letters to dan // dan smith

Chapter 18

One Month Later

Now that Beth is better, Dan's leg is fully healed and Will has sorted things out with his girlfriend, talk about the tour is back.

All the cancelled shows need to be replaced, venues need to be booked, and the amount of rehearsals has almost tripled. Dan is lucky to get four hours of sleep a night, and Beth is in Manchester until thursday to visit her family and friends. On friday, it's her birthday, and Dan's upset because it's the first night of the tour and they can't really do anything.

At least, that's what he's told Beth. He's actually got a little something planned, and this starts with Beth coming to the show.


***


Beth arrives home late on thursday night. She finds a note shoved under her door.

Hey Beth, welcome home! It's your birthday tomorrow, I know. I'll pick you up at 6. Wear something nice.

Love Dan x

Beth grins, wondering what he could possibly have planned, but goes into her room and opens her wardrobe, looking for something to wear.

Half an hour later, she still has nothing, but all her clothes are on the floor in piles. She checks her phone for the time and it's nearly ten. It's too late to go shopping now, so she decides to go tomorrow.

Suddenly worn out from the trip, Beth climbs into bed without taking off her clothes, and falls asleep.


***


The next morning, Beth is woken by a loud banging on her front door. She climbs out of bed and stumbles to the door, rubbing her eyes as she opens it.

"Happy Birthday!" Holly and Elsa stand in her doorway, huge smiles plastered on their faces, absolutely yelling their heads off.

"Guys! Hi! Thank you! Come in," She opens the door wider, laughing as the two girls burst in, jumping on the couch and talking over one another.

"We're taking you shopping-" Elsa starts, but Holly interrupts.

"Dan instructed us to buy you something-"

"For tonight, he's taking you to the-"

"Elsa! Shut up! It's a surprise! Dan's taking you somewhere and we've been told to take you shopping," Holly finishes.

"Alrighty! Give me two minutes to get changed and brush my teeth, and Holly, could you make me coffee?"

"Nope, we're taking you out for breakfast."

"Okay, I'll be right back," Beth says, as she goes to her room.

The minute she shuts the door, she hears Elsa and Holly start talking in hushed voices.

"You idiot Elsa, she probably figured it out. Dan's gonna kill you!" That's definitely Holly, Beth thinks, wondering what on earth Dan could have planned.

"Beth won't suspect a thing, Dan doesn't seem like that kind of guy and..." Elsa lowers her voice, and Beth presses her ear against the door, straining to hear where Dan was taking her.

"Beth?" Holly is right outside her bedroom door, and Beth jumps back.

"I... uh, coming!" She scrambles through the mess she made last night, looking for a clean t-shirt, but only finds a hoody. Shrugging, she takes off yesterday's shirt, and puts the hoodie over her bra, not bothering with a top.

"Hurry! Up!" Holly accentuates each word with a loud knock.

"I'm coming!" She shouts, flinging the door open.

Holly, who was leaning on the door, ends up flat on her bum, and Beth bursts out laughing, while Holly glares at her, clearly trying not to smile herself.


***


Holly, Elsa and Beth spend almost four hours shopping, and in the end, Holly and Elsa are almost desperate, because they still have not found anything for Beth to wear, and time is running out.

"How about this?" Elsa holds up a black dress; short, but still modest enough for Beth to like it. Or so Elsa thought.

Beth shakes her head.

"No. Can we go? I'll just wear my blue skirt," she begs, starting to leave the shop.

"You don't own a blue skirt," Holly points out, "in fact, you don't even own a skirt," she adds, following Beth out of the store.

"Well I won't wear a skirt then," Beth shrugs.

"Yes you will!" Elsa screeches, earning herself a few disapproving glances from an elderly couple passing them.

"You have to wear a dress, Dan's orders," she says, slightly quieter.

"Ugh, whatever," Beth marches into a shop, and pulls the dress nearest to her off the rack.

"How about... this one?" She holds it up to her chest. The dress is ridiculously short, black in colour, and is tight at the top, but flares out around Beth's thighs. Not to mention the silver star-shaped sequins that embroider the bust. It is as un-Beth as anything could possibly be.

