Chapter 3
At the end of the day, Theodore and Daniel walked home.
"You want to come over to my flat?" Daniel asked.
"You have a flat? Awesome! Yeah man, I'll just drop my stuff off at home and tell mum where I'm off to so she doesn't worry."
"Okay. I'll just wait here." Daniel nodded.
When Theodore came out of the house, they walked together towards the bus station. "We'll have to catch the bus, I'm practically on the other side of the city. If I'd thought ahead I'd have brought a car." Daniel said.
"I didn't know you could drive!" Theodore exclaimed excitedly. "That's so cool! Do you have your own car?"
Daniel smirked, "There are a lot of things you don't know about me Theo, we only met yesterday. And yeah, I do have my own car..." he paused for effect, "cars in fact, as in the plural." He winked.
Theodore frowned as they got on the bus. "You have more than one car? No way!"
"Yes way!" Daniel laughed. Theodore looked intrigued and was about to ask him about them, but Daniel tapped his nose. "I'll show you them sometime if you're a car enthusiast but until then you do not even know I own a car. If Zoe or someone finds out I have even one, they'll pounce on me like lions."
Theodore looked even more intrigued but left the conversation alone willingly enough.
They arrived at their stop 20 minutes later. "Honestly, I could walk faster than that thing went." Daniel complained.
Theodore was looking about him, "The posh end of town eh, Dan?" He grinned at Daniel's withering look. Daniel pushed him into the hallway and then lead the way to the lift, and pressed the top button. "Right to the top?" Theodore said excitedly. "Will you parents be home?"
Daniel's face suddenly became withdrawn. "No." He muttered, "No, they're not."
Theodore noticed this sudden change of emotion and tactfully changed the subject. "So Dan, you seen anyone at school you like yet? That girl in your form isn't bad." He attempted to lighten the mood but it just seemed to make Daniel become quieter. "Sorry, what's wrong?" he asked quietly.
"Nothing. Just...nothing." Daniel shook his head and smiled at Theodore, but his eyes were still sad.
The lift doors binged as they reached the top floor. They stepped into a short corridor that had two other doors in it. One to the stairs and the other that Daniel unlocked and entered. Theodore heard the sound of Heavy Metal, rolled his eyes and followed him in and looked around. "So much for flat, more like penthouse I'd say." He grinned at another of Daniel's scathing looks. "You know I've never been in a flat before," he informed his new friend, "how high up are we?"
"Fairly high. Have a look if you want." He gestured to the doors leading onto a balcony.
Theodore walked out, "Woah! It is really high. I'm getting a little vertigo just standing here. Oh look! The sun is finally coming out. Come on Daniel you should see the view of the city, it's amazing!"
Daniel's face fell as he saw the sunlight hit Theodore's face. "I've seen it hundreds of times before." He called back, "Come back in, you're letting all the heat out." Theodore didn't detect his lame excuse to shut the sunlight out. It wasn't that he couldn't stand the stuff, it was just irritating to his skin and too bright for his eyes. There was also the factor that he was hungry, or thirsty even, which contributed to his lack of patience for it, that and also for Matty earlier.
Theodore dragged himself away from the sun's rays and walked back in, closing the door behind him. He grinned "Wouldn't want your 'flat' becoming a fridge. So you going to show me round?" he asked.
"Sure." Daniel snapped out of his miserable thoughts and smiled.
The main living room had doors around it; one lead onto the kitchen which had all the usual kitchen appliances all looking like they were used, though Daniel had no need for any except when he had normal guests round. It was a fairly small room compared to the main, giant living space with its one wall almost made entirely of windows except for the door Theodore had just been through to get to the balcony. Next was the bathroom, a huge shower, Jacuzzi bath etc. Theodore grinned "Don't do yourself badly do you?" He was treated to yet another scathing look.
"And lastly, my room." Daniel pushed open his door, Theodore wandered in. The music was loudest here and caused Theodore to shake his head with a small smile. The heavy curtains were still drawn, Daniel obviously hadn't been bothered to open them that morning. He flicked on the light.
Theodore tutted, "You're destroying the planet Dan, if you just opened your curtains in the morning you wouldn't have to turn on the light and therefore wouldn't use up our planet's finite resources."
Daniel looked at him blankly, "Yeah, sure. You see, that would be fine except for the fact I can't be bothered to open curtains in the morning, way too much effort involved."
Theodore tutted his at this laziness.
They went back to the main room, Daniel fell back onto his giant sofa. Theodore sat down too but looked confused, "So, where do your parents sleep? I don't see their room."
Daniel looked down, his long fringe flopped over his eyes. "They, they don't live here Theo. I," his words came falteringly, "I don't live with my parents, I live alone because they both died a while ago." He didn't look up, but could guess Theodore's expression.
"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry Daniel. Is, is that why you got so annoyed with Matty today?"
"Yeah. Well, he was already pissing me off, I guess that just pushed me over the edge." He glanced up with a small smile. "You all right from that?"
Theodore smiled, thankful for the slight change in subject, even though it was a subject he usually avoided at all costs. "Yes, thanks for that. I don't think Matty will come near me any time soon." He paused, "At least, while you're around."
Daniel grimaced, "Yeah, while I'm around. Maybe I'll settle." He smiled.
"I think you should stay here." Theodore's eyes were hopeful.
Daniel laughed at his expression, then suggested, "You could move. Then you wouldn't have to deal with Matty and co."
Theodore shook his head. "It won't happen. We don't have enough to pay for me to go to school everyday on the bus or something and mum won't move house."
"Well, I'm not planning on going anywhere yet, so you're okay." Daniel grinned at him.
Theodore grinned back. "So Daniel, what's this I hear about you having cars as in the plural?" His smile got wider as Daniel rolled his eyes.
