she just says: "take it".

I do, I take it and I open it, they both hold their breath as I stare down at the material.

Denim

It's my denim jacket.

The one I gave Hazel because she liked it so much.

I swear my heart just broke a bit more.

"Fuck" I curse, closing the bag quickly, Emma winces. I turn to lean my arm against a tree as I try to keep myself steady, I lean my head against my arm as my breath comes at unsteady intervals, tears in my eyes. I try to focus on where I am and who is watching. I take a deep breath and I turn to them.

"She wanted you to have it" says Ollie as Josh pats my shoulder in support.

I close my eyes and pick the bag up, putting my hand in I pull it out, it smells of her sweet perfume with very fine hints of my cologne.

I run my hands over it, admiring how neat she folded it for me, but I just can't stop that feeling where I just want to walk away for good and cry the whole time.

"And I bought you something" Emma said.

She hands me a small rectangular package and Josh guides me to sit down, I tear off the neat brown paper, complaining that she shouldn't have got me anything.

It's a book.

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets.

I look up at her and I try at a smile again, standing up to hug her. Thanking her repeatedly.

"She thanked you for giving the book back"

I look at Ollie who smiles supportively, totally okay that I am hugging his girlfriend.

***

Hazel POV

Okay, so I watched Dan as he saw the jacket, I returned. I did it with a heavy heart as I truly loved that jacket. And he seemed to almost break down.

And it made me feel so guilty I walked away.

I heard from my mum that according to Heather, he has been in a really bad way.

And it is all my fault.

I'm still smiling like nothing happened, still laughing and being myself. I miss him, but life goes on doesn't it?

I feel awful about it.

He can't even look at me.

What have I done?

I pretend to listen to Kirsty's rambling as we walk to English lit, my heart thumping in my chest as I am distracted at the thought of how we made contact and just how dreadful he looked.

I've made him like that.

I swallow hard and Kirsty stops, pulling me to one side as she looks up and down the corridor.

"Alright, I know you weren't listening, what's up?"

I look up to the slightly taller girl and I slouch against the wall, bowing my head as my hair falls in front of my face.

"No, I know what's wrong. Hazel this isn't your fault, you made the right decision, he doesn't trust you and you told me that-"

"Trust is key" I whisper and she nods.

"And I don't trust him anymore" I say my words suddenly sounding angry. "He's the one who thought we could make a summer thing work!"

She looks like she's about to argue and tell me it is partially my fault, but I don't give her that option as I continue.

"And he is just taking this whole thing too bad isn't he?! He just needs to carry on with life and move on!"

"But he's heartbroken" says a voice behind me.

Emma.

"And how would you know?" I say turning to her, she cowers back and Ollie appears, putting an arm on my shoulder.

I take a deep breath and I look at the three of them.

"Sorry" I say, feeling the heat drain from my cheeks. "I'm being selfish, I appreciate that it's going to take him a while"

"It's not your fault" Kirsty reminds me, pulling me into a hug.

I look over her shoulder; there he is, hair slightly longer, paler than he should be, almost sickly looking, wearing mostly black, looking tired and with dull eyes. Staring at the floor, emotionless as Josh tries to engage conversation with him.

Somebody else catches my eye as he walks down the hall, surrounded by giggling girls.

"Hiya Hazel!"

His blue eyes focus on me and Kirsty pulls away from the embrace, the three of them falling into silence as they look at me with odd looks.

I smile awkwardly, raising a hand that makes my bracelets shake as I wave.

"Hi Matt"

Then he smiles and continues to walk down the corridor, the cluster of girls occasionally shoving one another to speak to him.

"How do you know him?" Says Kirsty, sounding and looking very shocked.

I smile at her and laugh.

"His name's Matt, I talked to him briefly at the Halloween party"

"Oh well, good for you" she says and I get the feeling she's a tad jealous.

I roll my eyes at her as she turns her back and I look at Ollie and Emma, the expression on Ollie's face is priceless as he smirks at Kirsty and I bite my lip to hold back the laugh.

I walk into English lit to find everyone sitting and scribbling in their notebooks, Kirsty, Ollie and Emma follow behind. A loud chatter taking place.

I look over at my seat to find a girl who I believe is called Charlotte, sat besides a boy called Trevor.

I look over at Mr Gore, who stands by his desk, he grins at me.

"The seating plan has changed"

I look across the classroom to see that Dan is sat besides Josh.

"Ah, Miss Jones. On my seating plan I put you besides Mr Evans..."

"I am NOT sitting next to Josh!" She exclaims, shaking her head frantically.

"He said there was a problem, so I've sat him besides Mr Foster. They also wanted you to be sat with them Mr Hart"

Ollie smiles excitedly, then looks at Kirsty's unimpressed face and it fades.

"Just go Ol" Emma says, he nods and runs over to meet them, Josh looks ecstatic to see him while Dan looks like he wants to smile...but doesn't.

"He's allowed to be friends with you both" says Emma, addressing only Kirsty as she knows I'm okay with it.

"Whatever, where am I sat Mr Gore?"

"Besides Percy" he says pointing over at a desk, she nods and walks over there without a word, smiling weakly at a boy with bleach blonde hair.

