a surprise sneak in. [danielle - closed]

[Alec Edwards]

It was the night after the full moon. Alec’s senses were still at their peak, but he had absolutely no memory of what had happened the day before with Cory. He remembered everything before the transformation. He remembered shouting at Danielle to get back to the castle. He remembered the scared and shocked look Danielle had given him before finally sprinting back to the castle. He remembered changing… and then nothing. It was like a hangover, without the pounding headache. It was about eleven o’clock. Alec was laying on his king sized bed, staring at the ceiling as he listened to the extremely loud snoring of his dorm mates. He honestly didn’t know what was wrong with his dorm mates noses, but it was starting to annoy him. It didn’t help that he could hear everything very clearly thanks to his super-awesome ability to hear for a few days after the full moon. Really, that ability was more of a burden than anything. Sure, it was fun when he was a werewolf, but who the hell decided to make werewolves put up with their senses for three days after the full moon? It didn’t make any sense. Obviously whoever had started the werewolf trend hadn’t really thought it through that much.

Alec swung his legs over the side of his bed, the bottoms of his pajama pants sliding down over his ankles. The pajama pants he was wearing had been a birthday present from Danielle. She’d thought they were funny, and Alec liked to wear them because whenever he did, it made Danielle smile. Alec’s dorm mates would often tell him that he was whipped, and Alec would usually agree with them. He would do anything and everything for Danielle, no matter how stupid or embarrassing it was. Alec scrunched his toes up as his feet hit the carpet, before standing up. He’d planned this whole night out with Jared, Michelle’s boyfriend, earlier today. Alec felt guilty for putting Danielle through that. He knew she worried about him when he allowed himself to transform, and for that fact, Alec would always take his Wolfsbane potion. Yesterday, however, Alec had been feeling rebellious (and pissed off after a fight with his parents), and had decided to ignore his Wolfsbane potion and go gallivanting around the school with Cory. That was the good thing about having another werewolf at the school. Alec didn’t have to go through it alone. The whole being able to talk to each other through their thoughts was the cherry on top of an already awesome cake. The ability to talk to each other through their thoughts died down somewhat after the full moon, but they could still hear snippets of what the other was thinking. The two had made an unconscious pact to not listen to each others thoughts (mostly because Alec’s would usually be filled with Danielle, especially if they’d just spent a night together).

Alec glanced at the beds in his dorm as he heard a break in the snoring. He couldn’t quite tell which bed it had come from, but whoever it was had gone back to sleep within seconds. Without bothering to put pillows in his place in an attempt to fool his dorm mates, Alec crossed the room to the door. He didn’t bother being quiet about it, either. Alec threw the door open, stepped out of the dorm and slammed the door shut. He listened for a moment, smirking as he heard his dorm mates wake up before he hurried down the stairs into the common room. It was practically empty, except for a couple of younger students who had fallen asleep trying to do their homework. Alec walked quietly past them, and exited the common room. He wasn’t thinking as he was walking. His feet just automatically knew where to take him. Up the stairs, down the corridor until he reached the door that would take him into the Aramia common room. He couldn’t get in without a password, which is where Jared came in.

When Alec reached the door to the Aramia common room, he heard soft whining from a dog, and whispered commands. Alec shook his head, and knocked sharply three times. There was a moment where nothing happened, and then the door opened to reveal Jared standing there in his own pajamas. The two pounded their knuckles together before Alec passed Jared with a whispered, “Thanks, man”, and the password to the Othello common room. Jared had decided that since Alec was asking him for the Aramia password, he wanted the Othello password so he could see Michelle. The door to the common room closed behind Alec, and he looked around the dark area. It was completely empty. Of course it was. Alec walked to the stairs that would take him up to the girl’s dorms, and walked quietly up them. He’d been here enough times to know which step creaked. After a short walk, Alec had reached the sixth year girl’s dorm. He opened the door quietly, and looked inside. There were lumps in all of the beds.

He took one step into the room and closed the door quietly behind him. One of the lumps groaned and shifted, and Alec froze in place, looking over at the moving lump. After a moment, the lump lay still, and Alec continued through the room until he found Danielle’s bed. As quietly as he could, Alec pulled back Dani’s blankets and climbed onto the bed, pulling the blankets over him as he did so. With a small grin, he slid his arm over Dani’s stomach and pulled her closer to him, planting a kiss firmly on her lips.