"Perfect. Go try it on," Elsa shoves her into the changing room.

"I was joking!" Beth calls through the door.

"I wasn't," replies Elsa, sliding a pair of heeled ankle boots under the door.

Beth groans, but changes into the outfit.

"Let me see," Elsa whines, banging on the changing room door.

Beth steps out of the change room, and Holly's mouth drops open.

"Oh. My. God," Holly says.

"It's too low, too much boob is showing," Beth mutters, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No it's perfect," Elsa tells her, "turn around."

Beth turns, and Elsa yanks the hair tie from Beth's braid, running her fingers through her hair. She grabs her hand, and turns Beth around again.

"Excellent. Let's get this home and do your makeup," Holly rubs her hands together with glee

"No! I-"

"No excuses. Take this off and give it to me to pay," Elsa commands.

"Yeah, it's our birthday present for you. We're giving you a makeover!" Holly adds excitedly.

"Whatever," Beth mutters in defeat, knowing that she wasn't going to like what they would do.

"You'll like it," Holly grins.

"God, what are you? A mind reader?" Beth laughs.


***


As the clock nears six, Beth's nerves start to kick in. What is it with Dan and surprises? Does he not know that Beth hates them? Holly and Elsa are coming, and they know what's going on. So why doesn't Beth?

Beth is walking around the house, trying to break in the new shoes. Holly's orders. The doorbell rings, and Beth dashes over to the door, ready to grumble to Dan about this situation.

She flings the front door open, and readies herself for debating, but the words freeze on her lips, because Dan is standing there, holding a tiny squirming puppy.

"Little bastard peed on me. Take him, happy birthday," Dan grins widely at Beth, despite the yellow patch spreading on his white t shirt.

Beth grabs the puppy, and looks down at it with a huge smile on her face.

"He's for me!?" She says incredulously, letting Dan in and sitting on the living room floor.

"Yeah, you like him?"

"He's adorable! Oh my gosh!" She squeaks excitedly.

Dan crouches down next to her, and kisses her lips gently, wrapping his hand around Beth's neck.

"He's to keep you company while I'm away. Can I have a shower? And grab a clean t shirt?" He asks, pointing vaguely in the direction of the bathroom.

Beth nods, entirely focused on her new puppy. She hears her bedroom door open and shut, and an exchange of greetings between Holly, Elsa and Dan. Moments later the two girls join Beth in the living room. Holly makes a delighted sound, and drops to her knees, cooing over the puppy.

"What's his name?" Elsa asks.

Beth hesitates, looking thoughtful.

"Calum," she says finally.

"Calum?" Holly looks doubtful.

"Look at his big brown eyes. He looks like a Calum, don't you?" She picks up the puppy and rubs his curly fur.

Calum wags his tail happily.


***


The evening starts of with Dan taking all three girls to the concert, where they muck around backstage the whole time, joined, for a while, by Woody's girlfriend, Chrissy. She leaves early though, because she's got an exam early the next morning.

After the concert, Dan ties a blindfold around Beth's eyes.

"Dan!" Beth whines.

"Don't complain."

"Yeah, just wait till you see where he's taking you!" Elsa adds excitedly.

"But I hate surprises!" Beth exclaims.

"We know," Dan, Elsa and Holly say at the same time, and laugh.

Beth groans in defeat, crossing her arms and pouting.

After a moment's silence Holly says "Beth, when you cross your arms your boobs look bigger, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Daniel is turned on."

Elsa bursts out laughing, and Dan stammers, trying to defend himself. Beth, who finds the whole situation highly amusing, crosses her arms tighter, and smirks when she feels Dan shift uncomfortably in the seat next to her. Elsa mutters something up front, and Holly and the cab driver both laugh.

"How much longer?" Beth asks.

"About... 30 seconds," Dan replies.

The cab slows down, and after a moment, stops completely. Beth feels Dan get out of the car, her door opens, and Dan helps her out of the car.

She hears Elsa and Holly whispering, and catches the words "it looks quiet," and then feels Dan stop. She catches Dan cursing under his breath, and then hears someone else approach.

"Dan?" It's Kyle. Everything goes silent, and then Kyle lets out a low whistle. "This can not be good..."