DAN
The next day school starts but I don't see Wayne anywhere. And, typically, I panic. What if something bad happened? What if he killed himself because of what I said yesterday? That he shouldn't care? Luckily, I see Wayne coming into school. Half an hour late. Half an hour was all it took to get me on edge. Still, it's unusual - unusual as in it never happened before - so I watch him. He sits down at him place and barely seems to notice he's late. I feel panic rising again. What's wrong with Wayne? If it's something serious... I can't take losing Wayne... Not him. Not my best friend. Talking about friends, I noticed Ben and Platz were staring at me nearly all school. I guess it's because Wayne told them. I can't take my eyes off Wayne. He rests his forehead on his desk, almost seeming asleep. Is he crying? I do that when I'm crying. I gently touch his back and he doesn't react. I shake him,
" Wayne?" Wayne looks up, bags under his eyes, about to ask 'yes?' When Platz interrupts,
" Don't worry about him Dan, this has happened before, it's just his insomnia sometimes it's keeping him up for five days in a row or more." Oh. I didn't know that, but that explains. I continue learning. When school is over I hear Ben and Platz talking about a sleepover at Wayne's so I go over to the three,
" Hey I heard you were having a sleepover, can I come too?"
" Of course!" Wayne instantly says. Ben looks confused and Platz worried and he asks,
" Uh, won't you get in trouble?" At the same time as Platz asks this, Ben says,
" Tell me all your secrets, let me know you." I remember that Wayne told them about my uncle so I say,
" No, he's gone for today and tomorrow. And I'm very sorry, Wayne already told you all of them, Ben." I feel my fear vibrating off my words, as I think if my revealed secret again. If I get to their bad side, who knows what they could do using my secret, from blackmailing me to telling everyone. Everyone. Everyone would know. A shudder runs through me and then I ask, " But I-isn't Wayne too ti-ired?"
" What's wrong?" Wayne asks, hearing the stammer in my voice, but fortunately Ben saves me,
" He finds it easier to sleep when we're there." He says. I nod, not answering Wayne. Wayne watches me for a second but then just sighs and says,
" That's right, and let's go, then."
" Are you sure it's fine?" I ask and he looks me in the eyes and says in a serious voice,
" Dan. It. Is. Alright. " I nod and so all four of us walk out of the school and head to Wayne's house. There, Wayne asks me, " Please can you sing a few other songs you wrote? That are not on top of the world? " Only at first do I hesitate then I nod. He looks at me encouraging and I see the others looking too so I guess they want me to start singing right now. After another moment of silence I start singing a song I call 'Bleeding out.' When I'm around the middle of the song I notice all of them staring at me like the first time I sang On Top of the World to them. When I finish they all clap. I feel my checks heating up. Platz says,
" You write such good lyrics!" I blush even more and then he says, " Sing another one! " I gulp and then sing Nothing Left to Say. Wayne lights up as he hears it and says,
" Wait, I wrote guitar for this one." He takes one of his guitars and starts playing while I sing. I think it fits the song. When we finish, Platz and Ben give us even more claps, and I blush even more, though I can see they don't understand how Wayne already knows the song. Wayne sees too as he says, " Oh, he sang it when I was at his house yesterday."
" You were?" Platz and Ben ask in unison and Wayne nods. Then I sing another song, this one called Hear Me. I can see Wayne's face change, but I can't decide if it's for the worst or the better. I hope for the better. At the end they clap again and I blush again. It just feels so good to be appreciated. I know I should've felt this from the start - I Should have trusted Wayne. I shouldn't have ran off at the very start. I should've been- this is no time to repeat every bad thing about you to yourself, Dan. I close my eyes and take it in. Then I say,
" Now it's your turn guys, play me some instruments." They grin and start playing. I listen and whisper some lyrics that I made up while listening to it. Wayne hears me and stops. I close my mouth, fear running through me. Did I sing something bad? Oh, I so should've stayed quiet now Wayne hates me because-
"Did you just make that up?" Wayne asks and I nod shyly, because I did. That's just lyrics to me. Words just come as if they would've been waiting to be used. Wayne says, " Oh my gosh I can't write lyrics like that!" I nod and blush. He grins. Then they play and we talk for a long time. Wayne's mum calls us down and we go to eat breakfast. The food is plain fried eggs with tea but it's still the best I ever ate, considering I don't eat most nights and when I do it's always bad. I normally mostly just eat lunch.