[Danielle Hale]

Danielle had been dreaming, something about a quidditch match, somehow catching the quaffle when in reality it was practically impossible and they won the match. She ran over to Alec and after a little make-out, they went back to the common room for a party with the others. Alec taking a picture of the two of them as they beamed at the camera, and then started making funny faces an- Dani felt lips on hers. They were warm, as she opened her eyes, tense and tired they slowly focussed. She was barely able to make out her boyfriends silhouette as she began responding. His hands around her stomach brushing her pajamas. A vest top and long blue trousers that she had had for a while, with ice cream pictures all over it. It reminded her of the times Alec and herself went down to the kitchens. Dani blinked, tucking her knees up and sliding over a little to make sure he didn't fall off, as she was laying in the middle of her double bed.

"Hi" Danielle whispered, "Nice surprise" She muttered, with a yawn. Scratching her head, as her messy hair shifted slightly but still remained tangled. Her hands held his around her, her breathing was quiet as Dani was still a little dozy. She lifted her head slightly to find her clock and as her eyes made out the hands on the tiny clock, Dani shook her head. "How long were you sleeping for?" Dani snuggled into him, turning around as she moved her hands to wrap around his back. Her head resting on his shoulder, Dani gave a small smile, "I think you should just live in here with me, cos you're better than a dream" She hardly knew what she was saying, half-asleep, Dani was still trying to wake herself up.

"I'm glad you're here" There was movement in one of the other beds as someone rolled over, Dani held her breath looking at Alec. Relaxing, she opened her mouth once again, "I missed you...and I was worried after last night y'know?" Danielle whispered. She stared at one of the cuts along his jaw, her eyes tracing it’s length. ”You’re ok though, right?” She asked worriedly. In all seriousness, Dani was always worried seeing Alec after changing back, she hated seeing him in a state and if he and Cory had roughed it up a little he would be bruised and it upset her seeing him in that much pain. So long as he was ok, she was happy.

[Alec Edwards]

“Hi. Nice surprise.”

Alec grinned, hugging Dani closer to himself. Of course it was a nice surprise. Alec was a thoughtful guy. Well, he liked to think he was. Of course, thinking that he was better than he really was was a downfall of his. It was what made his friendship with a lot of people pretty complicated. He was a cocky bastard in their opinion. Not that their opinion bothered Alec. In his opinion, he had a reason to be a cocky bastard. He was told on a regular basis that he was ‘incredibly good looking’ and he had a girlfriend that most guys would kill to see naked. What didn’t he have to be cocky about? Well, the fact that he was a werewolf was one thing. The fact that his parents were controlling was another. Alec liked to think on the positive side of life, so he wasn’t going to think about his werewolf side or his controlling parents. Not when he had a gorgeous girl lying half asleep in his arms. He lay still as Dani looked around to find the clock and see what time it was.

“How long were you sleeping for?” That was an interesting question. Alec couldn’t remember actually sleeping since before the full moon. It was a very difficult time for him, much more difficult than he ever let on to anyone except Cory. That’s why it was important to have Cory with him whenever he allowed himself to change. At least when Cory changed with him, they shared some of the drama of becoming werewolves. And when they were both in their wolf form, it was much easier to bitch about being werewolves. Not that either of them hated being werewolves. It was just so much of a burden. “I haven’t sleep since a few days before the full moon”, Alec said, looking down at Dani. He knew that would make her worry. Alec didn’t like making Dani worry, but he wasn’t going to lie to her. She would know if he was lying, anyway. “I think you should just live in here with me, ‘cause you’re better than a dream.” Alec chuckled softly. Dani really had no idea what she was saying, but it was incredibly cute. “And where would you keep me? In the closet? Would you bring me food once a day?” he asked.

“I’m glad you’re here.” There was movement from another bed. Alec froze. He waited until the person who had moved started up their steady breathing again before he turned his gaze back to Dani. “I missed you…and I was worried after last night y’know? You’re ok though, right?” Alec scrunched up his nose when he felt Dani’s eyes on the cut on his jaw. It wasn’t as bad as some of the cuts he’d received from Cory. It was one of their monthly rituals. They’d let themselves change, and then spend most of the time wrestling. It was more fun than it seemed, but with all that male testosterone and werewolf anger, it usually meant that one of them would end up getting a bit too rough and serious about it all. Alec nodded slightly at Dani’s question, smiling. “I’m okay”, he said, “Cory just got a bit more excited than I did about our wrestling match.” Cory as a werewolf was like the equivalent of an excited puppy, sometimes. An excited, deadly puppy. But changing on a full moon just wouldn’t be the same for Alec if he didn’t have Cory there to get him through it.

