Walk Away | Danny O'Donoghue FanFiction

6. Ella

I was sick of all this Danny and Layla drama lately. I was helping them out way too much with their relationship that it was starting to become insincere, a relationship where the two of them were only doing for each other what I told them to do. The pair of them were now constantly asking for my advice on what to do and say to each other, or how to handle a certain situation in their relationship. I was sick and tired of acting like some sort of relationship councillor and, every time I told each of them that things in their relationship would be disingenuous if they were only doing for the other what I told them to do, they individually reassured me that it was fine and that neither of them minded the other having my help.

The problem with this was that I hadn't told Dan that Layla asked for my help for everything with him and vice versa. They'd only told each other once or twice that they took my advice on something minescule in their relationship, when it was actually asking me what to do at every single point in their relationship, whether big or small. I wanted to stop helping them so much, believe me I really did, but I couldn't say no to either of them because I cared about both of them way too much to let them down by refusing. It was definitely an unhealthy relationship if both sides came directly from me and I didn't know how either of them could even be in that relationship knowing how much they were giving was coming from me. Since I was always helping both of them by giving them both pointers and advice, their entire relationship was basically me having a relationship with myself.

So this had basically been my life over the last month since everything was cleared up after Layla's birthday. That and work, of course. Though I could probably make an even better living for myself if I started charging Layla and Dan everytime they asked for my assistance. I'd had enough of this though, at least for one night, as tonight I had a date so this whole day would be focused around me. No Danny, no Layla, and definitely no relationship councilling. I could finally focus on my own love life and just have fun myself. I was currently having a bath, pampering myself before my date tonight. The best part was that Dan and Layla knew about the date which meant that they'd leave me alone tonight instead of sending me a text asking for help in their relationship. The more I think and talk about how much they do it, the more fucked up I think it is.

As I said though, they both knew about the date because I told them when we all went for lunch together a couple of days ago. It might sound like I was third wheeling but I'd become really close to Danny lately, so all of us would hang out when we got the chance, and when the two of them weren't off on a date of their own. I told them where it was and who the guy was, and Danny informed me that the restaurant I was going to on my date was just down the road from the studio that him, Glen and Mark recorded at, and they had a session in the studio when my date would be going on, which was a coincidence.

I pulled the plug in the bath, letting the water slowly run out of the bath as I got out, wrapping a towel around my body and keeping it wrapped around me as I dried my hair, trying hard to give myself the perfect, bouncy blowout for tonight.

**

|That night|

I had just got out of the taxi when I got a text from Aaron, my date for tonight.
' Hi, can't make it tonight. Sorry '
What?! Was he being serious?! Tears filled up inside my eyes, the pain of being rejected hitting me hard inside and making me want to cry. I didn't care if this was going to be our first date and I barely knew him, I was still devastated. There was no reason given, just a blunt, very last minute text message that pained me to read. Thoughts started rushing around in my head about why he had stood me up. Was I not appealing? Too annoying? Not attractive? Not funny or nice or pretty enough? I tried my hardest to hold the tears in but a few managed to escape and slowly roll down my cheeks. I felt rejected, inadequate, not worthy enough of someone actually liking me enough to want to be with me. I didn't know what to do, where to go from here.

I suddenly remembered that Dan was in the studio down the road from here tonight. Maybe I could text him? No. That's embarrassing. I don't want him to see me crying over some guy that I barely even know at all.

I had no clue where I was so I used my phone to check on Google Maps, and found that there was a tube station near here where I could get the tube home. I started walking to it when I heard a familiar voice call my name.
"Ella!"
It was Danny. He ran over to me and I turned around to the direction I heard his voice come from. "Ella, what's wrong? Are you crying sweetheart?"Fuck. He noticed. "Aren't you meant to be on-" he cut himself off as he must've realised what had happened, and why I was crying in the street instead of being at dinner on a date. He pulled me in for a big hug, wrapping his arms around me tight as I cried into him, getting his t-shirt all wet.
"What did he do, Els?" he asked me. Huh, Els. That was a cute name, nobody had ever called me that before.
"He- he stood me up..." I whimper into his chest. He must think I'm so pathetic right now, I felt humiliated that I was sobbing over someone so meaningless, especially to Danny.
"What?! How?! He's a fucking idiot" he rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head, I felt so safe and secure right now. I didn't want him to let go of me because I could continue this hug for ages, but I pulled away from the hug anyway.
"I got your t-shirt so wet, I'm sorry..." I told him, going on to explain that he'd just text me, and showing Dan the text. He gently took my face in one of his hands and wiped my tears away with the other. This felt weird, Danny and I had never been so close before and he was really making me feel so... special?
He read the text over again, taking it all in.
"Fucking bastard!" Danny cursed, "Not even suggesting to set the date for another day! Well I tell ye what, Ella, he's missing out on having an breathtaking woman all to himself"
"Wow, thanks.." I managed to smile, feeling a little cheered up now. Danny was skilled in making me feel good
"Actually, why don't ye give me his number and I'll tell him straight! Give him a piece of my mind!"
"You don't need to do that Dan" I assured him, still smiling at his offer
"There's a difference between needing to do something and wanting to do something though!" he winked at me, trying to convince me but instead his words made me think of something else
"Kind of how I don't want to be giving you constant suggestions and advice about your relationship with Layla, but I need to do it because I care about you both so much?"
"You got me there.." he admitted. He was suddenly feeling quite ashamed in himself for always asking for my guidance
"You can have his number if you want though, I guess it would cheer me up to hear you having a go at him" I smiled reassuringly at him, letting him know that he shouldn't feel embarrassed about the asking for my advice thing
"I'll do it then, and after we can talk about how I always request your services with Layla?" he sounded serious, but I couldn't help but laugh
"You make me sound like I'm a hooker! Requesting my services!" I giggle as I repeat his words, he lets out a laugh too and we both feel more at ease.
When we both calm down from our laughing fits, he speaks again "I know a nice pub near here, we can get a drink and sit outside so I can call this dick!"
I take him up on his offer and we walk to this pub together, still laughing a little about what Danny had said before.
We both ordered a simple pint of beer, and Danny led me out to the pub's gardens which were lovely and quiet as there was only one family sat outside at a bench. Dan and I sat down at another bench and I read out this guys number so Dan could type it into his phone.
I listened to Dan talking to Aaron, laughing at how enraged he was towards the guy that had stood me up. Then Danny said something which had me perplexed, "Your fucking ex-wife?!" what? Aaron was married? This was why he fucking stood me up? What a player.
"Ex-wife...?" I asked Danny, tears appearing in my eyes again as I blinked them back. Danny had one last go at him before hanging up.
"Are you alright Els? He's a bastard, ok? Don't get upset, he isn't worth it"
I gulped and nodded, "I'm fine, I just didn't know... I mean he didn't tell me that he... I didn't know he was ever married! I know we hardly knew each other but when we met and he asked me out he could've at least mentioned it when we were talking!" I sounded so distressed when I spoke, because I really was.
"I'm sorry about him Ella, I really am" he looked me dead in the eyes, I knew he meant it. "Come on, down that pint then let's get you another. We're gonna get you drunk so you can forget about him!"
I laughed and downed my pint while Danny went in to get us something stronger to drink, and from then on, the night was a blur.