Til Death

10. Daniel

DANIEL

Daniel's mission was to make sure Blake didn't hate him even more than he already must. Because of course he did. This was an arduous task because all he wanted to do was wring Blake's neck for getting drunk. He wanted to scream at him over leaving the club alone, but Daniel kept his mouth shut.

But no one was talking in that car.

Not even Blake, who so far, had a lot to say. Maybe he was too busy trying not to vomit all over Daniel's car. See? Daniel kept that comment to himself. After a few beats of silence, Daniel couldn't think of one way to start a conversation with Blake, which was as frustrating as an itch that he couldn't reach to scratch. The fact that someone hated him, someone found him unhelpful drove Daniel crazy. What was worse, that person was right here.

"See," he started, trying to find some form of humor to lighten the situation. "I usually make it on time."

"Don't try to be cute," Blake said, which wasn't what Daniel was going for at all, but kind of liked the accidental side effect. It was a good thing Blake was curled up against the door, slowly slipping into unconsciousness so he couldn't see him flushing. "You don't get a free pass because you did all that. I'm still mad at you."

"All that?" Daniel laughed, baffled by the lack of appreciation. "You mean saving your ass? What were you even doing at that sleezy club anyways?"

So much for not fighting.

"Sleezy?" Blake pulled himself up, unable to unfurrow his brow. "We didn't go to just some random bar. That was Josephine's club!"

"Josephine?"

"Your cousin-"

"I know who Josephine is! I just..."

Daniel didn't know she owned a club. He didn't know Michael was married or mated or whatever werewolves call it nowadays. The people who were around him the most were giving him the biggest surprises today. He shook his head, turning onto the mountain that would lead home. "Whatever. It doesn't matter. Is that it, then? You've just decided you're never going to forgive me? You're just going to hate me forever?"

"No, of course not."

"Because you were right. We're in this together and I think, we should at least be friends."

Blake rolled his eyes. "Do you even know how to have friends?" Before Daniel could counter, Blake raised his finger, "Frances doesn't count and neither do my brothers. You only seem them a few times a year."

Daniel opened his mouth again, but Blake jumped in, "Family doesn't count either."

"Piss off, Blake. I remember how the Winslow family works. You all stick together so I doubt you're raking it in the friend department."

Only silence followed.

"I know this is going to sound idiotic..." Daniel rolled his eyes at himself. Even thinking it felt ridiculous. "But I froze when my parents told me about the curse. Everything about my life just shattered in front of me. This isn't how I planned for any of this to go. I planned to take the coven over, then, fall in love and do the marriage thing. Not the other way around."

"I guess it goes to show you can't plan your life like that. We both learned that the hard way."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he chuckled, miserably. "I was going to start at a new college where no one knew my name and I wanted to see new things and meet all kinds of people. Honestly... I planned to see the whole world, but now I just don't know if I will. So, I don't think you're dumb for thinking that."