[Danielle Hale]

"The closet is perfect" Dani sighed, "Of course I would, although people would probably wonder where my boyfriend was after a while" She swallowed, "Emily would notice, of course she would" She couldn't help the tone she said it in, there was just something she couldn't shake about the two of them. Something that was special between them and it threw her off. Emily was so close to Alec and it was so weird. For her to run around after him, and for nothing to have happened between them, except for something they had both deemed harmless and 'that won't EVER happen again'. Dani shut her eyes, hoping Alec was too tired to notice and she rolled back over. Her back facing him, as she tried to go to sleep.

Cory was cool though, he was a nice guy even if he did get a little more excited than she would like. She was glad that there was someone with Alec, at least he wasn't lonely but it was something that she could never be a part of. There was no way for her to be around when he transformed, Alec wouldn't allow it. Even if he had his wolfsbane potion, it was quite irritating. Holding onto the arm around her, Dani stretched her legs, before yawning.

It wasn't as if any of her other boyfriends ever did anything like this. Of course, it wasn't as serious back then but she still went out with them. Jared for instance, they had only gone out for a couple of months at the end of her third year. Then things turned weird, it just didn't feel right it was like Alec was constantly on her mind and Jared just didn't compare. Even Jared admitted that he just didn't think of Dani like that anymore, as a girlfriend. Michelle was on her mind and they both realised what they had to do. Dani couldn't be happier with her decision, but being with someone as gorgeous as Alec. Girls talked, they stared and they flirted with him right in front of her. Of course, Dani could handle it but it wasn't exactly easy. She loved Alec too much.

No one could compare to Alec.

[Alec Edwards]

“The closet is perfect. Of course I would, although people would probably wonder where my boyfriend was after a while. Emily would notice, of course she would.”

Alec tensed up at the tone in Dani’s voice. He couldn’t help it. Any other night, he would’ve been too tired, too brain dead to care. But not tonight. Not the night after the full moon. Not the night when his senses were still at their peak. His hearing, of course, was impeccable. He heard what Dani had said, and he had heard the tone she’d used. What he didn’t understand was why she had used it. Why would she talk about Emily like that? Danielle had always reassured Alec that she’d never thought he and Emily were any more than just friends. And Alec had always reassured Danielle that he’d never thought of Emily as any more than just a friend. There had been a time, back in Alec’s fifth year, when he and Emily had attempted a relationship. But that was more of a ‘well, we work as best friends, can we work as a couple?’ They’d tried it for a couple of months, but it was just too weird. Emily was too much like Alec’s sister for him to be able to think anything more of her. Plus, it didn’t help that he was head over heels for Dani at the time.

And besides, it wasn’t as if Dani herself was completely perfect. Alec knew for a fact that Dani had dated Jared for a couple of months at the end of her third year. Alec knew this, not because Dani had told him when they’d started dating, but because Jared had approached Alec to make sure there would be no weirdness between them. Alec had assured Jared that there would be no weirdness. And there hadn’t been, not for two years. As far as Alec knew, that was how Dani had felt about Emily. She’d never mentioned feeling any weirdness with the other girl. Gabrielle had, on several occasions, but Alec didn’t particularly care if Gabrielle liked Emily or not. It was important to him that Dani like Emily. Emily was Alec’s best friend, and had been for seven years. If Dani didn’t like her, that would make things awkward between Alec and Emily.

Alec felt Dani roll over onto her side, her back facing him. She was holding onto his arm, which was hanging loosely over her stomach. With a frown, Alec pulled his arm away from Dani, and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He glanced quickly around the dorm to make sure the girls hadn’t woken up, before turning his gaze back down to Dani. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked, the tone of his voice one of irritation. He knew it was really no time to be getting angry at Dani, what with four sleeping girls in the room, and he knew she was probably half asleep, which was why she’d said it in the first place, but he couldn’t help it. Her comment had pissed him off. Probably more than it should have, and it probably wouldn’t do him any justice in the long run. But Emily was his best friend, and he wasn’t going to have Dani harbour these feelings and suspicions about her.

Alec loved Dani. But sometimes he wished she would just say what she was thinking rather than hide behind her snide comments.

