The Understudy (hiatus)

Chapter Four - Tydelynn (Part Two)

Dan was on to me.

He'd followed me upstairs whilst I went to the bathroom, I saw him walking up the stairs as I came out. I stood at the top of the stairs, making a sarcastic comment in hope that he would just need the bathroom and walk straight past me.

But no, Daniel wanted to talk.

I quickly apologised about my behaviour in the last hour when he mentioned it. He looked so awkward to be confronting me, but he went through with it so, I decided that I should be as honest as I can. Not too honest, however, because standing there telling him that 'I'm insanely attracted to you right now when I've known you for half a day but you're not my type and I'm not really attracted to you' wouldn't make the awkwardness disappear. Hell no, I'd rather jump into a black hole.

When I'd finished apologising, I was eager to escape the situation. I was ready to walk straight past him, when he suddenly outstretched his arms.

Of course, Daniel was a hugger.

I was having a mental debate, one part of my body (my brain, I think) telling myself to just walk away and another part (I'm guessing it was my heart) telling me to accept his hug. My heart won after a few seconds of debation, and I caved in. I walked into his arms, buried my head in his chest without thinking, and felt his arms cradle my shoulders softly.

He smelled like Lynx and that typical male scent. It was too good, and I WAS NOT ATTRACTED TO DAN, so I pulled away.

I walked down the stairs with a small smile on my face, despite my thoughts.

I sank back down onto the sofa and plugged my headphones in. I curled up and placed the earbuds in my ears whilst I scrolled down my iPod playlist. I settled on 'Fall Over' by Banks, and closed my eyes.

I started to think about the situation. I'd been here for less than a day, and I'd already managed to make it awkward twice and feel attracted to someone. I wasn't attracted to Dan, I kept telling myself. I struggled to find the correct word to describe it. It wasn't attraction...well, it was, but I didn't want it to be. He wasn't a terrible person, but he just wasn't my type. I just didn't think we would suit.

I resolved to give Dan a chance. I resolved to just ignore my heart playing silly games with my brain, and just try to be friends with Dan. I resolved to get to know everyone better, especially him.

"You like Banks?" Dan's voice managed to overpower my headphone volume, and I opened my eyes to find him sitting on the left of me, his eyes staring at my glowing iPod.

"I do," I mumbled, taking the left earbud out of my ear.

"That's cool," Dan nodded, smiling. He pointed to the earbud, and I frowned at him in confusion. He picked up the earbud with his hand. "Do you mind?"

"Oh, yeah.....no! No, I don't mind! Yeah, sure...whatever...urm..." I replied. Shut up, Tyde. Shut up.

He smiled gently, and placed the earbud in his ear. He leaned back, causing the other earbud that was in my ear to be ripped out.

"Hey! I do mind that!" I complained, giggling.

"What?...Oh, sorry!" He laughed, passing me the other headphone. The headphone wasn't long enough to stay in my ear and for the other one to stay in his ear, and I sighed. Dan shuffled closer to me so that I was more or less in his lap, and passed me my earbud once again.

Oh, surprise surprise, it managed to stay in once we moved closer. Was fate trying to tell me something here?

Shut up, Tyde. Just seriously shut up.

The feeling of Dan's chest and stomach on my back was more amazing than it really should have been. He was having a deadly effect on me right now, and I didn't like it. I was not attracted to Dan, okay? Not at all.

...................................................................................................................................................................................

The afternoon, and part of the night, slipped away from my grasp and it was soon time for me to try and sleep. The rest of the lads had gone to bed about an hour before me, they left me in the living room drinking tea. I trudged up the stairs and tried to see my bunk. I managed to find it and get in there without making too much noise. My eyes started to adjust to the dark. I looked around, everyone seemed to be asleep.

My eyes rested on Dan. He looked very troubled when he slept. His brow furrowed, his lip tight, his body curled up. I would have thought that Dan would have been the type to look like an angel when he was sleeping - full of peace and dreams of tour. No, he was the opposite. He looked like he had the weight of the world in his oblivion, and that confused me.

He suddenly squeezed his eyes, and starting mumbling in his sleep. The only word that I could identify was 'Don't' before he turned silent again.

Shrugging, I settled myself for sleep to take me in it's wing. The last few thoughts I had before I slipped out of consiousness were mainly Dan, and the hug early on today.

Dan could not know what an effect he had over me. I just hope that he hadn't noticed my strange behaviour was due to him and this weird attraction thing.

I just hoped he hadn't noticed.