" This is the best I've eaten in a while, thank you, Ms Sermon." I say. Wayne's mother smiles at me, while the others go all serious, as they know I'm literal. Then Wayne's mother asks me,
" If you don't mind me asking, why do you only eat with your left hand?" I hesitate. If I tell her it broke, she'll ask why it isn't in braces and then the talk will get awkward. Maybe I can just say I'm left handed.
" Oh, I-I'm so sorry it's just that I'm left handed." I say. Her eyebrows go up and then she just says,
" Okay." Relief spreads through me and I drink a bit more tea before saying,
" I'm finished May I go up to Wayne's room now? It's okay if not and I can stay here and I'm sor-"
" Of Course you can go." Wayne's mum gently says and my uprising panic disappears. I stand up and walk to Wayne's room. I don't know where I'm going to sleep yet...
WAYNE
I'm about the grab the three mattresses for Ben, Platz and Dan when my mother stops me,
" Wayne. What's going on with that boy?" She asks me gently. Even though her voice is tender and worried, I freeze and feel like I can't breathe. What could I say? What has she noticed? I decide to use that she isn't sure what Dan's called,
" Which boy?" I ask innocently.
" I think he's called Daniel, like Platzman, but Dan Reynolds?" So she does know his name, she just doesn't know if she's right. I don't know what to say. If I see something and she noticed it's not true, she'll know I'm lying and hiding something. If I say too much...
" Why, is anything going on with him? Well, he is sleeping over at mine, that's what's going on I guess. Ben, can you take the blankets? I'll bring the mattresses and Platz can take the pillows. I dunno why we store them downstairs while we always sleep over at my room! Sorry mom, gotta go, Dan won't know what to sleep on and May end up lying in my bed!" I try to make up a joke but my mother grabs my hand,
" Stop Right there, young man. I know something's up with him, the way he says sorry at everything and gets scared and that hand was not okay. I saw him move it and he grimaced, he was in pain. What's up with him?" Oh uh. That's gonna be a hard one. Maybe Dan won't be so angry if I just tell her his parents passed away and she'd understand? Or I could just say what Dan once lied to me. Good idea, since if mum noticed these, she also noticed his limping,
" He just fell off a horse and is paranoid ever since." I say. Oops, I know what's coming...
" Why didn't he go to the hospital?" Mum asks. I hesitate then say,
" Dunno, guess I'll have to ask him. Bye!" I take the mattresses and run to my room, where the others are already waiting for me with the blankets and pillows. No, I am not going to actually ask Dan, that was just to make mum calm. Though I have a feeling she isn't calm... I look at Dan, " Wanna sing a song before we all go to boring sleep?" I ask. He smiles and nods, though he's still a little shaken up from... From asking to come up to my room. Heck, this boy really is scared. Still, when he's singing, even if it's a song like Nothing Left to Say Now, I see the shine in his eyes. He enjoys singing, he enjoys it more than anything. And that's why I asked him to sing. He says,
" If you play the guitar for it at the same time. How about nothing left to say now?" I nod, it's clear he wants me to play the guitar that's only why he chose that song. Dan closes his eyes and sings his heart into those words he wrote as I play the guitar. Sometimes I just want to listen to him without my stupid guitar as Background, since he's just so good at singing... The door freaks open and my mother walks in. I continue playing but Dan stops singing so I decide to stop too.
" Hey, I just came in to tell you you sound amazing. And I bought a bit of water." She says, then she puts a cup of water down and leaves. If mother was suspicious and heard the lyrics...
YOU ARE READING
If only you could save me || Imagine Dragons Fanfic
FanfictionDan Reynolds is thirteen when he joins Wayne Sermons school. But he isn't okay. Will someone be able to help him? OH MY I ACTUALLY FINISHED THIS.