[Danielle Hale]

As soon as Dani felt Alec tense up, she knew she had probably gone too far. He had heard what she said and now she was seriously regretting it. His hand disappeared from her stomach and he jolted the bed as he sat up. Turning her head, she knew he was annoyed at her, by the way he spoke to her. "I mean - look. Now is not the time!" Dani sat up, looking at Alec as she hastily whispered words that wouldn't do any good. "I didn't mean that you.. . were ... argh!" Dani was getting really frustrated, Alec just didn't understand what it was like.

She didn't care if the others woke up, she was getting too annoyed to care about anything. It wasn't as if she didn't know what that girl was thinking, like the time there was a food fight. Gabrielle and Dani had no proof for who threw the food at them both but Emily seemed to be pretty pleased with herself. Throwing the covers off herself, Dani stood up, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she turned back to Alec.

"I don't think either of us should talk about this now." Dani frowned, then looked down at the floor. She was regretting what had happened, wishing she could've just kept her mouth shut, Dani was tired. "Can we just talk about it in the morning?" She walked closer to him, spotting his spongebob squarepants pajama trousers, now really wasn't the time to laugh about it.

"Are you going to go back...or?" Dani asked, her arms folded. She didn't want Alec to leave but she didn't want it to be awkward, or for Alec to feel like he had to stay. The girl in the bed next to her shifted, Dani's eyes moved to watch the girl as her eyes slowly opened surveying the scene in front of her. "What are you guys-nevermind. Just keep it down will you?" She whispered an apology, sitting down on the bed next to Alec. "I'm sorry for saying it like that" Dani moved her hand towards his, "It's just difficult, ok?"

[Alec Edwards]

“I mean – look. Now is not the time!”

Alec rolled his eyes as Dani sat up. Her words had been hastily whispered, and Alec knew it was about that time when his irritation of her snide comment about Emily would do him no justice. “I didn’t mean that you… were… argh!” Dani’s words, although whispered, were becoming louder. It was clear now that she didn’t particularly care if the other girls woke up. Alec looked around the dorm, watching as one by one, blankets were pulled down and the lumps that were the sixth year Aramia girls started to shift and groan. Alec turned his attention back to Dani as she stood up. What was she going to do? Leave the dorm? That would obviously force Alec to follow her. He wasn’t going to stay in a dorm full of girls. They didn’t snore like the boys in his dorm did, but none of them were Dani, and he didn’t care how bad of a fight they got into tonight. Dani was his everything, and he wouldn’t feel comfortable in a room filled with her friends if she wasn’t there with him. Alec glanced around the dorm again. A couple of the girls had popped their heads up, and were watching the couple argue.

“I don’t think either of us should talk about this now. Can we just talk about it in the morning?” Alec swung his legs over the side of her bed, his feet hitting the floor with a dull thump. “Are you going to go back… or?” Alec sighed. He didn’t want to go back, but he didn’t want it to be awkward the next morning. On the other hand, he wanted to talk to Dani about it as soon as he could. He didn’t want them to be pissed at each other for ages. Alec didn’t enjoy fighting with Dani, but he could at least proudly say that when they did fight, they didn’t hold grudges against each other. They tried to sort it out as soon as they possibly could, and put it in the past. Alec flinched slightly when he heard one of the girls telling them to keep it down. He didn’t really care that they’d woken the other girls up. It wasn’t as if the other girls would report Alec to the Headmaster for being in the wrong house and dorm. Alec may be Dani’s boyfriend, but that didn’t stop other girls from wanting him, and wanting to stay on his good side.

“I’m sorry for saying it like that. It’s just difficult, ok?” Alec looked down at his hands as Dani moved her hand towards his. What was so difficult? Having a boyfriend who had a female best friend? It wasn’t as if Alec and Emily were always around each other. Alec had guy best friends, too. What did Dani think Jared, Jasper and Kyle were? Emily was just a nice change of pace. She was a bit easier going than Alec’s guy friends, and she was more like him, personality-wise. Alec sighed as he slipped his fingers through Dani’s, swinging his legs back onto the bed, leaning back against the pillows. “We’ll talk about it in the morning”, Alec said, sliding down in the bed.

[Danielle Hale]

Dani relaxed once he said he would stay, after Alec lay down, his hands holding hers. "Ok." She joined him, throwing the covers over them both, she shut her eyes hoping everything would be ok tomorrow. It wasn't as if Dani hadn't noticed the others begin to watch, she knew they wouldn't rat Alec out and it was just another point she wanted to make. Dani was up against most of the female population in their relationship, they all wanted a chance with Alec.

