Part of the Pack (Daniel Sharman)

And the Winner is...

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I answered my question correct and Daniel erupted in cheers, reaching to give me a hug without thinking about it. Before he touched me, he stepped back awkwardly.

"Oh-" he said, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry."

I smiled, and he eventually did too. The camera man handed me a small button that said I KNOW DANIEL SHARMAN REALLY WELL! and had a little heart on it.

The interview ended and everyone cleared out of the room to go to the bathroom or get their stuff. Dylan lingered by the coffee maker, pretending to brew a cup, but I knew better. I stayed back.

When everyone was gone, I walked over to him and tapped his shoulder.

He started. "Oh! Tessa, hey." He said, his voice cracking.

"Thank you." I said, smiling kindly at him.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "For what?" He choked out, not looking me in the eye.

I pushed his chin to make him look at me. "For getting the question wrong on purpose. I saw right through you, Dyl." I said.

Dylan smiled and his brown eyes gleamed gold. "Anything," he said, kissing my cheek and making me blush, "to help you get with Daniel."

And with that, he walked out of the room and didn't look back, leaving me to dwell on that thought.

*****

"Hoechlin, where are you taking me?"

"Just trust me"

"I just met you...I don't know you," I stated.

He laughed nervously. "Well, considering you've watched every video of mine, you should know me pretty well."

I shrugged, gripping his hand. "If you're taking me somewhere to kill me, I just want you to know that I took seven years of karate and I could kick your-"

"Open your eyes." He instructed.

I felt him slowly pull my blindfold off and I opened my eyes. I was in front of Sparrow's Pancake House, the sun shining brightly on the golden sign hanging above the entrance.

I squinted against the sudden light and then smiled at Hoechlin, who looked at me expectantly. "Can we eat here?" I asked, running my hand along the window pane.

Dylan frowned at me. "No," he said sarcastically, "we brought you here just to tease you. We're gonna take you to McDonald's."

I laughed, opening the door with a jingle. We sat at a table big enough for all five of us. "Where'd the girls go?" I asked.

"They had to go to a charity event thing." Dylan answered, grabbing a menu and opening it.

"Then why aren't you guys there?"

"It's for boys," Posey answered, "the girls go to the events for boys and we go to the events for girls."

I beamed at him. "Makes sense."

All of a sudden, a little girl, about thirteen, ran up to our table, a smile spread across her stunned face. "Can I get a picture with you guys?" She asked eagerly.

The waitress, arriving at our table, took the phone from her and offered to take the picture. Hoechlin reached down and swooped her off her feet, making her giggle. He held her bridal style in his arms, as Dylan, Daniel, Posey, and I gathered around her. We snapped the picture and she ran away to show her mom. "I love our fans." Dylan said abruptly.

Daniel made a face at him. "I would hope so."

We all laughed and ordered our meals, most of us getting short stacks. We ate mostly in silence, but it wasn't an awkward silence it was...comfortable. Which was surprising since I didn't really know these guys. But I felt like I had known them my whole life. Like we had been together since season one. Like we grew up in the same neighborhood. And it made me feel happy. It made me feel like I had a place in the world. Like I belonged. Here. With these four boys.