A Twist Of Magic

Chapter Seventeen

"Mia!" I heard Daniel call from downstairs as I sat unpacking my belongings. I gazed around at the grotty flat that would be our home for the next few days, so that the horseman could perform in their next location.

"Upstairs!" I called back to Daniel.

I sighed to myself as I heard him climbing the stairs. We'd barely spoken since we spent the night together. Even now that he knew everything about me, it still seemed like there were unspoken things between us, barriers that I just couldn't get past. I couldn't help but wonder how things would have turned out if the events from my past hadn't happened...maybe Daniel and I would still be together? But that wouldn't happen anymore, how could I ever learn to trust him again?

My thoughts were interrupted by him walking into the room.

"I need a favour." he asked, sounding slightly nervous.

"If it's to do with being part of the show then the answer is no." I said shortly.

He smiled slightly.

"Can you pop to the shops, we need milk?" he asked.

"Why can't you go?" I frowned.

"I'm busy." he said shortly.

"Doing what?" I insisted.

"Just forget it." he snapped, before quickly walking out of the room. I stared after him in complete shock. Normally Daniel had a lot of patience with me, so why was he being so weird. I frowned to myself as I heard a commotion from downstairs. The amount of banging and crashing made it sound like they were moving furniture. I hovered on the stairs and frowned as I saw Daniel stamp on what appeared to be a mobile phone.

"The firewall is down, do they know about this?" Henley asked, sounding slightly panicked.

"They who?" Daniel answered, as he helped Merritt and Jack gather up papers and throw them onto the fire.

"They, them, whoever we're working for!" she exclaimed, turning around in her chair.

"Who are we working for, and are we prepared to go to jail for them?" Merritt piped up.

I froze as I heard those words. All this time, I'd assumed they had a plan and knew what they were doing, but it seemed as if they were just as clueless as I was.

"What's going on?" I asked, blushing slightly when the four of them turned to face me.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." Daniel said quickly.

Merritt glanced at his watch and quickly gestured to Henley and Jack to follow him. As I watched the three of them leave the house, I couldn't help but wonder where they were going, but there was no point in asking them, I wouldn't get an answer anyway. Daniel glanced at me for a moment before he quickly returned to gathering up huge mounds of paperwork and quickly throwing them onto the fire.

"I meant to tell you that the bank down the road is looking for an advisor, I thought you might want to apply." he told me.

"Why would I want to apply for it?" I frowned.

"Because you said you needed a job." he pointed out.

"Yeah but not here, I'm going home in a few days." I sighed.

"It's an apply within, so I thought you might want to go down there and see them." he said.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" I frowned.

I couldn't quite understand why he was acting so strangely. He'd always been a bit quirky, but now he was being downright odd.

"Do you want me to help?" I asked, pointing at the stack of papers.

He nodded and handed me a pile of papers. I gasped slightly as our hands brushed. My skin tingled as his hand lingered on mine for a brief moment. My cheeks flushed and I quickly looked away as he eventually moved his hand away.

"Daniel, can I ask you something?" I asked as I sat in front of the fire and slowly began to place the papers onto the fire.

"Uh-huh." he replied.

"Why are you trying to get rid of me?" I asked quietly.

"What?" he frowned, turning to face me.

"First you tried to send me down the shop and then you want me to go to the bank." I explained.

He stared at me for a long time, his face completely blank and expressionless. No matter how much time I stared back at him, I couldn't seem to figure out what he was thinking.

"Daniel?" I questioned again.

"The truth is, I have a girl coming over and I think it will be weird if you are here." he said quickly.

As soon as he said those words I felt like I had been punched in the chest. Even though Daniel and I weren't together, that didn't stop the hurt.

"Well next time just say that rather than trying to get rid of me!" I snapped.

He watched me closely as I stood up and pulled on my jacket.

"Mia..." he whispered as I walked past him.

"See you later." I said quietly as I carried on walking away.