Although Dani knew that Alec loved her, and she, him it still gave her that small element of doubt. She was glad that at least it would be left until the morning, but she didn't want to leave it too late. They rarely fought and Dani just wanted to get back to how things were before. She lay there, slightly turned towards Alec, as her breathing slowed and she quietly went to sleep. One arm was lazily draped across his chest, while she began dreaming again.

----

Dani really didn't want to get up, she could bet it was early and too light to open her eyes. The girls had probably opened the curtains, with a groan she moved a little and realised that she was still with Alec. He lay next to her, and Dani smiled, although relaying what happened last night, she really didn't want to get up. Even if it did need to be sorted. Slowly moving her arm from across him, she carefully slid off the bed, looking around the room. As she looked around the room, Dani realised everyone else had disappeared, turning to her clock she rolled her eyes at the time.

Standing up from the bed, she pulled up her loose pajama trousers and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She began going about the daily routine of showering and brushing her teeth. Although she wasn't in a rush, Dani was more worried about sorting what had happened with Alec rather than going to her potions lesson. Emerging from the bathroom twenty minutes later, her hair soaked with her towel wrapped around her, she began searching for her wand, forgetting to take it in with her. Dani walked to her bedside table, searching the drawers until she finally found her prized possession in her sock drawer for some strange reason.

Turning back, she began rifling through her closet for her uniform, chucking her shirt onto the bed along with her dark grey skirt and holding her underwear. Her wand still in hand, she dried her hair and then walked back into the bathroom with her clothes in hand. Once she was done, she looked outside the door, "Alec, you'd better be awake by now" Dani walked over to him, "Do you want to talk now?" She asked. At least no one was around to eavesdrop like last night, if she was lucky the girls would keep what they heard to themselves but some of them.. Danielle couldn't be sure.

[Alec Edwards]

He waited until Dani was lying beside him before draping his arm over her stomach as she threw the blankets of the both of them. He could hear the other girls murmuring amongst themselves, no doubt talking about what had just happened. He didn’t really care. They could talk about it all they wanted. Girls were girls, and they were probably going to gossip to their friends in different houses. Either way, the little argument Alec and Dani had had would find its way back to them. Probably through Jared and Kyle. Those two were the biggest male gossips Alec knew. They were worse than girls. Jasper preferred to stay out of other people’s business, which Alec was grateful for. Alec knew Dani would probably tell Gabrielle about it, and Gabrielle would tell Michelle and Adrienne. There were no secrets within this school. It was ridiculous, really. No secrets meant no privacy. No privacy meant that nobody was safe from the vicious rumours the girls at this school tended to spread. And by ‘girls’, Alec knew he meant Gabrielle. She was the worst of them all.

His arm still draped over Dani’s stomach, he could feel her breathing become steadier, softer as she started to drift off to sleep. Once he was sure she was completely asleep, Alec settled down into the bed, and closed his eyes, drifting off into sleep himself.

---

He was dreaming. It had to be a dream. There was no way this was real. It was a full moon. Alec had already transformed into his werewolf self. Cory was nowhere to be seen. In fact, the only person in the area was… Danielle. It didn’t feel like Alec was the werewolf. It was obviously a dream. Alec was watching the scene unfold. He wasn’t the one carrying out the scene. That was somewhat reassuring. He watched as the werewolf growled. He watched as Danielle stared at the werewolf, fear written all over her face. Run! That was what Alec was thinking. He tried to make her hear him somehow, but he couldn’t. The werewolf was running. Running towards Danielle. RUN! Alec was still trying to make Danielle hear him, but he was having no success. The werewolf was almost completely upon Danielle, fangs bared, a hungry look in its eyes. There was nothing Alec could do to stop it. The werewolf was practically right on top of Danielle, now. And she opened her mouth, as if to scream. Instead, she spoke. “Alec, you’d better be awake by now.”

Alec shot up in the bed, his eyes wide as he looked around. It took him a moment to realise where he was. The sixth year Aramia girl’s dorm. He turned his gaze towards the bathroom, Dani coming out of it, completely in one piece. Alec let out a sigh of relief. “Do you want to talk now?” Alec frowned at his girlfriend, trying to remember what they’d argued about the night before. He reached out to Dani, taking her hands in his, pulling her down onto the bed with him, onto his lap. He snaked his arms around her waist, pressing his lips firmly against hers. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk to me”, Alec said, “If something’s worrying you, Dani, you really gotta let me know. I can’t read your mind. So tell me what’s worrying you.”

