Underage, A Dan Smith Love Story

Chapter Three

A/N This is one of my favorite chapters out of the whole book. "Alyssa you've only posted 3 chapters..." Yes but I have 25 or so written already. Thanks for reading loves💜💜 Xx

Chapter Three: Dark Enough.

I was still riding home from retrieving my songbook from Dan's. I stopped at the horse park so Arial could get a drink from the trough and graze a bit. I dismounted Arial and let her roam, it's not like she was going anywhere, she always stayed by my side. I started flipping through my songbook. Dan had started writing little notes in it, mostly on Dark Enough. He even wrote me a letter. It read, "Someday I'll give this back to you Arabella. I can't stop thinking about you and your voice. It was angelic. Then this song, you must finish it. I keep looking at the blankness after the first stanza. I can already tell it's a suicide song. I hope you're okay, and you're not like that. I mean if you were that'd be okay, I mean, it wouldn't, but, ugh, I'm rambling and I'm not even talking to you. Your music, it does this to me though. I've played some of your songs on my piano. Kyle Simmons, he's in my band, he heard me playing Dark Enough. He asked who wrote it. I told him it was you, Arabella. Then we had a whole discussion about who you were, how I met you. He said I did the right thing when I kicked you out that day. He told me if anyone found out, we wouldn't be going on tour in three months. Thanks for faking who you were. I'm glad I met you. You're so beautiful, oh god, did I just write that? Yours, Daniel." I laughed at what he wrote me, he dated the letter. It said he wrote it two days ago. Two days ago he felt this way? Woah.

I spent another hour at the horse park reading the notes Dan had left for me. I heard galloping hooves coming from down the trail. Arial perked her head up and I approached her. Then I saw a guy riding an out of control horse. A girl came down the trail behind him. She had control of her horse. The guy then yelled,
"Janna! This was a bad idea! Someone help!" I mounted Arial and kicked off after the scrawny man. I caught up with the out of control horse quickly. "Get on," I shouted. I grabbed his hand and pulled him onto Arial. He grabbed onto me as I pulled Arial to a stop. When Arial stopped the man dismounted. I jumped off Arial next to the man. His girlfriend, the Janna girl, rode off after the horse.
"Thank you for saving my life," the man said.
"It's no problem," I replied with a chuckle.
"I'm Kyle," he said extending his hand.
"Arabella," I greeted, shaking his hand. Kyle looked confused, as if he were thinking for a minute.
"Say, do you know a guy named Dan?" Kyle asked. I mentally laughed, this was the Kyle Dan wrote about in his letter.
"Dan Smith, my one night stand. You must be Kyle Simmons," I replied with a laugh.
"Oi, you're the seventeen year old with the songs and the voice?" he asked.
"Eighteen now," I replied slightly ashamed.
"Sorry, did you end up getting your book back?" Kyle asked.
"Ironically I got it back just a few hours ago!" I exclaimed. Kyle laughed. Janna came back with Kyle's horse.
"We tried going on a romantic horse ride," Kyle informed me. I laughed.
"Well, I'm sure I'll see you again Kyle," I teased as I mounted Arial.
"And you as well Arabella," Kyle replied. I started riding Arial home after that.

I got home and took Arial to the barn. My dad was in brushing his horse out.
"Where'd you run off too, or ride off to?," my dad asked, trying to be funny.
"Dan's," I replied.
"Your one night stand," my dad teased, giving me a weird look. I mentally slapped him.
"I just went to get my songbook and get his number," I replied, quietly.
"He gave you his number?!" my dad exclaimed. "Yeah," I squealed. My dad and I were like best mates. He's the girlfriend I never had. Most girls talk to their best mates about boys or other girl drama, I talked to my dad and my older brother.
"Did he kiss you?" my dad asked, now seriously intrigued.
"No dad, this is only the second time we've talked. He loves my music though," I replied.
"Who doesn't like your music?" he asked.
"I don't know, because I don't sing for people," I replied. My dad sighed.
"Maybe you should," he suggested. Hell no to that.

