TWICE // D.S.

THIRTY-SEVEN

"surprise!" daniel excitedly greeted aubrielle when she opened her front door to her apartment. there stood daniel with a few large cardboard boxes in his hands. aubrielle tilted her head at the unexpected visitor, he had told her that he had a few errands to run and will come over in the evening. it was barely past noon.

"i thought you were busy, what are you doing here?" aubrielle asked, the door was open the perfect amount so only her body was visible and everything above her body width.

"surprising you, duh!" he answered, a smile on his face but after watching a numb reaction from aubrielle it slowly faded, "is it the boxes? i brought them over so we can start packing,"

"start packing? i don't think i ever agreed to moving in with you," aubrielle said, stepping forward to slightly close the door behind her. "look, i don't wanna argue. i have a someone over and i don't want them to over hear this," she admitted, a soft expression layered her face.

"you have someone over?" daniel asked, setting the cardboard boxes down to lean against the wall next of aubrielle's front door. "and it's not hailey or nicolette?"

"yeah, can we talk about this later?" she asked, hesitance peeking her voice,

"talk about what? you moving in with me or the person you have in your house? why can't i know? can i at least get a name?" he questioned, his eyebrows knitting in concern.

"can you..." but aubrielle wasn't able to finish dismissing daniel. her guest had come over to the door to ask what was taking so long. while he murmured his question daniel's concern grew to surprise.

"who are you?" daniel asked, stepping closer to the front door. limiting inches that were between aubrielle and him.

"i'm jason," the guest greeted, slightly touching aubrielle's shoulder to move her out of the way, "and you are?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and standing in the doorway. at this point aubrielle was intently watching their interaction.

"i'm daniel," he answered, "aubrielle, are you going to explain to me, who the hell this guy is?" he asked, shifting his weight to attempt to see around jason.

something daniel did or said caused jason to laugh, "easy man, i thought you were her ex," jason admitted, opening the door wider before leaving aubrielle and daniel at the front door.

"im sorry," aubrielle mumbled, stepping closer to him, "this whole situation is kind of confusing. do you want to come inside? i'll try to explain it," she said, stepping to the side to let daniel in. but her shoulders slumped and her lips frowned when he stepped backwards.

he picked up the cardboard boxes and stared at the girl for a moment before sighing and stepping inside. "i thought you said you didn't know anyone else besides hailey and nicolette," he mumbled, walking over to the living room and setting himself on the couch.

"i don't, unless you count my coworkers, parents, and now him," aubrielle answered, "why are you getting like this? what does it matter to you who i know?" aubrielle asked and jason let out a weird noise from the kitchen.

"he likes you!" jason yelled after daniel didn't reply. he walked over to aubrielle and looked at daniel, "let me make this simple. this is my first time talking to aubrielle so i wouldn't even consider us friends, but think of us as step siblings," he explained, before walking away and sitting on the dinning table and busying himself with papers.