[Danielle Hale]

Dani wasn't expecting the reaction she received, Alec pulling her onto him bringing a smile to her face as he wrapped his arms around her. Her arm reaching around his back, to hold her there while they kissed. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk to me” Dani smiled, "I don't feel like that" She replied.

“If something’s worrying you, Dani, you really gotta let me know. I can’t read your mind. So tell me what’s worrying you.”

Dani's eyes softened, how could she ever be with someone as amazing as Alec? "I just..." Dani swallowed, "I feel like.. the relationship you have with Emily" She said with a frown, "Seems like..more than just friends. I don't mean as if you are going out with her" Dani hastily added, "Just that you have something special with Emily that I won't be able to have with you" She shrugged her shoulders, staring down at her lap. She was just jealous. "You have all these girls after you, sometimes I just think what it would be like if we weren't together" Dani wrapped her arms around him, hugging him "and I can't stand it! Because I love you so much. How can I not think something was going on between the two of you?" It wasn't as if Emily was a horrible girl, she was Alec's friend, they had a lot in common but that sort of thing was so uncommon. It had made her question the relationship between him and Emily.

She hated feeling like this, she didn't want to feel like she was crushing him or wanting to come between him and Emily. That was hardly fair. If Gabrielle was a guy then would Alec feel the way she did? Unfortunately, what the girls had heard would probably get back to Gabrielle, or Emily and one of them would come storming over or something equally dramatic. If Alec wasn't best friends with Emily, then Dani might like the girl, hell they could even be besties but she just couldn't completely trust her. At least, Dani trusted Alec but..sometimes it got so difficult. "Would you feel threatened if Gabrielle was a guy?" She tried to put it into perspective for him.

It wasn't just Emily, it was all the girls. "Even before we went out, the girls around here weren't exactly my biggest fans. We've been like this forever and I don't want it to change" Dani looked him in the eyes, "but I feel like it's getting tense around here and I've no idea why" Dani took a deep breath, feeling like she could finally breathe again. She wasn't really keeping things from him, at least that's not what it felt like it just felt like things that she didn't think were important building up over time until finally, she exploded. "It would be easier if you were a mind reader" Dani smiled half-heartedly.

[Alec Edwards]

Alec had never really been one for ‘heart-to-heart’ conversations. He had no difficulties talking about his problems with Dani, but he was a bit iffy when it came to having deep and meaningful conversations with his friends. Emily he could deal with. She was a girl, and he was used to her. But having deep and meaningful conversations with his guy friends was really a big no-no. Neither Jared nor Kyle had any difficulties talking about their problems. Usually their problems involved their respective girlfriends. Alec was all for listening to them, but he in no way wanted to offer them any advice, even though everything they were going through, he’d already gone through with Dani. Usually Kyle’s problems involved talking about how Gabrielle refused to open up to him and tell him how she was really feeling. Jared’s problems with Michelle were usually about what they were going to do when Jared graduated. Alec had already been through both of those problems with Dani, and they’d lasted two years. That was six months longer than Jared and Michelle, and a year and a half longer than Gabrielle and Kyle. Personally, Alec didn’t think Gabrielle and Kyle would last much longer, for the sole fact that yes, Gabrielle did outright refuse to tell Kyle how she was really feeling.

Alec looked down at Dani, the troubled look on her face. He didn’t know if he really wanted to have this conversation with her. In Alec’s opinion, he didn’t need to explain his friendship with Emily to Dani. But he knew if he didn’t sort this out now, it would come back to bite him on the ass later on. So he waited patiently for Dani to talk. “I just… I feel like… the relationship you have with Emily seems like… more than just friends.” Alec’s eyebrows creased into a frown, and Dani was quick to correct herself. “I don’t mean as if you are going out with her. Just that you have something special with Emily that I won’t be able to have with you. You have all these girls after you, sometimes I just think what it would be like if we weren’t together. And I can’t stand it! Because I love you so much. How can I not think something was going on between the two of you?” Alec could very slightly see where Dani was coming from. From an outsider’s perspective, yes, it may look like there was more than just a friendship between Alec and Emily. But that was just how their friendship was.