I sat in my studio. I was trying to finish Dark Enough. I then got something and started writing lyrics. "How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? As to scar her skin with cuts and burns and still want to hurt more. How does someone so loving, learn to hate her own guts? Drawing a picture on her arms with a blade, as if her mind isn't dark enough." I wrote them down as soon as I thought them up. I then came up with the chords. I grabbed my phone and text Dan,
"Just got a chorus made up for Dark Enough! Almost done! Xx." In a minute he text me back,
"That's great! Wanna come over for dinner? Kyle's over and I made spaghetti!" I text him back,
"I'll be over soon. Xx." It was still early in the evening. I spent another hour on the song, finishing it. Then I put my songbook in my over the shoulder bag and ran outside to the barn.

Arial and I galloped all the way to Dan's flat. I tied her to the lamppost and then went up to the front door and knocked.
"Come in," I heard Dan yell. I went inside and slipped my boots off. I took my scarf off and hung it up on the coat rack, I put my bag there as well.
"Oi, just making yourself right at home," Kyle teased. I laughed.
"I told you I'd see you again Kyle," I teased right back. Two other guys sat in the living room with Dan and Kyle. Dan stood and approached me.
"Arabella, this is Will and Woody," he said pointing to the two guys.
"Hi," I shyly greeted. I can't say I didn't cyber snoop on the band when I was at home, it made me a bit nervous to meet everyone.

Soon after we ate, Dan brought up my song. The lads all said they'd like to hear it. We all went to the studio. I pulled out my book and was about to play the song on Dan's golden piano. Before I started I looked to the lads.
"It's not totally finished. It's probably not the be-."
"Just bloody sing," Dan interrupted with a smile. Woody sat on the drum set stool, Kyle sat on a reclining chair, Dan leaned against the wall, close to the piano, and Will sat on a stool by the guitars. They all gave me reassuring glances. I turned to the piano, and began, "There is a girl, in the front of my class, who I swear I've never seen do anything but laugh. She's tall and she's smart, beautiful and strong, and when someone's down she tries to fix what is wrong. How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? As to scar her skin with cuts and burns, and still want to hurt more. How does someone so loving, learn to hate her own guts? Drawing a picture on her arms with a blade, as if her mind isn't dark enough. There is a girl, in the front of my class, who's eyes are glazed over like newly cut glass. The ghost of a smile, hints at her face. And she laughs as they tell her, 'Who's on First Base'. How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? As to scar her skin with cuts and burns and still want to hurt more. How does someone so loving, learn to hate her own guts? Drawing a picture on her arms with a blade, as if her mind isn't dark enough. There is a girl, in the front of my class, who's so sad that you find it rare to see her smile or laugh. Her friends tell her jokes, like that one with the guy, but all she does is close her eyes, and enter her mind. How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? As to scar her skin with cuts and burns, and still want to hurt more. How does someone so loving, learn to hate her own guts? Drawing a picture on her arms with a blade, as if her mind isn't dark enough. For her imperfections. There was a girl, in the front of my class, who yesterday took, the breath that was her last. She wrote a few notes, I'm sorry I didn't say, but my mind was messed up, you couldn't save me anyway. And to the girl in the back of the class, who feels the way I did. How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? As to scar her skin with cuts and burns, and still want to hurt more..."

When I finished the song I closed my book and turned to face the lads with saddened looks on their faces, not knowing what to say.
"It's dreadful isn't it?" I asked. Dan shook his head, still unable to speak. Kyle stood up and approached me.
"Stand up," he said calmly. I stood, confused. And then he wrapped his arms around me tightly.
"I don't know if you've been to a point like that in your life, or someone you knew was, but that song was bloody amazing," Kyle said quietly. I looked at the lads as Kyle released me from the hug, they all nodded in agreement.
"Finally! You finished it!" Dan exclaimed, hugging me. Will and Woody even hugged me, it was a little weird because I didn't know them. Whatever, like I have room to talk. I had sex with Dan after I had only known him for a few hours.