"Emma, besides Jessica"

Emma walks away, her handbag holstered on her shoulder and sits besides a girl with ginger pigtails.

"Oh and Hazel...oh, you're besides Matt"

My hand slips on my bag but I grasp it again as he looks over at me.

"Oh and if he's any trouble, let me know and I'll move you around again"

Great.

"Thanks sir"

I hold my copy of To kill a Mockingbird to my chest and walk past each table to the very last desk on the right.

And there he is, staring out of the window with a bored expression on his face, a hand in his dark hair, blue eyes blinking slowly and tapping his pencil against the desk.

I clear my throat and he jumps, nearly falling of his chair as he turns to look at me, a wide smile spreads across his face.

"Well hi there Hazel Robinson!"

"You remember me then?" I reply, bending down to get out my notebook.

He looks me straight in the eyes and I momentarily become transfixed, he grins wide and I suddenly understand why he has such a large group of friends and such a large female following.

"Of course I remember! Granted, I was drunk that night, but I remember some things! Not that I remember anything that I said to you other than hello and thinking you were pretty. But sure I do!"

I smile and sit myself down on the chair besides him. I felt my cheeks grow hot in embarrassment at the fact that he called me pretty a second time.

"Which was inappropriate, because you have a boyfriend, I'm sorry about that"

My smile fades and I sigh, looking down at the book in front of me and fiddling with my pencil case.

"Not anymore" I whisper.

For some reason, tears begin to well up in my eyes, I blink them away quickly but I know that he has noticed.

I feel his hand on my arm, I don't move it, it's comforting.

"Hazel..."

I shake my head looking away from him.

"Come on, you can talk to me"

I turn to look at him, my lips start to shake and I grip the table hard.

"Yeah right, I've only just met you!"

"You met me at the party, and I know I haven't known you long, but there is something about you that intrigues me"

I bit down on my lip and I refuse to look back at him as I stare forward, beginning to open my book to the page Mr Gore has requested.

"I might not seem like much, but I will listen and provide any comfort that you may need Hazel, and I don't think you seem to be getting that, do you?"

I glance over to where he is looking at the back of Kirsty's red-haired head.

"No"

"Exactly"

I frown and look over at him, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"What exactly are you implying Matt?"

He looks a little nervous, he runs a hand through his hair and bites his lip.

"I know it might be a little early on to be asking this, but I've been thinking about how I got onto a bad introduction with you on Halloween and I've always been too nervous to come over and say something. Which is not something I get with most girls, being rather popular, you know?"

I nod, still confused as to where he is going with this.

He's been too afraid to come and say hi? That's actually rather cute.

Hazel you have a boyfriend! No wait...no you don't.

"So I was wondering if maybe..."

"Maybe what?" I encourage him.

"Maybe you'd give me the chance of getting to know you better, do you want to go out with me to dinner sometime?"

I stare at him, bewildered and also feeling soundly nervous as my heart starts beating fast. He looks anxious of my reply and twirls his pen through his fingers.

I've only just met Matt, this all seems too soon. But he does seem nice; I don't know if I can trust him, but I do need to get my mind of Dan and Kirsty is not helping, my brother, Laura, and my family are no help as they'll try and talk to Dan. If he knows that I've been but with someone perhaps it will get his mind off me and help him get over it.

"Yes" I answer without really thinking. "I think I'd like that" I smile at him and he beams back, looking very cheerful.

"I'll look forward to it" he says simply.

Kirsty's going to flip!

Wait, did he just ask me out as friends or on a date?

Oh god.

I'm about to ask him more when Mr Gore interrupts:

"Turn to page 321, oh and Emma can you beginning reading for us?"

Then Matt is studying his book, a slight smile on his face. I feel nauseous. Surely I'm not ready for this sort of thing, if we are going on a date...which I'm sure we aren't.

What have I got myself into?

***

At the end of the class Matt leans towards me and whispers:

"Friday night, I'll pick you up at 5 yeah?"

"Uh...sure thing" I reply.

He turns away, waving at me and joins a couple of his friends waiting for him at the front.

Kirsty walks over with a curious look on her face as she tucks some hair behind her ear.

"What was that all about?"

I debate I my head whether to tell her or not, it's best that I'm honest with her I suppose.

"Um, I just got asked out...by Matt"

She looks a little taken a back, with wide eyes and a tense posture.

I gulp as she continues to stare at me.

"And you said?"

"I agreed"

Suddenly she's whooping, a huge smile on her face as she embraces me tightly, her bag hits my arm and I wince but I laugh along with her.

"That's great Haze! I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah...um"

"Come on! We've got to go plan everything! Oh I'm so happy that you can get over Dan so quick, and a guy you barely know! It's great, means you can start completely fresh"

"Um about me being over Dan..."

"Come on Hazel! We need to get shopping"

Dan...I'm sorry if this hurts you. Because quite frankly I'm not sure where this is going.

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A/N TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO SUCK!
I know it's early days but...who ships Matt and Hazel??? Mazel? Hatt?

Oh, and what about Dan? I feel awful doing this to him!

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