“Would you feel threatened if Gabrielle was a guy?” Well that just gave him a giant kick up the ass. Alec frowned as he thought about this. Gabrielle wasn’t a guy, and Alec already did feel threatened by her. Gabrielle was always around, always following Dani. Wherever Dani was, Gabrielle was sure to be three footsteps behind her. Gabrielle hardly ever let Dani out of her sight, and when she did, it was only for a few minutes at the most. Alec had to have ‘scissors, paper, rock’ competitions with Gabrielle just to get five minutes alone with Dani. Luckily they’d worked out a system, but Gabrielle always found a way to bypass that system. It was annoying, and it was a strain in Alec’s and Dani’s relationship. And suddenly, Alec saw exactly where Dani was coming from. “Even before we went out, the girls around here weren’t exactly my biggest fans. We’ve been like this forever and I don’t want it to change. But I feel like it’s getting tense around here and I’ve no idea why.” Alec wrapped his arms around Dani’s waist as she took a deep breath, and planted a kiss firmly on her lips.

“Alright. Firstly, let me just say… I understand where you’re coming from. I don’t completely agree with what you’re saying, but I understand”, Alec said. “The situation with Emily and I is much different than the situation with Gabrielle. I understand where you could think that there is something going on between Emily and I, but you know me, and there isn’t anything going on. And at least I can safely say that my best friend gives us space. Gabrielle has no boundaries when it comes to us. She’s always around, and I feel like I get hardly any time alone with you. I mean, I have to sneak into your dorm in the middle of the night just to be able to spend some time alone with you. It’s the only time Gabrielle lets you out of her sight!” Alec frowned. He’d never said anything about Gabrielle before. He figured he’d let it slide because Gabrielle was Danielle’s best friend. But seeing as Dani was bringing up his best friend, he saw it fit to return the favour. He didn’t know how this was going to end up. He certainly didn’t want to fight with Dani, but he could feel himself getting more and more irritated.

[Danielle Hale]

Dani wasn't sure how to take his reply. Part of her was happy, happy that he did actually understand what she meant. Although, Alec was right, she knew him like the back of her hand. Did that just mean she was doubting herself? The little snag was when he started moaning about her best friend, "Space? Alright! I admit, Gabrielle can be a little ...clingy when she wants to be but I've known her for years. She just wants me around, if you two got on I don't think it wouldn't be as big a problem" Dani rolled her eyes, she knew that Gabrielle and Alec didn't really see eye to eye, they tolerated each other. They just made her want to leave the two of them alone, she couldn't get anything done when they were both in the same room.

"At least Gabrielle tries! It’s not as if Emily even gives me a chance. Since I've been your girlfriend, she barely talks to me! I bet you I've been a target at many of her pranks. Dani sighed, as she stopped talking this wasn't helping anything. She was getting angry at him, “Why does it have to be so complicated?!” Dani frowned, “Gabs has been my best friend longer than we’ve been together Alec” She didn’t quite know what she was saying, whether she was just beginning to feel like a bitch or whether she was just stating the truth.

Dani blinked, turning her head to face him, “The thing is, this" She pointed a finger at herself and then at Alec, "Isn't their relationship" Dani tried to think of a solution, she hated arguing, even shouting at Alec. He was pointing out things that Dani thought were ridiculous at the time but, when grouped together actually made sense. "I wish we could go off, just the two of us. Get a break. From Gabrielle and Emily?" She couldn't see herself being the mediator in any situation, she hated being one but in this case, Dani couldn't see any other possible alternative. The alternative WAS impossible.

“You just need to stop being such a baby!” Dani stood up from her bed, the volume rising “Why does it need to be so difficult? It’s not like we’re new at this. I don’t think we need to be together every minute of every day” Her hand waved about the place, emphasising her point. She didn’t think they ever had the chance to spend that much time together, but as if they would need to. Both of them wanted to see each other more, but Dani didn’t know if she wanted to sacrifice her friendship with Gabrielle. As if it would even last, they were so used to the routine that it would probably only last a week at the most.

“If we did spend the whole week together, we would drive each other mad! You know what! I really think –“ Dani stopped, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t going to finish that sentence, she was getting carried away, there was no way that would ever happen. Alec couldn’t stand Gabrielle, but she wasn’t some toy being passed from person to person. It was just like Emily wanting to talk to Alec aaaall the time, it was unnecessary. She slowed down, staring off her hands at her sides as she shook her head frustratedly.

[Sponsored content]