Tethered

Chapter Four:

I waited up nearly all night waiting for a text from Daniel. But none came. He ignored my good morning text, so I tossed my phone on my bed angrily and began getting ready to go meet Aaron. I was about ten minutes late by the time the bus dropped me off in front of the School's Starbucks. But Aaron was already all smiles with two cups of coffee on the table when I ran in the door. My hair flew around my face and I tried to smooth it back down.

"Are you ever going to let me pay for coffee?" I laughed as I sat down and took a sip of the delicious liquid that powers me through my day.

"If you ever show up early to anything." I lightly punched his muscled arm. We sat and drank our coffee in silence for several minutes before he spoke again. "So, how were your dates?" he asked but it sounded forced. There was a smile on his face but the tone in his voice hinted to annoyance.

"Good... I like him a lot." Was all I said. I took another sip of my drink as he looked at me. I tried not to look him in the eyes, but I could tell his gaze was fixed on me. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and I felt as if he was trying to read me. But he didn't say anything and changed the subject.

"So I might be looking at a promotion soon." He said with an enthusiasm that wasn't there a minute before.

"That's great! What might you get promoted to?" I asked and finished my coffee. Aaron got up and threw away our cups before he continued.

"Detective. I took the required training and applied for the position. Hopefully I should find out in the next few months. There were a lot of applicants so it's probably not worth mentioning... but there is a ceremony and if I make it, I want you to be there." He said quietly.

I was about to answer him when I cold hand landed on my shoulder and I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned to look behind me and it was Daniel. He had a small smile on his face as he pulled up a chair to sit next to me.

"Daniel, what are you doing here?" I gasped. My heart was still hammering from the surprise of seeing him.

"Well, I couldn't get a hold of you and I figured you were still getting coffee with your... friend and thought you would probably be near the campus." He said simply and put his arm around me looking seriously at Aaron. There was a long awkward pause and I spoke only when I couldn't take them staring at each other any longer.

"Daniel, this is Aaron. Aaron, this is Daniel." I said and they briefly shook hands.

"So you are Meredith's...?"

"Boyfriend."

"Oh."

"And you are Meredith's friend?"

"Best Friend."

Daniel and I hadn't talked about whether he was my boyfriend or not. And Aaron and I had never declared each other best friends since we had gotten back into contact. But the tension between the two of them made me keep quiet.

"So are you interested in going?" Aaron said to me but his focus stayed on Daniel.

"Going where?" Daniel said before I could even formulate a sentence in my head. My teeth started grinding and I could feel my eyes bulging from my skull.

"A ceremony."

"Aaron is being considered for a detective position." I filled in angrily.

"Interesting." Daniel said with a smirk.

"I would invite you to come along but I'm only allowed one date."